5 Lessons Philadelphia Eagles fans should have learned during their bye

Despite the Philadelphia Eagles’ bye, much was learned in Week 9.

Well, that wasn’t so bad, was it? Somewhere between the empty feeling that comes with having no Philadelphia Eagles game to watch and realizing you’re getting to experience the joys of watching the NFL without the burdens of added stress lie what is more commonly known as the bye week.

Didn’t it feel good to watch football knowing that the Eagles couldn’t lose or, better yet, they weren’t going to shred your nerves while winning? Another Sunday has come and gone, and Philly returns to action in Week 10 versus the hated New York Giants. In the meantime, here are five things that you should have learned during a busy week for the Birds’ three divisional rivals as well as some other contenders in the NFL.

Okay Philadelphia Eagles fans, let’s do some homework.

1. Philly’s struggles in Week 8 versus Dallas weren’t all that egregious.

Has anyone else noticed that Dallas is playing a little better now? In Week 8, one of the worst defenses ever fielded played a little better, but they were playing Carson Wentz and an anemic Eagles offense so no one noticed. One week later, they found some offense to go along with a defense that doesn’t look as bad as it did a few weeks ago.

Don’t look now, but Dallas just gave one of the NFL’s best teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers a run for their money. Sure, they still suck, just not as bad now.

2. Joe Judge has done a great job with the Giants.

After the pathetic performance that Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers put on versus the New Orleans Saints in Week 9, it’s easy to ask if that tight game they played versus New York in Week 8 was the product of playing a Giants team that’s improving or evidence that the Bucs just aren’t as good as we believed that they were.

Then again, maybe both statements are correct. The Bucs are flawed, but they’ll be okay. The G-Men, on the other hand, aren’t going to win a ton of games, but they’re definitely getting better each week under Judge’s direction.

3. This Eagles team isn’t anywhere close to being elite. They aren’t even average.

Umm, yeah. What else needs to be said? The NFL’s upper-tier consists of teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New Orleans Saints. The Green Bay Packers, the Seattle Seahawks, and Tennessee Titans are on that second rung.

Philly, on the other hand, might be among the bottom-feeders. They aren’t elite. They aren’t even good. What they might be is the league’s best bad football team.

4. Philly may only win their divisional games and the game versus Cleveland.

Enough said. Let’s move on.

5. Russell Wilson is human, but he’s still going to beat the Eagles in Week 12.

In five career games versus the Philadelphia Eagles (that is if you include last year’s game in the Wild Card Round), Russell Wilson is 5-0 versus the guys from the City of Brotherly Love. Seattle has holes and a defense that will never be classified as stingy, but if you’re looking for some payback by the Eagles in Week 12, forget about it.

Philly will get Wilson one day, but this isn’t the year. Don’t look now, but Philly’s next primetime game is looking more and more like another potential loss on the ledger.