Eagles Schedule Prediction: Breaking Down First Four Games
PHILADELPHIA – The 18-week odyssey that is the NFL season begins for the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Rather than examine all 17 games on the schedule, let’s take a small bite and take a closer look at the first four games and what their record could be and why:
EAGLES AT PATRIOTS, 4:25 P.M., SEPT. 10
This will be the Eagles’ fourth straight season opening on the road. They have won six of their last seven openers and are 2-0 in openers with Nick Sirianni as the head coach. That guarantees nothing.
The Patriots aren’t expected to contend in a very difficult AFC East, but they don’t know that, yet. Optimism is high with every team coming out of training camp, so this won’t be an easy game for that reason alone.
There are others:
- Quarterback Mac Jones isn’t looking over his shoulder at Bailey Zappe, who was released but added back to the practice squad.
- There is clarity with the offense after the hiring of Bill O’Brien as the offensive coordinator after last year’s co-role held by Joe Judge and Matt Patricia.
- They have a good running game with Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott, and that will likely be how the Eagles attack an Eagles defense that was ranked 16th in stopping the run last year.
- They have two good tight ends, Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki, who will challenge the Eagles’ linebackers and secondary.
This could be an early stumble, though I’m not going there.
Bill Belichick's longtime right-hand man, Matt Patricia, works for the Eagles now. That might help.
What certainly will matter is the Eagles offense can score and will have to put up points until the defense with five new starters and a new coordinator and linebacker coach can mesh.
Sirianni’s offense hung 32 in an opening-season win at Atlanta two years ago and 38 to open the season with a win in Detroit last year.
They should put up 30-plus again.
Prediction: Eagles 34, Patriots 27
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VIKINGS AT EAGLES, 8:15 P.M., SEPT. 14 Four days after their openers, these two teams will play their second game of the young season.
It’s a primetime game, which usually means bad things for Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw three picks in last year’s Monday night matchup in Philly as the Eagles rolled to a 24-7 win, also in Week 2. Receiver Justin Jefferson was a nonfactor with just six catches on 12 targets for a paltry 48 yards.
The Eagles ran more times (34) than they threw the ball (31).
The script could look different this year. Something tells me it will. Somehow.
Prediction: Vikings 27, Eagles 26
EAGLES AT BUCCANEERS, 7:15 P.M., SEPT. 25
The Eagles will have 10 days to stew after a one-point loss to the Vikings, and they get right on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
The Bucs have some nice pieces on defense, with nose tackle Vita Vea, linebackers LaVonte David, Shaquil Barrett, and Devin White, and safety Antoine Winfield, but the Eagles’ offense should continue to crank out points.
Tampa will struggle to keep up with an uncertain offensive line and running game. Future Hall of Famer Mike Evans wants a new contract by Week 1, so who knows what his state of mind will be early in the season?
Prediction: Eagles 32, Bucs 17
COMMANDERS AT EAGLES, 1 P.M., OCT. 1
Washington has the talent and motivation to be a sneaky good team this year, after the sale of the team from the miserable ownership of Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris. There is plenty of talent at most positions, but it will all come down to the development of Sam Howell, and that figures to take more than just four games.
The Eagles will have already lost at home once, and it won’t happen again, even though it was the Commanders who ended the Eagles’ 8-0 start to last season by beating them at Lincoln Financial Field in a primetime game.
The offense will continue to roll and the defense, after holding the Bucs to 17 points, continues to come together.
Prediction: Eagles 27, Commanders 13
RECORD: 3-1
NEXT: At the Los Angeles Rams, Oct. 8, Week 5
