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Philadelphia became the epicenter of the NFL for the second time since 2018 after the Eagles ended Kansas City's three-peat bid with a dominating 40-22 beatdown of the defending Super Bowl champs. In February, Vic Fangio's retooled defense confused and battered Patrick Mahomes on the night, while Jalen Hurts made all the big plays and carved up the Kansas City defense en route to earning Super Bowl MVP honors.
Nick Sirianni's team exacted revenge for Super Bowl 57, and the Eagles' victory means the 2025 season will kick off at Lincoln Financial Field in Prime Time.
Philadelphia will host the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field this season.
We previously tried to consider who Philadelphia might face in the September opener, and we're re-ranking the teams from most probable to most unlikely.
In the initial rankings, the Cowboys were near the bottom because Dallas had a new head coach and staff: Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, and CeeDee Lamb are returning from injury. Fast-forward two months, and Lawrence is gone. Dallas has since added Tyler Booker and Donovan Ezeiruaku in the NFL draft and traded for former Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. This matchup is always a must-see, and a titanic clash featuring bitter NFC East rivals that moves the needle in the season opener at Lincoln Financial Field, with a Super Bowl banner getting raised, has to take the lead.
This is the most likely scenario because Detroit had the best record in the NFC last season. Still, injuries decimated the defense, and they were upset in the playoffs by the Washington Commanders. The Lions lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Bears, but Dan Campbell's squad has the weapons to put on a fireworks show with Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. The matchup would be explosive, and the Eagles' top-ranked defense would get a formidable opponent on opening night.
A division opponent in the season opener, Washington and Jayden Daniels, would be an electric matchup to kick off the 2025 season. The NFL likes to save division matchups for later in the season, but Philadelphia hung 55 points on the ascending Commanders in the NFC title game, and that loss would still be fresh in Washington's mind.
The Rams were a few missed plays away from potentially being the NFC team facing the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. Like Detroit, the Rams are explosive on offense after the addition of Davante Adams, and this would give Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse another opportunity to alienate Eagles fans.
The Broncos have a big-name coach in Sean Payton, a budding star in quarterback Bo Nix, and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Patrick Surtain II.
[IMG alt="Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Bears won the game, 24-22, on a 51-yard field goal as time expired.
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/philadel...es_352/bac6c7427cdbbf42f8560066026cec7b[/IMG]
The Bears have Ben Johnson as the latest young stud head coach, and he'll bring second-year quarterback Caleb Williams and a plethora of weapons like D'Andre Swift, D.J. Moore, and Rome Odunze.
It would likely never happen, but a New York Giants team with Philadelphia native Abdul Carter and a rebuilt roster would be suitable theater for Saquon Barkley and the Eagles' ring ceremony at a raucous Lincoln Financial Field. This would not be warm-hearted for the NFL to do.
The Las Vegas Raiders hired Chip Kelly as their new offensive coordinator this past week, marking the former NFL head coach's return to the pros after eight years away. He'll join Pete Carroll, quarterback Geno Smith, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, and a rebuilt Raiders team with a star edge rusher in Maxx Crosby.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Ranking the Eagles' potential opponents to kick off 2025 NFL season
Continue reading...
Nick Sirianni's team exacted revenge for Super Bowl 57, and the Eagles' victory means the 2025 season will kick off at Lincoln Financial Field in Prime Time.
Philadelphia will host the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field this season.
We previously tried to consider who Philadelphia might face in the September opener, and we're re-ranking the teams from most probable to most unlikely.
1. Dallas Cowboys
In the initial rankings, the Cowboys were near the bottom because Dallas had a new head coach and staff: Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, and CeeDee Lamb are returning from injury. Fast-forward two months, and Lawrence is gone. Dallas has since added Tyler Booker and Donovan Ezeiruaku in the NFL draft and traded for former Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. This matchup is always a must-see, and a titanic clash featuring bitter NFC East rivals that moves the needle in the season opener at Lincoln Financial Field, with a Super Bowl banner getting raised, has to take the lead.
2. Detroit Lions
This is the most likely scenario because Detroit had the best record in the NFC last season. Still, injuries decimated the defense, and they were upset in the playoffs by the Washington Commanders. The Lions lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Bears, but Dan Campbell's squad has the weapons to put on a fireworks show with Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. The matchup would be explosive, and the Eagles' top-ranked defense would get a formidable opponent on opening night.
3. Washington Commanders
A division opponent in the season opener, Washington and Jayden Daniels, would be an electric matchup to kick off the 2025 season. The NFL likes to save division matchups for later in the season, but Philadelphia hung 55 points on the ascending Commanders in the NFC title game, and that loss would still be fresh in Washington's mind.
4. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams were a few missed plays away from potentially being the NFC team facing the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. Like Detroit, the Rams are explosive on offense after the addition of Davante Adams, and this would give Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse another opportunity to alienate Eagles fans.
5. Denver Broncos
The Broncos have a big-name coach in Sean Payton, a budding star in quarterback Bo Nix, and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Patrick Surtain II.
[IMG alt="Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Bears won the game, 24-22, on a 51-yard field goal as time expired.
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/philadel...es_352/bac6c7427cdbbf42f8560066026cec7b[/IMG]
6. Chicago Bears
The Bears have Ben Johnson as the latest young stud head coach, and he'll bring second-year quarterback Caleb Williams and a plethora of weapons like D'Andre Swift, D.J. Moore, and Rome Odunze.
7. New York Giants
It would likely never happen, but a New York Giants team with Philadelphia native Abdul Carter and a rebuilt roster would be suitable theater for Saquon Barkley and the Eagles' ring ceremony at a raucous Lincoln Financial Field. This would not be warm-hearted for the NFL to do.
8. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders hired Chip Kelly as their new offensive coordinator this past week, marking the former NFL head coach's return to the pros after eight years away. He'll join Pete Carroll, quarterback Geno Smith, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, and a rebuilt Raiders team with a star edge rusher in Maxx Crosby.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Ranking the Eagles' potential opponents to kick off 2025 NFL season
Continue reading...