Eagles 2017 Opponents: Here Are The Teams The Eagles Will Play

There’s still one week left before the 2016 NFL regular season schedule is over, but we already know all of the Philadelphia Eagles’ opponents in 2017. Here are the teams the Eagles will play next season.

EAGLES 2017 OPPONENTS

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Dallas Cowboys (13-2)
New York Giants (10-5)
Washington Redskins (8-6-1)
San Francisco 49ers (2-13)
Arizona Cardinals (6-8-1)
Chicago Bears (3-12)
Oakland Raiders (12-3)
Denver Broncos (8-7)

AWAY

Dallas Cowboys (13-2)
New York Giants (10-5)
Washington Redskins (8-6-1)
Seattle Seahawks (9-5-1)
Los Angeles Rams (4-11)
Carolina Panthers (6-9)
Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
San Diego Chargers (5-10)

Note that the specifics of the 2017 schedule, such as dates and times, won’t be known until the NFL officially releases the season schedule in April.

The Eagles’ 16-game schedule is determined by a formula. They play the three NFC East teams twice a season so that makes up six of the games. They also play one NFC and one AFC division, which rotates each year. In 2017 that is the NFC West and the AFC West, so that is eight more games. The Eagles then play the two teams from each of the other two NFC divisions that finished in the same spot in their division as the Eagles. So that would be the Bears in the NFC North and the Panthers in the NFC South.

It’s obviously too early to start marking down wins and losses yet because a lot of thing can change in the offseason. And not only for the Eagles, but other teams as well. With that said, here are a few interesting notes about the Eagles’ 2017 opponents.

• If the 49ers don’t fire Chip Kelly, the former Eagles head coach will make his return to Philadelphia next season. That figures to be an interesting week.
• Speaking of former Eagles head coach, the Birds will travel to Kansas City to take on Andy Reid’s Chiefs.
• If the Bears stick with Matt Barkley as their quarterback, the Eagles will get a chance to face off against the team’s former fourth-round pick from the 2013 NFL Draft. One would think Chicago will try to upgrade on him, though.
• The Eagles will have to make three trips to the West Coast in order to face: the Seahawks, the Rams, and the Chargers. The trip to Seattle always looms large on the schedule.
• Everyone will be talking about the Carson Wentz versus Jared Goff battle leading up to the Eagles-Rams game. One can only wonder if Los Angeles regrets taking Goff with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft instead of Wentz, who went to the Eagles at No. 2.
• Six of the Eagles’ 13 opponents had losing records in 2016.
• At least five of the Eagles’ 13 opponents qualified for the 2017 playoffs. That figure will be six if Washington makes the post-season.
• A sneak peek of the Eagles’ opponents in seasons beyond 2017:2018: NFC South, AFC South, NFC North and West divisional finish, NFC East

  2019: NFC North, AFC East, NFC South and West divisional finish, NFC East

  2020: NFC West, AFC North, NFC North and South divisional finish, NFC East

At first glance, the Eagles’ 2017 schedule doesn’t look like it’s shaping up to be an easy one. But there’s still plenty of time for things to change.

WHAT YOU MISSED

The Eagles have a chance of earning a top-10 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

“He’s a piece of the puzzle. The body can’t work without one foot.” Back after missing 10 games due to a suspension, Lane Johnson made a huge impact on the Eagles’ offense.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Although his play has not been stellar, rookie Jalen Mills‘ confidence stands out as a seventh-round pick, along with his green hair, pens Zach Berman of the Inquirer.

Reticence is not in his repertoire. He was named after Jalen Rose while Rose starred for Michigan’s “Fab Five” – the brashest player on college basketball’s brashest team. Mills can even identify the last time he felt any insecurity. He considers the question, and remembers a time in grade school.

Confidence is not the problem for the green-hair-wearing, finger-wagging, fast-talking Eagles cornerback. It’s the most marked characteristic for a player who arrived in the offseason needing to earn a roster spot and will leave at the end of this week as a part of the Eagles’ future – perhaps the only cornerback on the roster who can be penciled onto the depth chart in 2017.

“I love the hell out of that kid,” [Jim] Schwartz said. “I really do. He is a competitor. People talk about speed, people talk about ability to play the ball. To me, the number one criteria for playing corner is you have to be a competitor, and he is. He’s given up some plays this year. He’s made some plays and given up some, but it’s never let it affect us.”

The success of Mills’ campaign can be measured as much by his playing time (64 percent of the defensive snaps) as his statistics (58 tackles, no interceptions, seven pass breakups). The Eagles traded former second-round pick Eric Rowe because they were confident Mills could contribute as a rookie. And Mills might be the least surprised seventh-round pick to ever play as much as he does. Safety Malcolm Jenkins said Mills arrived in Philadelphia believing he belonged on the team – “at least in his mind,” and his personality prompted the coaching staff to keep giving him more responsibility with the defense.

PhillyVoice’s Jimmy Kempski predicts the futures for the team’s draft picks from this year.

Wendell Smallwood, RB, 5th round

On the season, Smallwood rushed 77 times for 312 yards (4.1 YPC) and 1 TD. He caught 6 passes for 55 yards and no scores. While his receiving numbers were unimpressive, Smallwood showed good hands in training camp, and the team believes he can be a contributor in the passing game.

Smallwood showed enough this season for the Eagles to feel confident that he can be part of the rotation in the backfield going forward, but not so much that he can be trusted as a three-down back at this stage in his career. One aspect of Smallwood’s game that the Eagles will almost certainly work on extensively next offseason will be pass protection.

Smallwood had his ups and downs as a rookie this season, which is now over after he suffered an MCL sprain against the Washington Redskins. His best moments came in the Eagles’ blowout win over the Pittsburgh Steelers when he ran 17 times for 79 yards and a touchdown. His worst moment came in the Eagles’ loss at Dallas, when he inexcusably fumbled with a 10-point lead, leading to a Cowboys field goal.

Projection: Ideally a No. 3 running back in 2017, with a No. 2 running back ceiling going forward.

COMING UP

Jim Schwartz and Frank Reich will address reporters starting at 11:45.

Chris Jastrzembski contributed to this post.