It’s tough to repeat.
Only nine NFL teams have won back-to-back Super Bowls in the last 59 seasons.
Will the Eagles’ become the 10th?
It’s way too early to tell how the season will pan out, but that has never stopped me in the past. The official regular-season schedule was released tonight and as always, here’s my initial prediction as to how the Birds will fare in 2025.
In contrast to diehard fans such as Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and longtime friends Frank “Tater” Smith and Tom “Shag” Shagren, I don’t think they’ll go 17-0. Nor will they become the first team to go 0-17.
Barring injuries, they have the talent to at least be in among the contenders for the NFC East and to get back to the big game for the third time in four seasons.
As always, I reserve the right to update my picks as the season progresses. (Last season’s record: 10-11).
Week 1: Thursday, September 4: Eagles vs. Dallas (8:20 p.m.). Eagles and Cowboys meet in an opener for the first time since 2000. Break out the pickle juice (WIN).
Week 2: Sunday, September 14: Eagles at Chiefs (4:25 p.m.). Big Red and Vineland’s Isiah Pacheco get revenge from Super Bowl (LOSS).
Week 3: Sunday, September 21: Eagles vs. Rams (1 p.m.). Eagles shut down Rams’ powerful offense. Saquon Barkley rushes for 150 yards. (WIN).
Week 4: Sunday, September 28: Eagles at Bucs (1 p.m.). Large contingent of Eagles fans won’t be enough to avoid yet another defeat at Tampa. Baker Mayfield throws three TD passes. (LOSS).
Week 5: Sunday, October 5: Eagles vs. Broncos (1 p.m.). Bo (Nix) doesn’t know Philly. (WIN).
Week 6: Thursday, October 9: Eagles at Giants (8:15 p.m.). If I watch on Amazon Prime, can I also order an Eagles jersey for my wife? She currently wears a No. 9 Rodney Peete jersey. (WIN).
Week 7: Sunday, October 19: Eagles at Vikings ( 1 p.m.). Nick Foles doesn’t make the trip to Minnesota this time. (LOSS).
Week 8: Sunday, October 26: Eagles vs. Giants (1 p.m.). Another season sweep against Big Blue. Jaxson Dart throws three interceptions. (WIN).
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Monday, November 10: Eagles at Packers (8:15 p.m.). Cedar Creek High School grad Bo Melton catches two TD passes for the Packers. (LOSS).
Week 11: Sunday, November 16: Eagles vs. Lions (8:20 p.m.). A matchup of two big NFC contenders. Aiden Hutchinson gets two sacks and Jared Goff throws three TDs. (LOSS).
Week 12: Sunday, November 23 (4:25 p.m.). Eagles at Cowboys. George Pickens and Cee Dee Lamb get into an argument in the end zone. (WIN).
Week 13: Friday, November 28: Eagles vs Bears (3 p.m.). Da Bears will be better behind Caleb Williams, but not good enough to beat the Birds. (WIN).
Week 14: Monday, December 8: Eagles at Chargers (8:15 p.m.). This is the year the Chargers finally live up to their potential. … Maybe. (LOSS).
Week 15: Sunday, December 14: Eagles vs. Raiders (1 p.m.). Raiders try to redeem their Vegas comps in Atlantic City to no avail. (WIN).
Week 16: Saturday, December 20: Eagles at Commanders (TBA). Jaden Daniels and the Commanders take over first place in NFC East. (LOSS).
Week 17: Sunday, December 28: Eagles at Bills (4:25 p.m.). Saquon Barkley runs through the snow for 200 yards. (WIN).
Week 18: Date TBD: Eagles vs. Commanders. Both teams rest their starters to get ready for playoffs. Rookie Kyle McCord leads the Eagles to a win. (WIN)
Prediction: 10-7, wildcard playoff berth.
Eagles coach Sirianni signs extension
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni will be sticking around for at least a few more years.
Sirianni agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension on Monday. Official terms were not released.
Sirianni guided the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance in two of the last three seasons, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-35 in Super Bowl 57 and beating them resoundingly 40-22 last season.
He enters this season with a 49-20 record (.702 winning percentage) and has made the playoffs all four seasons.
Only former San Francisco coach George Seifert (52) has more wins after his first four seasons than Sirianni.
“He’s done an outstanding job,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said last month.
The Eagles’ impressive performance in 2024 quieted the critics who questioned the coach in the wake of an alarming collapse a year earlier, when they lost five of their last six regular-season games after a 10-1 start, then lost 32-9 at Tampa in the first round of the playoffs.
Rumors that Lurie was considering changing coaches began to circulate, but the owner opted to stay the course and was rewarded with the second Super Bowl in franchise history.
“Everything that I had hoped for with Nick, he embodies,” Lurie said. “Football intelligence, emotional intelligence, managing of people, hiring assistant coaches, growth mindset at all times.”
Mainland grad gets second start with Reds
Cincinnati Reds rookie pitcher Chase Petty, a Mainland Regional High School graduate, suffered his second loss in as many starts last week. The 22-year-old allowed four runs on six hits and six walks with four strikeouts in three innings in a 6-0 loss to Houston.
“Can’t give up the free bags (walks),” Petty said. “I can’t walk six guys.”
Petty was slated to start last Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians, but Reds manager Terry Francona opted to go with reliever Brent Suter.
David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points.
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