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The Philadelphia Eagles had a well-rounded roster during the 2017 NFL season. But it was their depth at the quarterback position that helped them win them a Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers are quietly setting up to have a season similar to the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles. Here's how the 2021 San Francisco 49ers and the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles are similar.
3 reasons why the 2021 San Francisco 49ers mirror the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles
#1 - Injury-prone starting quarterback
Carson Wentz entered 2017 as a healthy quarterback. However, late in the season, he suffered a torn ACL and has since failed to shake off the injury bug. Looking back, it is clear that Carson Wentz has always been an injury-prone quarterback. In each of his seasons when the Philadelphia Eagles made the playoffs, he was unable to finish the campaign healthy.
Jimmy Garoppolo is also an injury-prone quarterback. Even during his stint with the New England Patriots, he was unable to stay healthy. After playing a few games in lieu of a suspended Tom Brady in 2016, he ended up hurting his shoulder and could not finish the four-game stretch. Jacoby Brissett had to step in for Garoppolo.
He also suffered torn ACLs in 2018 and 2020 that ended his season early. However, when he was able to remain healthy in 2019, the San Francisco 49ers made it to the Super Bowl. Like Wentz, Garoppolo can play well when healthy. However, the keyword is "healthy."
#2 - High-ceiling, low floor at backup quarterback
The 2017 Philadelphia Eagles team had Nick Foles as the backup quarterback. Going into the season, Foles was largely seen as a boom-or-bust backup. His best season came in 2013 when he threw 27 touchdowns and two interceptions as a young quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. However, every other season was a rough sight.
The 2021 San Francisco 49ers also have a boom-or-bust candidate at the backup quarterback position. Trey Lance is a rookie quarterback who, by definition, is a boom-or-bust candidate. He is also from the same school as Carson Wentz, which is intriguing.
Basically, historical evidence shows that the season is set up for Jimmy Garoppolo to lead the offense for most of the season. The 49ers will be in a good spot but Garoppolo will follow his history and succumb to injury. That's when Trey Lance will come in and drive the bus to a playoff run.
#3 - Innovative offensive head coach
While Doug Peterson has not impressed much since winning the Super Bowl, he was quite innovative and forward-thinking in 2017 with the Philadelphia Eagles. They ranked seventh in total offense that season. Meanwhile, the 2021 San Francisco 49ers have an innovative and top-quality head coach in Kyle Shanahan.
Shanahan was the offensive coordinator when Matt Ryan won the MVP award and the Atlanta Falcons made it to the Super Bowl. He has also made it to a Super Bowl as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers when they were able to have a healthy quarterback the entire season.
