Eagles Schedule ‘Too Easy’? Path to Super Bowl Difficulty in Question
The Eagles are currently on their way back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018, when the team defeated the New England Patriots for their first-ever championship title. The Eagles have appeared to be a powerhouse this year up to this point, and the stage is set for a marvelous matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs which is two weeks away. Despite the success of the team, the Eagles have been faced with countless speculation regarding the strength of their schedule this season, and how that may play a role in determining the true skill of the team. On top of all the schedule talk, the Eagles have received negative feedback regarding their first two playoff matchups.
Playoff Discussion
The Eagles first squared off against the New York Giants, who entered the playoffs as the sixth seed with a record of 9-7-1. The Eagles defeated the Giants 38-7, after a lot of debate speculating that the Giants would come out victorious or at least put up a good fight. Then, the Eagles played the 49ers, which ended up being a catastrophe of a game for San Francisco due to not one but two quarterback injuries. The Eagles ended up coming out on top with a final score of 31-7. These two playoff games played so far by the team had only added to all the schedule strength talk that has been brewing against them all season.
How Statistics Weigh-In
People claim that the Eagles have yet to be truly tested, and that when they are, they will ultimately be exposed to be not as good as they may seem. All of this, of course, is just up for debate and none of this has been proven. The true test is two weeks away, and if the Eagles are to come out with the victory, then maybe that will be enough to rest this season-long debate. Yet, it isn't likely.
When ranking the strength of schedules of all 32 NFL teams, the Philadelphia Eagles fell in the bottom five, meaning that they were ranked to have one of the easiest schedules when compared to the other teams. Although, it should be noted that these are simply statistics that are released prior to the season, and as the season progresses the list is subject to change. The Eagles also currently hold an impressive record of 9-1 against teams that have held a winning record this season. This statistic alone is enough to fight against the schedule strength banter. Also, strength of schedules is ranked off of a team’s performance from the prior season. The performance of a team for an upcoming season obviously is not set and can not be determined prior. This would make it seem that the strength of schedules that is released is not completely accurate, and holds no say on how difficult a schedule may or may not be.
"The Eagles had an easy schedule."
— Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) January 30, 2023
Best records in NFL history vs. winning teams:
9-1 ... 1969 Vikings
9-1 ... 2007 Patriots
9-1 ... 2022 Eagles @Stathead
Does It Mean Anything?
Even if the Eagles had an easy season schedule, this should not be used as a reason to disrepute the team in any way whatsoever. It should be agreed upon that the team has a legitimately impressive roster as well as a superb coaching staff. At the end of the day, a team that performs well is always going to be given excuses for success. Talks like this happen every year for every professional sports league.
During the season the Eagles received negative comments regarding their schedule, which then carried on into the playoffs. Playoff matchups for the Eagles were heavily debated, with many arguing that the team would not even advance past the Giants. After hearing this for two straight rounds, it is now onto the next piece of slander for the team, which is that their playoff matchups were far too easy. It would appear to be a cycle, it will always just move on to the next thing.
Something Each Team Has in Common
If you look at any team's schedule for the 2022-2023 season, you will notice a similarity among all of them. The similarity being that all schedules contain easy matchups. The Eagles earned their victories just as any other team did throughout the season. It should also be mentioned that the teams do not make up their own schedules. The Eagles played their season just as every other team had, with the intent to win.
Every team is going to work for victory, despite whoever it is that they are matched up against. When looked into, the schedule argument is nothing more than a common discussion that occurs every year due to individuals who simply enjoy hating. Despite the difficulty of the Eagles’ path to the Super Bowl, they still made it there. Every team fights to win it all, and the discussion of the path that was taken to get there is invalid and does not at all determine a team’s skill.