CHIRPING BIRDS- SEASON PREVIEW

My annual Eagles season preview. When the schedule came out in April I went thru every game with my predictions ( I went 19-0 picking Eagle games last season).Here it is..

Thurs. Sept 6 vs Falcons-

Tough game out of the box. Lots of emotion early with the raising of the championship banner. Atlanta has revenge on their minds. Hopefully injured players like Sproles, Peters and Hicks will play.Will we get the good Foles or the bad Foles? Can the Eagles suddenly turn a switch and play well/ Don't forget that the Falcons were 0-4 during the pre-season. Somehow, even when the emotion fades in the 4th quarter, the Birds. Another tight, defensive affair. 16-10 WIN

Sun. Sept. 16 @ Buccaneers-

A trap game? A let-down after an emotional Week 1? On the road in Florida, the Bucs are without QB Winston. Closer than expected...WIN

Sun. Sept 23 vs. Colts- 

Could be Carson Wentz' first game back. Will Andrew Luck play? Coach Frank Reich's return. WIN

Sun Sept. 30 @ Titans-

A tough game down south. Eagles always have problems with AFC teams. Their first loss in a long time. LOSS

3-1 after the first quarter of the season..

Sun. Oct. 7 vs Vikings-

A rematch of the NFC Championship Game. Minnesota seeks revenge with new QB Kirk Cousins. A big game early in the season. Wentz steps up. WIN

Thurs. Oct 11 @ Giants-

1st NFC East division game. Only 4 days to rest after a huge victory over Minnesota. Giant surprise. LOSS

Sun, Oct. 21 vs Panthers-

Eagles beat Cam in big NFC match-up with 10 days rest. WIN

Sun. Oct. 28 Jaguars ( in London)

First time for Birds to play in England. How will they react to jet lag, all the attention, the sights and sounds, the time difference? Jacksonville is tough and should pose a threat. Eagles and Wentz shine overseas. WIN

Bye week. Mid-season record: 6-2

Sun Nov. 11 vs Cowboys-

Sunday night game. Can't afford to lose another NFC game. Beat Dallas with extra rest. WIN

Sun Nov 18 @ Saints-

New Orleans ambushes Birds in what could be a playoff preview. LOSS

Sun. Nov. 25 vs Giants-

Revenge vs New York. Blow-out win for Eagles WIN

Mon Dec. 3 vs Redskins-

Another important NFC East game. WIN

Record at the 3/4 pole: 9-3

Sun Dec. 9 @ Cowboys-

Dallas gets revenge on Sunday night. LOSS

Sun.  Dec 16 @ Rams-

Losing to LA will raise questions about Eagles and may cost them home field advantage in playoffs. LOSS

Dec. 23 vs Texans-

Much needed win over Houston. WIN

Sun Dec 30 @ Redskins-

In Washington but Philly may need this game for seeding purposes in playoffs. WIN

Final record- 11-5 Eagles win NFC East for second year in a row. Finish with # 2 seed in NFC.

Will the Eagles be fat and sassy after their Super Bowl win> It would only be natural to have a certain let-down after accomplishing the ultimate. but guys like Wentz and Peters will motivate and when the chips are down the eagles will raise.

They may need to play the NFC Championship Game in Los Angeles or New Orleans  this time, facing the upstart Rams, but wouldn't that be even sweeter to win on the road, where undoubtedly the Birds would be underdogs?

My pick is an  All-Pennsylvania Super Bowl , something we have wished for a long time, Eagles vs Steelers.  My NFL review is in tomorrow's blog.