The Eagles’ quest to repeat begins Thursday night.
Only nine teams — the Green Bay Packers (Super Bowl 1 and 2), Miami Dolphins (6, 7)), Pittsburgh Steelers (9, 10 and 12, 13), San Francisco 49ers (23, 24), Dallas Cowboys 27, 28), Denver Broncos (32, 33), New England Patriots (38, 39) and Kansas City Chiefs (57, 58) — have managed to win back-to-back championships since the Super Bowl era began in 1967.
The Philadelphia Eagles are in position to become the 10th to accomplish the feat, thanks to last season’s 40-22 romp over the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59.
The quest begins on Thursday night, when the Birds play host to the Dallas Cowboys in their season-opener at Lincoln Financial Field.
It marks the first time the teams have met in the first game of a season since 2000, when the Eagles registered a 41-14 victory in what became infamously known in franchise lore as the “Pickle Juice Game.”
The outdoor temperature that day in Dallas was recorded as 109 degrees Fahrenheit, with the field temperature measuring as high as 130.
In order to combat the heat, then-Eagles athletic trainer Rick Burkholder brought along jugs of pickle juice to fend off dehydration.
That season also got off to a surprising start, with second-year Eagles coach Andy Reid ordering an onsides kick to open the game.
The Birds may not need such trickery to beat Dallas this time. Running back Saquon Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts and company are facing a Cowboys defense that is missing standout linebacker Micah Parsons, who was traded to the Packers last week.
The Eagles lost several key defensive players, including edge rushers Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham (retired), cornerback Darius Slay and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. But they are still stacked behind linebacker Zack Baun, defensive tackle Jalen Carter and cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
There are challenges ahead, however. Their schedule this season is significantly more difficult. It features 10 games against teams — Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Commanders (twice) — that made the playoffs last season.
There’s also the so-called hangover that seems to affect teams that reached the Super Bowl the previous season. Just ask the Eagles, who a year after reaching the big game in 2022, endured a horrendous end to the 2023 season, losing five of their final six games after a 10-1 start, then exiting the playoffs in the first round via a 32-9 loss at Tampa.
The Eagles’ expectations are as high as Margate’s Lucy the Elephant. How they handle them should make for an interesting season.
Here’s one guess as to how the regular season will pan out.
Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 4: Eagles vs. Dallas (8:20 p.m.). Cowboys safety Markquese Bell (Bridgeton) gets his first career interception, but Eagles still roll. (WIN).
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 14: Eagles at Chiefs (4:25 p.m.). Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (Vineland) and Big Red get revenge from last season’s Super Bowl. (LOSS).
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21: Eagles vs. Rams (1 p.m.). Saquon Barkley rushes for 150 yards and does a backward hurdle over a Rams defender in the process. (WIN).
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 28: Eagles at Bucs (1 p.m.). The Eagles almost never win in Tampa. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield throws three touchdown passes and the pirate ship at Raymond James Stadium runs out of cannon balls. (LOSS).
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 5: Eagles vs. Broncos (1 p.m.). Bo (Nix) doesn’t know Philly. Sean Payton does, but it doesn’t matter. (WIN).
Week 6: Thursday, Oct. 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, Oct. 19: Eagles at Vikings ( 1 p.m.). Nick Foles isn’t around to pull off a “Philly Special” in Minnesota this time. (LOSS).
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26: Eagles vs. Giants (1 p.m.). Russell Wilson will be benched for rookie Jaxon Dart by this point. Another season sweep for the Birds. (WIN).
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Monday, Nov. 10: Eagles at Packers (8:15 p.m.). Packers cornerback Bo Melton (Cedar Creek High School), a converted wide receiver, grabs an interception and returns it for a TD. (LOSS).
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16: Eagles vs. Lions (8:20 p.m.). Detroit continues an unbeaten season with a huge win. Aiden Hutchinson gets two sacks. (LOSS).
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 23 (4:25 p.m.). Eagles at Cowboys. Cee Dee Lamb asks to be traded to the Eagles at halftime. (WIN).
Week 13: Friday, Nov. 28: Eagles vs Bears (3 p.m.). Ex-Eagles D’Andre Swift (running back) and T.J. Edwards (linebacker) play well, but not well enough to beat the Birds. (WIN).
Week 14: Monday, Dec. 8: Eagles at Chargers (8:15 p.m.). Tough to go against Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and coach Jim Harbaugh. Not to mention (Cameron) Dicker the Kicker. (LOSS).
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 14: Eagles vs. Raiders (1 p.m.). Contingent of Eagles fans boost Las Vegas’ sagging economy, but can’t help the Raiders. (WIN).
Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 20: Eagles at Commanders (TBA). Washington quarterback Jaden Daniels and the Commanders prove last season was no fluke. (LOSS).
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 28: Eagles at Bills (4:25 p.m.). Bills coach Sean McDermott rests Josh Allen and starters after already clinching AFC East. (WIN).
Week 18: Date TBD: Eagles vs. Commanders. Both teams rest their starters to get ready for playoffs. Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee throws three TD passes. (WIN).
Prediction: 10-7, playoff berth.
Local NFL update
Bell, Pacheco and Melton are among five local players from Cape-Atlantic League high schools who are on active rosters to start the NFL season, along with Jacksonville Jaguars rookie RB LeQuint Allen Jr. (Vineland) and DT Austin Johnson (St. Augustine Prep) and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Max Melton, Bo’s younger brother.
In addition, DT Isaiah Raikes (St. Augustine Prep) is on the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad after being released last week. LB Solomon DeShields (Bridgeton) and LB Raheem Powell (Vineland) were released by the Colts and Saints, respectively, last week.
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. Send comments to weinbergd419@comcast.net.
