Out of Eagles Bye Week, NFC East Still Up-For-Grabs

Just when you want to mail it in on the 2015 Philadelphia Eagles season, the rest of the NFC East came to the rescue and kept it interesting.

After a disappointing and underachieving first seven games for Chip Kelly’s crew, suddenly, they still find themselves right in the thick of both the NFC East race with more than half a season still to play.  And if the Eagles can get their act together on offense and continue to play opportunistic defense, forcing turnovers and putting the offense in position to score, there will still be a huge opportunity to end this season back in the playoffs after a one-year layoff.

The Eagles had a successful bye week, the Giants lost on a last second field goal, giving up 52 points in the process, and the Cowboys dropped their fifth straight game without Tony Romo.  They’re certainly getting all the help they need from everyone else.  The question is, can the Eagles find a way to finally help themselves when they return to the field for the final nine weeks?

The next four weeks may be the most critical for Philadelphia.  The Eagles can use these next four weeks to help pull away from a wounded pack, or waste this four week stretch and grind it out to the very end.

Once Thanksgiving is in the rear view, the Eagles could be firmly in control of their the NFC East.  If after this four game stretch, the NFC East is still a jumbled, mediocre mess, expect fans to be more focused on the 2016 draft and who the next head coach might be.

The Eagles have four straight winning games are coming up, starting with Dallas this week and followed by Miami, Tampa Bay and Detroit.  While the combined record of the Eagles next four opponents stands at 9-20, Dallas, looks to find its way without Tony Romo, the Giants defense hopes they can stop someone - anyone and the Redskins try to prove to people they belong starting this week in New England.

Next four games for NFC Teams:

New York: @ Tampa, vs New England, @Washington, vs Jets
Dallas: vs Philadelphia, @Tampa, @Miami, vs Carolina
Washington: @New England, vs Saints, @Carolina, vs Giants

It all starts in Big D on Sunday night against a Dallas Cowboys team that has given up just 26 points the last two weeks, but can't move the ball with first Brandon Weeden and now Matt Cassel playing quarterback. The Eagles have opened as a 2.5 point favorite for the game.

After that big NFC East game it’s the Dolphins coming to Philadelphia on the final game of a three game road trip-week when Miami travels to Lincoln FInancial Field.  The Fins have already fired their coach and have played much better since going from Joe Philbin to Dan Campbell on the sideline.

The next week the Eagles host a pesky Tampa team that has played much better, so something this week the Eagles were unable to do earlier this season - win in Atlanta.

They end this four game run in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day against a Lions team that is an absolute 1-7 mess right now.

While the way this team has played this season this are no easy games, or stretches, but if the Eagles want to start to change the perception of who they are - this four week stretch would be a good time to prove it.