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.
September 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:
Sorry Dak, Adrian Clayborn sets Falcons record with 6 sacks in a game. pic.twitter.com/mAhCB6w2lJ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 13, 2017
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.
September 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
