2020 Eagles schedule: Picking wins and losses for all 16 games

The Eagles have won eight of their last nine season-openers and look to improve the mark against the Redskins in Week 1 for the second straight season.

Our writers picked apart the full slate and made predictions, game by game, after the NFL’s official schedule release Thursday.

Jeff McLane: An opener at Washington could be a good omen. The last time the Eagles began the year at FedExField was three seasons ago, when they went on to win the Super Bowl. While expectations may similarly be mild, and the Redskins may not provide an accurate barometer, the first game of the season could tell us a lot about the Birds.

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: Darius Slay won’t have to wait long to prove his worth. He’ll likely be spending most of the game shadowing Terry McLaurin, who had 10 catches for 255 yards and two touchdowns in two games against Eagles last year. The Eagles have won six in a row against Washington. No reason to believe that number won’t increase to seven.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: The Eagles have won six in a row over Washington, three of them at FedExField; three of the last four openers have been Eagles-Redskins. This will be the Eagles’ first encounter with this roster coached by Ron Rivera, who had good success against the Birds at Carolina.

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: I could see Washington being significantly better with a new coach and Chase Young added to an already threatening defensive front, but I’d still go with the Eagles. Washington’s defense may be very good, but its offense is going to need stark improvement from Dwayne Haskins if it’s going to crawl out of the NFL basement.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: Sean McVay lost a little of his shine last season. His play- calling became predictable, but mostly because quarterback Jared Goff had regressed. Doug Pederson won the two previous meetings with the Rams coach. Why not make it three in a row?

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: The Rams got rid of Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks. They replaced defensive coordinator Wade Phillips with a guy who was a Division III coordinator four years ago. Jared Goff may be more durable than Carson Wentz, but he’s not nearly as good. He had just a plus-six TDs-to-INTs differential last year.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: This is the Rams’ first visit to Philly since they moved back to Los Angeles. Doug Pederson bested Sean McVay in both meetings, both at the L.A. Coliseum. The Eagles have won the last six meetings held here.

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: The Rams are still built to win, but the Eagles have the upper hand on paper, especially in their home opener. Carson Wentz surely won’t feed into the motivational aspect that may exist playing the team he faced when he tore up his knee in 2017, but a chance to compete against Jared Goff should be enough.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: Barring something unforeseen, Joe Burrow will be under center for the Bengals. The No. 1 overall draft pick is sure to hit some potholes in his rookie season. Can Eagles quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator Press Taylor provide any insight on brother Zac’s offensive scheme and tendencies?

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: Joe Burrow had the best season of any quarterback in college football history last season. He also played on what probably was the best team in history. Now he’s with the Bengals, who won two games last year and have lost 13 in a row on the road.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: Joe Burrow comes to town. The Eagles are 0-3-1 in their last four meetings with the Bengals. It’s time to end that bizarre streak. Good break not having to get on a plane the first three weeks, assuming there is football in September.

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: The Bengals may have their shiny new quarterback in Joe Burrow, but I’m not sold on their ability to protect him or their capability to stop opposing offenses. Hosting a team that was ranked 30th in defensive and 29th in offensive defense-adjusted value over average last season shouldn’t trip the Eagles up too much.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: San Francisco could take a step back after last season’s run to the Super Bowl because of, well, its quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo. But Kyle Shanahan is as innovative as coaches come and the 49ers should still have an elite defense. Winning on the West Coast is also never a sure thing.

Prediction: Loss

Paul Domowitch: Doug Pederson hired former Kyle Shanahan assistant Rich Scangarello to help shanahanize the Eagles offense. But can he also help defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz come up with a recipe to slow down an offense that averaged 30 points a game last season?

Prediction: Loss

Les Bowen: The Eagles’ first Sunday night game of the season comes at a place they haven’t visited since 2014. Will the 49ers be suffering the kind of letdown that always seems to afflict Super Bowl runners-up? Certainly, the home team will be favored.

Prediction: Loss

EJ Smith: The Eagles match up well with the 49ers, and I could see this game being close. The 49ers offense is based on outside zone runs and using play action. The Eagles defense has a history of making offenses one-dimensional. The 49ers are still one of the most talented teams in the league, though, and their pass rush is very good.

Prediction: Loss

Jeff McLane: It’s been eight years since the Eagles crossed the state to face Pittsburgh. The coach and quarterback are still the same, although this could be the last year for either Mike Tomlin or Ben Roethlisberger -- or both. New Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave will get an opportunity to show his former team what it missed in not re-signing him.

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: Coming off a night game on the West Coast, the Eagles will have a tough time winning this one. The Steelers missed the playoffs the last two seasons, but they’re getting Ben Roethlisberger back from an elbow injury.

Prediction: Loss

Les Bowen: Back to the East Coast and back to a 1 p.m. start. The Eagles haven’t won at Heinz Field (0-2), but they haven’t played there in the regular season since 2012. I have no idea about this matchup, so I’ll say ...

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: The Steelers defense, led by Minkah Fitzpatrick and T.J. Watt, could give the Eagles fits. That said, I have real questions about the Steelers offense, primarily its quarterback situation. I’m not going to count on 38-year-old Ben Roethlisberger or Mason Rudolph to outplay Wentz.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: The Ravens had the NFL’s best record a year ago but suffered an early exit from the playoffs. Did we see just the beginning of Lamar Jackson’s capabilities or will NFL defensive coordinators catch up to Baltimore’s offense and keep the dangerous quarterback in check? Jim Schwartz gets his shot here.

Prediction: Loss

Paul Domowitch: Rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts will play an important role against the Ravens. Maybe not so much in the actual game, but impersonating Lamar Jackson as the scout team QB during the week. Not sure it’s going to be enough to help the defense shut down Jackson.

Prediction: Loss

Les Bowen: This is Baltimore’s first regular-season visit to the Linc since 2012, and the Eagles’ first non-preseason encounter with Lamar Jackson. Maybe new Eagles adviser Marty Mornhinweg has some tips?

Prediction: Loss

EJ Smith: Lamar Jackson is a better runner than Russell Wilson, who gave the Eagles problems in the playoff loss last year. I’d bet on Jackson, the reigning league MVP, taking even more strides as a dominant passer. At the risk of oversimplifying this, I don’t think the Eagles, nor the NFL as a whole, will have an answer for Jackson.

Prediction: Loss

Jeff McLane: The Giants, once one of the more stable franchises, have their fourth coach in six seasons. Will Lansdale Catholic product Joe Judge be the man to return the team to prominence? A lot will depend on the development of quarterback Daniel Jones. The Eagles likely can’t afford to drop games to the Giants.

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: One of the reasons the Eagles have made the playoffs three straight years has been because they haven’t tripped over the Giants or the Redskins. They’re 6-0 against both teams since 2017. The Giants used the draft to improve their offensive line, but their defense still is a mess.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: Four days after the Ravens, the Giants come to town. At least both are home games. New coach in Joe Judge, upgraded roster, but the Giants last won here on Oct. 27, 2013. I’ll have to see Daniel Jones come to the Linc and win before I believe it, short week or no.

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: Saquon Barkley is one of a few running backs who could flip a prime-time game on its head, but the Eagles have owned the Giants, sweeping the season series for the last three years. This iteration of the Giants doesn’t seem primed to change that, barring a massive leap from Daniel Jones.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: Who will prove to be the more productive rookie receiver: the Eagles’ Jalen Reagor or the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb, who went four spots earlier in the first round? Lamb may not see as much playing time with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup ahead of him, but he will likely be measured against Reagor for years to come. The bye comes at the right time.

Prediction: Loss

Paul Domowitch: The fact that the Eagles didn’t get CeeDee Lamb left Eagles fans disappointed. The fact that the team that took him was the Cowboys left them absolutely apoplectic. Lamb, Amari Cooper, and Michael Gallup are going to put a lot of pressure on the Eagles secondary.

Prediction: Loss

Les Bowen: This is a pretty sweet setup, a couple extra days to prepare for a home game against the Cowboys, with the bye week on tap. Doug Pederson is just 3-5 against Dallas. Chip Kelly was 3-3, Andy Reid 17-12. Second of back-to-back prime-time games, only one more on the schedule.

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: The Eagles will have a long week to prepare for this game, but I’m still skeptical. Dallas is short on edge rushers, but the Cowboys have a real chance to be one of the best offenses in the NFL. They ranked second in offensive DVOA last year and they’ve gotten better after adding Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in the draft. The Eagles will have their hands full.

Prediction: Loss

Jeff McLane: Miles Sanders was unable to finish the last time the Eagles headed up to the Meadowlands. The second-year running back will surely be eager to face off against his former Penn State teammate and offseason training partner, Saquon Barkley.

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: The only quarterback in the league who fumbled more than Carson Wentz last season was the Giants’ Jones. Wentz had 16 and lost seven. Jones had 18 and lost 11. The Eagles’ defensive line needs to capitalize

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: The Eagles have won six of their last seven on the Giants’ field. Let’s switch things up. Figure the Eagles come off the bye lethargically, pencil this in for the infuriating, nonsensical loss that gets the fans frothing at the mouth.

Prediction: Loss

EJ Smith: Could the Eagles pull off a season sweep of the Giants for a fourth year in a row? I think so. The Eagles defense should be good enough to pressure Jones and contain Barkley enough, plus the Giants defense, while effective against tight ends last year, wasn’t very good.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: The Eagles face both locally raised first-year coaches, the second being St. Joseph’s Prep’s Kevin Stefanski. The Browns should have a deep, athletic defense, but the offense remains a question with the uneven Baker Mayfield playing behind a problematic offensive line.

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: Baker Mayfield badly needed a dose of humility last year and got one. He threw 21 picks and was sacked 40 times. New GM Andrew Berry upgraded Mayfield’s protection, signing Jack Conklin and drafting Jedrick Willis. But it won’t be enough.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: First regular-season visit to Cleveland since the 2012 opener. I predict that Michael Vick will not throw four interceptions this time, and that the Eagles won’t have to move heaven and earth to best Brandon Weeden, as they did that day.

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: The Eagles secondary could struggle with Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, and their offensive line will have its hands full with Myles Garrett, but I’d still count on them to figure it out.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: There was a strong chance the Eagles would have beaten Seattle in the playoffs 10 months ago had Carson Wentz not been knocked out of the game by Jadeveon Clowney. This is the start of another brutal three-game stretch.

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: The Eagles managed to score just one touchdown in eight quarters in their two losses to Seattle last year. Wide receivers caught just four passes for 29 yards in the playoff loss. Good time for the rookies to be heard from.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: This is the Eagles’ only Monday night game, against a team that has beaten them six times in a row (including the playoff loss) and in eight of the last nine meetings. I don’t see that changing.

Prediction: Loss

EJ Smith: I think the Eagles are going to be a good team, and that means they’ll beat some good teams. The motivation of playing the Seahawks on the biggest stage after being bounced out of the playoffs should give the Eagles an edge. This is starting to feel like a rivalry.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: The Eagles stole one at Lambeau a year ago, but that was in September and the rematch will be in frigid December. It difficult to predict the games on a weekly basis, let alone six months in advance, but Aaron Rodgers is a pretty good bet at home.

Prediction: Loss

Paul Domowitch: This will be the Eagles’ sixth regular-season meeting with the Packers in the last 11 years. They beat them there in a Week 4 Thursday night game last year because the offensive line kept Carson Wentz clean (no sacks, one hit) and the defense held Aaron Rodgers & Co. to three TDs in seven red-zone chances.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: Last year’s win at Lambeau was the best of the season, considering the site and the opponent. I’m not sure history will repeat. At least Avonte Maddox won’t have to worry about Andrew Sendejo sending him to the hospital this time.

Prediction: Loss

EJ Smith: The Eagles left Lambeau with a narrow win last year. I’m not banking on them getting out of there victorious again this year. Aaron Rodgers doesn’t lose home games very often — he’s 71-18-1 at Lambeau. Will the Eagles’ new secondary hold up in the freezing cold against Rodgers and Davante Adams? Maybe, but it’s far from a sure thing.

Prediction: Loss

Jeff McLane: The Eagles’ plans for Jalen Hurts could be well established by the time they host the Saints. Will the rookie have a part-time role similar to that of New Orleans’ Taysom Hill, or will he be kept on ice either as Carson Wentz’s backup or as strictly a developmental quarterback?

Prediction: Loss

Paul Domowitch: Drew Brees carved up the Eagles two years ago. He had a 127.3 passer rating in a lopsided regular-season win and a playoff victory. If the Eagles can get consistent pressure up the middle on the 41-year-old Brees, they can disrupt his timing. But that’s a big ask.

Prediction: Loss

Les Bowen: New Orleans hasn’t visited since 2015, an Eagles victory. The Saints have won five of the last six meetings, though, and seven of nine. Malcolm Jenkins exacts revenge?

Prediction: Loss

EJ Smith: The Eagles are 2-7 against the Saints since Drew Brees and Sean Payton touched down in New Orleans in 2006. Michael Thomas is arguably the best receiver in the league, the Saints defense was surprisingly good last season, and I don’t know who on the Eagles defense is going to cover Alvin Kamara running routes out of the backfield.

Prediction: Loss

Jeff McLane: The Eagles will get an up-close look at DeAndre Hopkins, who some believe they allowed to get away when the Texans dangled the receiver on the market in March. Whether that was the case or not, the Cardinals could be a sleeper playoff contender with dynamic second-year quarterback Kyler Murray and company.

Prediction: Loss

Paul Domowitch: The Eagles’ defensive line is going to get a workout this season chasing all of these catch-me-if-you-can quarterbacks around the field. Murray rushed for 544 yards and 27 first downs last season, but he also was sacked 48 times.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: The Eagles have never won at the Cards’ current stadium, which now carries a State Farm sponsorship, so everyone who works there wears khakis (I made that up). DeAndre Hopkins. Kyler Murray. Ought to be exciting.

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: My not-so-bold prediction: 2020 will be Kyler Murray’s coming- out party. He was good last year and I think he’ll take the next step this season with another year of experience and DeAndre Hopkins in the fold. On the road against a team that wasn’t very good last year — especially with Dallas looming next week — the Cardinals could surprise the Eagles.

Prediction: Loss

Jeff McLane: Dallas is likely to again be the Eagles’ chief rival for the division crown. The days of expecting former coach Jason Garrett to blow one game a season is over. Mike McCarthy is the new sheriff . Of course, the real boss, Jerry Jones, is still pulling the strings.

Prediction: Loss

Paul Domowitch: Six of the last seven season series between these two teams have been splits. As close as these two teams are in talent, another split is the logical outcome.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: If both teams are good, as expected, this could be for the division. I had the Eagles winning the earlier meeting, and I believe the talent is close, so let’s say CeeDee Lamb erupts.

Prediction: Loss

EJ Smith: I didn’t pick the Eagles to beat the Cowboys at home and I don’t think they’ll leave Jerry World with a win, either. Maybe they get a win in a shootout, but I struggle to see this secondary holding up against the Cowboys’ receiving corps.

Prediction: Loss

Jeff McLane: New Redskins coach Ron Rivera won two of three at the Linc with the Panthers. Can the former Eagles assistant turn around the perennial losers? Receiver Terry McLaurin could help, especially if he gets matched up against new Eagles cornerback Darius Slay, whom he terrorized last season.

Prediction: Win

Paul Domowitch: The addition of first-round pick Chase Young further fortifies a pass rush that finished seventh in the league in sacks per pass play last year. But this is a quarterback-driven league and the jury still is very much out on Dwayne Haskins.

Prediction: Win

Les Bowen: Washington bookends the schedule. It will be interesting to look back at Week 1 from the perspective of Week 17 and see what we were right and wrong about. I see the Eagles giving Dwayne Haskins a hard time.

Prediction: Win

EJ Smith: I’d imagine at least one of the two games against Washington will be a tough one. The defensive line is one of the best in the league. Still, the Eagles will likely be playing for something and Washington won’t, so I’ll go with the Birds.

Prediction: Win

Jeff McLane: 9-7

Paul Domowitch: 11-5

Les Bowen: 9-7

EJ Smith: 9-7