Potential aplenty was flashed by the Philadelphia Eagles offense in 2021.
The Eagles finished with the top-ranked rushing offense and head coach Nick Sirianni's first season, predicted by many to be a rebuilding campaign, concluded with the team back in the playoffs.
Heading into 2022, the Eagles are flying high with expectations thanks in large part to last season's showing and the addition of wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Running back Miles Sanders believes there are the makings of something special with the talent on offense, which now includes quarterback Jalen Hurts, wideouts Brown and DeVonta Smith, Sanders at running back and Dallas Goedert at tight end.
"Oh man," Sanders said when asked what it was like preparing for a season with Brown on the roster. "We all feel like we're on an all-star team, so we feel great. We feel unstoppable, I'm not gonna lie. The vibes are great, always have been."
Following a disastrous and franchise-altering 2020 season in which the Eagles posted a 4-11-1 record, Philadelphia regrouped under Sirianni in 2021 to go 9-8 and make an NFC Wild-Card Round appearance. Now, the Eagles are aspiring to knock the Dallas Cowboys from the top of the NFC East.
Sanders is running into a pivotal 2022 -- his fourth with the Eagles and the last on his rookie contract.
He's coming off a campaign in which ankle and hand injuries forced him to miss five games. At season's end, Sanders had totaled career lows of 137 carries, 754 rushing yards and no rushing scores. His 5.5 yards per carry were a career-high, however.
Sanders getting more touches was something many, including Hurts, clamored for last season. Nonetheless, Sanders maintains he's happy with the direction of things under Sirianni.
"Nick Sirianni is doing a great job just keeping the vibes right, the chemistry good," he said. "We compete a lot in practice. But we've gotta see. Its gonna come down to camp, taking it day by day, putting everything together."
If everything comes together for the Eagles' offense, it will feature talent in Hurts, Sanders, Brown, Smith and slot receiver Quez Watkins who will each be 25 years old or younger in the 2022 season.
Right now, the Eagles are brimming with potential. Only the season will tell if it translates into the all-star squad Sanders predicts Philadelphia will be.
