Eagles fans have short memories.

Based on the reaction to the sloppy and conservative Giants win, you’d think this team is limping into the playoffs with zero momentum and will go one-and-done in the divisional round.

In truth, the Birds are in better shape now than they were going into the 2018 playoffs.

It wasn’t that long ago, so everyone should remember this pretty clearly. Carson Wentz went down injured in Los Angeles, then Nick Foles stepped in for a 34-29 win in New York where they had to erase a 13-point deficit on the strength of a blocked punt and missed Giants field goal. They kicked their own field goal to go ahead with less than five minutes remaining and needed a 4th and goal stop to escape the Giants, who had two wins going into that game. Eli Manning threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns.

Up next – the Raiders, pre-Vegas move. Christmas night, ugly as shit. Nick Foles threw for 163 yards and Oakland missed a 48-yard field goal while turning the ball over five times in the second half. The Birds escaped with a Jake Elliott game-winner only after Ronald Darby picked off Derek Carr, then padded the score sheet with a Derek Barnett scoop and score. The history books show 19-10, when it really should have finished 13-10 with a post-game cigarette to boot.

Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

That led to the Cowboys game, where they lost 6-0 with Nick Foles looking largely uninspiring in limited work. Nate Sudfeld finished the game, which had people asking if he should play in the divisional round over Foles (not a joke, that was a real thing). Then they had two weeks off before going on their improbable Super Bowl run.

The point of rehashing all of that is to provide a very basic reminder. They had absolutely nothing in the momentum department entering the Atlanta Falcons game. They clipped the Giants on the road, then really struggled past the Raiders. That, plus the injury situation, was the entire genesis for the “Underdogs,” thing, which provided the backdrop for the inspired title run.

This year’s Eagles team is largely the same. They lost to Dallas and New Orleans with their backup quarterback before clinching with a lackluster home win. The main difference is that the injury situation is much better. Look at the guys the 2017 squad was without in the postseason:

  • Carson Wentz (IR)
  • Jason Peters (IR)
  • Jordan Hicks (IR)
  • Darren Sproles (IR)
  • Chris Maragos (IR)

Unlike the 2017 squad, this version of the Eagles is returning their Pro Bowl tackle and starting quarterback. Lane Johnson will play, but not at 100%, which a lot of people seem to think is better than Jack Driscoll at his best. Jalen Hurts will be under center. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson returned on Sunday. Avonte Maddox and Josh Sweat have two more weeks to recover.

On paper, the Eagles are going into this postseason in better shape than they did in 2018. They’re not “limping into the playoffs” any more than that team did, and we all know how that turned out.