The NFC is the lesser of the two conferences right now. The Eagles have that working in their favor. But everything else indicates it will be difficult for them to make it back to the big game.
Personnel-wise, they won’t be as good. They’ve already lost both of their coordinators, and they’ve got 13 players who are headed for free agency. With Jalen Hurts now eligible for an extension that likely will average over $45 million per year, it won’t be possible to re-sign them all. The roster won’t be as deep or well-rounded.
And it’s looking like the schedule will be harder.
Using wins and losses, Philadelphia’s schedule projects to be the hardest in the league, with its 17 games against opponents who went a combined 161-123-4 last year. (Using points allowed rather than W-L records, Philadelphia’s schedule ranks 28th, harder than only four teams.)
On paper, the Eagles right now are the favorites to win the NFC in 2023, but I don’t think it’s likely they’ll be as good as they were in the just-completed season.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (2023) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Atlanta | 121 | 165 | 3 | .424 |
New Orleans | 122 | 164 | 3 | .427 |
Houston | 124 | 162 | 2 | .434 |
Indianapolis | 125 | 161 | 2 | .438 |
Tennessee | 128 | 156 | 4 | .451 |
Cleveland | 131 | 154 | 2 | .460 |
Carolina | 132 | 155 | 2 | .460 |
Pittsburgh | 134 | 151 | 2 | .470 |
Green Bay | 138 | 150 | 1 | .479 |
Jacksonville | 136 | 147 | 4 | .481 |
Baltimore | 138 | 147 | 2 | .484 |
Tampa Bay | 140 | 146 | 2 | .490 |
Detroit | 144 | 145 | 0 | .498 |
Chicago | 144 | 144 | 1 | .500 |
Minnesota | 144 | 144 | 0 | .500 |
Cincinnati | 146 | 140 | 2 | .510 |
Kansas City | 147 | 140 | 0 | .512 |
San Francisco | 147 | 139 | 2 | .514 |
Denver | 148 | 138 | 2 | .517 |
LA Chargers | 149 | 139 | 0 | .517 |
Seattle | 148 | 138 | 2 | .517 |
Arizona | 148 | 137 | 3 | .519 |
Las Vegas | 150 | 136 | 2 | .524 |
Washington | 153 | 133 | 2 | .535 |
LA Rams | 153 | 132 | 3 | .536 |
Buffalo | 155 | 131 | 2 | .542 |
NY Jets | 155 | 129 | 3 | .545 |
Dallas | 156 | 128 | 4 | .549 |
NY Giants | 158 | 128 | 2 | .552 |
New England | 157 | 127 | 3 | .552 |
Miami | 158 | 127 | 2 | .554 |
Philadelphia | 161 | 123 | 4 | .566 |
Note: A version of this story originally ran yesterday, but there was a tabulation error that Casey Plain of Illinois quickly sniffed out (New England and New Orleans somehow got tangled up sometime during the process).
—Ian Allan