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2019 Eagles schedule: Top questions facing their opponents heading into the offseason

The schedule comes out in mid-April, but that doesn't mean it's too early to see what might happen.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson runs past Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox in the fourth-quarter on Sunday, December 3, 2017 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.  YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson runs past Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox in the fourth-quarter on Sunday, December 3, 2017 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. YONG KIM / Staff PhotographerRead moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

We take this moment to interrupt the intensive study of Super Bowl props by taking a look at the Eagles' 2019 opponents. The schedule will be out in mid-April, so a lot will happen between now and then.

Up next is the scouting combine, which starts Feb. 26. Free agency opens March 13. The draft, in Nashville this year, is April 25-27.

Divisional opponents

The Eagles will play each of these teams twice – once at Lincoln Financial Field, once on the road.

Dallas

2018: The Cowboys won a playoff game and had a good-enough nucleus to repeat as division champ, except nobody in the NFC East repeats.

First-round pick: None. It was traded to Oakland for wide receiver Amari Cooper.

Three questions

1. When will the Cowboys give quarterback Dak Prescott an extension? He’ll be playing on the final year of his rookie deal.

2. Is DeMarcus Lawrence looking at another franchise tag? Lawrence, who will be 27 in April, has 25 sacks over the last two seasons. He has no sacks in nine career games against the Eagles, however.

3. Who’s running the offense? Winning seven of eight (and then a playoff game) was enough to save head coach Jason Garrett’s job, but not offensive coordinator Scott Linehan’s.

History lesson: The Cowboys swept the Eagles for the first time since 2012.

N.Y. Giants

2018: They went 5-11, and lost seven of their first eight.

First-round pick: No. 6.

Three questions

1. Who’s the quarterback? Eli Manning just turned 38 and is a $23 million salary-cap hit in 2019. It’s going to be hard to sell using that No. 6 pick on anything other than a quarterback to that fan base.

2. How’s Landon Collins’ shoulder? One of the best safeties in football two years ago, Collins is coming off shoulder surgery and his contract is up. He’s just 25 years old.

3. How’s that Odell Beckham extension working out? This one’s rhetorical.

History lesson: The Eagles have won five in a row in this series, and 18 of 22.

Washington

2018: The Redskins were 7-9 and lost five of the final six after quarterback Alex Smith broke his leg.

First-round pick: No. 15.

Three questions

1. Can Doug Williams still play? The Redskins tanked after Alex Smith’s nasty injury. It’s unclear if he’ll be ready for the start of the season, which puts the Redskins in the market for Nick Foles, Joe Flacco, etc.

2. Is Reuben Foster going to be worth all the trouble? Charges of domestic violence by the former 49ers linebacker have twice been dropped. "I think he’ll fit in very well into our defense as a player,” Redskins president Bruce Allen said at the Senior Bowl on Jan. 22.

3. Want to buy a ticket? It had to be an uneasy feeling for the Redskins to see so many empty seats. The only thing worse was when Eagles fans filled their stadium for the Week 17 trouncing.

History lesson: The Eagles have won four in a row, including a shutout in Week 17. It was their first shutout of the Redskins in 38 years.

Home games

Chicago

2018: The Bears went 12-4 and were the surprise winners of the NFC Central.

First-round pick: None. They traded it away for Khalil Mack.

Three questions

1. How will the transition to Chuck Pagano go? Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio went to Denver to be the head coach. Pagano, the former Colts coach, took a year off from coaching in 2018.

2. Who will be the kicker? Can’t see them bringing back Cody Parkey.

3. Will Kyle Long be back? The Bears could release him and save $5.5 million on the salary cap, but he’s one of the leaders in the locker room.

History lesson: The double-doink was the Eagles’ fourth consecutive win over the Bears.

Detroit

2018: The Lions finished 6-10 and took a step back under first-year coach Matt Patricia.

First-round pick: No. 8.

Three questions

1. Is Matt Patricia the answer? Bill Belichick’s former defensive coordinator did not have a good season in his first year as the head coach.

2. Will they want Golden Tate back? Lions players were upset when they dealt Tate to the Eagles, but the Lions got a third-round pick.

3. Can Darrell Bevell revive Matthew Stafford? The Lions turned to Bevell after firing offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, a fine football coach who always makes us think of The Dukes of Hazzard.

History lesson: This will be the Lions’ first visit to the Linc since 2013.

Seattle

2018: The Seahawks were 10-6 and closed with six wins in their final seven before losing to Dallas in the first round.

First-round pick: No. 21.

Three questions

1. Is Pete Carroll on to something? “You can tell that ... the nucleus of the team that you need to have a championship club is here,” he said after the playoff loss to Dallas.

2. Is Russell Wilson peaking? He turned 30 in March and posted a career-high 35 TD passes and tied a career low with seven picks.

3. Can the Linc become the Eagles’ 12th man? Seattle’s stadium is probably the toughest in the league. But this is not a home game for Seattle, which was 4-5 on the road last year.

History lesson: The Seahawks have won four straight and five of six in this series.

New England

2018: The Patriots went 11-5 and are playing in the Super Bowl for the third consecutive year.

First-round pick: Either No. 31 or 32.

Three questions

1. Does it matter which coach leaves? The Patriots are losing de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores to the Dolphins.

2. Is Gronk coming back? Injuries reportedly have bruising tight end Rob Gronkowski considering retirement. He’s never played at the Linc.

3. Can the NFL schedule this as a night game? The Eagles are 5-1 in prime-time home games in the last two years -- 6-1 if you want to throw in the rout of Minnesota in the NFC championship game last January.

History lesson: Tom Brady is 2-0 at Lincoln Financial Field.

N.Y. Jets

2018: It was another another lost season -- 4-12.

First-round pick: No. 3

Three questions

1. What will they do with that first-round pick? The draft is top-heavy with defensive players and the Jets' biggest needs are on offense.

2. Will the coaching model work? New head coach Adam Gase will run the offense. New coordinator Gregg Williams will run the D. Reminiscent of the Andy Reid-Jim Johnson dynamic?

3. Was there anything more bizarre in the last year or so than Gase’s introductory news conference? Don’t answer that.

History lesson: Was surprised to learn this, but the Jets have never beaten the Eagles. They’re 0-10.

Road games

Green Bay

2018: The Packers went 6-9-1, and missed the playoffs leading to sweeping coaching changes

First-round picks: Nos. 12 and 30. They acquired the 30th pick when New Orleans traded up to draft DE Marcus Davenport last year.

Three questions

1. Is Matt LaFleur the answer? The Packers took a risk by hiring the 39-year-old LaFleur to be the head coach. The former Titans offensive coordinator is with his fourth team in four years.

2. When will Aaron Rodgers start pitching life insurance as well as car insurance? He started his season by injurring his knee, and finished it with a concussion. He takes a ton of hits because he likes to hold the ball looking for the big play.

3. Will they splurge on defense? It’s likely the Pack move on from Clay Matthews (turns 33 in May), and coordinator Mike Pettine could use a pass rusher with one of those two first-round picks.

History lesson: The 15th anniversary of fourth-and-26 was Jan. 11.

Minnesota

2018: The Vikings finished 8-7-1 and missed the playoffs with a listless loss at home to the Bears in Week 17.

First-round pick: No. 18.

Three questions

1. How much buyer’s remorse is going on out there? The Vikings gave Kirk Cousins $84 million guaranteed over three years and ended up with Kirk Cameron.

2. What are reasonable expectations? The road schedule next season includes visits to Dallas, K.C., Seattle, and the Chargers. They had better win their home games.

3. Remember when Minnesota fans put a Vikings jersey on the Rocky statue? Recommend the NFL schedule this early in the season to reduce potential snowball fights.

History lesson: Eagles fans swarm Minneapolis. What could go wrong?

Atlanta

2018: The Falcons had too many injuries, especially on defense, and finished 7-9.

First-round pick: No. 14.

Three questions

1. Can they start quick? Injuries were a big reason they opened 1-4 and were playing uphill most of the season. They won their final three to likely save coach Dan Quinn’s job.

2. Is Takk McKinley OK? The second-year defensive end had to undergo a mental health evaluation in mid-January after a friend called Los Angeles police following unspecified erratic behavior. McKinley, who led the team with seven sacks, gained national attention on draft night here in Philadelphia with an emotional tribute to his late grandmother.

3. How does the city like hosting New England fans for the Super Bowl? It could have been worse. The hated Saints could have made it too.

History lesson: This will be the fifth meeting in five years. The Eagles have won the last three.

Buffalo

2018: The Bills went 6-10, but it looks as if they’ve found a quarterback.

First-round pick: No. 9.

Three questions

1. What’s there to like about Buffalo? Besides the Bills doing the Eagles a major favor in September by winning in Minnesota as a 17-point underdog, head coach Sean McDermott is a former Birds assistant who went to La Salle High.

2. Is there a draft in here? The Bills have 10 draft picks and more than $80 million in salary-cap space. Priorities should be offensive line and wide receiver.

3. What will they do with LeSean McCoy? The former Eagle will be 31 by the time next season starts and is coming off the worst year of his career.

History lesson: The Eagles last played in Buffalo in 2011.

Miami

2018: The Dolphins never recovered from a blowout loss to New England in Week 4 and finished 7-9.

First-round pick: No. 13.

Three questions

1. How many coaching changes have the Dolphins made since they last won a playoff game? It will be nine once Brian Flores comes on board from New England, as expected.

2. What are they going to do with Ryan Tannehill? It’s largely a foregone conclusion that Tannehill’s time in Miami us up (he makes too much money and can’t stay healthy). Heisman winner Kyler Murray would certainly excite the fans if the Dolphins decide to take him at 13. So would signing Nick Foles.

History lesson: Only three quarterbacks who’ve won Super Bowl MVP awards started against their former teams later in their careers: Mark Rypien, Joe Montana, and Kurt Warner.

3. Will they extend cornerback Xavien Howard? He was the team MVP and made the Pro Bowl this season after tying for the league lead with seven interceptions. He is about to play the final season of his rookie deal and said he wants Josh Norman-type money; $15 million annually.

Incidentally, the other two guys who shared for the league lead with seven picks this season – Chicago’s Kyle Fuller and Atlanta’s Damontae Kazee – also are on the Eagles’ schedule next season.

Bring on OTAs.

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