Eagles Vs. Redskins Season Opener: Preview, Predictions, And More

PHILADELPHIA, PA — School is back, baseball season is coming to its zenith, and it's been some eight months since the Eagles ill-fated yet improbable playoff run ended in January. After a long summer, football is back.

Things will get started this Sunday, Sept. 8, when the Eagles host their divisional rivals, the Washington Redskins, at home in south Philadelphia.

Just two years off the first Super Bowl victory in franchise history, the Eagles enter the 2018-19 season with a revamped roster that's fully expected to compete for a division title and a spot in the playoffs. They're not Super Bowl or even NFC favorites, by most calculations, but they're in the mix — and most Eagles fans remember quite well that they weren't favorites for the entirety of the 2017-18 season and postseason, either.

This Eagles team will look a little bit different than the past two seasons. Most noticeably, they are without fan favorite Chris Long, who retired, as well as their lifeline and backup Super Bowl MVP, Nick Foles, who signed in Jacksonville. The burden falls upon the recently extended Carson Wentz, now officially the franchise quarterback, to avenge the team's early exit from the playoffs last season.

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He'll have some help. Among the Birds many off season acquisition was top wide receiver DeSean Jackson, running back Jordan Howard, defensive end Malik Jackson, safety Andrew Sendejo, and offensive tackle Andre Dillard, their first round draft pick.

What could help the Eagles this year is a weak bottom of the NFC East, as both the New York Giants and the Redskins are predicted to have subpar seasons, four games which account for a quarter of their season. But divisional rivals play tough regardless of the roster, and those games are far from a given for the Birds.

Various models and experts have predicted the Eagles going anywhere from 9-7 to 12-4 this year, with a rough consensus coming out in the 10-6 range. Sports Illustrated has the Birds going 11-5, citing an especially difficult early season schedule but noting their impressive offensive depth. They predict the Eagles will handily take the division over Dallas (8-8, in second).

ESPN, meanwhile, ranks the Eagles has the 10th best team in the NFL heading into the season, and also points to their revamped offense. The outlet has the Birds winning the division, with a 66.5 percent chance of making the playoffs.

According to the oddsmakers over at OddsShark, the Birds have the eighth best odds to win the Super Bowl, coming in at +1400. The New England Patriots are the current favorites at +700. Eagles fans should feel familiarly comfortable with that disparity.

Here's what you need to know about Sunday's game:

TV: The game will be broadcast nationally on Fox. Kevin Burkhardt will team up with Charles Davis and Pam Oliver to deliver coverage.

Local Radio: SportsRadio 94WIP will broadcast the game in the Philadelphia area. Merrill Reese is the play-by-play announcer, while Mike Quick is the color analyst.

Kickoff: Kickoff is at 1 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field in south Philadelphia.

The Betting Line

Here's what the oddsmakers have to say about Sunday afternoon's game, via OddsShark.com:

• Opening: Eagles by 8.5
• Bovada: Eagles by 10
• BetOnline: Eagles by 10
• Intertops: Eagles by 10
• Sports Betting: Eagles by 10
• BetNow: Eagles by 10
• 5Dimes: Eagles by 10

Expert picks

Bettors aren't the only ones who think the Eagles will win Sunday. ESPN has them at 83.4 percent favorites.

What's next:

The Eagles have the Sunday Night Football game in Week 2, as they travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons. They're back home to take on the Detroit Lions on Sept. 22.

Tickets

Thinking of attending in person? Tickets are still available, ranging from $171 and up via TicketNetwork. Check out TicketNetwork tickets here. Use the code PATCHTICKETS10 for 10 percent off all tickets.

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Lincoln Financial Field

For tailgating information. see here.

For parking details and rules, see here.