There are reasons why there have been only eight repeat Super Bowl champions ever, and just one in the past 20 years. It’s simply not easy to duplicate that level of success. Luck runs out, and things go wrong.
The Philadelphia Eagles don’t think that will happen to them, but the odds are that it probably will.
The reality is that everything has gone far too right for far too long with the defending Super Bowl champions. They navigated their way through a relatively healthy 14-3 regular season last year and were barely pressured in the postseason. In an absolutely remarkable run, they ended up winning 16 of their last 17 games.
They are definitely good enough to be considered a Super Bowl contender again this season. They might even be worthy of being called the favorites in the NFC. But they can’t avoid injuries forever. Complacency will set in eventually. And their 2025 schedule is one of the toughest in the league.
It’s for all those reasons that the Eagles could be just as good as they were last year, or maybe even better, but could end up with a worse record. That doesn’t mean they won’t have a chance to become the ninth repeat champion in NFL history.
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It just means it won’t be easy to do.
How hard will it be? Here’s a look at Philadelphia’s 2025 schedule and a prediction for each game.
Week 1: vs. Cowboys, Thursday, Sept. 4
The Cowboys will come in looking to make a statement that they’re ready to contend again in the NFC East. But maybe making the game competitive might be a better goal. The Eagles humiliated Dallas twice last season by a combined score of 75-13. Also, defending champs are 13-5 in these stand-alone, Thursday night openers. It’s hard to imagine Philly stumbling out of the gate in a division game.
Result: Win, 1-0 record
Week 2: at Chiefs, Sunday, Sept. 14
The Eagles didn’t just beat the Chiefs in the Super Bowl last year, they humiliated them, building a 34-0 lead before Kansas City showed a pulse in the third quarter. Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes & Co. aren’t likely to let that happen again. Plus, the Eagles could be in for a letdown since the stakes are low for them.
Result: Loss, 1-1
Week 3: vs. Rams, Sunday, Sept. 21
The Rams nearly upended the Eagles in the divisional round last year and are absolutely convinced they would have pulled off the upset if the snow in Philadelphia hadn’t caused a slippery field. They’ll see they were wrong about that. But at least the weather should be nicer.
Result: Win, 2-1
Week 4: at Buccaneers, Sunday, Sept. 28
This might be the biggest early test for the Eagles’ defense, to see if it can be as strong as it looked in the postseason last year. It probably won’t be, but their offense should be just as good — certainly good enough to win what could be a high-scoring game.
Result: Win, 3-1
Week 5: vs. Broncos, Sunday, Oct. 5
This game might look a little different if it were in Denver, but in Philly the Eagles are just too good. The Broncos struggled on the road last season (4-5), particularly against playoff teams (1-3). This game will be too much for them.
Result: Win, 4-1
Week 6: at Giants, Thursday, Oct. 9
The Giants may be improved, but they’re still the softest spot on most schedules. That’s particularly true for the Eagles, who have won seven of their last eight vs. the Giants, 15 of their last 18, and 19 of their last 23 dating back to 2014.
Result: Win, 5-1
Week 7: at Vikings, Sunday, Oct. 19
The Vikings aren’t going to be the same powerhouse they were most of last season, unless QB J.J. McCarthy becomes an instant star. But they’re still a good team, and last season they were 8-1 in Minnesota, which is a notoriously tough place to play. Plus, this game sandwiched between a home-and-home with the Giants feels like an obvious trap.
Result: Loss, 5-2
Week 8: vs. Giants, Sunday, Oct. 26
The Eagles probably would have preferred this home-and-home to be later in the season so they could fatten up on their stretch run to the playoffs. But the “when” probably doesn’t matter. The Giants are just badly overmatched. Also, they haven’t won in Philly since 2013, going 0-12 since.
Result: Win, 6-2
Week 9: Bye
Week 10: at Packers, Monday, Nov. 10
The Eagles beat the Packers twice last season — once in Brazil and once in Philadelphia (in the wild-card playoffs). Green Bay isn’t as tough a place to play as it used to be, but this still isn’t an easy trip for the Eagles coming off a bye. The Packers will be a legitimate threat to their NFC crown.
Result: Loss, 6-3
The Eagles ended Green Bay’s 2024 season with a 22-10 win in the wild-card round, sacking Jordan Love twice and picking him off three times. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)
Week 11: vs. Lions, Sunday, Nov. 16
A year ago, this would’ve been the Game of the Year in the NFC. This year the hype isn’t the same after the Lions’ playoff collapse last season and the offseason losses of both their coordinators. Detroit will still be formidable, but the Eagles are still better, especially at home.
Result: Win, 7-3
Week 12: at Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 23
If the Cowboys are still alive in the playoff race by this time — and they should be — this game will be intriguing. If nothing else, it’ll be their last chance to make a real statement in the NFC East. But they’re still not good enough to make that statement against the Eagles. At least not yet.
Result: Win, 8-3
Week 13: vs. Bears, Friday, Nov. 28
The Bears loaded up in the offseason and should be a much more formidable opponent than they were a year ago. But competing in general is different from competing with the Eagles. The Bears are still a few levels below the Eagles’ class.
Result: Win, 9-3
Week 14: at Chargers, Monday, Dec. 8
Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers went 11-7 overall last season, but just 2-6 against teams that made the playoffs. The best way to prove they’re ready for the next step is to knock off the defending Super Bowl champs. It’ll be easier to do that when the Eagles are the ones making the cross-country flight.
Result: Loss, 9-4
Week 15: vs. Raiders, Sunday, Dec. 14
Pete Carroll’s career record vs. the Eagles is a perfect 8-0. But he built that with much better teams in Seattle, playing against Philly teams that weren’t as good as this one should be. He doesn’t have some magic formula that can put the undermanned Raiders in the Eagles’ class.
Result: Win, 10-4
Week 16: at Commanders, Saturday, Dec. 20
Probably the last thing the Eagles need heading into the postseason is two games in three weeks against the team they beat in the NFC Championship Game. The Commanders should be just as good as they were last season. And they’ll be waiting for this.
Result: Loss, 10-5
Week 17: at Bills, Sunday, Dec. 28
As if playing the Commanders in two of three to end the season isn’t bad enough, the AFC powerhouse Bills are sandwiched in between. And in the deep AFC they’ll still be playing for playoff seeding, at least. The Bills are as good as the Eagles. And the Western New York winter weather will probably be more to their liking, too.
Result: Loss, 10-6
Week 18: vs. Commanders, Sunday, Jan. 4
The Eagles won’t have the NFC’s top seed wrapped up yet, and may not even have the NFC East secured. More importantly, though, they might need a win to feel better about their chances of repeating as they head into the playoffs. They also might need to calm the Philly fans and media who could be obsessing about their struggles down the stretch.
Result: Win
Final record: 11-6
It will not be as pretty nor as smooth as things were for most of last season, and it’s possible the stretch run will remind everyone of Philly’s stretch failures in 2023. But don’t let the record or the troubles fool you. These Eagles, as long as they’re healthy, are as good and as talented as they were last season. And while their schedule is painfully difficult, it could be a guard against complacency. They face all four teams they beat during their Super Bowl run last season — at Green Bay, vs. the L.A. Rams, at Kansas City, and home-and-home against the Commanders — and they play seven playoff teams on the road.
That slate will help Nick Sirianni keep the Eagles focused. And they certainly will be battle-tested by the time the postseason arrives. Maybe, with a dip in their record, they might even be able to take some teams by surprise in the playoffs.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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