Winning ‘in the trenches’: Local, national pundits back the Birds in Sunday’s showdown with the Commanders
As the Eagles begin their quest for a third-straight NFC East title, many believe they'll get off on the right foot in Sunday's season opener against Washington.
The Eagles begin their campaign for a third-straight NFC East title on Sunday afternoon, when they host the Washington Commanders in their season opener (4:25 p.m., Fox29).
The Eagles are coming off an 11-6 season and a busy offseason. The spotlight will be on the new offense led by first-year coordinator Sean Mannion.
Washington is looking to start strong after going 5-12 last season. Quarterback Jayden Daniels returns healthy after appearing in just seven games last season because of a left knee sprain, a right hamstring strain, and a dislocated left elbow.
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What are the experts thinking about the season opener? Here’s a look at what local and national pundits are saying:
Inquirer predictions
It’s a clean sweep for the Eagles. All three Inquirer beat reporters — Ryan Novozinsky, Jeff Neiburg, and Olivia Reiner — agree that the Eagles will win.
Novozinsky wrote that the Mannion era will begin “with a bang.” Here’s more:
“Sure, the Commanders have a new, lauded defensive coordinator in Daronte Jones. But they didn’t exactly make any splashy moves on that side of the ball, which means they’re largely returning a unit that ranked No. 32 in total defense last season.
“Their passing defense ranked fourth-worst in the league. Their run defense was even worse, ranking 30th. Mannion’s wide-zone scheme should feast against a unit like this, especially if the run game gets going early, which would set up a play-action attack through the air.”
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National media predictions
The national media is just as high on the Eagles entering Sunday’s opener, with few experts picking the Commanders. Here’s a look at how the biggest outlets are predicting the outcome:
NFL.com: All five NFL.com editors selected Philadelphia to win. Gennaro Filice says Washington’s offensive line concerns, especially the loss of Laremy Tunsil, could create a lopsided matchup against defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit.
ESPN.com: ESPN experts also are unanimously backing the Birds.
The Athletic: NFL reporter Vic Tafur is confident the Eagles will win their sixth straight season opener, writing: “Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is skipping around because they finally got rid of Brown and have a competent play caller.”
CBS Sports: The seven-person panel at CBS unanimously picked the Eagles to start the season 1-0.
USA Today: In the season-opening battle against NFC East opponents, USA Today analysts believe the winning team will be the Birds.
Sports Illustrated: Unlike many national outlets, there is a difference in predictions at Sports Illustrated. Out of the eight experts, Albert Breer and Conor Orr went with the Commanders in Week 1.
Bleacher Report: Five of the seven analysts picked the Commanders this weekend. Moe Moton said to “expect both teams to be inefficient in a game of missed opportunities, while both defenses capitalize on miscues with takeaways.”
Pro Football Talk: Mike Florio went with the Eagles for this weekend’s matchup, saying the Commanders are visiting “one of the best teams in the league to start the season.”
Sporting News: Bill Bender chose the Birds to win by eight against the Commanders.
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Local media predictions
Philly Voice: Staff writers at Philly Voice are backing the Eagles.
Bleeding Green Nation: The entire staff at the popular blog like the Eagles winning against the Commanders.
Delaware Online: Martin Frank predicts the Eagles will win “in the trenches” and come away victorious, 27-16.
The regular season is almost here! All the preseason talk has been about Jalen Hurts and new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. But there’s somebody else who will have a big say in how high the Eagles fly. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane explains why this year, in the absence of traded star A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith has to take the next step, while also taking charge of the Eagles’ wide receivers group. Plus, Jeff dips into the mailbag for listener questions about Jalen Hurts and some key roster spots. Listen here.
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