Eagles Season Schedule Excitement Meter
By Spike Eskin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The 2013 Eagles schedule was released on Thursday, and we've already got people projecting how many games they'll win. I figure I'll wait until at least July for that.
Until then, here's a breakdown of what games may be the most exciting this year and potential storylines.
*Each game is rated on a 1-5 scale of TYs.
** TY stands for Time's Yours, because I'm never ever going to let the Andy Reid era go.
*** 5 is the most exciting, and 1 is the least exciting.
Week 1: Monday, September 9th, Eagles @ Washington Redskins, 7:10 pm - 5 TYs
Are you kidding? We get to see the real Chip Kelly offense for the first time. We get to see whomever is the starting QB for the first time. We get to see Kelly go for it on fourth down on his own 38 at some point and freak out when it doesn't work. Not to mention the probably return of the most exciting quarterback in the game, Robert Griffin III.
Unfortunately, this may be the highlight of the season.
Week 2: Sunday, September 15th, San Diego Chargers @ Eagles, 1:00 pm - 2 TYs
The only reason this isn't a 1 TY game is because we don't see the Chargers that often in Philadelphia. Out of division, out of conference, and the most exciting player on the other team is Philip Rivers.
Week 3: Thursday, September 19th, Kansas City Chiefs @ Eagles, 8:25 pm - 5 TYs
THE RETURN OF BIG RED. This is going to be crazy. No matter how the Eagles season is going at this point, a week of debates leading up to the game about whether or not we'll boo Andy Reid is a certainty. I can't wait for this game.
Week 4: Sunday, September 29th, Eagles @ Denver Broncos, 4:25 pm - 3 TYs
The good here is that the Broncos are likely to be one of the best teams in the NFL again, and have one of the best quarterbacks of all time. The bad here is that it would seem like the Eagles are going to get crushed.
Week 5: Sunday, October 6th, Eagles @ New York Giants, 1:00 pm - 4 TYs
The fact that the Eagles have generally dominated the Giants over the last several years, including the Miracle At The Meadowlands II, definitely makes this one more fun. The fact that the Giants will likely be much better makes it less fun. Making fun of the faces Eli Manning makes makes it more fun.
Week 6: Sunday, October 13th, Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 pm - 1 TY
Oh man I can feel the excitement building. Mediocre Eagles team visits mediocre Bucs team in Tampa. I'm one of the few guys left who still believes in Josh Freeman, so there's that. But pretty much just that.
Week 7: Sunday, October 20th, Dallas Cowboys @ Eagles, 1:00 pm - 5 TYs
It's Dallas. That's just about all we need to know. I'm gambling this is right around the time Nick Foles takes over for Mike Vick as well.
Week 8: Sunday, October 27th, New York Giants @ Eagles, 1:00 pm - 5 TYs
The only thing that could knock this down a notch or two is if both teams are average. If the Giants are great and the Eagles are terrible it's still pretty fun.
Week 9: Sunday, November 3rd, Eagles @ Oakland Raiders, 4:05 pm - 1 TY
This will be one of those games the entire nation ignores, except for Philadelphia and Oakland. Oakland may even choose to ignore it. There is a small opportunity for a "we should have gotten Matt Flynn" argument before or after depending on how he's doing.
Week 10: Sunday, November 10th, Eagles @ Green Bay Packers, 1:00 pm - 3 TYs
What's fun is facing the best quarterback in the league. What's not so fun is ... facing the best quarterback in the league. It will also be painful to watch that game-ending interception from the playoff game a few years ago. You'll do that thing where you think if you watch it enough, Riley Cooper will just knock the friggin ball down.
Week 11: Sunday, November 17th, Washington Redskins @ Eagles, 1:00 pm - 3 TYs
I think there's a pretty decent chance that both teams are pretty average and everyone knows it by this point. I also have the bad feeling that RG III may be hurt again.
Week 12: Sunday, November 24th, Eagles' Bye Week - 5 TYs
We'll need the break.
Week 13: Sunday, December 1st, Arizona Cardinals @ Eagles, 1:00 pm - 1 TY
The least the Cardinals could have done would have been to give us Kevin Kolb to talk about.
Week 14: Sunday, December 8th, Detroit Lions @ Eagles, 1:00 pm - 2 TYs
The Lions have Megatron, and we got to think about the time the Eagles, behind Rodney Peete, scored 108 points in a playoff game against the Lions. I remember being really tired that day and accidentally falling asleep during the game, and waking up and seeing the score and thinking I was dreaming.
Week 15: Sunday, December 15th, Eagles @ Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 pm - 1 TY
Oh this should be terrible.
Week 16: Sunday, December 22nd, Chicago Bears @ Eagles, 1:00 pm - 3 TYs
I will get a sort of perverse pleasure in seeing the Arena Football League coach going up against Chip Kelly. Maybe they will institute a "no punt" policy during this game and a fifth down.
Week 17: Sunday, December 29th, Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys, 1:00 pm - 4 TYs
Meaningful end of the season grudge match, or quiet end to a disappointing season?
Follow Spike on Twitter @SpikeEskin.
