Paul Domowitch’s Eagles All-Decade Team

So, here we are again, debating the merits of Carson Wentz and Nick Foles. This time, it’s the Eagles All-Decade team and who should be the quarterback on that team.

Keep in mind, the question here isn’t who is the better quarterback. That would be Wentz, hands down. But this is an All-Decade team, and the best man doesn’t always win.

Wentz has put up some impressive numbers in his first four NFL seasons. He has a plus-62 touchdowns-to-interceptions differential. He hasn’t thrown more than seven interceptions in any of the last three years. In 2017, he was leading the league in touchdown passes and on course to be the league’s MVP when he suffered that infamous ACL tear.

But Foles was the guy who came in from the bullpen and led the Eagles to the Super Bowl and will never have to buy another glass of milk again in this city.

His overall performance in the postseason that year, and particularly in the Eagles’ 41-33 win over the Patriots in the title game, is the stuff legends are made of.

And that doesn’t even include that magical 2013 season when he came off the bench again for Michael Vick and led the league in passing and threw 27 touchdown passes – seven in one game -- and just two interceptions.

Better quarterback? Wentz, of course. Quarterback of the decade? Foles.

Beyond the quarterback position, picking the Eagles’ All-Decade team wasn’t all that difficult. The two running backs and the offensive line all were no-brainers.

Zach Ertz gets the nod over Brent Celek at tight end, but Brent is making my team come hell or high water. He and Chris Long will be team captains.

Asante Samuel dearly wants to have his bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I’m not sure that’s ever going to happen. But if it’s any consolation to him, he’s on my All-Decade team.

He played with the Eagles in this decade in only 2010 and 2011. But he had seven interceptions in 2010, a year after snaring nine. His reluctance to tackle people drove me nuts, but no corner in history may have been better at anticipating routes and reading quarterbacks’ eyes. So, Asante, come on down, buddy.

Brandon Boykin spent only three seasons with the Eagles, but he was very good in the slot for two of them, including 2013, when he had six interceptions. I gave him the nod over one of the saviors of the Eagles’ Super Bowl season, Patrick Robinson.

Connor Barwin, DeMeco Ryans, and Nigel Bradham are my three linebackers. Jordan Hicks was the odd man out, mainly because he missed 21 games to injury in his four seasons with the Eagles.

Playing in Bill Davis’s 3-4 scheme, Barwin had 14½ sacks in 2014 and seven more in ’15. He never had fewer than five sacks in any of his four seasons with the Eagles.

Offense

QB: Nick Foles

RB: LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles

WR: Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson

Slot: Jordan Matthews

TE: Zach Ertz

LT: Jason Peters

LG: Evan Mathis

C: Jason Kelce

RG: Brandon Brooks

RT: Lane Johnson

Defense

DE: Trent Cole, Brandon Graham

DT: Fletcher Cox, Bennie Logan

LB: DeMeco Ryans, Nigel Bradham, Connor Barwin

CB: Asante Samuel, Jalen Mills

Nickel: Brandon Boykin

S: Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod

Special teams

PK: Jake Elliott

P: Donnie Jones

PR: Darren Sproles

KR: Josh Huff