How Far Can the Eagles Fly in 2017?
In recent years, we have found that the Philadelphia Eagles are in a bit of a slump. This all came about in 2014, when the then-Head Coach Chip Kelly decided to unexpectedly release wide receiver DeSean Jackson. In result, we saw the veteran sign with their NFC East rivals, the Washington Redskins.
That year, the Eagles went 10-6, but still didn’t do enough to enter the postseason. Still, Kelly decided to continue trading and releasing more of the Eagles roster, including players such as LeSean McCoy, Nick Foles, Todd Herremans, and even Trent Cole. The owner of the franchise, Jeffrey Lurie, finally said enough, and went on to fire Kelly during the final week of the regular season.
When 2016 came along, the franchise elected to hire a new head coach in Doug Pederson, and also went on to draft rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. Even with those moves, the Eagles still haven’t been able to get a successful season under their belts.
Now that 2017 is here, fans are once again optimistic that the Eagles can thrive as an underdog story. The franchise hasn’t been past the first round of the playoffs since 2008, and their division rivals are only getting stronger within time. Just through this past off-season, the Eagles have lost Allen Barbe, Jordan Matthews, and veteran Jon Dorenbos.
The Eagles statistically contain the tenth-toughest schedule in the NFL this upcoming season (based off of 2016 records), so this should be an uphill battle for the franchise. Will they surpass the New York Giants or the Dallas Cowboys as NFC East title favorites? Can Philadelphia shock the NFL world by clinching a wild card slot?
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