FanPost

Eagles haven't lost at home to a Southern or Western Divisional Team since 2015

That's right. In wake of the Philadelphia Eagles' matchup with the Carolina Panthers, fans have been wondering whether their beloved birds are back. Perhaps yes, as the fingerprints of last year's championship team were all over the Eagles' crushing of the New York Giants this past week. But as Stephen A. Smith recently pointed out, "Who can't look good against the Giants?" Whether you're a believer or a skeptic, one statistic should make you feel confident about this weekend: the Eagles are 9-0 in their last nine games against teams from Southern or Western divisions (both NFC and AFC), stretching back to the Chip Kelly era. In fact, the last game the Eagles lost at home to a team of that variety was at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals on December 20th, 2015. And that was a Sam Bradford-led Eagles team without any sort of direction.

What does this tell us? Expect history to repeat itself, at least for the time being. As the past two seasons have indicated, this Eagles team plays better at home, particularly on defense. Away, the Eagles defense have given up an average of 23.1 points and 354 yards per game since the beginning of 2017. At home however, the same defense has held offenses to an average of 13.5 points and 288 yards per game. (Wow). Despite this year's sluggish start, the Eagles seem to have found a former version of themselves and are looking to officially get back on track. The Carolina Panthers are no slouch, sitting at a record of 3-2, right behind the 4-1 Saints in the NFC South. But they aren't without flaws. While Carolina does host a resurgent defense (4th best in the league), they have not been able to get going offensively, weighing in at 28th in the league. And take into account that the Panthers just got smothered by the Washington Redskins (another away NFC East matchup). But make no mistake -€” this is a prove-it game for the birds. Sunday afternoon could solidify that. Especially if you think there's any validity to why Southern and Western teams struggle so mightily when they come to play in Philly. Let's take a look.

Reasons the Streak will stay:

1) Travel -€” Depending on distance, teams are immediately at a disadvantage when time that could be used for game film and preparation is exhausted travelling from one stadium to another. This applies most directly to teams travelling cross-country (Western division in this case), who must readjust to other time zones. So far this season, "Western" teams travelling on the road to opponents east of the Mississippi are 3-8. Interestingly enough, the Kansas City Chiefs are 1-1 (Won in Pittsburgh, Lost in New England) and the Los Angeles Rams have not had an away game this season where they've travelled cross-country (Hmmm.)

2) Climate -€” As most of us in the Northeast have recently noticed, the cold(er) season is upon us. Visiting teams accustomed to warm weather and, in some cases, domed stadiums, will begin to realize this as well when they visit Northern opponents. Again, this applies considerably later on in the season when the weather has turned. Over the course of 2017, starting in October into the post-season, "Southern" teams went 9-12 against away opponents north of Nashville who do not play in a dome.

3) Home Crowd -€” The Eagles are 9-2 at home since the beginning of the 2017 season. Amazing to think that at one point, Philadelphia's home crowd was more of a hindrance than a boost. A lot has changed -€” now that fans can rally behind a franchise MVP caliber quarterback, the home crowd is more consistent than ever. In this new era, no team can waltz into Philadelphia and get away with an easy win.

4) This Team has been good -€” For the past few seasons, or as long as Carson Wentz has been around, the Eagles have been competitors. There's always been a resilience about this team that has resonated from the top down. And then there's talent -€” According to ProFootball Focus, the Eagles still retain the most complete line play on both sides of the ball (2nd on offense, 1st on defense). Additionally, they were recently ranked 4th in PFF's power rankings, which isn't bad considering their mediocre record. If this offense can take flight and the defense can be more consistent, there is reason to think the Panthers, and any team for that matter, will have their hands full.

(Potential) Reasons the Streak will be Broken:

1) Unproven -€” The combined record of teams the Eagles have beaten this season equate to 4-14. That's awful. And that's not to completely discredit the birds. They just haven't played any elite teams at this point. But at the same time, it's hard to ignore. Getting a win this weekend would provide the best evidence so far of a team that has righted its ship.

2) Opposing Elite Quarterbacks -€” For any NFL team, possessing an elite quarterback can be the antidote to any losing streak. Luckily, I don't consider the Panthers to possess one. Cam Newton is an above average quarterback that can flash highlight reel plays with his athleticism, but he is no Drew Brees. It takes someone who can put the team on their back in order to beat the Eagles at home.

All in all, I do expect a good game on Sunday. I can't guarantee the Eagles will beat the betting line (-4.5, ESPN), but I do believe they will win a second consecutive game and will continue to get better. Of all Western or Southern teams, I contend that there only 4 that can beat Philly in Philly. And they are the New Orleans Saints (Elite Quarterback), the Seattle Seahawks (Elite Quarterback), the Kansas City Chiefs (Elite Team), and the Los Angeles Rams (Elite Team). No, I do not consider the Jacksonville Jaguars to be elite as of this moment. But I'm willing to revise that statement as the season goes on (the Jags have been trash as of late).

We shall see this weekend if the trend continues and if the Eagles are finally who we thought they were! And, we'll find out if I'm completely full of shit and have wasted of all of your time. Thank you.