Final Win-Loss Predictions for Philadelphia Eagles' 2017 Schedule
It's officially gameweek for the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 1 matchup of the 2017 season, meaning the long months of overanalyzing offseason workouts and knee-jerk preseason takeaways will soon be replaced with real, meaningful games.
Head coach Doug Pederson's crew looked markedly different than it did some 12 months ago, as he heads into his second year at the helm with a revamped offense and a retooled defense. As such, many fans are expecting an uptick in wins from the consecutive 7-9 seasons the Eagles have posted in the last two campaigns.
The roster in place will require a number of players to step up and have huge seasons if the team is going to contend down the stretch in a daunting NFC East. But there's little doubt the franchise's upward trajectory, headed by quarterback Carson Wentz, promises a bright future that could begin to take shape in the form of playoff berths as soon as this season.
Let's dive in and take one final stab at a win-loss prediction for Philly's season, going game by game.
Week 1: @ Washington Redskins
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The schedule-makers weren't kind to the Eagles starting the 2017 season, pitting them against the division rival that has given them the most trouble in recent seasons—on the road, no less.
Philly has lost its last five games against the Washington Redskins and posted a woeful 1-7 record on the road last season. Obviously, this is a different Eagles squad than last year's, featuring a more dynamic offense in particular.
But Washington should be able to nullify that, with a much-improved front seven that should be one of the toughest tests the Eagles' offensive line will see all season.
To make matters worse, Wentz is likely going to need some time developing a rapport with new No. 1 wideout Alshon Jeffery, who draws a tough Week 1 matchup with Redskins cornerback Josh Norman.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins has a lot to prove in Washington after a sticky offseason, and he'll utilize his new weapons against a weak Eagles secondary.
Result: Loss
Week 2: @ Kansas City Chiefs
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As previously stated, the Eagles were awful on the road last year. And a pair of away matchups against Washington and Kansas City to start the season is not the ideal blueprint to rid their road woes.
There are definite questions about the Chiefs offense going into 2017, but they still have tight end Travis Kelce and wideout Tyreek Hill at the top of their games. A by-committee rushing approach with Kareem Hunt and Charcandrick West behind a strong O-line will allow Alex Smith to find his go-to pass-catchers for key conversions.
This should be a low-scoring affair with the defensive fronts on both sides dictating play, but the edge goes to a home team that has had plenty of success in such games over the last few years.
Result: Loss
Week 3: Vs. New York Giants
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The Eagles' resolve will be tested with two tough road affairs to start the season slate, but a home opener against one of their most bitter rivals could be just what the doctor ordered to get them back on track.
Philly and New York split the season series last year, and a potential 0-2 start to 2017 will have the Eagles desperate to make up ground in the division.
After facing two strong pass-blocking offensive lines, the Birds' disruptive front led by Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan will be able to tee off against a hapless Giants O-line that has struggled to protect Eli Manning over the last several seasons.
The Giants have revamped their receiving core just like the Eagles, but it won't matter when Philly's pass rush makes it impossible for Manning to find the likes of Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall consistently. Expect rookie Derek Barnett to have his first breakout performance in the team's first win.
Result: Win
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Week 4: @ Los Angeles Chargers
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Wentz's new-look offense should be developing a fair amount of chemistry by the time they head to the west coast for their third road matchup of the season in the Los Angeles Chargers' new home.
For all the havoc Chargers defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram can impose on defenses, the Eagles should be able to nullify that with their elite pair of bookend tackles. If they are kept under wraps, Jeffery and Torrey Smith will match up well with L.A.'s subpar secondary and allow the by-committee rushing attack to balance out the offense for a big day.
On the other side, there's reason to be concerned with Philip Rivers slinging the ball against the Eagles' cornerbacks. But the front seven should keep Melvin Gordon under wraps, making the Chargers offense one dimensional and allowing Wentz to pull away on the scoreboard.
Result: Win
Week 5: Vs. Arizona Cardinals
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Teams boasting potent and dynamic passing attacks are the ones likeliest to give the Eagles defense trouble this season. That makes the Arizona Cardinals one of the teams you don't want to see come to town as a Philly fan.
Alas, offensive guru Bruce Arians and his Cardinals are coming in Week 5, and it's likely to be a long day for the Eagles' secondary. With quarterback Carson Palmer spreading the ball out to Larry Fitzgerald, Jaron Brown and John Brown, Arizona will find the weak links in the Eagles' cornerback crew.
Even if corners Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills step up big time, running back David Johnson will be the X-factor and find the gaps in the Philly defense to push the Cards ahead as Wentz struggles against one of the league's best secondaries.
Result: Loss
Week 6: @ Carolina Panthers
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The Panthers are a better team than the one that went 6-10 a season ago, but their weaknesses are in spots the Eagles will be able to take full advantage of.
To say the Panthers' pass defense didn't impress in 2016 would be putting it lightly, as only four teams allowed more yards per game through the air, per TeamRankings.com. Unlike last season, Wentz has a wide array of receiving weapons at his disposal to gash secondaries that aren't able to lock things up.
Carolina did well to secure rookie rusher Christian McCaffrey in the draft, but the Eagles' stout front seven will make it difficult for him to open things up on the ground. Philly's speed up front will negate the impact of Cam Newton's rushing and make him take chances down the field, but the Eagles' secondary will be ready.
Result: Win
Week 7: Vs. Washington Redskins
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There may not be a team on the slate that the Eagles will be more motivated to beat than the Redskins, and that will only be exacerbated by a potential Week 1 defeat in Washington.
That expected loss, of course, would make it six losses in a row against their division rivals and three straight defeats for Wentz against a club he's going to see twice a year for the rest of his Eagles career. Washington gave Wentz his first truly bad outing of his career in Week 6 of 2016 before a better performance in Week 14 of 314 yards also ended in defeat.
Assuming the Eagles lose Week 1 in Washington, they'll have plenty of tape to glance at to figure out what went wrong. More importantly, Wentz will have developed a good amount of chemistry with his receivers at this point to attack the Redskins secondary, using his quick release and vision to negate their pass rush.
Result: Win
Week 8: Vs. San Francisco 49ers
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The Eagles don't get the pleasure of facing one of the league's cellar-dwelling teams in the first seven weeks of the season, but that all changes in Week 8 for what should be a one-sided affair.
The San Francisco 49ers and starting quarterback Brian Hoyer—yes, you read that right—will come to the City of Brotherly Love, but defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and his unit won't have much love to share. Instead, they'll be attacking the backfield with regularity and imposing their will in a true matchup nightmare for the Niners' offensive front.
Teams without a true offensive identity will be no match for the Eagles this season. It's hard to see how the 49ers will even scratch double-digit points in this one.
Result: Win
Week 9: Vs. Denver Broncos
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The 2017 Denver Broncos are a far cry from the team which won Super Bowl 50, but they're still a team that won't roll over and will come into any stadium making their opponent earn everything they get.
Denver also still boasts one of the league's most disruptive pass rushes anchored by Von Miller, who will be a unique test for the Eagles' offensive line. Fellow defensive end Shane Ray is starting the season on injured reserve, but the team hopes he'll return the week before this matchup, per the Broncos' official site.
By this point in the season, the Eagles will have a strong identity on offense, with Wentz having developed a rapport with his bevy of wideouts and the by-committee rushing attack finding its stride. The same can't be inferred of Denver, who starts the season with Trevor Siemian at quarterback and struggled to field a complete offense with him for the majority of last season.
Expect a knockdown, drag-out affair that goes down to the wire but ends with Wentz's offense finding a way to generate a winning drive late.
Result: Win
Week 11: @ Dallas Cowboys
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The Eagles gave the Cowboys fits throughout Dallas' 13-3 regular season in 2016. While that will give Philly fans confidence heading into this season's series, it also guarantees they will face a highly motivated Cowboys team.
There probably isn't a more complete football team in the NFC than Dallas, while the Eagles are sure to still have some weaknesses in the secondary by midseason. Quarterback Dak Prescott is capable of spreading the ball around to attack that weakness, leaning on a multi-faceted rushing attack to keep Philly on its heels.
It may help that the Eagles come into this one off a bye week. But that's negated by the likelihood Ezekiel Elliott would not only be back from his six-game suspension, but any rust that comes from it would be long gone.
Result: Loss
Week 12: Vs. Chicago Bears
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Considering the Eagles will be entering the dog days of their 2017 campaign coming off an up-and-down 10 games, they'll be inspired to take it to every opponent that waltzes into Lincoln Financial Field—even if it's one they trounced a season ago.
Philly dominated the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football last season, and the Bears are entering a rebuilding season in many respects this time around. The Bears defense that Wentz had his way with in 2016 doesn't look too much different, and Chicago's rushing strength on offense won't be strong at all against the Eagles' burly front four.
It's gut-check time come Week 12 if the Eagles are going to vie for a postseason berth, and they'll make a statement here.
Result: Win
Week 13: @ Seattle Seahawks
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There's never a good time for teams to travel to the Pacific Northwest and face the Seahawks in CenturyLink Field. The beginning of a team's stretch run to the playoffs is up there on the list of the worst times to visit.
Philly had its hands full last season in a similar late-season visit to Seattle, ultimately losing 26-15. The Seahawks' speedy backs ripped apart the Eagles' front in that game. Even though Russell Wilson's eight rushes only went for 19 yards, he caught a touchdown pass and threw for 272 yards.
This time around, the Eagles have a better offense, but the Seahawks should expect to have a healthier defense aided by the acquisition of Sheldon Richardson in the trenches. Seattle's physical secondary is the perfect matchup to disrupt Wentz's timing and make for another tough outing.
These are the types of games that will indicate whether the Eagles have arrived. And after this one, it'll be safe to say they're not quite there yet.
Result: Loss
Week 14: @ Los Angeles Rams
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The look you see here on Rams quarterback Jared Goff's face may be the one you see when the Eagles' boisterous pass rush is chasing him down all day inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
While some fans may expect a different Rams team in 2017 under head coach Sean McVay, it'll become apparent that their issues up front on offense will hold them back until they're fixed.
L.A. did well to add Sammy Watkins on the outside and Todd Gurley is still a force with the rock, but the Rams will still stand no chance this season against teams with dominant defensive lines.
This is another matchup this season in which the Eagles' sheer talent should see them through, even if the offense finds a way to struggle.
Result: Win
Week 15: @ New York Giants
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The Eagles' seesaw season will ultimately carry them to an all-important road affair against the Giants, a team that they can expect to be fighting in the playoffs standings throughout 2017.
When teams are vying for postseason spots come Week 15, it's more about finding ways to mask your weaknesses rather than truly fixing them. Teams can attack their opponents' weak spots, but figuring out how to limit their strengths is the difference between watching football in January and playing it.
As for the Eagles, their continued secondary woes will be well-documented at this point and the pass rush can only do so much to nullify it when the opponent has Beckham Jr. and Marshall to catch balls. The Giants may not be able to keep a clean pocket for Manning, but he's well-versed at this point in finding ways to win games in spite of it.
Veteran players will come through in this de facto playoff game, and the Giants have a lot more of that across their offense and in the secondary to see it through.
Result: Loss
Week 16: Vs. Oakland Raiders
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The Oakland Raiders were one of the NFL's most impressive teams throughout last season, up until quarterback Derek Carr suffered a season-ending injury. As long as he's healthy entering this Christmas prime-time matchup, the Eagles will be hard-pressed for victory.
Carr's ability to fit the ball into tight spaces for his talented receivers matches up perfectly against the Eagles' cornerbacks, and bowling-ball back Marshawn Lynch may be one of the only rushers in the league capable of hammering through the Eagles' front seven. Just as well, the Raiders employ a nasty defense that will keep Wentz's offense one dimensional and make him beat them through the air.
Late December is when playoff teams hit their stride, and Eagles fans may become increasingly aware in this matchup that there's only one of those on the field.
Result: Loss
Week 17: Vs. Dallas Cowboys
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The Eagles faced the rival Cowboys to close out the regular season last year, but that game became a bit of a wash as Dallas rested most of its starters having locked up home-field advantage in the NFC playoff race. Like it or not, this season may feature a similar occurrence.
However, that may benefit the Eagles in a way it didn't a year ago if they're vying for a wild-card playoff spot. A victory here would hypothetically give the Eagles a 9-7 record, which may be enough to get them over the hump and into the postseason.
Even if the Cowboys still have something to play for and roll out their starters, expect Philly to have learned plenty from the beatdown it took some six weeks prior in Dallas.
Wentz has the weaponry now to attack the Cowboys' perceived weakness in the secondary, and a team fighting for the playoffs will be intent on not making the mistakes that doomed them in a midseason clash against the Cowboys in 2016.
Result: Win
All of the previous predictions would have the Philadelphia Eagles finishing with a 9-7 record for the 2017 season. That would be a respectable couple of steps forward from last season's 7-9, while giving the front office and coaching staff plenty of areas for improvement going into 2018.
And who knows; if the NFC playoff race shakes out in a favorable manner, 9-7 just might be enough to get the Eagles into the postseason.
Final 2017 record: 9-7
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