If you like boxes checked, you've come to the right place. Welcome to the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles through eight games.
• Best record in the NFL at 7-1
• Perfect in the NFC at 6-0
• 3 for 3 vs. the NFC East
• Unbeaten at home (4-0)
• Just one loss on the road (3-1)
Throw in six straight wins for good measure and the Birds enter the second half of their season with some major mojo after a first half that has gone beyond even the wildest imaginations of their fans. So while Doug Pederson and the team need to stay focused on their next opponent, we can and will allow ourselves to look ahead to what's on the horizon the rest of the way. As everyone knows, to play in January you need to win in November and December.
NFL
Nov. 5 vs. Broncos (3-4)
Denver lost Monday night to the Chiefs, who handed the Eagles their only loss. The Broncos' defense ranks in the top five against the run and the pass. Von Miller is still a ferocious pass rusher, but this is not a team that scares you offensively. Trevor Siemian should be a backup, and Broncos head coach Vance Joseph was non-committal about who would be the starter. They have Brock Osweiler in his second stint and Paxton Lynch, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, backing up Siemian. Keep in mind the Broncos have to travel to the East Coast on a short week. Denver should not be able to do much offensively against the Eagles' defense.
Bye
The Eagles enjoyed a mini-bye when they had 11 days off between their Thursday night win over the Panthers and their home win over the Redskins. Now a few weeks later comes a full-blown off week, which should bode well considering their next opponent.
Nov. 19 at Cowboys (4-3)
A Sunday night matchup in Dallas, where the Birds lost a heartbreaker last season. The Cowboys, after a 2-3 start, have begun to resemble last year’s 13-3 team, winning their last two games by an average of more than three touchdowns. That said, the Ezekiel Elliott saga continues. On Monday, he lost his bid to block his six-game suspension, but he still has the option to appeal. Your guess is as good as mine whether he’ll play against the Eagles in Week 11. The Cowboys are once again leaning heavily on him — he’s racked up 297 yards and four touchdowns the last two games — and Dak Prescott is following up his phenomenal rookie season with a strong sophomore campaign. Dallas will get the Chiefs at home this week before traveling to Atlanta. This game could either give the Eagles serious distance in the division on what appears to be the only other team standing in their way or allow the Cowboys to back in it. But the Elliott factor will be huge.
Nov. 26 vs. Bears (3-5)
The Bears are bad. They are rightfully allowing rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to learn on the job and he has shown flashes but doesn't have much help. Their lone bright spot is second-year running back Jordan Howard. He ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing. They're stronger defensively but this should be a win at home.
Dec. 3 at Seahawks (5-2)
Seattle's defense is still strong and opportunistic. The Seahawks rank seventh in points allowed. And CenturyLink is one of the toughest places to play in sports. The Seahawks' offensive line just got a whole lot better with the acquisition of Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown from the Texans. This had been a major weak spot for Pete Carroll’s team. Russell Wilson’s uncanny ability to keep plays alive had made up for a lot of the shortcomings in front of him. Jimmy Graham has started to come on in the last couple of weeks, so he will be a problem. This is a tough spot for the Eagles and could result in a loss.
Dec. 10 at Rams (5-2)
The Rams are the pleasant surprise of the NFL. After going 4-12 last season and firing Jeff Fisher, L.A. brought in 30-year-old Sean McVay and he has not only transformed second-year quarterback Jared Goff but also the entire franchise. They are second in the league in scoring at 30.3 points per game. Goff, written off by some as a bust after just one season, looks worthy of that first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Todd Gurley looks reborn in McVay's system. And defensive tackle Aaron Donald might be the most disruptive player in the game. This looked like an automatic win before the season but not so fast, my friends.
Dec. 17 at Giants (1-6)
We saw this mess up-close, and personal in Week 3. The Giants are 1-6 on merit. Not only are they bad but they're injured as well. You always have to take into account the NFC East factor, where goofy things happen. But if you're a team that is looking to close out the season strong and win a division or possibly post the best record in the conference, this is a game you should win, division or no division.
Dec. 25 vs. Raiders (3-5)
Ho, ho, ho. In what sets up for a great day of sports in Philadelphia on Christmas, the Sixers kick off the festivities in New York at noon and the Eagles provide the nightcap. A lot could happen between now and Dec. 25 but the early returns for the Raiders have not been favorable. MVP candidate Derek Carr has been inconsistent and banged-up. Despite bringing in Marshawn Lynch, the Raiders have not developed a run game, and wide receiver Amari Cooper has been very quiet. Again, they still have Khalil Mack and were a 12-4, playoff team last year. Factoring in another West Coast team traveling East and this looks like an Eagles win. But again, there's a great deal of land between now and this game.
Dec. 31 vs. Cowboys (4-3)
The Birds could close out 2017 in style with a win over the Cowboys on Dec. 31. Tough to know what this game will mean by then. With the Eagles off to a 7-1 start, the best-case scenario is this game is meaningless and they are resting their starters like the Cowboys did in the game last year. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. now, but this could be flexed out to later depending on the stakes. It would be a pretty sweet scenario, crushing the Cowboys then heading off to close out the year with visions of the playoffs dancing in Eagles fans' heads.