The NFL released the 2014 regular season schedule this week and listed below is the Eagles' slate this year.
Philadelphia Eagles vs.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday, September 7, 2014 at 1:00 PM
Lincoln Financial Field
Indianapolis Colts vs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Monday, September 15, 2014 at 8:30 PM
Lucas Oil Stadium
Philadelphia Eagles vs.
Washington Redskins
Sunday, September 21, 2014 at 1:00 PM
Lincoln Financial Field
San Francisco 49ers vs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, September 28, 2014 at 1:25 PM
Levi's Stadium
Philadelphia Eagles vs.
St. Louis Rams
Sunday, October 5, 2014 at 1:00 PM
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia Eagles vs.
New York Giants
Sunday, October 12, 2014 at 8:30 PM
Lincoln Financial Field
Arizona Cardinals vs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, October 26, 2014 at 1:05 PM
University Of Phoenix Stadium
Houston Texans vs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, November 2, 2014 at 12:00 PM
NRG Stadium
Philadelphia Eagles vs.
Carolina Panthers
Monday, November 10, 2014 at 8:30 PM
Lincoln Financial Field
Green Bay Packers vs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, November 16, 2014 at 12:00 PM
Lambeau Field
Philadelphia Eagles vs.
Tennessee Titans
Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 1:00 PM
Lincoln Financial Field
Dallas Cowboys vs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Thursday, November 27, 2014 at 3:30 PM
AT&T Stadium
Philadelphia Eagles vs.
Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 4:25 PM
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia Eagles vs.
Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, December 14, 2014 at 8:30 PM
Lincoln Financial Field
Washington Redskins vs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Saturday, December 20, 2014 at 4:30 PM
Fedex Field
New York Giants vs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, December 28, 2014 at 1:00 PM
MetLife Stadium
The one thing about this schedule that jumps out for me five prime time games including a huge Thanksgiving Day showdown against Dallas in Week 13. The Eagles get a bye in Week 7 after the first game against the Giants on October 12 which is another prime time matchup on Sunday Night Football.
Philadelphia does not have any Thursday night games this season, but it will play two Sunday night games and two on Monday Night Football. The Eagles' opponents outside the division include games against the AFC South, which should be a plus. That will be countered with games against the NFC West, which could be the most competitive division in the entire league. The remaining two games will be tough as well with Carolina coming to town in Week 10 followed by a Week 11 trip to Lambeau Field to face Green Bay.
Las Vegas has already opened the Birds as 11-point home favorites for the season opener against Jacksonville. Bovada's latest NFL futures has Philadelphia listed at 12/1 odds to win the NFC this season with four other teams having better odds (Saints, Packers, 49ers and Seahawks). When it comes to winning the Super Bowl, the Eagles have been listed as moderate 22/1 longshots.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
Eagles' First Round Mock Draft Update-April 18
We are less than three weeks away from the start of this year's NFL college draft and the burning question for Eagles' fans is which player will be selected when Commissioner Roger Goodell puts Philadelphia on the clock with the 22nd overall pick in the first round.
There is always a possibility that Philadelphia tries to trade-up for a higher pick, but for the purpose of this update I have combed through the most reliable mock drafts out there in an effort to come up with a consensus as to the Eagles' probable pick at their current spot in the order. The overall feeling is that they will pull the trigger on a wide receiver given the sudden departure of DeSean Jackson, but there is a small minority of experts that have the Birds going for a cornerback in the opening round.
Starting with the top two NFL Draft gurus, Mel Kiper Jr. has the Eagles selecting Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin while Todd Mcshay is going with USC receiver Marqise Lee. I personally do not think Lee will still be on the board when the Eagles go on the clock at No. 22 since he is ranked by many experts as the second or third best receiver in this year's draft class.
Benjamin is a very attractive prospect at 6-foot-5, 240 lbs. You might have to go all the way back to the 1970's to the days of Harold Carmichael to find a receiver with that kind of size playing for the Birds. This could be just the weapon the Eagles need to complement Chip Kelly's big play offense. What you lose in Jackson's pure speed would be made up with a huge target inside the Red Zone.
Walters Football is going with Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks as the Eagles' first round pick. This would make all the sense in the world given Kelly's ties to the Pac-12 from his days at Oregon. Cooks would almost be an exact replacement for Jackson at 5-foot-10, 189 lbs. with blazing 4.33 speed in the 40 yard dash.
Draft Scouts uses a panel of experts for their mock draft board and while the consensus includes names such Lee, Cooks and LSU receiver Odell Beckham Jr., a few members of the panel have Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby going to the Eagles with the 22nd overall pick. It remains fairly obvious that this position is another pressing need for this team so there is some logic behind this pick. He is rated in the top five at his position with a solid combination of size (5-foot-11, 195 lbs.) and speed (4.39 40). There are a few past off the field issues with Roby that could raise some character concerns, but he remains a solid prospect to bolster a weak Eagles' secondary.
Going back to Beckham Jr. as a first round option, he has decent size at 5-foot-11 but he lacks the blazing speed that some of the other top prospects at the receiver position possess. If both Lee and Cooks are off the board at No. 22 then the former Tiger could fit the bill as Philly's top pick.
Sports Illustrated also has Roby going to the Eagles at No. 1 and some of the other players that the team has shown interest in include wide receiver Brandon Coleman from Rutgers, UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr and Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin. All three of these players have had individual workouts and/or personal visits in the past few weeks.
After carefully analyzing all of these mock drafts as well as some opinions from other NFL draft experts, I am leaning towards Benjamin as the Eagles' pick in Round 1. I think Kelly is salivating at the opportunity to add a big wide receiver to mix. Everyone knows that speed kills, but a huge target that can win the battle for jump balls tend to score a ton of points.
There is always a possibility that Philadelphia tries to trade-up for a higher pick, but for the purpose of this update I have combed through the most reliable mock drafts out there in an effort to come up with a consensus as to the Eagles' probable pick at their current spot in the order. The overall feeling is that they will pull the trigger on a wide receiver given the sudden departure of DeSean Jackson, but there is a small minority of experts that have the Birds going for a cornerback in the opening round.
Starting with the top two NFL Draft gurus, Mel Kiper Jr. has the Eagles selecting Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin while Todd Mcshay is going with USC receiver Marqise Lee. I personally do not think Lee will still be on the board when the Eagles go on the clock at No. 22 since he is ranked by many experts as the second or third best receiver in this year's draft class.
Benjamin is a very attractive prospect at 6-foot-5, 240 lbs. You might have to go all the way back to the 1970's to the days of Harold Carmichael to find a receiver with that kind of size playing for the Birds. This could be just the weapon the Eagles need to complement Chip Kelly's big play offense. What you lose in Jackson's pure speed would be made up with a huge target inside the Red Zone.
Walters Football is going with Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks as the Eagles' first round pick. This would make all the sense in the world given Kelly's ties to the Pac-12 from his days at Oregon. Cooks would almost be an exact replacement for Jackson at 5-foot-10, 189 lbs. with blazing 4.33 speed in the 40 yard dash.
Draft Scouts uses a panel of experts for their mock draft board and while the consensus includes names such Lee, Cooks and LSU receiver Odell Beckham Jr., a few members of the panel have Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby going to the Eagles with the 22nd overall pick. It remains fairly obvious that this position is another pressing need for this team so there is some logic behind this pick. He is rated in the top five at his position with a solid combination of size (5-foot-11, 195 lbs.) and speed (4.39 40). There are a few past off the field issues with Roby that could raise some character concerns, but he remains a solid prospect to bolster a weak Eagles' secondary.
Going back to Beckham Jr. as a first round option, he has decent size at 5-foot-11 but he lacks the blazing speed that some of the other top prospects at the receiver position possess. If both Lee and Cooks are off the board at No. 22 then the former Tiger could fit the bill as Philly's top pick.
Sports Illustrated also has Roby going to the Eagles at No. 1 and some of the other players that the team has shown interest in include wide receiver Brandon Coleman from Rutgers, UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr and Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin. All three of these players have had individual workouts and/or personal visits in the past few weeks.
After carefully analyzing all of these mock drafts as well as some opinions from other NFL draft experts, I am leaning towards Benjamin as the Eagles' pick in Round 1. I think Kelly is salivating at the opportunity to add a big wide receiver to mix. Everyone knows that speed kills, but a huge target that can win the battle for jump balls tend to score a ton of points.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Eagles 2014 Preseason Schedule
We will still have to wait a few more weeks until the NFL releases this year's regular season schedule, but the opponents for the Eagles' four preseason games have been set. Three of the four contests will feature some of the usual suspects that the Birds traditionally face in their tune-up games including New England and the New York Jets from the AFC East.
Philadelphia's preseason will get underway against Chicago with a trip to Soldier Field in Week 1. The last time these two got together was last December at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 16 of the regular season and the Eagles put on a clinic in how the game is supposed to be played with their most dominant victory of the 2013 season. When the smoke cleared the Birds ended-up on top 54-11.
Last year, Eagles' head coach Chip Kelly joined forces with New England's Bill Belichick to stage a series of inter-squad practices before both teams opened the preseason at the Linc. Look for the same arrangement this August as the two teams will mots likely get together for a few days before a Week 2 tilt in Foxboro this time around.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are back on the schedule after a one-year hiatus in the Eagles' preseason home opener at the Linc. The third week of preseason games is traditionally the final dress rehearsal in which the starters tend to play deeper into the second half. The Eagles will be going up against a Steelers' team that has missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2000.
The Jets are the lone staple on the Birds' preseason schedule. This year's annual clash will take place in Philadelphia in the final outing before the games start counting for real the first weekend in September.
Philadelphia's preseason will get underway against Chicago with a trip to Soldier Field in Week 1. The last time these two got together was last December at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 16 of the regular season and the Eagles put on a clinic in how the game is supposed to be played with their most dominant victory of the 2013 season. When the smoke cleared the Birds ended-up on top 54-11.
Last year, Eagles' head coach Chip Kelly joined forces with New England's Bill Belichick to stage a series of inter-squad practices before both teams opened the preseason at the Linc. Look for the same arrangement this August as the two teams will mots likely get together for a few days before a Week 2 tilt in Foxboro this time around.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are back on the schedule after a one-year hiatus in the Eagles' preseason home opener at the Linc. The third week of preseason games is traditionally the final dress rehearsal in which the starters tend to play deeper into the second half. The Eagles will be going up against a Steelers' team that has missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2000.
The Jets are the lone staple on the Birds' preseason schedule. This year's annual clash will take place in Philadelphia in the final outing before the games start counting for real the first weekend in September.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Eagles Offseason Report- Drafting a Wide Receiver
In the wake of the whole DeSean Jackson debacle the one thing that is clear about this situation is that the Eagles will be looking to add a wide receiver in next month's college draft. The good news is that this year's draft is deep with quality receivers, but it remains to be seen which ones will still be available when the Birds go on the clock with the 22nd overall pick in the first round.
Clemson's Sammy Watkins is the top rated receiver in this year's draft class so unless the Eagles trade up into one of the top five picks he is going elsewhere. A couple of players that will hopefully be around when they do pick are Brandin Cooks from Oregon State and Marquise Lee from USC. The main reason I am pinpointing these two wide receivers is the fact that they both played in the Pac-12 which is head coach Chip Kelly's old stomping ground. He has already proven to have an affinity towards players from his old conference going back to his days at Oregon.
Cooks is cut in the same mold as Jackson at 5-foot-10 and 189 lbs. and he has demonstrated excellent hands to go along with 4.33 speed in the 40-yard dash. He caught 128 passes last season for 1,730 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is also on some other teams' radar as a top pick so the Eagles may still have to move up to board if they want to get him.
Lee has a bit more size at just under six foot while carrying 192 lbs. on his frame. While he does not have the same speed as Cooks, he has gained a reputation as being a playmaker during his career at Southern Cal. He is more athletic than Cooks and he can fill a number of roles in Kelly's dynamic offense including catching the ball over the middle and in tight traffic.
Either of these two players could be an excellent replacement for Jackson as a bona fide starter from Day 1. If you look deeper down the list of receivers you will find names such as Davante Adams from Fresno St, Donte Moncrief from Mississippi and Allen Robinson from Penn State. As I mentioned before, this draft is deep at this position so the Eagles should be able to add a player to their arsenal that will make everyone forget about the skills (and aggravation) that Jackson brought to the table.
Clemson's Sammy Watkins is the top rated receiver in this year's draft class so unless the Eagles trade up into one of the top five picks he is going elsewhere. A couple of players that will hopefully be around when they do pick are Brandin Cooks from Oregon State and Marquise Lee from USC. The main reason I am pinpointing these two wide receivers is the fact that they both played in the Pac-12 which is head coach Chip Kelly's old stomping ground. He has already proven to have an affinity towards players from his old conference going back to his days at Oregon.
Cooks is cut in the same mold as Jackson at 5-foot-10 and 189 lbs. and he has demonstrated excellent hands to go along with 4.33 speed in the 40-yard dash. He caught 128 passes last season for 1,730 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is also on some other teams' radar as a top pick so the Eagles may still have to move up to board if they want to get him.
Lee has a bit more size at just under six foot while carrying 192 lbs. on his frame. While he does not have the same speed as Cooks, he has gained a reputation as being a playmaker during his career at Southern Cal. He is more athletic than Cooks and he can fill a number of roles in Kelly's dynamic offense including catching the ball over the middle and in tight traffic.
Either of these two players could be an excellent replacement for Jackson as a bona fide starter from Day 1. If you look deeper down the list of receivers you will find names such as Davante Adams from Fresno St, Donte Moncrief from Mississippi and Allen Robinson from Penn State. As I mentioned before, this draft is deep at this position so the Eagles should be able to add a player to their arsenal that will make everyone forget about the skills (and aggravation) that Jackson brought to the table.
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