The Philadelphia Eagles' 2024 schedule is set, so now we'll take a deeper look at the advantages and disadvantages of this year's slate of games.
For quick reference, here's a snapshot of the Eagles' schedule (via the Eagles' Twitter account):
This year, I believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Let's start with the advantages...
Advantages
• Because we already knew who the Eagles' opponents were going to be this year, we also knew they would have a much easier schedule than they did in 2023, at least on paper (yes, I know things change). The Eagles' 2023 opponents had a combined record of 161-123-4 (0.566) in 2022. Their 2024 opponents had a combined regular season record of 142-147 (0.491) in 2023.
Here are the Eagles' opponents, and their 2023 records (I also added in point differentials):
| Week | Opponent | 2023 record | 2023 point differential |
| 1 | Packers | 9-8 | +33 |
| 2 | Falcons | 7-10 | -52 |
| 3 | At Saints | 9-8 | +75 |
| 4 | At Buccaneers | 9-8 | +23 |
| 5 | BYE | ||
| 6 | Browns | 11-6 | +34 |
| 7 | At Giants | 6-11 | -144 |
| 8 | At Bengals | 9-8 | -18 |
| 9 | Jaguars | 9-8 | +6 |
| 10 | At Cowboys | 12-5 | +194 |
| 11 | Commanders | 4-13 | -189 |
| 12 | At Rams | 10-7 | +27 |
| 13 | At Ravens | 13-4 | +203 |
| 14 | Panthers | 2-15 | -180 |
| 15 | Steelers | 10-7 | -20 |
| 16 | At Commanders | 4-13 | -189 |
| 17 | Cowboys | 12-5 | +194 |
| 18 | Giants | 6-11 | -144 |
| TOTAL | 142-147 (0.491) | -147 |
Or, if you prefer your strength of schedule metrics to be betting odds-focused, here's this from Deniz Selman:
• The NFC East teams all play each other twice, as you're aware, and in 2024 they play the entirety of the AFC North and the NFC South. They also each have three games on their schedules that their divisional rivals don't. The Eagles have a second-place schedule, and as such, they play second-place teams in the NFC North, the NFC West, and the AFC South. Those teams are the Packers, Rams, and Jaguars. The NFC East teams drew the following floating opponents this year:
| Finish | NFC East team | NFCN / NFCS / AFCW opponents |
| 1st | Cowboys | Lions, 49ers, Texans |
| 2nd | Eagles | Packers, Rams, Jaguars |
| 3rd | Giants | Vikings, Seahawks, Colts |
| 4th | Commanders | Bears, Cardinals, Titans |
The Cowboys have to play the two teams who met in the NFC Championship Game (the Lions and 49ers), and a team on the rise in the Texans. The other three NFC East teams have easier trios of games... again, on paper.
• Remember "The Gauntlet" last season, when the Eagles had to play, in order, the Cowboys, Chiefs, Bills, 49ers, Cowboys, and Seahawks? Well, no such "Gauntlet" exists this year. The closest thing is the two-game road stretch against the Rams and the Ravens in Weeks 12 and 13.
• The Eagles' lone Thursday night game (Week 11 vs. the Commanders) is at home. As a bonus, it's against a division rival.
UPDATE: After looking at this game a little more closely, it's maybe not such an advantage for the Eagles, who have a road game in Dallas the week before, while the Commanders have a home game the week before. Also, it's not like the Commanders are hopping a flight to Philly. It's an easy trip up I-95.
• The Eagles won't board a plane after Week 12. They'll also play four of their last five games at home, including their last two. They won't be travel-weary for their first playoff matchup, should they get there.
• The Eagles played four (!) Monday night regular season games in 2023, which led to some games on short rest the following week. This year? Just one, pending further scheduling change weirdness, and it's Week 2. All the rest of their games thereafter are scheduled for Sunday, with the exception of the Week 11 Thursday nighter against the Commanders, and the Week 18 finale against the Giants, which doesn't have a time/date yet.
• The Eagles don't play any opponents coming off their bye week in 2024.
Disadvantages
• A Week 5 bye typically isn't very helpful. Players will tell you that they would much rather the bye come later in the season, when their bodies really need some added recovery time.
• The aforementioned Rams-Ravens one-two punch on the road is rough. The Ravens are tough enough to beat, but add on a trip out to the West Coast the week before and that matchup becomes even more of a disadvantage. If you'll recall last year, the Eagles traveled to Los Angeles to play the Rams, then lost to a bad Jets team on the road the next week.
• The Eagles have a "home" game played at a neutral site. And not only that, it's against an NFC playoff contender in the Packers. The NFL really should have scheduled this game against an AFC team.
• In the "advantages" list, we noted that four of the Eagles' final five games are at home. Well, they also have a 10-game stretch in which they play 7 road games. The final four road games of that stretch are against the Bengals, Cowboys, Rams, and Ravens.
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