Philadelphia fell to 7-9 last year, missed the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons and switched head coaches, canning Chip Kelly and replacing him with former Eagles quarterback Doug Pederson. It was a sorry end to the Kelly era, a time filled with more drama off the field than wins on it.
The Eagles were in contention for the mediocre NFC East until late in the 2015 season, hardly reason for celebration. But Kelly is gone, and the team can get on with the process of playing real football again. The problem is that Pederson is an untested head coach and the learning curve could take a few seasons.
Philadelphia Eagles Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Eagles Over 7 Wins -115
Eagles Under 7 Wins -105
The Eagles aborted the failed Kelly experiment before last season even ended, giving the former Oregon Ducks boss fewer than three years to make his college system successful in the NFL. Kelly’s high-speed offense and alleged revolutionary approach to conditioning and practicing never caught on and the Eagles have moved on.
Philadelphia also parted ways with disgruntled running back DeMarco Murray then mortgaged part of the future to take North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz with the second pick in the draft, creating huge pressure for the rookie and instant friction with incumbent Sam Bradford.
The funny thing about all this is while Bradford had a solid second half of 2015, he has never been a consistent winner, thanks to injuries and an inability to avoid mistakes. His petulance created turmoil within the organization, and even if he plays for Philadelphia in 2016, it’s unlikely he will have complete support of his teammates.
2016 Philadelphia Eagles Schedule
Week 1: vs. Cleveland Browns ( +7 )
Week 2: at Chicago Bears ( -2.5 )
Week 3: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers ( -3 )
Week 4: BYE
Week 5: at Detroit Lions ( -1 )
Week 6: at Washington Redskins ( -3 )
Week 7: vs. Minnesota Vikings ( -1.5 )
Week 8: at Dallas Cowboys ( -3.5 )
Week 9: at New York Giants ( -3 )
Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons ( +2.5 )
Week 11: at Seattle Seahawks ( -9 )
Week 12: vs. Green Bay Packers ( -3.5 )
Week 13: at Cincinnati Bengals ( -5 )
Week 14: vs. Washington Redskins ( +2 )
Week 15: at Baltimore Ravens ( +3 )
Week 16: vs. New York Giants ( +2.5 )
Week 17: vs. Dallas Cowboys
The opener is hugely important to the Eagles and getting a win over the Browns could be a precursor to a successful opening quarter of the slate. With the Bears and Lions also in the first four matchups, could we possibly see a 3-1 start? That would be great for a club in a rebuild, because the rest of the schedule gets significantly more difficult. A particular worrisome run takes place in the third quarter of the schedule when the Eagles get Atlanta, Seattle, Green Bay and Cincinnati in consecutive weeks. Losing to Cleveland in Week 1 could do more damage than anyone might realize.
QUICK PICK
The Eagles appeared to have their quarterback situation figured out when they gave Bradford a two-year deal, signed former Kansas City backup Chase Daniel to provide reinforcements under center and were planning to spend a draft pick on a young quarterback they would groom for the future.
Then, the Birds jumped up to the second overall spot, chose North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, and Bradford demanded that he be traded to a team for which he could be the clear-cut starter. It’s certain the fans will be merciless in the abuse they heap on Bradford.
Pederson’s West Coast offense is far more conventional than Kelly’s campus attack. The Eagles figured Bradford had the skills to be successful in it and gave Daniel a lot of money because he knows it so well. Wentz, a big-armed, mobile passer who led North Dakota State to a pair of FCS titles, has the smarts and tools to be successful in the NFL. But if he plays in 2016, the Eagles likely will not contend.
Should Bradford behave and play to his capability, the team is capable of finishing in the 8-8 range. While there isn’t an abundance of big-time NFL talent on the roster, there aren’t many gaping holes, either. If it’s up to Daniel, and worse, Wentz – at least in the short term – Philadelphia will be lucky to win six games.
NFL Odds: Philadelphia Eagles Under 7 Wins
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today!
