The Philadelphia Eagles have just revealed their 2019 NFL regular season schedule and just like on Christmas morning, there's a lot to unwrap. Here are some quick-hitting takeaways, starting with the most important...the schedule itself.
Week 1: Vs Washington RedskinsWeek 2: @ Atlanta FalconsWeek 3: Vs Detroit LionsWeek 4: @ Green Bay PackersWeek 5: Vs New York GiantsWeek 6: @ Minnesota VikingsWeek 7: @ Dallas CowboysWeek 8: @ Buffalo BillsWeek 9: Vs Chicago BearsWeek 10: BYEWeek 11: Vs New England PatriotsWeek 12: Vs Seattle SeahawksWeek 13: @ Miami DolphinsWeek 14: Vs New York GiantsWeek 15: @ Washington RedskinsWeek 16: Vs Dallas CowboysWeek 17: @ New York Giants
This apparently grades out as the NFL's 7th easiest schedule, but I'd be inclined to disagree.
Why?
Let's break the schedule down into quarters...
Continued on the pages below
GAMES 1-4
Week 1: Vs Washington RedskinsWeek 2: @ Atlanta FalconsWeek 3: Vs Detroit LionsWeek 4: @ Green Bay Packers
The Eagles open the season at home against the Washington Redskins and of course, the last time this happened, Carson Wentz and Nelson Agholor torched the defense to kickstart a Super Bowl run. This should be an explosive season opener that sees the season started with a win and it's imperative that it is.
Facing two (arguably three) of the league's top 10 quarterbacks over the next three weeks will be a real challenge. For the third year in a row now, Atlanta will look to give the Eagles all they can handle, before fixtures with Matt Stafford and Aaron Rodgers promise to really put the pressure on what looks to be one of the league's top pass-rushes. If the Eagles can get out of the opening quarter with a 2-2 record, that has to be the minimum expectation here. Anything less is nowhere near good enough, but expecting a 4-0 run may be a little too dreamy...for now.
GAMES 5-9
Week 5: Vs New York GiantsWeek 6: @ Minnesota VikingsWeek 7: @ Dallas CowboysWeek 8: @ Buffalo BillsWeek 9: Vs Chicago Bears
That road stretch may seem relatively easy, but back-to-back games away from home are always tricky, and when you have two extremely tough defenses that are going to really wear you down, attrition will come into play here.
Getting a win against the Giants will be absolutely vital and if the Eagles can walk into Minnesota and walk out with yet another reason that Vikings fans have a sour taste in their mouths, then that can only be seen as a positive.
Buffalo will be an intriguing game, just as it always is. Can the Eagles defense contain Josh Allen's scrambling ability? Just how good is that defense? It's the sort of bogey game that most contenders will drop, especially if Minnesota and Dallas play Philadelphia like they usually do, by throwing everything they have and then some, demanding nothing less than 100%. The Eagles will be wary and ripe for the picking if they take a loss in those former games, but can Josh Allen step up?
The Eagles have shown that they can take Chicago down to the wire, with the help of Nick Foles...but with Carson Wentz at the helm and a pass-rush that's even fiercer than last year, will Mitchell Trubisky really have a chance now that his former teammate is lining up on the other sideline, keeping him off the field and forcing him to keep up the pace?
GAMES 10-13
Week 10: BYEWeek 11: Vs New England PatriotsWeek 12: Vs Seattle SeahawksWeek 13: @ Miami Dolphins
A sigh of relief here as the Eagles start things off with a Bye before facing the reigning Super Bowl Champions. We never got to see Carson Wentz vs Tom Brady, but in this Super Bowl 52 rematch, we may finally be granted that spectacle. The Eagles have shocked the Patriots before, twice now in recent memory. Whether it's Super Bowl 52 or Sam Bradford's resurgence in 2015, the Birds simply seem to have Belichick's number.
They'd better hope so, too. Schotty's Seattle offense that is somehow even less stable than Philadelphia's has just penned Russell Wilson to a very deserved long-term extension. If Pete Carroll and the Seahawks front office can draft well and find a way to balance the run-game, this is yet another matchup that will bode well for highlights. The last time these teams clashed, Carson Wentz dazzled with one of the most ridiculous throws I've ever seen. But with these two perennial NFC contenders locking horns once more with just over a quarter of the season remaining, a win is vital.
Oh, then the Eagles take a Summer Vacation in the Winter and face whatever is left of that Miami Dolphins team, Hooray!
GAMES 14-17
Week 14: Vs New York GiantsWeek 15: @ Washington RedskinsWeek 16: Vs Dallas CowboysWeek 17: @ New York Giants
And it all comes down to this. FOUR back-to-back divisional games. It doesn't get much more intense than that. Regardless of how good or bad the season has gone up to this point, it can either be salvaged or ruined with these four matchups. A pair of games against the Giants and another clash each with the Redskins and Cowboys will make for a rollercoaster, that's for sure.
It's so, so important that the Eagles get a full head of steam behind them going into these games...but if they drop a game to Seattle or New England, there's only so fast that Train will go.
This is not an easy schedule by any means. Long road slogs, dangerous contenders, and a string of four divisional games to close it all out. Buckle up, Eagles fans...we've been here
