2019 Record - 9-7-0
Head Coach - Doug Pederson
New Players in 2020 - Darius Slay (DB), Will Parks (DB), Javon Hargrave (DL), Nickell Robey-Coleman (DB), Jatavis Brown (LB)
Players opting out for 2020 season (COVID-19) - Marquise Goodwin (WR)
OFFENSE - Carson Wentz is the starting quarterback, entering his fifth season. Wentz had 4,039 passing yards last season with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions and ran for 243 yards with one touchdown. Backing him up will be Jalen Hurts (rookie from Oklahoma) and Nate Sudfeld.
Miles Sanders (818 rushing yards, 4.6 ypc average and three TD) and Boston Scott (245, 4.0 ypc and five TD) will handle the bulk of the rushing attack again this season. The tight ends are Dallas Goedert (58 receptions, 608 yards and five touchdowns) and Zach Ertz, who had 88 receptions for 916 yards and six touchdowns to lead the team.
The wide receiving corps will be looking different this year as Alshon Jeffery is currently on the PUP list and Marquise Goodwin (traded from San Francisco) opted out for the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Philadelphia will have Greg Ward (28, 254, one TD), DeSean Jackson (nine receptions for 159 yards and two TD in only two games played) and rookies Jalen Reagor (TCU) and John Hightower (Boise State) in the fold this season. J.J. Arcgea-Whiteside (10, 169, one TD) is another receiver who will help out.
Philadelphia finished 14th in total offense in the NFL with 361 yards per game while scoring 24.1 points per game last season. The Eagles also ranked eleventh in both rushing (121 YPG) and passing (240 YPG) last season.
DEFENSE - Defensive ends Brandon Graham (8 1/2 QB sacks) and Derek Barnett (6 1/2 sacks) anchor the front line along with tackles Fletcher Cox (3 1/2 sacks) and Javon Hargrave, who had four sacks with Pittsburgh. Vinny Curry (five sacks) is also an option up front along with Josh Sweat, who had four sacks. The linebackers are T.J. Edwards, Nathan Gerry (2 1/2 sacks and two interceptions, one for a TD), Duke Riley and Davion Taylor, a rookie from Colorado.
In the secondary will be Darius Slay (two INT with Detroit) and Avonte Maddox at cornerback. Also in the mix are Nickell Robey-Coleman, Sidney Jones (two picks), Jalen Mills and Rasul Douglas. The safeties are Will Parks and Rodney McLeod, who had two interceptions. Others include rookie K'Von Wallace (Clemson) and Rudy Ford.
OUTLOOK FOR 2020 - The Eagles won the NFC East title for the second time in three years last season and it looks like they will again battle Dallas for the crown in the 2020 season. Head Coach Doug Pederson has recovered from the COVID-19 virus and is looking forward to his fifth season in Philly, where they won the Super Bowl just three seasons ago.
Quarterback Carson Wentz was injury free in 2019 for the first time since his rookie year and will have a different tandem of receivers this season, barring injuries or an outbreak of the virus. The team wanted to emphasize more speed and they drafted for that purpose at the wide receiver position after the two tight ends were the team's leading receivers a year ago. Having DeSean Jackson (14 games missed last year with injuries) for a full season would be a big boost as well. Sanders and Scott provide a decent running tandem and should get even better with a full season under their belts.
The defense could be another story as a number of changes take place for this coming season. Gone is Malcolm Jenkins, but Darius Slay was brought in from Detroit to help the secondary, which contributed to eleven interceptions last season. The Eagles had 43 QB sacks and ranked tenth in total defense, allowing 332 yards per game. The run defense gave up 90 yards (3rd in NFL) and the pass defense allowed 242 yards a game. Philadelphia allowed 22.1 points per game.
This team can win the NFC East again, but the passing game will be a work in progress as the season gets going with all the new faces. But if Wentz and the receivers connect quickly, this team should light up the scoreboard on a regular basis. The two head-to-head games with Dallas will once again likely determine the division winner. The Eagles should be a playoff team (wild card or otherwise) again, but how far they go from there will come down to limiting turnovers (minus-3 last year) and coming up big in crunch time.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - at Washington
Week Two - vs. L.A. Rams
Week Three - vs. Cincinnati
Week Four - at San Francisco
Week Five - at Pittsburgh
Week Six - vs. Baltimore
Week Seven - vs. N.Y. Giants
Week Eight - vs. Dallas
Week Nine - BYE
Week Ten - at N.Y. Giants
Week Eleven - at Cleveland
Week Twelve - vs. Seattle
Week Thirteen - at Green Bay
Week Fourteen - vs. New Orleans
Week Fifteen - at Arizona
Week Sixteen - at Dallas
Week Seventeen - vs. Washington
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