Three Eagles Schedule Factors That Will Actually Determine Their 2026 Record -- And Two That Won't

The Philadelphia Eagles schedule looks easy on paper.

Back-to-back home games in October and November and three straight home games in December. The NFL favored the Eagles here right?

This schedule isn't the most favorable when looking at all the variables. There's a lot to like regarding this schedule, and a lot to dislike when breaking the schedule down.

The won-loss record is going to be good, but how the Eagles get to that mark will be the key. When looking at all the quirks of the schedule, this is how the Eagles are going to win 10+ games again.

There are three factors on the schedule that will determine their 2026 record -- and two factors that will have nothing to do with how they fare.

The lack of flights in the middle of the year (determines record)

The Eagles have a very comfy part of the schedule where they have four home games in a five-game stretch. Counting the bye week, the Eagles are home five weeks in a six-week stretch.

Even better, the Eagles don't have to get on a plane. They have one road trip and that's to Washington D.C. -- which they'll take by train. From the London trip to flying to Dallas , the Eagles don't have to ride a plane for 44 days.

That is massive for the meat of the 2026 schedule, and with a bye week in between. The Eagles will be less traveled, well rested, and playing at home.

Dallas and Houston on a short week (determines record)

The biggest game of the year for the Eagles is playing the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. While this is a marquee matchup against a division rival, this NFC East showdown is being played on a short week.

The Eagles will be traveling to Dallas and playing in AT&T Stadium, where they have notoriously struggled in recent years. This won't be an easy game.

The showdown against the Texans on Christmas Eve will be a fun one, but that is also on a short week. At least the Eagles are playing back-to-back-to-back games at home and won't have to travel on this four-day work week.

Yes, the holiday games are fun. They also come with a price.

Three straight home games (doesn't determine record)

The well-known part of the Eagles schedule last season was there was no back-to-back home games at all on the schedule. That certainly changed this year, a sthe Eagles play consecutive home games on three different occasions.

Of the consecutive home games, the Eagles have three straight in December from Week 14 through 16. There is one problem with the three straight home games -- they're all in a span of 11 days.

The Eagles host the Colts on Sunday, December 13, then face the Seahawks (the defending Super Bowl champions) on Saturday, December 19 -- a short week. The Eagles then play on Christmas Eve against the Texans, another short week as Christmas Eve falls on a Thursday.

Lincoln Financial Field wasn't much of a home-field advantage last year, and this schedule isn't favorable towards going 3-0. The Eagles can certainly do it, but it will be difficult.

No bye week after London (doesn't determine record)

The Eagles did have the option to have their bye week following the London game against the Jaguars. They declined to have a Week 6 bye, pushing the bye week back to the middle of the season -- which is where they prefer to have the bye week.

The NFL gave the Eagles a home game for Week 6, but they will be facing the Panthers -- who are coming off their bye week. This is an early-seaosn disadvantage for the Eagles, who may have some jet leg against a well-rested Panthers team.

This is what the Eagles chose when they decided to have a bye week later in the year. They will prepare for this situation, which wouldn't affect their long-term outlook for the season.

One game won't determine much.

Four games against teams coming off a bye week

The Eagles play the most games in the NFL against teams that are coming off a bye week, three of those teams are coming in a four-week stretch.

They play the Panthers in Week 6, Commanders in Week 8, and Giants in Week 9 -- all of those teams are coming off a bye week. The other team the Eagles face off a bye week are the Colts in Week 14.

Normally, this wouldn't be a schedule disadvantage -- but it is. There are 14 team sin the league that aren't playing teams coming off a bye week, so why are the Eagles playing four such games?

This isn't just the Eagles, but the Chargers as well. The Eagles may be home for three of those games, but it's a schedule disadvantage that could swing a game or two.

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