Extra Points: Eagles Headed for Tough Season

Eagles rookie coach Nick Sirianni will begin his tenure on the road.

The Birds will open the regular season at Atlanta on Sept. 12 to begin what has been billed in some quarters as a rebuilding season.

Which means that they will likely miss the playoffs for a second straight season, the first time that has happened to the team since the last time they changed coaches. Chip Kelly was fired with one game remaining in a 7-9 season in 2015. The Eagles were also 7-9 in Doug Pederson's first season in 2016, one year before he led the team to a championship in Super Bowl LII.

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Of course, a lot will happen between now and the season opener. Players throughout the NFL have announced their intentions to boycott the voluntary camps. In the Eagles' case, that means lost opportunities to become comfortable with the systems Sirianni and new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will be introducing.

They have to hope that the competitiveness they displayed in their offseason games of Rock, Paper, Scissors will carry over into training camp and the season.

It's possible, but not likely.

Here's a way too early prediction of how the Eagles' season will unfold:

Sunday, Sept. 12, 1 p.m. - Eagles at Falcons: Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan fires the winning touchdown pass to rookie tight end Kyle Pitts on a play the two drew up in the sand while hanging out on the beach in North Wildwood. LOSS

Sunday, Sept. 19, 1 p.m. - 49ers at Eagles: Sirianni gets his first victory behind a 100-yard rushing performance from Miles Sanders. Rookie WR DeVonta Smith scores his first NFL TD. WIN

Monday, Sept. 27, 8:15 p.m. - Eagles at Cowboys: A "Monday Night Football" audience watches Dak Prescott pick apart a porous Eagles' secondary. LOSS

Sunday, Oct. 3, 1 p.m.- Chiefs at Eagles: Andy Reid beats Siranni at Rock, Paper, Scissors during the pregame coin toss by picking rock to Sirianni's scissors. Then the Chiefs crush the Eagles. LOSS

Sunday, Oct. 10, 1 p.m. - Eagles at Panthers: Carolina tight end Colin Thompson, a Cape May resident and offensive coordinator at Lower Cape May Regional High School, scores his second career touchdown on a play he drew up for the Caper-Tigers. LOSS

Thursday, Oct. 14, 8:20 p.m. - Buccaneers at Eagles: Birds are 5-0 on TNF since 2016. Make it 5-1 by going against Tom Brady, who celebrates by throwing an egg at teh "Philly Special" statue on the way out of town. LOSS

Sunday, Oct. 24, 4:05 p.m. - Eagles at Raiders: Eagles lose their shirts at the Bellagio and their jerseys at Allegiant Stadium. LOSS

Sunday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m. Eagles at Lions: Eagles CB Darious Slay returns an interception for a touchdown vs. his former team. Lions assistant coach Duce Staley mistakenly cheers the play. WIN

Sunday, Nov. 7, 4:05 p.m. - Chargers at Eagles: L.A. QB Justin Herbert throws four TD passes for the Super Bowl-bound Chargers. LOSS

Sunday, Nov. 14, 4:25 p.m. - Eagles at Broncos: Denver rookie CB Patrick Surtain shuts down former Alabama teammate Smith. LOSS

Sunday, Nov. 21, 1 p.m. - Saints at Eagles: New Orleans isn't the same team without Drew Brees. WIN

Sunday Nov. 28, 1 p.m. - Eagles at Giants: Saquon Barkey wins the duel of former Penn State running backs with a 200-yard effort. Sanders has 120. LOSS

Sunday, Dec. 5, 1 p.m. - Eagles at Jets: A second straight trip to MetLife Stadium turns out better than the first one. Joe Flacco throws two TDS in his first start for the Eagles. WIN

Sunday, Dec. 19, 1 p.m. - Washington at Eagles: Hurts returns to the lineup after the bye and combines for three TDs. But the Eagles loss again to "Fitz Magic." LOSS

Sunday, Dec. 26, 1 p.m. - Giants at Eagles: New York quarterback Daniel Jones breaks loose for an 80-yard TD run. He doesn't trip and fall this time. LOSS

Sunday, Jan. 2, 1 p.m. - Washington at Eagles: Birds ring in 2022 with a victory. TE Zach Ertz catches the winning TD pass, then hands the ball to Mike Trout. WIN

Sunday, Jan. 9, 1 p.m. - Cowboys at Eagles: Dallas clinches the NFC East. The Eagles finish in last place for the second straight season. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie throws Sirianni's rock, paper and scissors in the trash. LOSS

DAVE WEINBERG'S PREDICTION: 5-12