Philadelphia Eagles correctly seen as winners in scheduling by expert

Whenever an NFL team goes 4-11-1, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that their fans are scouring the internet, social media, and any news source that they can find to seek out some positivity. The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off of their worst season since 2012 (a 4-12 run), and fans are doing whatever they can to find some hope.

They were given a reason to smile with the addition of the most recent Heisman Trophy winner, DeVonta Smith, in Round 1 of the most recent 2021 NFL Draft. Then, the 2021 schedule was released, and Birds fans were given the dates of a tough Week 4 contest versus the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs and a Week 6 grind versus the World Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Sheesh. Things will definitely get more difficult before they get easier, but don’t give up hope if you’re a Birds fan. Here’s something that you can throw in the category of ‘competitive advantage’.

Here’s some good news for Philadelphia Eagles fans.

Recently, some of the best and brightest minds at ESPN got together to discuss all things related to the NFL schedule, including who some of the winners were after its release, and national NFL writer Dan Graziano believes that’s a nod that should be given to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sure, they have some tough dates, but it’s the latter portion of the schedule that could bring the fans and the team they cheer for some joy. Take a look.

"(The Philadelphia Eagles are big winners). All of the NFC East teams got nice-looking draws (which, based on last year, they all could use), but the Eagles don’t have to get on a plane after Week 10. Late-season travel is a big part of what players look at when they assess the schedule. I haven’t dug in enough to know whether Philly is the biggest winner, but I did see that late-season travel note and thought it was worth pointing out here."

You have to agree with Graziano on this one. In the grand scheme of things, this is a win, even if it’s a small battle in a much bigger war.

It’s also that late-season travel schedule that may have helped pull this team from the fire in 2019. Philly took their lumps during that season, but they finished their ride with two games versus the New York Giants (December 9th and December 29th), a road date versus the Washington Football Team (they got on a train for that one), and a home date versus the Dallas Cowboys on December 22nd.

Whether you want to acknowledge this or not, that was huge in helping Philly secure a four-game winning streak to close the season. That’s what earned them a postseason berth.

Here are a few final thoughts for Philadelphia Eagles fans.

Most of us will never know what the NFL regular-season grind is like, but we have taken some time to travel. That can wear you out if there’s no football game to be played.

The hustle and bustle of flying plus the jet lag that comes from it are rough on even the most physically fit man or woman. It’s easy to argue that suiting up for a game where you’ll be colliding with 260-pound guys that run the 40-yard dash in four seconds every 45 seconds or so has to add to the mental and physical strain.

Think of all those veterans. Think of the rookies that haven’t had to do this before. Philly not having to get on a plane after Week 10, as Graziano put it, has to be seen as a win. It may not guarantee wins. It may not help someone make a tackle on gameday, but knowing the Philadelphia Eagles have any kind of competitive advantage during the 2021-2022 season has to put a smile on the faces of Birds fans. Hey, at this point, we’re sure to take whatever we can get.