Looking at 2020

Posted: May 7th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on Looking at 2020

The NFL schedule was released tonight. I could offer some genuine thoughts on the schedule, but I just don’t get fired up by the release of the schedule so I’ll save the serious stuff for someone else.

Before we proceed, let’s look at the schedule. From PE.com:

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13 at Washington Redskins (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 vs. Los Angeles Rams (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1 PM, CBS, 94WIP)
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4 at San Francisco 49ers (8:20 PM, NBC, 94WIP)
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 11 at Pittsburgh Steelers (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 18 vs. Baltimore Ravens (1 PM, CBS, 94WIP)
Week 7: Thursday, Oct. 22 vs. New York Giants (8:20 PM, FOX/NFLN/Amazon, 94WIP)
Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1 vs. Dallas Cowboys (8:20 PM, NBC, 94WIP)
Week 9: BYE WEEK
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 15 at New York Giants (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22 at Cleveland Browns (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 12: Monday, Nov. 30 vs. Seattle Seahawks (8:15 PM, ESPN, 94WIP)
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 6 at Green Bay Packers (4:25 PM, CBS, 94WIP)
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13 vs. New Orleans Saints (4:25 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 20 at Arizona Cardinals (4:05 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 27 at Dallas Cowboys (4:25 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3 vs. Washington Redskins (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)

So how will things play out?

Bad news will hit hard this summer when both Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts miss the season due to schistosomiasis. The good news is that Nate Sudfeld does his best Kurt Warner impression and leads the Eagles to a 13-2 record. With the #1 seed locked up, Sudfeld will sit out the finale.

That opens the door for Greg Ward to make his first NFL start at QB. He goes 27 for 28 for 489 yards and 5 TDs. Oh my.

The Eagles offense is led by the 3-headed monster at RB, with Miles Sanders, Boston Scott and Adrian Killins running for more than 2000 yards combined.

The receivers are a mixed bag. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside leads the wideouts in catches with 56, but averages just 6.9 yards per receptions. DeSean Jackson hauls in 10 TDs, but misses a few games. Jalen Reagor looks like a future Pro Bowl player.

In a shocking move on the OL, the Eagles bypass Andre Dillard and Jason Peters at LT. They bring back Tra Thomas and he plays really well, although his constant demands that Howie Roseman trade for Jon Runyan Jr. wear on Howie’s nerves. Thomas is forced back into retirement after the season.

Jim Schwartz silences his critics with a great season from the Eagles defense. Daeshon Hall makes a miraculous comeback from a torn ACL and sets NFL records for sacks and forced fumbles in a season with 25 of each. Mysteriously, he still is the team’s #4 DE and plays behind Josh Sweat, who has a career best 4.5 sacks for the season.

Fletcher Cox does Fletcher Cox things.

Starting MLB T.J. Edwards leads the team in tackles. The LBs are a pleasant surprise, with Duke Riley coming out of nowhere to play a key role.

Jalen Mills is brilliant at SS, but has to seek therapy due to a serious bout with depression. He simply doesn’t have as many chances to wag his finger and that is a burden no man should have to carry. Rookie K’Von Wallace doesn’t suck.

Darius Slay is the Eagles best corner since…my head hurts trying to think of the last good one. He has 5 INTs and actually challenges the top receivers on other teams. Avonte Maddox is up and down, but makes enough plays to warrant starting. Sidney Jones breaks up 8 passes in a limited role, but all of the passes hit his head with Jones looking the wrong way. The Eagles think he’s just an offseason away from learning which way to look.

Rick Lovato is voted Team MVP for his outstanding snapping and leadership.

The Eagles are the favorites to win the Super Bowl and they dominate the first couple of playoff games. Winning the Super Bowl seems like a given.

But this is Philadelphia and nothing ever comes easy.

In a highly controversial move, the Eagles bring Wentz and Hurts off of IR. The plan is for Wentz, Hurts, Sudfeld and Ward to each get one quarter in the big game. As you would expect, the offense struggles. Luckily Daeshon Hall does not. He has another trio of strip sacks and runs them all back for TDs as the Eagles beat Bill Belichick and NFL MVP Jarrett Stidham.

The Super Bowl parade is attended by 11,000 people.

Days later, the open forum to discuss who should be the team’s QB in 2021 draws a crowd of almost 2 million.

The real “new normal”.

*****

Here is Jimmy Bama actually putting “effort” into a breakdown of the Eagles schedule.

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