Michael Vick made headlines Wednesday when he told CSNPhilly.com that the Philadelphia Eagles"have a chance to develop a dynasty" similar to the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s and the Dallas Cowboys in the '90s. Is Vick right? Which NFL franchise could you envision as a dynasty of the 2010s?
The Green Bay Packers are the obvious answer. And it's the right one. Green Bay has an incredible mix of continuity, youth and talent on offense. The Packers have plenty of cap room to keep all the players they want, including the best quarterback in football, Aaron Rodgers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers under Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin should also be in the mix every year, but the Packers have the best chance for multiple titles.
As long as Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, the Green Bay Packers have a very good shot at winning multiple championships during this decade. Dynasties are always built around excellent quarterback play, dynamic skill players and depth on both sides of the ball. The Packers fit all three criteria.
Rodgers is the reigning MVP and is only 28 years old. Not to mention, he's throwing to a group of weapons just entering their prime. I expect several more outstanding seasons from guys like Jordy Nelson (27), Greg Jennings (28) and Jermichael Finley (25).
Charles Woodson is the only key member of the defense who is nearing the end of his career. Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji are both 26 year-old stars who should be near the top of their respective positions for several more seasons.
It must be something in the July water in Philly. Last year, it was Vince Young ("Dream Team"). This year, it's Michael Vick. It seems the best way to ensure you are not a team of the decade is to say you can be one. Vick is right about the potential for the Philadelphia Eagles to be a very good team, but they are not my pick for team of the decade.
When picking my team, I start with the QB position. Those "dynasties" of the past all had Hall of Fame QBs. Thus, there are three teams I look at as potential modern-day dynasties: the Packers, Giants and Steelers. All three of those franchises have a great QB who can carry a team on a playoff run to a title.
All three teams also have another common denominator: a strong front office with an excellent personnel department. This allows you to sustain success. All three of these teams face stiff competition in their respective divisions, which makes it hard to say any of them can be a truly dominant squad. Going forward, I believe we'll see different teams emerging as champions for a year or two (max).
The fascinating team to watch is the New England Patriots. Tom Brady has said he wants to play for a long time, but he's already 34 years old. I don't think their Super Bowl days are done, but who will eventually replace Brady?
The Eagles went 8-8 last year, 7-6 in Michael Vick's 13 starts -- that's a long way from a title, much less a dynasty.
The teams winning the past two Super Bowls could be thinking about dynasties themselves. The Packers' aerial attack helped them go 15-1 last year after a Super Bowl season the year before. Meanwhile, if Eli Manning continues to play well, Tom Coughlin's defense should help the Giants consistently contend for a championship.
Among teams who haven't won "the big one," the Eagles have as good a chance as any. Andy Reid is one of the league's best coaches, so if Vick can recreate his 2010 magic and the team's acquisitions on defense last offseason play better than they did in 2011 (plus the team now has DeMeco Ryans to fill a major hole in the middle), the Eagles have a chance to be pretty good for the next three or four seasons.
But the hardest part of starting a dynasty is actually winning the first championship. So until these Eagles hold up the Lombardi Trophy -- going through the aforementioned talented teams, plus the always-tough Steelers, Patriots and Ravens -- talk of repeats or "three-peats" should probably be kept at a minimum.
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- Jason Smith NFL.com
Too much parity for a dynasty, but two teams come to mind: Green Bay and ... Carolina
Another trick question by our NFL.com editors! Boy, I'm getting good at spotting them. The correct answer is: none. If it was a 25-year-old Michael Vick, I could see it. But he's over 30 and has trouble staying on the field.
The closest teams would be the Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers. Both have young, excellent QBs, which is the key component to a long run nowadays. But a dynasty? Aaron Rodgers can potentially turn his team into the Patriots, where every year they're a Super Bowl threat. But as we saw last year, even when you're dominant during the regular season, the playoffs aren't a sure thing.
Cam Newton certainly can build a winner in the same vein, but the Panthers' division is still going to be ultra-competitive for the next three to four years, with Drew Brees still playing at a high level and Matt Ryan poised to really break through. So there will be years Carolina is good, but not good enough, record-wise.
Oh, Mike Vick -- you silly, silly man.
Didn't you learn a lesson last season about what not to say from Vince "Dream Team" Young? Weren't you paying attention when LeBron James put the heat on himself and his teammates with his "... not three, not four, not five ..." nonsense?
In other words, Mike, tsk-tsk. Alright, that's more of a sound than words, but you get my point. Here's another sound: Shhhhhh! Yes, you're on a talented team. You were on a talented team last year, too. How'd that work out? An Iggles dynasty to rival the best teams ever sounds swell ... but maybe you should make the playoffs first.
As for the question of which team has the best chance of being a dynasty, it's a quarterback league, right? Well, then, it stands to reason the team with the best QB has the best chance at being a dynasty. Congratulations, Green Bay.