Smell that? No, not that. It's the smell of the NFL season coming up! We're a little over two months from September 8th and it'll be here before you know it.
If you missed the schedule, here's what it looks like:
Week 1: Sunday September 8 - vs Washington
Week 2: Sunday September 15 - at Atlanta *Sunday Night Football
Week 3: Sunday September 22 - vs Detroit
Week 4: Thursday September 26 - at Green Bay
Week 5: Sunday October 6 - vs New York Jets
Week 6: Sunday October 13 - at Minnesota
Week 7: Sunday October 20 - at Dallas *Sunday Night Football
Week 8: Sunday October 27 - at Buffalo
Week 9: Sunday November 3 - vs Chicago
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: Sunday November 17 - vs New England
Week 12: Sunday November 24 - vs Seattle
Week 13: Sunday December 1 - at Miami
Week 14: Monday December 9 - vs New York Giants
Week 15: Sunday December 15 - at Washington
Week 16: Sunday December 22 - vs Dallas
Week 17: Sunday December 29 - at New York Giants
They're facing the seventh easiest schedule, according to Sporting News, as their opponents had a combined .477 winning percentage in 2018. But there will always be tough games and "trap games" to look out for every year. Which games are those? Which team improved the most from 2018? Let's take a look at each "quarter" of the season.
Continued on the pages below.
It's best to look at the season in "quarters" since it is a 16 game slate. Each quarter is comprised of four games. If you lose one game in each quarter then you're looking at a 12-4 season. Can the Eagles manage a 75% winning percentage every four games? Let's start with the first "quarter".
First Quarter
September 8th - home vs Washington
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 28th
Rushing offense: 17th
Passing defense: 15th
Rushing defense: 17th
Key additions: Quarterback Dwayne Haskins (first round draft pick), defensive end Montez Sweat (first round draft pick), safety Landon Collins (free agency - Giants), quarterback Case Keenum (trade - Broncos), cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (free agency - came out of retirement)
Key departures: linebacker Preston Smith (free agency - Packers), safety Ha-Ha Clinton Dix (free agency - Bears), wide receiver Jamison Crowder (free agency - Jets), linebacker Zach Brown (released - signed with Eagles), quarterback Alex Smith (injury), linebacker Reuben Foster (injury)
Let me start by reluctantly admitting that I believe the Redskins had a great draft (please excuse me while I burn my fingers for typing that). They were able to get their quarterback of the future without trading up to get him, they got a freak of an athlete at a much lower spot than many thought he'd go (Sweat), and they picked up depth at a sorely needed position (wide receiver). However, they're still the Redskins.
They traded a sixth-round pick for quarterback Case Keenum but, with the addition of Haskins, don't expect him to be the starter in this game. Adrian Peterson is back for the Redskins after having a surprisingly strong season with 1,042 yards in all 16 games. This comes after a 2017 with 529 yards and a 2016 with 72 yards. He's turning 34, however, and the Redskins' depth at running back includes a player coming off an ACL injury prior to the 2018 season (Guice) and a rookie coming off an ACL injury during his final season at college (Love).
Safety Landon Collins is the big time addition for this team, going to a secondary that allowed 237.1 passing yards per game. They lost linebacker Preston Smith, who had 53 quarterback pressures in 2018, and released linebacker Zach Brown, who had a ProFootballFocus grade of 89.2 (his highest career grade). Despite the losses, they will have linebackers Mason Foster, Ryan Anderson, and Ryan Kerrigan to intimidate opposing offenses. Linebacker Reuben Foster was lost for the 2019 season with a torn ACL suffered during OTAs in May.
Although the Redskins defense will be tougher than most people think, a rookie going into the Linc for the first game of the season is not going to succeed. Expect the new-look Eagles offense and the stingy Eagles defense to get the season started with a win and a 1-0 start in the division.
Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY SportsSeptember 15 - Away vs Atlanta
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 6th
Rushing offense: 27th
Passing defense: 27th
Rushing defense: 25th
Key additions: Guard James Carpenter (free agency - Jets), guard Chris Lindstrom (first round draft pick), running back Kenjon Barner (free agency - Panthers), defensive end Adrian Clayborn (free agency - Patriots), Ra'Shede Hageman (free agency - reinstatement)
Key departures: Running back Tevin Coleman (free agency - 49ers), defensive end Bruce Irvin (free agency - Panthers), cornerback Robert Alford (free agency - Cardinals), cornerback Brian Poole (free agency - Jets)
For the second straight season, the Eagles will face off against the Falcons. The last three games have been at home, all wins, whereas this one will be the first game in Atlanta for the Eagles since 2015.
Last meeting was the first game of the entire NFL season as the Eagles played host as the defending Super Bowl champions. This year's team will feature a different starting quarterback against the same Falcons quarterback, Matt Ryan.
Ryan was the eighth most sacked quarterback in 2018, being sacked 42 times. Knowing their weakness in pass protection, the Falcons signed former Jets guard James Carpenter and drafted Boston College standout guard Chris Lindstrom. However, Carpenter did not have a strong 2018 season and this will be Lindstrom's second career NFL game, first against a defensive line like the Eagles. Expect Fletcher Cox, Malik Jackson, and company to take advantage of the interior line of the Falcons.
However, the Falcons still have Julio Jones. He will be a matchup nightmare for the Eagles, as he had 169 yards against them in 2018, but with zero touchdowns. They lost running back Tevin Coleman, so it will be up to newcomer, and former Eagle, Kenjon Barner to help improve the 27th best rushing attack with Devonta Freeman.
On the other side, the Falcons will be returning Adrian Clayborn from a one-year hiatus with the Patriots. Clayborn was with the Falcons from 2015-2017 and has this game on his resume:
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/929916536155811840
What a game to have against the "mighty" Cowboys.
Despite having 2.5 sacks last season with the Patriots, he can still be a force. But expect the Eagles offensive line to be dominant in this one and for the Eagles receivers to take advantage of the losses in the secondary, which was the 27th best passing defense in 2018.
Eagles soar to 2-0.
September 22 - Home vs Detroit
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 20th
Rushing offense: 23rd
Passing defense: 8th
Rushing defense: 10th
Key additions: Wide receiver Danny Amendola (free agency - Dolphins), defensive end Trey Flowers (free agency - Patriots), cornerback Justin Coleman (free agency - Seahawks), tight end Jesse James (free agency - Steelers), tight end T.J. Hockenson (first round draft pick), C.J. Anderson (free agency - Rams), wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (free agency - Jets)
Key departures: Ziggy Ansah (free agency - Seahawks), LeGarrette Blount (free agency)
If HowieSZN wasn't so strong, Detroit's offseason could make an argument for best in the NFL. They lost productive but often injured, defensive end Ziggy Ansah and replaced him with an even more productive, and younger, defensive end in Trey Flowers.
Since 2017, Flowers ranks third amongst 49 edge defenders with at least 200 third-down pass rushing snaps with a win rate of 23.2%. So if the Eagles get into a third and long situation against the Lions, Jason Peters better be prepared. Detroit's defense was top ten in both pass and rush defense, so adding Flowers and Justin Coleman makes them even stronger.
The Lions' offense didn't match the intensity of the defense, however. Second-year wide receiver Kenny Golladay burst onto the scene with 1,063 yards, 586 more than his rookie year. But after the Golden Tate trade to the Eagles, he didn't really take advantage of the opportunity, averaging just five more yards per game than when Tate was on the roster. Can the talented third-year receiver make the jump as the true number one receiver? He will have Danny Amendola and Jermaine Kearse helping him out in the receiving corps, along with returning veteran Marvin Jones. C.J. Anderson comes in to replace LeGarrette Blount after a spectacular short career with the Rams. He'll add some punch to the running game with do-it-all back Kerryon Johnson.
Arguably their biggest offensive addition is rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson. The talented rookie is just one of three tight ends since 2014 to receive a 90-plus overall grade, 90-plus receiving grade, 80-plus catch grade (he only dropped two passes throughout college), and a 70-plus run block grade during their final collegiate season, according to ProFootballFocus. This guy is good and the Eagles linebackers will have their hands full.
This is a tough game to call so far out from the season. The Lions' offense is much improved from 2018 and their defense should be light years better with the addition of Flowers and Coleman. But you should expect this one to be a shootout, with Carson Wentz throwing a touchdown with some time remaining in the game so the Eagles defense can keep us on the edge of our seats as they attempt to, and successfully, stifle Matt Stafford in the final minute. Eagles win.
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY SportsSeptember 26 - Away vs Green Bay
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 9th
Rushing offense: 22nd
Passing defense: 12th
Rushing defense: 22nd
Key additions: Head coach Matt LaFleur, linebacker Za'Darius Smith (free agency - Ravens), linebacker Preston Smith (free agency - Redskins), safety Adrian Amos (free agency - Bears), guard Billy Turner (free agency - Broncos), defensive tackle Rashan Gary (first round draft pick), safety Darnell Savage (first round draft pick), center/guard Elgton Jenkins (second round draft pick)
Key departures: Linebacker Clay Matthews (free agency - Rams), wide receiver Randall Cobb (free agency - Cowboys), linebacker Jake Ryan (free agency - Jaguars), defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson (free agency), Kentrell Brice (free agency - Buccaneers)
This is going to be an extremely tough game. The Eagles will be flying into Lambeau Field on a very short week (Thursday night game) against a much improved Packers team from 2018.
Sure the Packers will also be on a short week, but their game before this is also a home game. Much easier to play a Thursday night game at home after playing at home the previous game.
The Packers invested heavily in their defense this offseason. Signing two Smith's to rush the passer, grabbing a huge upgrade at safety in Amos, and drafting two defenders in the first round, Gary and Savage. However, there are questions about Gary's work ethic and Savage's draft position (first safety drafted). Pairing Amos with budding superstar Jaire Alexander in the secondary could prove to be the move that gets them back on top of the NFC North.
On the other side, Aaron Rodgers is still Aaron Rodgers, who had 25 touchdowns and only two interceptions last season. Not quite the 2013 Nick Foles season, but close. He's 64-17-1 at Lambeau Field, a place that is still very difficult to play in no matter the weather. They did lose Randall Cobb to free agency, but that only takes away 383 reception yards from 2018. Their main guy is Devante Adams, who improved on his 885 yards, 10 touchdowns 2017 with 1,386 yard, 13 touchdown 2018. Tight end Jimmy Graham was second on the team with 636 yards, so the Packers will look to their young receivers to pick up the slack.
The Packers didn't have too much success running the ball last season, but Aaron Jones averaged a ridiculous 5.5 yards per carry last season with 728 yards. He was also a threat outside of the backfield, gaining 206 yards receiving. Look for new head coach Matt LaFleur to get Jones the ball in a variety of ways. Hey did you all know that LaFleur knows Sean McVay? I heard that's the cool thing nowadays.
The way the Eagles win this game is through their defensive line. The Packers' line isn't great, even with the addition of Jenkins and Turner, and Rodgers was sacked 49 times last season (5th most in the league).
I want to mark this down as a win, I want to mark every game as a win, but I think the short week on the road after a tough game against the Lions does not lead to a win. First loss of the season.
First "Quarter" record: 3-1
Regular season record: 3-1
Second Quarter
October 6 - Home vs New York Jets
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 25th
Rushing offense: 26th
Passing defense: 24th
Rushing defense: 26th
Key additions: Head coach Adam Gase, running back Le'Veon Bell (free agency - Steelers), linebacker C.J. Mosley (free agency - Ravens), defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (first round draft pick), wide receiver Jamison Crowder (free agency - Redskins), guard Kelechi Osemele (free agency - Raiders), general manager Joe Douglas (sad face)
Key departures: guard James Carpenter (free agency - Falcons), cornerback Buster Skrine (free agency - Bears)
The Jets. That's all you've really needed to say to describe the team for many years. But now they have Le'Veon Bell and a talented second-year quarterback in Sam Darnold.
The Jets won the sweepstakes (was it really one?) for Bell and he instantly improves the bottom-ranked offense, in both passing and rushing. Darnold had a decent rookie year, even with his first ever pass being a pick-6:
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1039291996685430784
He has speedy and talented wide receiver Robby Anderson back to improve on his 752-yard campaign. He also has Jamison Crowder to help out, but he's an injury risk. Darnold was well protected last season, only getting sacked 30 times, but their run blocking wasn't the greatest. The team brought in Osemele to sure up that weakness, but he had a down year in an injury-plagued year in Oakland. Despite those injuries, he is only two years removed from an All-Pro season.
The defense returns dynamic safety Jamal Adams, but he was by far the most productive of the secondary. He allowed a passer rating of 67.2 in coverage in 2018 and had a league-high 22 quarterback pressures from the safety position. This dude is elite. But outside of him? Meh. Morris Claiborne allowed 662 receiving yards and ranked 83 out 121 corners ranked by ProFootballFocus. C.J. Mosley adds some punch to the linebackers, but can he justify his $17 million a year contract? He had 105 tackles last season with a half sack and one interception. He'll add impact, but don't expect it to make a big difference in this game.
The biggest key will be containing third overall pick Quinnen Williams. He was ProFootballFocus' highest graded defender in 2018, regardless of position. 43 pressures, eight sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 48 defensive stops. He's an animal. Jason Kelce and/or the guards will have their hands full with him, which will open up defensive tackle Leonard Williams to get into the backfield more often.
The Jets will have tough tests the weeks leading up to this game, opening up the season versus the Bills, Browns, and Patriots, but they get lucky with a bye right before the Eagles game. Despite that rest prior to the game, don't expect an Eagles let down in this one. Look for the Eagles to use a lot of 11-personnel, maybe even 10-personnel, to exploit the Jets' corners and win this one easily.
October 13th - Away at Vikings
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 13th
Rushing offense: 30th
Passing defense: 3rd
Rushing defense: 15th
Key additions: center Garrett Bradbury (first round draft pick), guard Josh Kline (free agency - Titans), tight end Irv Smith Jr. (second-round draft pick)
Key departures: defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (free agency - Browns), running back Latavius Murray (free agency - Saints), safety Andrew Sendejo (free agency - Eagles), offensive tackle Mike Remmers (free agency - Giants), guard Tom Compton (free agency - Jets), defensive tackle Tom Johnson (free agency)
The Eagles return to the site of their first ever Super Bowl win. Two weeks prior to that win, the Eagles denied the Vikings the chance to be the first ever legit home team in a Super Bowl. Poor Vikings fans.
The Vikings had one of the league's worst offensive lines last year, leading to Kirk Cousins being sacked 40 times and having the third worst running attack. The team signed guard Josh Kline but Kline was one of the biggest issues on the Titans offensive line last year. center Garrett Bradbury will provide a huge boost to the run game, however, as he was ProFootballFocus' second-ranked center in 2018 in terms of run blocking. He also only surrendered four sacks in his entire collegiate career.
Stefon Diggs and Adam Theilen will still provide a tough matchup for the Eagles, they totaled 207 yards receiving against the Eagles in 2018, and Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. will complement them to make a formidable receiving corps for Cousins.
The big question mark is running back Dalvin Cook. There's no question in his ability on the field, it's in his ability to stay on the field. e only played four games his rookie season in 2017 due to a torn ACL, and only played in 11 last season. He averages 4.7 yards per carry, but if he can't stay on the field that doesn't matter.
The Vikings defense returns mainly every player of their 2018 fourth-ranked defense. Linebacker Anthony Barr was almost a Jet, until the Vikings backed up the Brinks truck for him. They lost defensive tackles Sheldon Richardson and Tom Johnson, who combined for nine sacks last season. Danielle Hunter was their leader in sacks with 14.5, but next on that list is Everson Griffen with 5.5, so those nine sacks put a nice dent into their pass rush.
The bread and butter of this defense is their secondary. Harrison Smith was named ProFootballFocus' player of the year in 2017 and only trails Earl Thomas in overall grade over the last five seasons. He had a bit of a down year last season but he still remains a force. Joining him in the secondary will be Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Anthony Harris, and second-year player Mike Hughes. Hughes was decent as a rookie before tearing his ACL, but only allowed a passer rating of 43.8 in college, so the talent is there.
This will definitely be a slugfest and the Vikings fans will be out in full force with their "SKOL" chants as they're still bitter that the away team won the big one in their building. Expect a low scoring game with the Eagles defending their championship turf.
Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY SportsOctober 20th - Away at Cowboys
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 23rd
Rushing offense: 10th
Passing defense: 13th
Rushing defense: 5th
Key additions: Defensive end Robert Quinn (trade - Dolphins), defensive tackle Christian Covington (free agency - Texans), wide receiver Randall Cobb (free agency - Packers), safety George Iloka (free agency - Vikings), tight end Jason Witten (un-retirement - ESPN)
Key departures: wide receiver Cole Beasley (free agency - Bills), defensive tackle David Irving (retirement/quit/got out before getting suspended), defensive end Randy Gregory (still on the team but he's suspended indefinitely. Kind of a trend for the Cowboys, isn't it?), tight end Geoff Swaim (free agency - Jaguars)
Eagles. Cowboys. Primetime. Does it get any better than this?
The intense rivalry kicks off on a mid-October Sunday night, with plenty of bad blood between the two teams. After Wentz received his contract extension, Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence gave his two cents:
https://twitter.com/TankLawrence/status/1136796017691508737
Well, Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, whom Demarcus Lawrence has NEVER had a sack against, responded:
https://twitter.com/LaneJohnson65/status/1137023109201039360
Trying to respond back to Johnson, Lawrence retweeted a video from a fan showing Lawrence tackling Wentz on a scramble, to which Johnson had the perfect response:
https://twitter.com/LaneJohnson65/status/1137208792020598789
This game is going to be good.
The Cowboys lost two talented, but troubled, defensive players to suspension in Irving and Gregory. After Irving was suspended in March, he "quit football" via Instagram live while smoking weed. Gregory is still on the team, however, and is suspended indefinitely due to a FOURTH violation of the league's substance abuse policy. Four times. Woof.
To replace Gregory and Irving, the Cowboys brought in Robert Quinn and Christian Covington. While Covington has had his share of injuries, he is very talented. Quinn is a two time Pro Bowler, one time First Team All-Pro, and has a 19 sack season on his resume, but that was way back in 2013. Last season, he played and started all 16 games but only mustered up 6.5 sacks. He has the pedigree, but it remains to be seen if he's still got it.
Losing Beasley and Swaim takes away 914 receiving yards and 91 receptions, so the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott will look to replace that with oft-injured Randall Cobb and former ESPN broadcaster Jason Witten. Ok, ok. Witten is a Cowboys legend and one of the best tight ends in NFL history, but he's coming off a year-long "retirement" and 2017 was his worst year since his rookie season in 2003 in terms of production. Hard to see him making a huge impact in 2019. ut the team does have Blake Jarwin, who had the most receptions from the tight end position for them in 2018 with 27, 89 less than the Eagles' reception leader at tight end.
The Cowboys defense is no longer a laughing stock, but the key to this game will be containing Ezekiel Elliot. He's averaged 115.8 rushing yards per game versus the Eagles in the four times he's played them, and 167 yards total per game. He's the guy the Eagles need to focus on, not Dak Prescott.
Prescott is 4-2 in his career versus the Eagles, with his last game being his best game by far. In December last season, he had 42 completions for 455 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. A big improvement over his career averages prior to the game, in which he averaged 183.6 passing yards and less than a touchdown per game. The Eagles must make Prescott pass the ball instead of turning and handing it off to his Pro Bowl running back. Prescott was the second most sacked quarterback in 2018, the defensive line needs to keep this trend. If they do this, it's an easy win.
In the end, I do believe the Eagles extend their division record to 2-0 and shut down "Jerry World" and promptly humble Demarcus Lawrence.
October 27th - Away at Bills
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 30th
Rushing offense: 9th
Passing defense: 1st
Rushing defense: 16th
Key additions: Running back Frank Gore (free agency - Dolphins), cornerback Kevin Johnson (free agency - Texans), cornerback E.J. Gaines (free agency - Browns), wide receiver Cole Beasley (free agency - Cowboys), wide receiver John Brown (free agency - Ravens), center Mitch Morse (free agency - Chiefs), defensive tackle Ed Oliver (first round draft pick), tackle Cody Ford (second-round draft pick), Devin Singletary (third round draft pick)
Key departures: Defensive tackle Kyle Williams (retirement), tight end Charles Clay (released - signed with Cardinals)
Da Bills.
Going to school in Central New York, I can wholeheartedly say that Bills Mafia is the only fanbase that rivals the Eagles' fan base. (Enter Browns fans into my mentions)
This is a game that's going to be fun to watch. It's going to be a defensive battle as the Bills boast the league's best pass defense and an average rush defense that got better with the addition of rookie Ed Oliver. He seemed to always be in the backfield of opposing teams last year as soon as the ball was snapped and will chase down every ball carrier until they're on the ground. He's a monster.
On the offensive side, second-year quarterback Josh Allen is coming off an above average rookie season. As a passer, he was meh. He had 2,074 yards passing in 12 games with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The team added former Eagles' rival Cole Beasley and former Ravens' speedster John Brown to help give Allen more targets in the passing game.
Their running attack, however, was relentless. Allen was their leading rusher last season with 631 yards, averaging over 52 yards per game on the ground, including back to back games over 100 yards. Former Eagles great, and franchise leading rusher, LeSean McCoy was second with 514. However, that total was 123 yards fewer than his previous career low of 637, which was his rookie season with the Eagles.
The rushing attack was given an even bigger boost this offseason with the addition of ageless Frank Gore, who had 722 rushing yards last season with a 4.6 yards per carry average. Gore will be entering his 15th year in the league and is only 521 yards away from tying Barry Sanders for third all-time on the NFL career rushing list. The Bills will have six games prior to this one, so he will need to average 75-80 yards per game going into this one for it to be a potential record-setting game.
The team also drafted running back Devin Singletary, who was second in all of college football in forced missed tackles per attempt according to ProFootballFocus. So if the Bills do utilize Singletary in this game, the Eagles better get ready to wrap up on tackling.
This is a surprisingly hard game to call. The Bills will be much better than people expect and I believe LeSean McCoy will want to put it into another gear for his second career game versus the Eagles. If he and Gore, who averages 81.8 rushing yards against the Eagles in his career, can get the ground game going, then this game will be all Bills. But I believe the Eagles' defensive line overpowers the Bills' offensive line more than the opposite matchup and the Eagles grind out a hard-fought win on the road in snowy Western New York.
Second "Quarter" record: 4-0
Regular season record: 7-1
Third Quarter
This time of the year marks the end of the trade season (October 29th at 4:00 PM Eastern). The rosters could look different from what's you're currently reading, but chances are that most of these will look the same.
November 3rd - Home vs Bears
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 21st
Rushing offense: 11th
Passing defense: 7th
Rushing defense: 1st
Key additions: Running back David Montgomery (third round draft pick), safety HaHa Clinton-Dix (free agency - Redskins), cornerback Buster Skrine (free agency - Jets), running back Mike Davis (free agency - Seahawks), wide receiver Cordarrelle Paterson (free agency - Patriots)
Key departures: Running back Jordan Howard (trade - Eagles), safety Adrian Amos (free agency - Packers), cornerback Bryce Callahan (free agency - Broncos), defensive coordinator Vic Fangio (head coach Broncos)
Home sweet home. After three straight road games, the Eagles return to the Linc to face the Bears in the "Double Doink" revenge game.
The Bears, with linebacker Khalil Mack, boasts one of the league's fiercest defenses. However, they lost ProFootballFocus' 8th ranked safety (Amos) and 7th ranked corner (Callahan) in free agency. They also lost defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to a head coaching job in Denver, so this defense will look very different under new coordinator Chuck Pagano.
With those new changes on defense, it may be on the offense's shoulders to provide the wins in 2019. Third-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky enjoyed a much-improved sophomore season in 2018 under head coach Matt Nagy. He saw his touchdowns rise from 7 to 24 and his yards rise from 2,193 to 3,223. However, he lost his leading rusher in a trade with the good guys..ahem..the Eagles and will now look for the rushing compliment of the offense to come from the trio of Tarik Cohen, Mike Davis, and David Montgomery. Davis and Cohen's strengths were yards per carry, averaging 4.5 and 4.6 yards per carry respectively, and catching the ball out of the backfield, averaging a 78% and 81% catch rate respectively. Cohen was also the team's second-leading receiver, behind wide receiver Allen Hurns. Montgomery will provide the between the tackles run production, and he'll do it effectively. No other college running back forced more missed tackles in the past two seasons than Montgomery, so the Eagles' defenders better get ready for a mack truck shooting through the gaps.
The Bears narrowly lost to the Eagles in the playoffs due to Treyvon Hester blocking Cody Parkey's potential game-winning field goal and having it "double doink" on the uprights. Since then, the Bears cut Parkey and signed what seems like 100 new kickers to try out. They still haven't settled on one.
With this game at home and Eagles Nation in full force, don't expect the Eagles to let the Bears avenge their playoff loss. Eagles go into the bye with a win.
Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY SportsNovember 10th-11th - BYE
I'm a big fan of having the bye this late in the season. After a brutally physical few weeks, the Eagles will undoubtedly need this week to heal up. Expect at least two players needing this week to get back to 100%, who would have otherwise missed a game if there was one.
November 17th - Home vs Patriots
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 8th
Rushing offense: 5th
Passing defense: 22nd
Rushing defense: 11th
Key arrivals: Defensive end Michael Bennett (trade - Eagles), wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (free agency - Texans), wide receiver N'Keal Harry (first round draft pick), linebacker Jaime Collins (free agency - Browns), tight end Benjamin Watson (out of retirement), defensive end Chase Winovich (second-round draft pick)
Key departures: Tight end Rob Gronkowski (retirement), tight end Dwayne Allen (released - signed with Dolphins), cornerback Eric Rowe (free agency - Dolphins), tackle Trent Brown (free agency - Raiders), defensive tackle Malcom Brown (free agency - Saints), wide receiver Chris Hogan (free agency - Panthers), wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (free agency - Bears), defensive end Adrian Clayborn (free agency - Falcons), wide receiver Josh Gordon (indefinite suspension)
Here. We. Go.
The defending Super Bowl champions come in to face the team that stopped them from being three-peat champions (as the Patriots won in 2017 also). Ageless Tom Brady comes in for his 20th season at 41 years old (42 in August), Father Time HAS to catch up to him sometime...right?
The Patriots will be without All-Pro and All-Party tight end Rob Gronkowski as he retired following the Super Bowl. Gronkowski accounted for 682 of Brady's 4,355 yards last season, so newcomer Benjamin Watson will need to do his best to replicate that after a year away from football. Another 1,252 yards will also be gone, as Chris Hogan has gone off to Carolina and Josh Gordon has gone off to suspension (again). So, 1,934 yards will need to be found from Julian Edelman, Watson, James White, and rookie N'Keal Harry.
Despite the losses on defense, their defense got a boost from the Eagles in the form of Michael Bennett. Bennett was a downright beast for the Eagles last season, registering nine sacks in his first and only season with the team. Also joining (well, rejoining) the team is linebacker Jamie Collins, who spent the last two and a half seasons in Cleveland after being traded by the Patriots in 2016. The two players will certainly provide a boost to a team that was 21st overall in the regular season but held one of the league's most high powered offenses to three points in the Super Bowl.
This game will undoubtedly be a Eagles lead by 2 points with one minute left to go in the game and the Patriots on offense. That's how these games go. Tom Brady is 3-1 in his career during the regular season against the Eagles and this game brings his record to 3-2. He just doesn't have the offensive weapons to keep up with the Eagles in this one. Eagles 2-0 in last two games versus the Patriots after this one!
November 24 - Home vs Seattle
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 27th
Rushing offense: 1st
Passing defense: 17th
Rushing defense: 13th
Key additions: Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (second-round draft pick), defensive end Ziggy Ansah (free agency - Lions)
Key departures: Safety Earl Thomas (free agency - Ravens), running back Mike Davis (free agency - Bears), guard J.R. Sweezy (free agency - Cardinals), cornerback Justin Coleman (free agency - Lions), defensive end Frank Clark (trade -
Death, taxes, and the Eagles facing the Seahawks. It seems like you can count on these two teams facing each other when the regular season schedule comes out, as this will be the fifth meeting since 2011. In 16 games versus each other, the Eagles have only won seven, but their last win came in 2008.
The Seahawks and quarterback Russell Wilson weren't great throwing the ball last season, but he does seem to save his best games for the Eagles.
In his career, Wilson is 3-0 versus the Eagles, averaging 254 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. He has also added 98 total rushing yards in his career, a number that seems low to Eagles fans because it seems like he's always running around in these games.
The Seahawks' number one rushing attack took a hit this offseason as they lost running back Mike Davis and guard J.R. Sweezy. Sweezy wasn't the greatest at protecting Wilson, something that could be said of the whole line as they allowed 51 sacks on Wilson (third most in the league), but he was a mauler in the run game. His loss could mean more than they think.
Although he was injured in Week 4 of last season, the loss of Earl Thomas is a big-time dent in this Seahawks secondary. Prior to going down, Thomas was leading all safeties in ProFootballFocus' grading with a 91.3.
Among 70 safeties who have played 2,000 snaps or more in the last five seasons, Thomas is the best of them all in coverage grade and overall grade. The Legion of Boom is finally no more.
Also missing from the Seattle defense is defensive end Frank Clark, who had 13 sacks last season. They traded him to the Chiefs for the 29th overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, which turned into L.J. Collier, whom people think was draft way higher than he should've been.
To help out with the bottom-ranked passing offense, the Seahawks drafted athletic freak D.K. Metcalf. Just google his name and you'll see the physical specimen that he is. However, to go with that frame, scouts questioned his route running ability, which is a big reason why he slipped all the way to the end of the second round. The Seahawks hope that the draft day slide will add fuel to his fire to show the doubters that he can be every bit of an all-around wide receiver. They'll need him to do just that as the team is without wide receiver Doug Baldwin, who retired this offseason.
The Eagles linebackers will have their troubles against Wilson, they almost always do against mobile quarterbacks. Despite the losses that the Seahawks have suffered, and gains the Eagles have experienced, I do not expect Wilson to have an off day against here. Look for a shoot out with Wilson having the ball late in the game and running for game-icing third down conversion runs to seal a close victory over the Eagles.
December 1st - Away at Miami
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 30th
Rushing offense: 18th
Passing defense: 21st
Rushing defense: 31st
Key arrivals: Quarterback Josh Rosen (trade - Cardinals), quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (free agency - Buccaneers), tight end Dwayne Allen (free agency - Patriots), cornerback Eric Rowe (free agency - Patriots) head coach Brian Flores
Key departures: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill (trade - Titans), defensive end Cameron Wake (free agency - Titans), defensive end Robert Quinn (trade - Cowboys), wide receiver Danny Amendola (free agency - Lions), guard Josh Sitton (retirement), running back Frank Gore (free agency - Bills)
Every year there's a game or two you can mark down as a "trap game" for a team. These games are seemingly easier games on the schedule that most fans (and maybe teams) can mark down as an automatic win, only to have it happen and the result be the opposite. Look at the Titans game last season, where Titans receiver Corey Davis was the next coming of Jerry Rice.
Looking at the Eagles schedule this season, the Miami game could easily be that "trap game". However, it won't be.
The Dolphins are under new guidance in head coach, and former Patriots defensive coordinator, Brian Flores and new guidance at quarterback. Josh Rosen was brought over to the Dolphins in a trade with the Cardinals on day two of the NFL draft. They also have journeyman Ryan FitzMagic...ahem...Fitzpatrick, but there's no way he's starting when this game comes around.
The Dolphins lost their leading rusher (Gore), their top two players in sacks (Quinn and Wake), and lost their leading receiver (Amendola). They added a solid player in former Eagle Eric Rowe for their secondary and added an offensive piece for Rosen in Dwayne Allen, but this team will look more like a team getting ready for the number one overall pick in the 2020 draft than a team ready to upset one of the best teams in the NFL.
Don't expect the Eagles to get trapped in this one.
Third "Quarter" record: 3-1
Regular season record: 10-2
Fourth Quarter
Here we are, the final stretch. The Eagles have only had two division games up to this point, with four games left to play. That means that the final four games will all be division games, this stretch will either cement their place at the top of the NFC East and dethrone the hated Cowboys, or prove their early season success to be a fluke. Let's take a look at how it will shape out.
December 9th - Home vs Giants
2018 Ranks:
Passing offense: 11th
Rushing offense: 24th
Passing defense: 23rd
Rushing defense: 20th
Key additions: Quarterback Daniel Jones (first round draft pick), safety Jabrill Peppers (trade - Browns), guard Kevin Zeitler (trade - Browns), wide receiver Golden Tate (free agency - Eagles), defensive end Markus Golden (free agency - Cardinals), safety Antoine Bethea (free agency - Cardinals), defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (first round draft pick), cornerback Deandre Baker (first round draft pick)
Key departures: Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (trade - Browns), defensive end Olivier Vernon (trade - Browns), safety Landon Collins (free agency - Redskins)
Battling Miami for the number one overall pick in 2020 may be the New York Giants. This team is...how do you put it..oh yeah... a dumpster fire.
Let's start with this:
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1080506244811669506
This is a quote from general manager Dave Gettleman in January after asking about the Odell Beckham Jr. trade rumors that were surfacing after the season ended. The "sign him" reference is the five-year extension the Giants signed Beckham to in August of 2018.
Now let's look at this:
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1105621296694657024
How'd that age, Dave?
The Giants got rid of their star wide receiver over the offseason and replaced him with an older slot receiver in Golden Tate. Look Golden, we will always be grateful for the big catches you had as an Eagle during the season and postseason, especially this:
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1082043506858680321
But deciding to go to the Giants when you said you wanted to win? We're skeptical of that.
They also decided not to tender a contract to safety Landon Collins, and replace him with a similar, yet younger, version of him in Jabrill Peppers. Peppers pretty much did everything that Collins did for the Giants, not as successful though. Peppers lined up at linebacker, edge rusher, and slot corner last season and earned a 77.6 grade from ProFootballFocus, 17.1 points better than his rookie year.
Collins, on the other hand, has accumulated 149 defensive stops since 2015, 13 more than Malcolm Jenkins in that time frame. Although not a traditional safety, the Giants will definitely miss his dynamic playmaking ability.
Also missing from the defense is defensive end Olivier Vernon, who was sent to the Browns in a separate trade for guard Kevin Zeitler. The Giants were obviously prioritizing protecting Eli Manning this season over having playmakers on offense and defense.
The Giants did draft two of the highest rated corners in the draft, Deandre Baker and Julian Love, so their secondary should continue to be average, but the loss of Collins and Vernon makes this defense very vulnerable.
Back to the offense. The Giants drafted Duke quarterback Daniel Jones to be the heir to Eli Manning's throne, but all indications are that it won't be long until it's Jones under center over Manning. This won't be a Geno Smith situation where incompetent head coach Ben McAdoo started Smith over Manning in December of 2017, thus ending Manning's streak of consecutive starts at 210.
This game will almost certainly be against Jones. Being a December game, in a season where the Giants aren't expected to go anywhere, there's no reason to start Eli. The only way he gets this start is if sophomore phenom running back Saquon Barkley continues his tear through the NFL and puts the Giants on his back as he did in 2018, where he had 1,307 yards rushing and 721 yards receiving as a rookie. If the Eagles can contain him, which was impossible in 2018, they'll be in good shape, even with Sterling Shepard primed to be the next Giants star wide receiver.
Even with the new Giants offensive line (Zeitler was ProFootballFocus' best pass blocking guard in 2018), the Eagles' defensive line will still have their way and force Daniel Jones to be uncomfortable all game. Expect Barkley to have another 100-yard rushing game, but also expect the trend of Giants losses to the Eagles to continue.
Mandatory Credit: Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar via USA TODAY NETWORKDecember 15th - Away at Redskins
In the second game of the head to head match up, the Eagles travel to Landover, Maryland to play at FedEx Field.
The Redskins are tied with the Patriots (really?) with the NFL's easiest schedule going into 2019, based on last year's records. It's entirely possible that the Redskins are still relevant at this point in the season, making this game a must win for the Eagles. Looking at the Redskins schedule, and knowing that they will have a very good defense (even without Reuben Foster), I can see them having 6-8 wins going into this game.
The Eagles have won the last two games at FedEx Field and with this game being so important, I expect them to make a statement going into the next week's game against Dallas that they are the epitome of the NFC. Eagles sweep the Redskins.
December 22nd - Home vs Cowboys
The Linc will be PACKED for this game, no doubt about that. A late December game for the two rivals, with the division and playoffs most likely on the line for one of these teams, you won't be able to hear yourself think with all the noise going on.
The Cowboys are tied for the 14th hardest schedule going into 2019, so there's a good chance this is more of a must-win for them rather than the Eagles. Looking at their schedule, I only see seven slam dunk wins for them, with six others being toss-ups, and one being a loss (their earlier Eagles game). Let's say their record is 8-7 going into this one, they'll be facing a must win to keep their Wild Card hopes alive.
Under my scenarios, the Eagles will be 12-2 going into this one, with a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs either secured already or secured with a win here. So this game is equally as important for both squads.
The big question mark for this game is whether or not Ezekiel Elliot will be playing in this game, since the league may suspend him for his off the field conduct a few weeks ago. I fully expect him to play, but the possibility is there.
In the end, expect a bruising game, with Demarcus Lawrence still not able to get a sack on Lane Johnson, but with the Cowboys being victorious. The two teams split the season series, with both away teams winning. Reminiscent of the 2013-2015 seasons where the away team won six straight matchups.
December 29th - Away at Giants
The final game of the season. Going into this game, under my scenarios, the Eagles are 12-3. They could have clinched home field advantage and/or a first-round bye at this point, or this game could be a win and number one seed scenario. I'm going to guess that this will be the latter.
However, even with this being a "must-win" for the Eagles to get home field and the bye, I don't expect Doug Pederson to treat this game as such. The Eagles have such a deep and talented roster that their backups should still be able to do the job against Daniel Jones and the Giants.
Expect Wentz to play the first half of this game and go into halftime with a nice lead for back up Nate Sudfeld to protect and lead the Eagles to a first-round bye and the number one seed in the NFC.
Fourth "Quarter" record: 3-1
Regular season record: 13-3
So I have the Eagles being 13-3 and the number one seed in the NFC. For the full NFC playoffs, I predict:
Eagles
Saints
Rams
Packers
Bears
Cowboys
The Seahawks, despite beating the Eagles, will be the first team out of the playoffs, being 7th in these standings. Watch out for the Lions this year, as I expect them to make some noise and may potentially beat out the Bears for that Wild Card spot.
So what say you, Eagles fans? Hate my predictions? Hate that I didn't have them going 16-0? Let me know your predictions in the comments!
