Getty Avonte Maddox and Michael Thomas fight for the football the last time the Eagles and Saints met in 2018.
The Cowboys-Eagles is the most hyped game on the schedule every year. But it’s a recurring series, even if it might be the best rivalry in sports.
So while it is sure fun to watch Jerry Jones sulk in the owner’s box — how’s that contract coming together, Dak Prescott? — it isn’t the headliner. No, those games are reserved for the star-studded matchups that happen every so often. This year, the two biggest games on the Eagles’ schedule are against the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens.
Why? The Saints’ Drew Brees is must-watch TV, a guy arguably on the Mt. Rushmore of NFL quarterbacks and playing in what could be his final year. Plus, the Saints are a perennial Super Bowl contender with a high-octane offense.
Meanwhile, the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson is the reigning NFL MVP after setting a slew of records, including the most rushing yards (1,206) for a quarterback in a single season. He is literally a human joystick. Baltimore owned the best record in football last season and boasts one of the most explosive attacks out there, a blueprint the Eagles are trying to replicate with rookie Jalen Hurts.
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Breaking Down the Eagles’ 2020 Schedule
Philadelphia will open the 2020 campaign — the team’s fifth season under head coach Doug Pederson — on the road in Week 1 against their NFC East rivals in Washington. Ahh, memories of DeSean Jackson torching the Redskins for 154 yards and two touchdowns last year, plus the infamous Body Bag Game in 1990. The Eagles have earned six straight victories in the rivalry.
Oh, that is pretty.
@cj_wentz to @DeSeanJackson11 for the 51-yard @Eagles TD! #FlyEaglesFly
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Week 1: at Washington Redskins, Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. (FOX)
The Series: Eagles are 80-86-6 all-time vs. Redskins
The Rundown: The Eagles have won six straight against Washington. These aren’t your father’s Redskins, though. How many times have you heard that? On paper, they have more question marks than national monuments. Can running back Derrius Guice finally stay healthy? Will Dwayne Haskins assume the franchise quarterback role? Is wide receiver Terry McLaurin the NFL’s next great speed threat? One thing that makes this year seem a little different in Washington is the installation of new head coach Ron Rivera. He’s a revered teacher and leader of men — and former linebackers coach in Philadelphia (1998-2003). Rivera also made feared Ohio State pass-rusher Chase Young the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. Watch out.
Week 2: vs. Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. (FOX)
The Series: Eagles are 22-19-1 all-time vs. Rams
The Rundown: Will the real Sean McVay please stand up? Once the boy wonder of the NFL coaching world, McVay was exposed in 2019 and his Rams missed the postseason. Los Angeles heads into the year after jettisoning top playmakers Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks, but there’s plenty of ammo left in the holster. Jared Goff is a young gunslinger with top targets Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods still on the roster, plus emerging stars Josh Reynolds and Tyler Higbee.
Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 27, 1 p.m. (CBS)
The Series: Eagles are 3-9-1 all-time vs. Bengals
The Rundown: Cincinnati has long been considered the laughing stock of the NFL, right? That’s debatable. What’s not debatable is the fact the Eagles haven’t beaten the Bengals since 2000. Scott Mitchell was the quarterback, Corey Dillon was the running back. It’s easy to chalk it up as a cupcake, especially with the Bengals coming off a 2-14 season. And you might be right. Keep in mind, the Bengals invested the No. 1 overall pick in Joe Exotic doppelganger Joe Burrow, plus they are loaded at the skill positions: A.J. Green, John Ross, Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, Joe Mixon. Trap game.
Week 4: at San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Oct. 4, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
The Series: Eagles are 13-19-1 all-time vs. 49ers
The Rundown: These aren’t those Bill Walsh-led teams that threw it on every down with Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. However, they are an explosive bunch fresh off a Super Bowl appearance that fell a few questionable coaching decisions away from a championship. This 49ers team likes to use the power run game to grind opponents into submission, fueled by former Eagles cast-off Raheem Mostert. Carson Wentz guided the Eagles to a 33-10 win the last time these two squads met back in 2017. The Eagles have won six of the last eight in this series.
Week 5: at Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 1 p.m. (FOX)
The Series: Eagles are 48-28-3 all-time vs. Steelers
The Rundown: There is a misconception that this “intrastate rivalry” is a big deal in Pennsylvania. It’s really not since the teams play in separate conferences, although Brian Dawkins’ masterful strip-sack and fumble recovery on Ben Roethlisberger in 2008 quickly comes to mind as a highlight from the series. But the Eagles and Steelers are perennial playoff teams and that alone makes it an intriguing contest. This year, Roethlisberger returns to the field after missing the entire 2019 campaign with a nasty elbow injury. Meanwhile, Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will look to show the Eagles what they missed out on when they didn’t trade for him.
Week 6: vs. Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. (CBS)
The Series: Eagles and Ravens are 2-2-1 all-time
The Rundown: These two teams have enjoyed some epic battles over the years, including a perplexing tie in 1997 with Bobby Hoying under center to the infamous halftime benching of Donovan McNabb in 2008. The last time they played each other was in Carson Wentz’s rookie year when the Ravens won, 27-26. This year, the Lamar Jackson experience comes to Philly and may provide a clue on how the Eagles plan on using dual-threat rookie Jalen Hurts. It could also be a legitimate Super Bowl preview. Save the date.
Week 7: vs. New York Giants, Thursday, Oct. 22, 8:20 p.m. (FOX/NFLN/Amazon)
The Series: Eagles are 88-86-2 all-time vs. Giants
The Rundown: There have been some pretty memorable moments in this divisional rivalry, highlighted by the Miracle at the Meadowlands I (love you, Herman Edwards) and the Miracle at the Meadowlands II (love you more, DeSean Jackson). Randall Cunningham standing on his head, over Carl Banks, wasn’t too shabby either. But the series has taken a rather dominating turn in recent years with the Eagles winning seven straight dating back to 2016. New Giants starter Daniel Jones will look to break the curse, with first-round pick Andrew Thomas protecting him from the Eagles’ fierce pass-rushing tandem of Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett.
Week 8: vs. Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 1, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
The Series: Eagles are 53-69 all-time vs. Cowboys
The Rundown: How do I hate thee? Must we really count the ways? Jerry Jones’ once-proud franchise sits on a throne of lies, built out of three Super Bowl trophies that came nearly 25 years ago. The Cowboys had been riding a four-game winning streak over the Eagles but that came to a crashing halt in Week 16 last year as Philly stole the game and the NFC East crown. Dallas returns in 2020 with the same offensive nucleus — plus rookie WR CeeDee Lamb — and still no long-term deal for QB Dak Prescott. They made sure to add an insurance policy in Andy Dalton, too. And likened him to Nick Foles. Interesting.
Week 9, BYE — Sunday, Nov. 8
Week 10, at New York Giants — Sunday, Nov. 15, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Week 11, at Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Nov. 22, 1 p.m. (FOX)
The Series: Eagles are 17-31 all-time vs. Browns
The Rundown: The connections between these two franchises are vast going back to 1950 when the Browns upset the Eagles in the “World Series of Professional Football.” More recently, Philadelphia ushered in the Doug Pederson-Carson Wentz era in a 29-10 victory over the Browns in 2016. Wentz had been acquired from Cleveland in a draft-day blockbuster trade that year. Fast forward to 2020 and times have changed. The Browns have a wealth of talent on offense, none bigger than quarterback Baker Mayfield and receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, Jr. This one could quickly turn into a shootout.
Week 12: vs. Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Nov. 30, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
The Series: Eagles are 7-11 all-time vs. Seahawks
The Rundown: Revenge will be on everyone’s minds here. The Seahawks swept the Eagles in 2019, including beating them at the Linc in the wild-card round in a game marked by cheap-shot artist Jadeveon Clowney concussing Carson Wentz. Game over. The Philly boo birds — check their pockets for batteries, too — will be out in full force for the rematch. Clowney remains unsigned as a free agent so he may not even be on the field. No matter, the Eagles have this one marked on the calendar. The Eagles haven’t secured a win over the Seahawks since 2008 and haven’t beaten them in Philly since 1989, at the Vet.
Week 13: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Dec. 6, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
The Series: Eagles are 17-28 all-time vs. Packers
The Rundown: Last year, the Eagles unleashed a vicious ground game (176 yards) en route to a 34-27 win at Lambeau Field. The two teams return to the scene of the crime and Aaron Rodgers will no doubt want to pay the Eagles back. His top target, Davante Adams, was having his way with Philly’s secondary in the first half before a toe injury sidelined him. Meanwhile, the Eagles went out and greatly improved their defensive backs in the offseason by signing Darius Slay, Will Parks and Nickell Robey-Coleman in free agency, then drafted safety K’Von Wallace. This will be a stiff test for them.
Week 14: vs. New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Dec. 13, 4:25 (FOX)
The Series: Eagles are 17-15 all-time vs. Saints
The Rundown: It seems unfathomable to think the Eagles own the all-time series, especially the way things have ended in recent meetings. In 2018, the Saints embarrassed the Eagles 48-7 on national television and then knocked them out of the playoffs later that year. Drew Brees remains one of the best pure passers in the game, a future Hall-of-Famer who ranks first all-time in passing yards (77,416) and passing touchdowns (547). But the most dangerous player in black and gold may be WR Michael Thomas. He set the single-season receptions record with 149 in 2019.
Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 20, 4:05 p.m. (FOX)
The Series: Eagles are 56-59-5 all-time vs. Cardinals
The Rundown: The Cardinals are on the rise with 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray, a possible Lamar Jackson clone. He threw for 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for another for 544 yards and four scores. The team put a premium on offense in the offseason, too. Arizona pulled off a blockbuster trade for WR DeAndre Hopkins — a guy the Eagles made a lesser offer for — and signed RB Kenyan Drake to a long-term deal. They could be a problem.
Week 16: at Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 27, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Week 17: vs. Washington Redskins, Jan. 3, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Behold, our 2020 schedule in all its glory.
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