The Philadelphia Eagles 2019 schedule was released just a few days ago and there are plenty of games to be excited about. The Eagles secured a wildcard spot and were able to defeat the Bears in the first round of last season’s playoffs. After a hot start against the Saints, the Eagles weren’t able to secure the win and their 2018 season came to a close. The Eagles will be looking to regain the divisional title and make a deep playoff run this season. Here are my predictions for the Eagles record this season.
Week 1: Washington Redskins- Prediction: Win
I don’t think this game will be close at all. The Redskins will be struggling to fill a bunch of holes this off season, whereas the Eagles will have plenty of talent and depth. The Eagles had a great run at the end of the season; the Redskins fell apart. I see the Eagles jumping out to an early division lead and defeating the Redskins fairly easily.
Week 2: At Atlanta Falcons- Prediction: Win
The Falcons will be a tough second opponent for the Eagles. If Julio Jones and Matt Ryan can discover the endzone quicker than last season, the Falcons will start to put up points at a high rate again. The Falcons have the offense, but can they compete defensively? I think it will be a close one, but the Eagles should take this game because they are the better overall team on both sides of the ball.
Week 3: Detroit Lions- Prediction: Win
One of my favorite Eagles games has to be the “Snow bowl game” of 2013. The Eagles and the Lions played in mounds of snow and were able to secure a 14-point victory. I see this game going very similarly, minus the piles of snow. The Lions are not in a position to compete right now for a Super Bowl, and they shouldn’t offer much competition. The only chance the Lions have is Matthew Stafford getting hot and exploding for a huge game.
Week 4: At Green Bay- Prediction: Loss
All good things must come to an end including the Eagles undefeated season. Aaron Rodgers has a new coach, and the Packers are always a tough out. I believe Matt LaFluer and Rodgers have kinks to work out, but they should be able to tune it up just enough to secure a quality win against the previously undefeated Eagles. I think the Packers secure a very narrow victory.
Week 5: New York Jets- Prediction: Win
My bold prediction is that the Eagles lose to either the Jets or the Bills. The Jets are in the process of revamping their entire team. I think the Jets are a just a few seasons away from being the dominant team in the AFC East. They will need time to gel as a unit, but they should make a big splash this season. I think this game will be much closer than people will think; it wouldn’t surprise me if the Jets steal a win here. The Jets should get a top defensive player with their pick who will bolster their defensive prowess. The Eagles need to take this team incredibly serious.
Week 6: At Minnesota Vikings- Prediction: Win
The Eagles last matchup against the Vikings was a memorable one. Defeating the Vikings 38-7, the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl. Kirk Cousins underwhelmed last season, but the Vikings should be much better this year. The Vikings have a solid defense, elite WR talent, and a balanced run game. The biggest impact on the game will be crowd control. If the Eagles are able to rise above the noise and hype around the game, they should walk out with a noteworthy victory.
Week 7: At Dallas Cowboys- Prediction: Loss
The Eagles can’t go perfect in the division, so this looks like the most probable loss. The Cowboys are a tough team to face on the road. They have weapons at both RB and WR; also, they boast a tough defense that is vibrant and young. The Cowboys are going to steal a victory against the Eagles, so I think the Cowboys will take this one. When the Eagles take on the Cowboys at home, it should be a completely different story.
Week 8: At Buffalo Bills- Prediction: Loss
I love Josh Allen. I 100% believe that he is the best quarterback in the last year’s draft and will have a long, successful career. The Bills showed signs of promise last year and have put better weapons around Allen. They need a solid run game; Allen can’t be the only source of rushing yards. The Eagles will be playing their third consecutive game on the road and will be coming off a loss against their divisional foe, the Cowboys. The Bills or Jets could be trap games. I think they have a challenge playing another road game, and the Bills secure a major victory.
Week 9: Chicago Bears- Prediction: Win
The Eagles finally get to come home off the road, and it will be well welcomed. Jordan Howard will have the opportunity to show his former team what they are missing when they traded him. The Eagles got a major win last season against the Bears, and this win could be a major catalyst this season as well. The Eagles will need to force Mitchell Trubisky to throw early and often. The Eagles get a huge victory and head into their bye week with a key victory.
Week 10: BYE Week
Week 11: New England Patriots- Prediction: Win
The Patriots lost a bunch of key players this offseason. The most important offensive weapon for Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, retired and leaves a gaping hole for the reigning Super Bowl Champions. The Eagles benefit from both playing at home and coming off a bye week. Brady always does turn nothing into something, so the Eagles defense will need to step up in a major way to shutdown his greatness. I think the biggest matchup to watch will be the Eagles offense against the Patriots defense. I think they grind out a tough victory and use that victory as momentum.
Week 12: Seattle Seahawks- Prediction: Loss
The Seahawks are a dynamic team on both sides of the ball. They have of the most balanced offenses in the league, and Russell Wilson has his huge contract, so he has no distractions. The Eagles may be too high on themselves after a major win against the Patriots, and the Seahawks are a scrappy team who won’t fear coming in the Lincoln Financial Field. The Seahawks escape with a great win. The Eagles are still blessed with a weak rest of their schedule.
Week 13: Miami Dolphin- Prediction: Win
The Dolphins love being mediocre; They have been .500 for as long as I can remember. The Dolphins are in need of a major rebuild and this season will provide them clarity as to what direction to take going forward. The Dolphins don’t have much fire power to work with. The Dolphins are depleted at most skill positions; playing on the road will be the kiss of death for them.
Week 14: New York Giants- Prediction: Win
It will be interesting to see what direction the Giants take at the quarterback position this season. They lost Odell Beckham Jr. and replaced him with Golden Tate. The Giants need help on both sides of the ball and clearly are ready to find their next stud in the draft. Despite playing tough in both matchups with the Eagles last season, I think the Eagles will handle them fairly easy this season in both matchups.
Week 15: Washington Redskins- Prediction: Win
The Redskins were plagued heavily by injuries almost all of last season. Can they stay healthy this season? Regardless, even a healthy Redskins team won’t emerge victorious. The Eagles handled the Redskins on the road and will defeat them handedly at home as well. Barring any major injuries for the Eagles, I can’t see the Redskins having a chance here.
Week 16: Dallas Cowboys- Prediction: Win
The Eagles will have momentum after rattling off three straight wins. They will be seeking revenge from an earlier road loss against the Cowboys, and the Eagles will have had plenty of time to gel and grow as a unit. The Eagles will “welcome” divisional rivals with plenty of crowd noise and an electric atmosphere. The Eagles will secure a major NFC East victory here possibly even a division clinching victory.
Week 17: At New York Giants- Prediction: Win
This game won’t matter in the end. The Eagles should have notched the division title by now and will be prepping for the playoffs. The game can go either way, but it won’t have an impact in the end. The Giants will be looking towards the future, while the Eagles will be getting ready to make another Super Bowl run.
I see the Eagles going 12-4 this season. I think their record will range from 10-6 to 13-3. The Eagles should have the division crown relatively easily and should get a first-round bye. The biggest challenge will be ensuring health and eliminating injuries all season long. Provided they stay healthy, the Eagles are one of the top contenders for the NFC title.
Eric Fenstermaker 