NFL Schedule 2016 Predictions: ESPN writers think Eagles will finish with a losing record

The NFL schedule is out and everyone has made their way-too-early record predictions for the 2016 season. I personally have the Eagles finishing at 8-8. ESPN Eagles writer Phil Sheridan is a little less optimistic than I am. He has the Birds finishing at 7-9. The rest of ESPN is even more down on the Eagles. I went through the game-by-game predictions from the ESPN writer for each of the Eagles' 2016 opponents. Here are the results.

Week 1 vs. Browns - WIN

"Philadelphia does not seem like a threatening team. But it has enough talent to beat a Browns team without much talent in the season opener in Philadelphia." - Pat McManamon

Week 2 at Bears - LOSS

"The Eagles need some time to dig out of the mess left by Chip Kelly. Jay Cutler vs. Sam Bradford? I’ll take Cutler." - Jeff Dickerson

Week 3 vs. Steelers - WIN

"The Steelers oddly have struggled in Philadelphia, losing their past eight games there, including an average of 13.3 points per game scored in their past three trips. The franchise's last victory in Philly came in 1965. The offense should fare better than in previous matchups, but new Eagles coach Doug Pederson benefits from history." - Jeremy Fowler

Week 4 - BYE

Week 5 at Lions - LOSS

"The Eagles were a mess when the Lions beat them last season. It's a new offense and the return (again) of Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator. Expect Philadelphia to pressure Matthew Stafford. But Schwartz is still building this defense to his liking, so the Lions should be able to handle it." - Michael Rothstein

Week 6 at Washington - WIN

"The Eagles will be in transition this season; the Redskins are not. Washington has won three straight against the Eagles, but they haven’t won four in a row over them since 1985-87." - John Keim

Week 7 vs. Vikings - LOSS

"It's difficult to know at this juncture what to make of the Eagles, who'll have a markedly different look after three years under Chip Kelly. But coming off a bye week, the Vikings should be fresh, and they'll be able to secure another road win on the East Coast." - Ben Goessling

Week 8 at Cowboys - LOSS

"The Cowboys have to get off the losing train and there's no better place to do it than in prime time against an Eagles team with a new coach in Doug Pederson, a new defensive scheme and no DeMarco Murray." - Todd Archer

Week 9 at Giants - LOSS

"No team is happier to see Chip Kelly in San Francisco than the Giants, who were 1-5 against the Eagles in Kelly’s three seasons as their coach. Beckham finds things easy against that Eagles' secondary, and the Giants come off the bye to beat Philly for the first time since 2013." - Dan Graziano

Week 10 vs. Falcons - LOSS

"It’s never easy on the road, but the Falcons play a different style of Eagles team without the Chip Kelly up-tempo action. New Eagles coach Doug Pederson still has to put his stamp on his new team." - Vaughn McClure

Week 11 at Seahawks - LOSS

"The Seahawks face an Eagles team that will be rebuilt in Howie Roseman's vision. No Byron Maxwell. No DeMarco Murray. And no Kiko Alonso. Will Sam Bradford be the Eagles' quarterback in this game?" - The great Sheil Kapadia

Week 12 vs. Packers - LOSS

"First-year Eagles coach Doug Pederson has a long history with the Packers as Brett Favre's long-time backup. He’s got his own quarterback issues to deal with in Philadelphia." - Rob Demovsky

Week 13 at Bengals - LOSS

"This is the fourth team with a new coaching staff that the Bengals will face. Philadelphia's biggest changes are coming on offense too, which doesn't bode well for a matchup against a defense that seemed to get stronger this offseason." - Coley Harvey

Week 14 vs. Washington - LOSS

"This will be a pivotal game after the last several weeks -- and if the Redskins want to keep their playoff hopes alive they’ll have to beat the Eagles on the road. It won’t be easy but it will be done." - John Keim

Week 15 at Ravens - LOSS

"Many will wonder who will be quarterbacking the Eagles at this point. Sam Bradford? Chase Daniel? A highly drafted rookie? Does it matter? Philadelphia returns eight starters from a defense that ranked 30th in the NFL last season and allowed more than 25 points nine times." - Jamison Hensley

Week 16 vs. Giants - WIN

"The Giants have been outscored 54-7 the past two years in Philadelphia, and things aren’t getting a lot better this time on a short week. Victor Cruz scores a touchdown in the place where he tore up his knee, which makes for a good story. But the Giants suffer another tough division road loss." - Dan Graziano

Week 17 vs. Cowboys - WIN

"In 2008 the Cowboys needed a win in Philly to make the playoffs and lost 44-6. They could be in another winner-take-all scenario. The Cowboys have won four of their last five games at Lincoln Financial Field, so they have found the unfriendly confines pretty friendly of late. But they did lose Tony Romo to a collarbone injury there last year. The good karma can't last." - Todd Archer

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FINAL RECORD: 5-11

5-11 would mean two less wins from last year's 7-9 finish. It would probably also mean that the Birds finish last in the NFC East.