Eagles’ 2017 schedule among toughest in NFC

The 2016 season saw the Eagles jump to a fast start in Carson Wentz’s rookie year, but fall back to earth, in part due to their brutal schedule.

Routinely, the Birds faced teams coming off of bye weeks, had an early bye of their own and had to play one of the toughest strengths of schedule in the NFL.

In 2017, they won’t have any teams coming off of a bye — and get a nice late week off during Week 10 — but many of the positives end there.

With a .531 winning percentage boasted by Philly’s 2017 opponents, the Birds will have the third toughest slate in the NFC next year and 10th toughest overall.

All four NFC East teams in fact find themselves with the toughest trek through the 16-game season. They face the best division in football in interleague play in the AFC West, which doesn’t make things easy. Philly will need to play the Chargers, Raiders, Broncos and Chiefs, while also two apiece against the NFC East and games against the Cardinals and Seahawks. 

The order of operations is difficult too, as their final stretch in December with three straight road games — two on the West Coast — followed by the Raiders and Cowboys at home, each playoff teams in 2016.

The Birds need to bank some wins and momentum early, otherwise it could be a long December for the Philly faithful.