So at this point, the Eagles would be 9-3 (if my predictions are right). That’s definitely good enough to put them high up in the standings for the conference and the league. But, the final four games of the season will likely be the hardest stretch of the season. If the Eagles want to guarantee a playoff spot, they should be coming into this final stretch with at least 8 wins, but preferably 9 (or more). They clearly have a difficult schedule, but they need to take advantage of some of the weaker opponents just in case they struggle against the better teams.
Week 14
The Eagles have to wait till Week 14 to face the defending NFL champs. Of course, I doubt it really matters when the Eagles play the Seahawks. The Eagles may be home against them, which improves their chances by a little bit, but definitely not enough to win in my eyes. Seattle didn’t improve at all during free agency, but they didn’t need to. That’s not how they get better anyway. I don’t think the Eagles have much of a chance no matter how you look at it. Verdict: loss (9-4)
Week 15
Next the Eagles have the Cowboys again, this time at home on Sunday Night Football. This is likely going to be a huge game for both teams, and any night game between them is bound to create an amazing one to watch. Like I mentioned before though, I expect the Eagles to have at least one loss inside the division, and I have a feeling it’s going to come at a critical time like this one. They would already be 3-0 in the division before this, so they can afford a loss. But, the psychological effects of losing this one might hurt worse than the effect on their record. Either way, I have a bad feeling about this one. Verdict: loss (9-5)
Week 16
So, a two game losing streak isn’t bad, right? No, not really, but it’s not exactly the best time to have that. Even after the loss to Dallas, they’ll likely still be in the lead for the division unless Dallas or Washington is somehow a powerhouse next year. But realistically, there’s no way that’s going to happen. But speaking of Washington, the Eagles have the Redskins in this game. They already beat them earlier in the season (according to my predictions of course, who knows what’ll actually happen), so they have the momentum. But the dynamic of this rivalry has changed so much now that they have DeSean Jackson on their team. I expect him to explode in this game and gave the Eagles a big “in your face” type of game. Will this be enough to give the Skins a win? Unfortunately, I have a feeling it will. Verdict: loss (9-6)
Week 17
In typical Eagles fashion, the Eagles have decided to make it exciting and nerve wracking for their fans at the end of the season. Will they have clinched the division by this point? No, I’m guessing probably not if they’re only 9-6. A three-game losing streak shouldn’t create a panic in them, but it definitely should be enough to motivate them to crush their opponent this week in order to clinch a playoff spot? Yes, definitely. The Eagles face the Giants in their third division game in a row, and there is no question that this is a must-win for them if their record is 9-6 going into this game. I fully expect this game to look like it’s going to be close and then end up in a total blowout in favor of Philadelphia. Why? Because I like to think positively and hope that the Giants get crushed. No, but in all honesty, the Giants are bad and will likely finish last in the division next year. This should definitely be an Eagles win. Verdict: win (10-6)
As I’ve been suggesting, this will probably be enough to either win them the division or at least get them a wild card berth. After that, I can’t guarantee much else. They’ll likely have to face a team that they’ve already lost to such as the 49ers, Panthers, etc. which won’t bode too well for them. Of course, this is all my predictions before they’ve even drafted, so who knows. Maybe they’ll turn out better than 10-6. All I know is one thing: I can’t wait for football season to start again.
