Two 3-game gauntlets highlight make-or-break stretches of the Eagles' 2025 season
Believe it or not, it hasn't even been four months since the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl 59. Much has happened since then.
We've seen another NFL Scouting Combine and another round of Pro Days and Top 30 Visits. Free agency's frenzy came and went. The Birds added a ten-man draft class and a couple of handfuls of undrafted rookie free agents at the end of April.
Advertisement
Rookie minicamp is over and done with. Organized team activities come at the end of May and the beginning of June.
We've known who the Eagles' opponents will be during the 2025-26 NFL season for a while. Now, we know all of the dates and times of those matchups.
Two tough stretches will tell the tale of the 2025-26 Eagles regular-season campaign.
We've been teased with some early information about a handful of Philly's games. As promised, Wednesday's schedule release painted the entire picture.
Every game is important. No opponent can be taken for granted, and even though three tough challenges vs. the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams come in as many weeks to start the season, there will be time to rebound and refocus regardless of what happens.
Advertisement
Two stretches, however, will write Philly's finish and set them up for an all-important postseason run: Weeks 10-12 and Weeks 16-18.
Week 10 - Week 12
Green Bay Packers (AWAY) - November 10, 8:15 pm EST
Detroit Lions (HOME) - November 16, 8:20 pm EST
Dallas Cowboys (AWAY) - November 23, 4:25 pm EST
Philly's bye week came after four games in 2024, but it came late this time. The Birds get a break to relax and recover in Week 9. Then, things get tricky. They play two of their next three games on the road.
They face the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in consecutive primetime matchups. That Monday Football affair vs. The Pack could get ugly.
In Week 12, they get their second date with Dallas, this time in Arlington. Philly has lost seven of the past eight meetings with their hated rivals there. Fortunately, the win came during the most recent meeting, so the tide could turn.
Week 16 - Week 18
Washington Commanders (AWAY) - December 20, 4:30 or 8:00 pm EST
Buffalo Bills (AWAY) - December 28, 4:25 pm EST
Washington Commanders (HOME) - TBD
Advertisement
Four of the Eagles' final five games last season were at home. The road game was their only loss during that stretch, one vs. the Washington Commanders. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Philly refocused and wouldn't lose again in their final six games. Four came during the postseason. One of those games was against those same Commanders in the NFC Championship Game.
Three of the Eagles' final five games will be played on the road this time. Two clashes have been with those pesky Washington Commanders, sandwiching a road game vs. the defending AFC East-champion Buffalo Bills.
Pay close attention to Philly's performance. The Commanders represent their biggest roadblock to repeating as NFC East champions. These final three games could determine divisional superiority.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Two season-defining stretches may determine the Eagles' course in 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Did the Washington Commanders win the offseason?
Did the Washington Commanders "win" the offseason? Don't tell that to longtime Washington fans who were accustomed to winning the offseason under former owner Dan Snyder. In those days, Snyder would make multiple flashy offseason moves that went nowhere. That was a long time ago. Long before Snyder sold the team, he quit spending money, and Washington was as bad in the offseason as it was during the season. The Commanders found themselves in a unique position this offseason. They were coming off a 12-win season and an appearance in the NFC championship game. And while Washington has more needs than most teams that won 12 games, the focus was on improving the roster, not overhauling it. Most importantly, the Commanders weren't looking for a quarterback. Jayden Daniels was everything they envisioned and more last season. So, this offseason was about building around Daniels. Advertisement How'd they do? While Washington didn't go crazy in free agency, mainly focusing on short-term deals with veterans and re-signing key internal free agents, general manager Adam Peters swung for the fences in two trades. The Commanders acquired wide receiver Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil in different trades, filling massive holes at those positions. Bucky Brooks of believes that Washington, along with four other teams, did win the offseason: It's hard to improve from good to great in the NFL, but the Commanders might join the league's elites with an improved roster that features more blue-chip players around 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. The trades for Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel place a pair of Pro Bowl-caliber players in marquee positions (left tackle and WR2) that should help the offense unlock another gear in 2025. If the team can resolve Terry McLaurin's contract situation, the Commanders will have a chance to open the season with an electric offense that will put plenty of stress on defensive coordinators crafting plans to stop the juggernaut. Defensively, the additions of Deatrich Wise and Jonathan Jones fortify a unit that is coming into its own under the direction of head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. If the Commanders continue to receive key contributions from their young defensive backs (Mike Sainristil, Quan Martin and Trey Amos), the reigning NFC runner-up could take the next step in 2025. My expectation for 2025: The Commanders are built to run through the NFC with a superstar quarterback surrounded by a stellar supporting cast. If Washington can secure the NFC's No. 1 seed, we could see a championship parade in the nation's capital come February. It's hard not to like how Peters approached the offseason. While questions remain about the pass rush, the Commanders worked hard to strengthen their run defense and add valuable depth to the secondary. It's challenging to fill every need in one offseason, but in two years as Washington's GM, Peters has restocked three of the NFL's most important positions. The Commanders have a franchise quarterback, two bookend offensive tackles and quality cornerback depth. That's a tremendous offseason. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Analyst names Commanders as an offseason winner
NBC Sports
5 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Chip Kelly: Not many humans have size and speed like Raiders rookie WR Dont'e Thornton
At the NFL Scouting Combine, former Tennessee wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. opened a lot of eyes by measuring 6-foot-5 and running his 40-yard dash in 4.30 seconds. He was the tallest player ever to run that fast at the Combine. That led the Raiders to draft Thornton in the fourth round despite minimal production in college: He caught just 65 passes in four seasons of college football, two at Tennessee and two at Oregon. Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly says that a unique talent like Thornton can develop into a productive receiver, even if he hasn't done it yet. 'I think Dont'e is unique in terms of he's just a hair under 6-5 and he ran 4.3. There's not a lot of humans on this planet that do that,' Kelly said, via 'And I think if you had a draw up an outside receiver, you would pick that type of body type, someone that's got length, someone that's got a huge catch radius, but also has speed. Sometimes you can get a big guy like that, but he can't really run, so they can stay with him. So, you add that speed element to him, his ability to sink his hips, his ability to get in and out of cuts.' The Raiders have a long history of valuing physical attributes like size and speed, and General Manager John Spytek said Raiders owner Mark Davis knows his father, Al Davis, would have loved Thornton. 'Mark joked that was the Al Davis pick of this draft,' Spytek said. 'The height, weight, speed, raw traits, athleticism, speed, and I think it's just focusing on what he can do and what he can be. . . . You watch his target tape, I think it's pretty impressive. And we think he hasn't hit his ceiling yet.' The Raiders think they added a uniquely talented receiver when they brought Thornton to Las Vegas.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Commanders Get Mixed Reviews On Offseason Trades
Commanders Get Mixed Reviews On Offseason Trades originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After reaching the conference championship game for the first time in 30 years last season, the Washington Commanders got bold. Advertisement To close the gap on their champion rivals in Philadelphia, Washington made two big moves to jumpstart the offseason. They acquired Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel. Both moves were the kind of "win-now" acquisitions that championship contenders make. Not everyone was impressed with the deals, though. ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler explained that sources around the league were less enthused about the team's addition of Samuel than they were of the deal for Tunsil. "While teams we spoke to had mixed reviews on the Deebo Samuel Sr. trade due to perceptions of a declining skill set, most were all-in on Tunsil," Fowler said. Advertisement It's not hard to see what some of those NFL sources are talking about. In 2021, Samuel recorded over 1,400 receiving yards. He had become one of the best offensive weapons in the NFL. Since that season, though, Samuel has dealt with major injuries and ineffective play. This offseason, it came to a head when the San Francisco 49ers shipped him off to Washington. There's still a chance that Samuel can be a dependable receiving threat for the Commanders. He has a young star in Jayden Daniels throwing him the football. But hits take their toll in the NFL. Samuel isn't the same player he once was, and that could lead some to believe that he is more of a gamble than Washington realizes. Advertisement At the very least, the reviews surrounding at least one of Washington's trades are mixed. Related: Commanders' 2nd-Round Pick Earns Offseason Rookie Honor Related: NFL Legend Adrian Peterson Poker Game Fight Video Going Viral This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
