Remembering the best starts in Eagles history

Before this season, the closest any Eagles team had gotten to an 8-0 start was the 2004 club that started 7-0 before losing its eighth game. They are among seven Birds teams that started 7-1. It’s no coincidence that those on this list are among the most revered teams in franchise history. Here’s a look:

Record after eight games: 7-1

Point differential: +76

Average margin of victory: 11.9 points

First loss: at Kansas City in Week 2. Chiefs went 10-6.

Coach: Doug Pederson

Stars: Carson Wentz, Zach Ertz, Jason Kelce, Jason Peters, Lane Johnson, Fletcher Cox, Malcolm Jenkins

Final record: 13-3

Legacy: Joined the list of greatest Philadelphia teams by winning the Eagles’ first Super Bowl. Nick Foles, the championship hero, didn’t see any meaningful action until starting quarterback Wentz got injured in Week 14.

Fun fact: Tom Brady still gripes about Super Bowl LII.

Record after eight games: 7-1

Point differential: +58

Average margin of victory: 11.7 points

First loss: at Pittsburgh in Week 9. Steelers went 15-1.

Coach: Andy Reid

Stars: Donovan McNabb, Terrell Owens, Brian Westbrook, Brian Dawkins

Final record: 13-3

Legacy: Finally reached the Super Bowl after losing three consecutive conference championship games. Owens, whose status was uncertain after a severe leg injury six weeks earlier, was the best Eagle on the field in the Super Bowl loss to New England (nine catches, 122 yards).

Fun fact: As miserable as the Super Bowl ending was, a late touchdown pass by McNabb to Greg Lewis allowed the Eagles to cover the seven-point spread in the 24-21 loss.

Record after eight games: 7-1

Point differential: +71

Average margin of victory: 11.9

First loss: at Minnesota in Week 7. Vikings went 7-9.

Coach: Dick Vermeil

Stars: Ron Jaworski, Wilbert Montgomery, Charlie Johnson, Claude Humphrey, Carl Hairston

Final record: 10-6

Legacy: Season ended with a home loss to the Giants in the playoffs and was the last gasp of the Vermeil era.

(Not so) fun fact: The Giants ended an 18-year playoff drought. Rookie linebacker Lawrence Taylor’s menacing day included running through three Eagles to force a fumble while covering a punt.

Record after eight games: 7-1

Point differential: +113

Average margin of victory: 17.6 points

First loss: at St. Louis in Week 4. Cardinals went 5-11.

Coach: Dick Vermeil

Stars: Ron Jaworski, Wilbert Montgomery, Harold Carmichael, Charlie Johnson, Claude Humphrey, Carl Hairston

Final record: 12-4

Legacy: Beating Dallas in the NFC championship game was glorious, but getting their doors blown off by the Raiders in the Super Bowl was an abrupt dose of reality.

Fun fact: Eagles owner Leonard Tose had a traveling party of 800 in New Orleans for the Super Bowl, which included, according to the late Daily News columnist Stan Hochman, Tose’s “wife’s hairdresser, the Eagles’ janitors, Cardinal John Krol and Don Rickles.” At least they had fun.

Record after eight games: 7-1

Point differential: +70

Average margin of victory: 10.4

First loss: vs. St. Louis in Week 3. Cardinals went 7-7.

Coach: Nick Skorich

Stars: Sonny Jurgensen, Chuck Bednarik, Tommy McDonald, Pete Retzlaff, Maxie Baughan

Final record: 10-4

Legacy: Two losses to the Giants prevented a championship-game rematch with the Packers. Might have been just as well. Green Bay throttled New York, 37-0, for the first of Vince Lombardi’s five titles as Packers coach.

Fun fact: Leading rusher Timmy Brown became an actor after his playing career, and appeared in six episodes of the TV show M*A*S*H in 1972.

» READ MORE: Ranking the 50 greatest Eagles players of all time

Record after eight games: 7-1

Point differential: +49

Average margin of victory: 9.4 points

First loss: vs. Cleveland in Week 1. Browns went 8-3-1.

Coach: Buck Shaw

Stars: Norm Van Brocklin, Chuck Bednarik, Tommy McDonald, Pete Retzlaff, Don Burroughs

Final record: 10-2

Legacy: Beat Green Bay in the championship game at Franklin Field. Shaw retired from coaching. Van Brocklin retired from playing and the Eagles would go into an 18-year playoff drought.

Fun fact: The Eagles’ first win of the 1960 season was against Dallas. It also was their first game ever against the Cowboys.

Record after eight games: 7-1

Point differential: +136

Average margin of victory: 21.9 points

First loss: Week 4 at Chicago. Bears went 9-3.

Coach: Greasy Neale

Stars: Tommy Thompson, Steve Van Buren, Pete Pihos, Chuck Bednarik (rookie)

Final record: 11-1

Legacy: Won a second consecutive NFL championship by beating the Rams in a heavy rainstorm.

Fun fact: Owners and players wanted the championship game to be postponed to the following weekend because it had been raining for several days. League commissioner (and former Eagles owner) Bert Bell declined. As a result, just 22,245 fans showed up when 70,000 were expected, according to reports.

» READ MORE: Eagles’ remaining schedule features opposing offenses with some question marks

Other great starts: The 1948 Eagles started 6-1-1 and won the franchise’s first NFL championship. … The 1944 club started 5-1-2 and finished a half-game back of winning the division and qualifying for the championship. It was the best season for the club since it was founded in 1933.