One player was all that was missing.

When Ike Reese heard the news in early 2004 that the Philadelphia Eagles were pursuing All-Pro wide receiver Terrell Owens, Reese called his Eagles teammate Brian Dawkins. "He and I both agreed if we get this guy there was no doubt about it. We were going to the Super Bowl," said Reese, the Eagles' special teams leader and third-down linebacker.

One player can make a difference. And Owens did.

The 2004 Eagles were one of the most dynamic, confident, explosive and dominant teams of this century. They were a team without a weakness. Andy Reid had spent five seasons building the foundation, smartly drafting talented players and plugging holes through free agency.

Terrell Owens, the Eagles' main attraction in 2004, helped Philly run away with the NFC East. Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports

He had a mastermind in defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. He had a staff that included four assistants -- offensive coordinator Brad Childress, linebackers coach Steve Spagnuolo, special teams coordinator John Harbaugh and quarterbacks coach Pat Shurmur -- who would become head coaches.

Reid had a quarterback in Donovan McNabb who was in his prime; a running back in Brian Westbrook who was on the verge of emerging as a multifaceted threat out of the backfield; a defense that was loaded with effective pass-rushers; a stout middle linebacker in Jeremiah Trotter; and defensive backs who could cover and hit.

The Eagles had been to the NFC Championship Game following the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons, but had lost each time, first to a more talented St. Louis Rams team and then at home to Tampa Bay and Carolina. The Panthers loss, in particular, had devastated the Eagles, who were favorites playing in their new stadium.

After that 14-3 defeat, Philadelphia had been branded a team that didn't have a killer instinct and couldn't get to the biggest stage, in part because for all of his strengths, Reid had not given McNabb a big-play threat at wide receiver.

Freddie Mitchell, Todd Pinkston and James Thrash were just guys. But Owens, he was the man. Along with the Eagles' other big offseason acquisition in 2004, defensive end Jevon Kearse, Owens gave Philadelphia a swagger that had been lacking.

"When we stepped on the field from OTAs to the first game against the New York Giants, we felt no team could beat us," Reese said. "We were hunting for the St. Louis Rams and the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts. That's who we had to beat. I just remember the level of confidence was at an all-time high for a team coming off three NFC Championship Games. It took us to an almost invincible feeling."

The buzz around the Eagles was palpable. Fans flocked to their training camp at Lehigh University in quaint Bethlehem, Pa. Every time Owens caught a pass, fans serenaded him with chants of "T.O., T.O., T.O." One practice drew more than 25,000 fans.

Games were raucous celebrations. Owens and McNabb had a chemistry Reid first noticed when they were NFC teammates at the Pro Bowl that January.

"He and Donovan just had this trust in each other on the football field that was incredible," Reid said. "So you felt like in any situation, T.O. could make a play and Donovan could get him the football. It didn't matter the coverage, he was going to win and Donovan was going to get it to him. It was fun to watch."

Philadelphia won its first seven games of the season -- a franchise first -- before stumbling against a Pittsburgh team that ended up 15-1. After that game, Johnson installed Trotter, a veteran and vocal leader, as the starting middle linebacker, a move that was applauded in the locker room and gave the Eagles a legitimate run-stuffer.