Last season, sports books across the country predicted the Philadelphia Eagles win total would be 6.5. Despite a “rebuild” season, the team surpassed this with a 9-8 record, advancing to the playoffs. After a number of moves during the offseason to build around quarterback Jalen Hurts, 2022 predictions have begun, with a continued lack of confidence in Philadelphia’s ability to win.
DraftKings predicted 8.5 with -140 over/+155 under, falling behind the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.
- Dallas Cowboys — 10.5
- Philadelphia Eagles — 8.5
- Washington Commanders — 7.5
- New York Giants — 7
But, with the official 2022 NFL schedule set to release tonight at 8 PM, how accurate are these predictions?
EAGLES PREDICTED WINS LOWBALLED
Earlier this week, Eagles fans learned that Philadelphia would host the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 for their home opener. The game will be the second of two played on Monday Night Football, starting after the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills.
Following the news, leaks have been released. Per Jeff McLane, the Eagles will play the Lions in Detroit in Week 1, and the Cowboys at Dallas in Week 16. The Cowboys will host the Eagles on Christmas Eve, as Hurts will look to steal his first win over Dallas. Their other away games include the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants.
Alternatively, Philadelphia will host the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, and their three NFC East opponents.
There’s no doubt that the Eagles will meet some heavy hitters, but they have also made significant upgrades to outweigh them.
Predicted wins: 10
Though the actual schedule is still pending, if Week 1 is against the Detroit Lions, the Eagles will take home the win and set the pace for the remainder of the year. Last season, Philadelphia beat Detroit 44-6, redefining their gameplay after establishing a rush game. This season will hopefully be no different as they start 1-0.
Aside from the Lions, the Eagles should have a win against each of their NFC East rivals. My prediction is that they win every matchup (NFC East teams will meet twice) except for one game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers and Colts will be familiarizing themselves with a new quarterback, also giving Philadelphia wins here. As for the remaining two wins — the Jaguars and Bears. The Jaguars are also in a rebuild phase with new head coach Doug Pederson and the Bears finished last season with six wins, failing to fill some of their gaps during the draft.
An arsenal to win
Before the 2022 NFL Draft, the Eagles should have had three goals — add help to the receiver position, find support in a cornerback, and add a play-making linebacker. They did two out of the three.
Adding Titans’ wide receiver AJ Brown was a game changer. His presence along with DeVonta Smith and Dallas Geodert could easily make Philadelphia one of the top receiving teams in the league. Their selection in the third-round, Nakobe Dean, was also a steal. He was left on the board due to injury, but will make a nice addition to the team.
Aside from missing their mark on a cornerback, the Eagles added Jordan Davis. He’s massive and athletic and will provide a powerful strength to the defensive line. Center Cam Jurgens will also add depth to one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
After coming off nine total wins last season, there is no way the Philadelphia Eagles will not match or beat that this coming season. A projected total win of 8.5 is low, but, unfortunately, downplaying the Eagles’ ability to succeed is something the team is all too familiar with.