The Eagles Will Reign Again In The NFC East...But Beyond?

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It seems like the great inside joke among the Eagles. Behind closed doors, they laugh about the idea that there are cracks in the wall and at the public perception as to how they've played during the preseason. Among themselves, they know how good they are. This is a supremely confident team. Collectively, they're an arrogant group—as all defending Super Bowl champions are; arrogant like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and, yes, Carson Wentz have to be.

They each step on the field knowing that they're going to win.

How much the Eagles will win this season may not equal what they did last year.

This is a team capable of winning as many as 10 to 13 games. And it's a team that can get back to the Super Bowl. But will they?

The NFC is a rough landscape in 2018. The NFC went 41-23 vs. the AFC in 2017. This season, the Eagles play all five of the other NFC playoff teams, which combined to finish 56-24 and a .700 winning percentage in 2017. And guess what, the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers are all better.

So, too, are the Eagles.

But better enough to go 13-3 and win home field advantage throughout the playoffs again?

That may not be possible, considering the Eagles' strength of schedule, plus the Rams have added significant pieces like Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Brandin Cooks.

"I think we're a team that has no ceiling," Eagles' cornerback Jalen Mills said. "We're 100-percent better than how we've played this preseason. One of the things that has been going around is everybody thinks, not us, but as far as fans and stuff, and media, that we're the Super Bowl 52 team, which we are not."

"We have a lot of the same players, but this is a completely new team. I think we can be better."

Lane Johnson, the Eagle's All-Pro right tackle, didn't hesitate when it came to the potential of the 2018 Eagles.

"I think it's extremely good," Johnson said. "I'm not going to call out wins and losses, but we're a very good team. We're better than 0-3 and how we've played in the preseason."

Brandon Brooks, the Eagles' Pro Bowl right guard, says this is a team still in search of an identity. "We can get back to where we were last year," Brooks said. "We're much better than we've shown [this preseason]. Any new year, it's a new team. Coaches came in and coaches left, and we need to find out what works well and go from there."

The Eagles will be the first team since 2004 to win consecutive NFC East titles. The Eagles will win double-digit games again this year. And reach the NFC championship. The one thing missing this year, however, is getting to the Super Bowl. The Rams appear to be the team to beat—and they are, as of August.

Predicted NFC East finish

Eagles 10-6

Giants 9-7

Cowboys 8-8

Redskins 6-10