How the NFL did the Eagles no favors with early-season scheduling

The NFL made the opening to the Eagles’ 2024 campaign incredibly unfair, then proceeded to make things as difficult as possible for the next six games.

It’s amazing. Really.

The Eagles lost a home game, when they agreed to travel to São Paulo, Brazil, which stinks for Eagles fans. They did so to play a Friday night game, which is weird. They’ll play against the Green Bay Packers, who are an internationally popular team with the richest history of any NFL franchise and are a low-expectation club, playing with house money. Further, the Packers have the only fan base that travels better than the Eagles’. I mean, what else are you going to spend your money on if you live in Wisconsin? Curds?

There could hardly more pressure.

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Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, in the fourth year of a five-year deal coming off a historic collapse, is on the hottest seat in the league.

He was forced to fire his offensive and defensive coordinators, among other assistants. Vic Fangio is a former head coach and an alleged defensive savant. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is a former short-list head coaching candidate.

Fangio will be tasked with salvaging young first-round defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, incorporating rookie defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, managing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and replacing popular Pro Bowl edge rusher Haason Reddick with free agent Bryce Huff.

Moore’s job involves managing receiver A.J. Brown, reconstructing an offensive line that lost Jason Kelce, incorporating running back Saquon Barkley, not excluding receiver DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert, all while figuring out the limitations of quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Oh yes: Hurts will be trying to justify a $255 million contract that he did not earn last year.

They will be asked to do all of these things in South America.

It doesn’t get any easier.

Week 2 is a Monday Night Football game, another prime-time affair, at which the Eagles will be the second-biggest story. The first? Kelce’s return as part of the MNF pregame cast.

Games 3 and 4 are both on the road.

Playing at New Orleans in a normal, 1 p.m. Sunday start isn’t particularly onerous, but playing back-to-back road games always stinks, especially when you had to travel 12 hours in a plane two weeks earlier.

Game 4, though, is brutal. It will be hot in Tampa on Sept. 29. The Eagles lost in the playoffs there after the 2021 and 2023 seasons. Todd Bowles has Sirianni’s number, and Hurts’ number, too.

Early byes are a disadvantage. That’s what happens Week 5.

The Birds return to play host to Cleveland. The Browns won at Baltimore and Houston last year. They ranked No. 1 in total defense and No. 1 against the pass. Don’t sleep on the Browns.

Next up: At the Giants, where, illogically, Barkley — whom the Giants gave up on — will be Public Enemy No. 1. The Giants beat the Eagles handily in Game 17 last year. Don’t expect Game 6 this year to be much different.

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Finally, the Eagles travel to Cincinnati. The Bengals went 6-3 at home last year. Joe Burrow, arguably the second-best quarterback in the league, beat Buffalo and San Francisco before injury ended his season. If he’s healthy for Game 7, the Eagles could be coming home limping.

That’s as far as is logical to look ahead. There’s no telling what the Jaguars or Cowboys might be, especially come midseason.

The reality is, the Eagles, for all of their personnel and coaching upgrades, very well could open the season 3-4, or worse.

Much, much worse.

Thanks, NFL.