The Philadelphia Eagles will begin their 2022 season in less than one week hoping to improve on their 9-8 record from the previous year. While questions still remain at Quarterback, the Eagles have added a plethora of talent this offseason on both sides of the field. New additions like A.J. Brown, Haason Reddick, and James Bradberry show the Birds mean business this year, but could also spell another “Dream Team” situation. Let’s see how the Eagles could fare against opponents this season.
Related: Atlanta Falcons Record Prediction
Philadelphia Eagles Record: Predicting Every Game on the Schedule
Week 1: At Lions
The Dan Campbell era continues in Detroit. While the Lions are poised to have a better season, they still need a true signal caller instead of relying on Jared Goff. Signing free-agent D.J. Chark will help the passing attack, but if Goff can’t be more consistent, the Lions are hopeless. Statistically, he played well against the Eagles in 2021 (converting 73% of his passes with no turnovers), but in reality, he was too careful and took almost no risks. First-round pick Jameson Williams is still recovering from a torn ACL, which makes things tougher on the Lions offense. Running back D’Andre Swift is going up against a rushing defense that allowed the ninth-fewest rushing yards, but also allowed 18 touchdowns (T-eighth worst) in 2021.
Although the Eagles have more options at wide receiver with A.J. Brown and Zach Pascal, they’re more likely to rely on what is one of the greatest offensive lines in NFL history. The team’s ability to run is what soared them to the playoffs, and they won’t fix what isn’t broken. Jalen Hurts will rely on his feet more than his arms as they run all over Detroit in their season opener. It will take some time for the offense to wake up as they begin a new year, but they should beat a rebuilding Lions team.
Prediction: Eagles Win, 1-0 (Score: 34-10)
No surprise: Jalen Hurts is once again voted team captain by his teammates.#Eagles pic.twitter.com/z8KHJXpnbn
— Thomas R. Petersen (@thomasrp93) September 1, 2022
Week 2: vs. Vikings
The Vikings are still salty from an NFC Championship loss in 2018 that led to the Eagles becoming the eventual Super Bowl champs. They’ve been 2-0 against Philly since and would like to keep the streak alive. Jalen Reagor returns to Philadelphia as he and Justin Jefferson are looking to make the birds pay for turning away from them. Kirk Cousins is 6-3 against the Eagles and hasn’t lost to them since being a member of the then-Washington Redskins in 2017. Add Dalvin Cook to the mix, and the Birds’ defense has a matchup they may be unable to handle.
The Vikings defense added veteran support this offseason with linebacker Zadarius Smith, corner Patrick Peterson, and former Eagle linebacker Jordan Hicks. They may be relying too much on aging players considering they already have Harrison Smith and Eric Kendricks, two other starters in their 30s. But this could also be great for the younger players looking for mentorship.
Hurts will struggle against a team that is much more prepared than Detroit, and the new additions on the Eagles will still get over growing pains as they likely suffer defeat at the hands of Skol-Nation.
Prediction: Vikings win, 1-1 (Score: 31-20)
Week 3: at Commanders
The Eagles will travel to D.C. to face off against Carson Wentz in a long-awaited matchup. The Commanders offensive scheme this year will be focused around a trio that consists of receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson as well as running back Antonio Gibson. It’s not the most explosive cast of characters, but if Wentz wants to prove he’s still got it, this is the best he’ll get.
But Washington’s biggest issue isn’t the players, it’s the management. With a record of 43-50 and only two playoff appearances (zero victories) since his Super Bowl defeat in 2016, why is Ron Rivera still a head coach? He took the Commanders to the playoffs in 2020 after an embarrassing season for the entire NFC East and hasn’t had a winning season since 2017. People like him because he’s touted as a “player’s coach” and “extremely passionate”, but those compliments are worthless when it comes to actual winning strategies.
The Eagles offense struggled against Washington in 2021. They barely won their Week 15 matchup due to most of the opponent’s roster being sidelined with COVID-19 issues. They played even worse in Week 17 against a healthier Football Team, getting off to an ugly start for the third week in a row and barely putting together a comeback. That being said, it’s not like Washington played great either in 2021, even with a healthy roster.
Both Wentz and Hurts will struggle in a game controlled by the defense, but the Eagles will prevail.
Prediction: Eagles win, 2-1 (Score: 17-14)
Week 4: vs Jaguars
Back-to-back-to-back reunions? First Reagor, then Wentz, and now Doug Pederson? Sign me up!
Doug Pederson is a much better fit for a rebuilding Jaguars team than Urban Meyer. He’s respected by players, has more NFL experience, and doesn’t attract unwanted attention to himself outside of the field. However; Pederson is a whole year separated from coaching a team that was regressing after their first-ever Super Bowl victory. It gets worse. He is now coaching a Jags team that’s off worse than when he started in Philly. General Manager Trent Baalke is losing the support of fans, and the team is devoid of serious talent.
The best wide receiver? Christian Kirk. The starting running back? Travis Etienne, who we have yet to see carry a ball in an NFL game. The one shining spot is Travon Walker, the first-overall pick of the 2022 draft. The Jaguars drafted the best player on the board who came from one of the best defenses in college football history. His chances of making an impact on day one are very likely.
That being said, the Eagles will win this game. It’s the difference between a team that’s done rebuilding, and a team that still needs a few more pieces. Expect Doug Pederson to have a few surprises up his sleeve (maybe a Philly special?) as he returns to the city of Brotherly Love.
Prediction: Eagles win, 3-1 (Score: 30-16)
Week 5: at Cardinals
Next up on a trip down memory lane? A trip to Zach Ertz’s newest home!
The Cardinals will have adapted to an offense without Deandre Hopkins by the time this game rolls around, and we could see surges in wide receivers Rondale Moore, Marquise Brown, and veteran A.J. Green. Kyler Murray has also become more accurate with each passing year while relying less on his feet. The trip to Arizona could spell disaster for the Eagles if they let up a big lead early on. If Hurts is forced to throw in the second half, he won’t be able to rally the Eagles to a comeback. A close loss for the Birds here.
Prediction: Cardinals win, 3-2 (Score: 28-24)
Week 6: vs Cowboys
If Jason Peters is somehow on the active roster for this game, it will be the fifth reunion in a row. Dallas could be the first repeat NFC East champs since 2004. They lost La’el Collins to the Bengals but drafted Tyler Smith in return. If Ezekiel Elliott returns to full strength, he and Tony Pollard will be a force to be reckoned with. Amari Cooper is out, which means it’s Ceedee Lamb’s time to shine with Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz. The Cowboys have too many weapons for the Eagles to handle.
The Eagles will lose this game due to mistakes from the offense and a weak game plan from the defense. Hurts will struggle against the rival he has yet to beat while Dak Prescott shines in another rivalry bout. The Cowboys take a big lead early on, forcing the Eagles to pass and neglect the run game.
Prediction: Cowboys win, 3-3 (Score: 45-24)
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: vs Steelers
It will be interesting to see who starts this matchup. If it’s Mitchell Trubisky, the Eagles will have no problem limiting Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson. If it’s Kenny Pickett, who knows? The last Steelers first-round quarterback that was elevated from the third string was Ben Roethlisberger, and he lead the team to a 13-0 record and a trip to the AFC Championship game. Could Pickett carry that same magic? Not likely, but he would give the Eagles an unexpected challenge since they would need to study a whole new quarterback’s playstyle.
With the Steelers finally in rebuild mode, the Eagles have a shot at winning this matchup and ending a two-game losing streak.
Prediction: Eagles win, 4-3 (Score: 27-17)
Week 9: at Texans
Like the Steelers, the Texans are rebuilding their team. Getting multiple picks (including three first-rounders) from the Deshaun Watson trade was good on their part. They can start fresh and focus on building a team first, then addressing the quarterback position. Davis Mills performed well as a rookie, given his situation, and could be the convenient replacement for Watson. He could perform well against a more talented, more prepared Eagles team.
Prediction: Eagles win, 5-3 (Score: 34-21)
Week 10: vs Commanders
The Commanders aren’t expected to wow everybody this year, but they’ll still be in the playoff picture at this point. Wentz’s return to Philadelphia could go either way. He’ll either have the worst or best game of his career. Banking on the latter mostly because of superstition here. The last time an Eagles franchise quarterback returned to play against them was Donovan McNabb. Washington won the game then, and it’s possible they could do the same here. It will be interesting to see what kind of reception he gets from fans, considering he did take them to the playoffs with his MVP performance in 2017.
Prediction: Commanders win, 5-4 (Score: 20-17)
Week 11: at Colts
A game that’s tougher than it looks. The Colts offensive line is no joke. They can give Matt Ryan the time he needs to dink-and-dunk his way to victory. Johnathan Taylor’s speed could cause issues for the Eagles, but the Colts better not overuse him. It’s far too often in the NFL where a running back carries too much in one season, and barely carries the next due to lingering injuries.
The Eagles have a good run game, and that should be enough to give them the edge in this one. This was the hardest game to predict, as both teams share a key similarity. They both have star-studded offensive lines. There might not be a single sack in this matchup.
Prediction: Eagles win, 6-4 (Score: 23-20)
Week 12: vs Packers
Aaron Rodgers is 4-1 against Philadelphia as a starter. He does not need Davante Adams, and he’s done fine with much worse in terms of the receiving corps. Few teams ever have the answer to stopping this QB. His galaxy brain intellect will easily propel the Packers into the first or second seed. Aaron Jones wasn’t as explosive last year in the backfield, but he still averaged 4.7 yards per carry and had ten touchdowns. They won’t be playing in Lambeau, but that won’t stop the Packers from bringing a warpath of destruction all the way to Philly.
Prediction: Packers win, 6-5 (Score: 40-28)
Week 13: vs Titans
This game can go either way really, but taking Philadelphia with home-field advantage seems fair. Both teams have great rushing offenses, but this game can just as likely be a slugfest. Ryan Tannehill wants to prove he’s still got it and doesn’t want Malik Willis to start. If Willis starts, it’ll be his chance to show everyone who passed on him the mistake they made. As for the Eagles, A.J. Brown will want to dominate his former team and Treylon Burks will want to silence his predecessor. It will make for an entertaining game, hopefully getting flexed to a primetime spot if both teams perform well this year.
Prediction: Eagles win, 7-5 (Score: 30-24)
Week 14: at Giants
Trap game of the season. It won’t matter what the G-Men’s record is by this point. Whether it’s Sterling Shepard with a big gain on a slot route, or Daniel Jones breaking off for an 80-yard, The Giants offense can score just enough to win this game. The last time Jalen Hurts played in MetLife Stadium he had the worst game of his career. Just because he has new additions to the offense doesn’t mean he is ready to overcome his personal struggles.
Prediction: Eagles lose, 7-6 (Score: 17-10)
Week 15: at Bears
The Bears will have to realize sooner or later that Justin Fields is not the answer. Historically, Ohio State quarterbacks struggle to transition successfully from collegiate to professional play. Not having Khalil Mack around doesn’t help either. With a first-time General Manager and head coach, this team is directionless. There’s promise in players like Darnell Mooney and David Montgomery, but it’s not enough. Not even close.
The Eagles can and will trounce the Bears in what is the easiest game for them in the season.
Prediction: Eagles win, 8-6 (Score: 34-3)
Week 16: at Cowboys
It’s no fun to think the Cowboys will sweep the Eagles two years in a row, but it’s possible. Philadelphia seems to be improving gradually as a team, while Dallas already has a playoff-bound winning formula. Dak Prescott is just a better quarterback and can make better use of his options that Hurts. The defense can’t carry this team every game. The Eagles’ offense must consistently produce scoring drives if they want to win. If not, they’ll lag behind as the Cowboys take advantage of the situation.
Prediction: Eagles lose, 8-7 (Score: 44-24)
Week 17: vs Saints
A game with potential playoff implications. Jameis Winston showed signs of improvement in 2021 before suffering a terrible injury. Michael Thomas is finally back, and with veteran Jarvis Landry and first-rounder Chris Olave, the wide recevier group is pretty solid. Alvin Kamara said the Saints would have beat the Eagles in the 2017 playoffs, now he’ll have a chance to prevent them from entering the 2022 postseason. Jalen Hurts is 2-0 when playing the Saints, the first team he ever won against. Now he’ll get to host them in Philadelphia for the first time. With a lot on the line for both him and Sirianni, the Eagles will play their hearts out here.
Prediction: Eagles win, 9-7 (Score: 38-33)
Week 18: vs Giants
The Eagles close the season on a bittersweet note. They’ll probably have enough wins to snag a spot in the wildcard. While they improve statistically, the argument about Hurts will remain the same as it was in 2021. They will continue to struggle against playoff-bound teams, and they will lose in the wildcard round if they don’t adjust better. The main key is avoiding slow starts like they have in the past in terms of offensive play. Johnathan Gannon need to rely less on zone coverage and “prevent” defense tactics to allow for less high QB completion percentages. To the dismay of some fans, Howie Roseman will start making phone calls to trade the signal-caller while looking to draft (or sign) a new one.
The Eagles beat the Giants in a game closer than it should be, but they prevent the upstate rivals from sweeping them for the first time since 2007.
Prediction: Eagles win, 10-7 (Score: 24-14)
