Getty Darius Slay facing off against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Philadelphia Eagles look like the perfect Super Bowl team on paper. They have a deep and talented roster, plus an experienced head coach and savvy front office. Those are all big reasons why sports gambling experts have them locked in as favorites to repeat as NFC champions.
The Eagles are good enough to replicate what the New England Patriots did in 2019. If so, Philadelphia would be only the second franchise to lose a Super Bowl before coming back to avenge that loss the following year. Hold on. There’s a full season to be played, one filled with plenty of challenges and pitfalls.
The Inquirer’s Marcus Hayes compiled a list of some issues he feels could sabotage the 2023 campaign. It’s a doomsday-type piece, and certainly a bit tongue-in-cheek, but a few of his points have merit. The biggest potential hiccup could involve the relationship between new senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia and Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay. Remember, the two weren’t on the friendliest of terms when paired together in Detroit.
Here is what Hayes wrote about that seemingly combustible situation:
Just why the Eagles added Patricia is unclear. Detroit fired Patricia after the 2020 season. He went back to New England in 2021 as an adviser, then helped run the offense in 2022, jobs in which he also failed.
Slay has said his interactions with Patricia so far have been “cordial.” How cordial will they be when they see each other every day for a month?
This is nitroglycerin in the back of a pickup truck: One rough bump and things could explode.
#Eagles star CB Darius Slay says the reunion with former HC Matt Patricia has been “cordial” and they’ve both got the same goal:
“It’s another day at the office,” Slay said, via @ProFootballTalk. “We both got the same goal, just going out there to compete and win a championship,…
Darius Slay, James Bradberry Ranked High
The combination of Darius Slay and James Bradberry stands to be one of the most elite cornerback tandems in football. It’s going to be hard for opposing quarterbacks to find much open air space.
Pro Football Focus ranked Slay at No. 3 and Bradberry at No. 13 in their rankings of the top-32 cornerbacks in the league heading into the 2023 campaign. They noted that Slay “allowed 54.7% of passes thrown into his coverage to be caught during the regular season and let up fewer than 25 yards in each of his three playoff games.” And Bradberry “allowed a catch on 46.9% of passes thrown his way.”
Only thing I hate about the game is when people an the media be ranking these players an be putting guys in front of players that has been doin it for yrs at a consistent level!!
Meanwhile, Bleacher Report called Slay and Bradberry the best cornerback duo in the league. The pair ranked No. 1 on a compelling list, with the Dallas Cowboys at No. 2 and the Miami Dolphins at No. 3. “Philadelphia is fortunate to have a pair of championship-caliber corners in its pursuit of another trip to the Super Bowl,” wrote David Kenyon.
Everyone Signed Off on Controversial Move
Head coach Nick Sirianni quickly downplayed any potential drama this season between Matt Patricia and Darius Slay. He spoke to his star cornerback before offering the senior defensive assistant job to Patricia. Everyone was on board.
“Like you do with anything, you go through and you talk to guys and you make sure that everybody is comfortable with it,” Sirianni told reporters on April 20. “I had conversations with Slay. Obviously, I had conversations with Coach Patricia. I know it’ll be a good working relationship for us when that happens.”