I’m sure they have their reasons, probably something to do with money, but the National Football League is again providing a Monday Night Football doubleheader. Last week, the Saints beat the Panthers and the Steelers upset the Browns, this coming Monday, the schedule serves up the defending National Football Conference Champion Philadelphia Eagles at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That 4:15 p.m. Pacific Time start is followed an hour later when the winless Cincinnati Bengals host the Los Angeles Rams.
Let’s explore the Eagles.
This is a team that finished with the worst record in the NFC in 2020, a wild card playoff berth the following year, and the Super Bowl last season. It has been a steady rise for Nick Sirianni’s squad, and in 2022 they achieved the unity and rhythm that thrives among teammates on a championship team. It is like magic. It also routinely marks the apex of success with a drop in results almost certain to follow.
The path Philadelphia took to get to the Super Bowl is seldom followed by a successful season if their trip to the Roman Numeral Game ends in defeat.
But, if this is supposed to be a notch down year for the Eagles, based on their three point loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, how does one explain their 2-0 start without a point spread loss?
Very fortuitous scheduling.