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          NFL Nation

          Eagles' 2016 schedule is tougher than it seems with Seahawks, Packers on docket

          Doug Pederson returns to Philadelphia, this time as the Eagles' head coach. AP Photo/Mel Evans
          • Phil Sheridan, ESPN Staff WriterApr 15, 2016, 12:13 AM
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            • Spent a decade as sports columnist
              at Philadelphia Inquirer
            • Philadelphia native has covered Eagles
              in various roles since 1985
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          Breakdown: The Philadelphia Eagles have to play a second-place schedule despite their 7-9 record last year. That’s how bad the NFC East was in 2015. That means the Eagles have to play Seattle (10-6), Green Bay (10-6) and Atlanta (8-8), three NFC opponents with better records, better teams and better quarterbacks. The Eagles also have a new head coach, Doug Pederson, a transition that most second-place teams do not have to make. That doesn’t mean the Eagles can’t be competitive. Jim Schwartz’s defensive scheme should be a significant improvement, and Pederson has an opportunity to coax the most out of quarterback Sam Bradford and the offense. It would take a major leap forward for the Eagles to be a playoff team, but they have a chance to lay a foundation for 2017 and beyond.

          NFC East on rise: The Eagles went 7-9 last season and were in contention for the NFC East title until mid-December. It was that bad a year for the division. But the Eagles are arguably the least promising team in the division going into 2016. Dallas fell apart without Tony Romo, but he figures to be back this season. Washington reached the playoffs with Kirk Cousins winning big games. The Giants have a new coach, so they’re in a similar boat as the Eagles. It may take 11 wins to claim the division in 2016.

          On the record: The Eagles have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL based on their opponents’ 2015 records. But that’s a little bit misleading. The Eagles have 10 games against teams from the NFC East and the AFC North. Those just happened to be two pretty mediocre divisions last year. Four of those teams finished at 6-10 or below. So that brings the strength of schedule down. But if Baltimore, Dallas and the Giants have more typical seasons, the Eagles’ schedule suddenly doesn’t look all that easy.

          Strength of schedule: 26th, .469

          Eagles Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)

          • Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 11, Cleveland, 1 p.m.

          • Week 2: Monday, Sept. 19, at Chicago, 8:30 P.M.

          • Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 25, Pittsburgh, 4:25 P.M.

          • Week 4: BYE

          • Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 9, at Detroit, 1 p.m.

          • Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 16, at Washington, 1 p.m.

          • Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 23, Minnesota, 1 p.m.

          • Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 30, at Dallas, 8:30 P.M.

          • Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 6, at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

          • Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 13, Atlanta, 1 p.m.

          • Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 20, at Seattle, 4:25 P.M.

          • Week 12: Monday, Nov. 28, Green Bay, 8:30 P.M.

          • Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 4, at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

          • Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 11, Washington, 1 p.m.

          • Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 18, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

          • Week 16: Thursday, Dec. 22, N.Y. Giants, 8:25 P.M.

          • Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 1, Dallas, 1 p.m.