NFL thinks Eagles are ready for prime time

Chip Kelly and the Eagles may not have made the playoffs last year, but the NFL certainly considers them ready for prime time.

The Birds will play no less than five prime time games this year. The league released the schedule last night, and newspaper editors all across the Delaware Valley spent a sleepless night knowing they will be racing deadline with five night games built into the schedule.

And you will have a healthy helping of another kind of bird in Thanksgiving as well. The Eagles will class with the Lions in the annual Turkey Day game in Detroit. It's the second straight year the Birds will play on Thanksgiving.

DeMarco Murray will not have to wait long to band shoulder pads with his old team. The Eagles will host the Cowboys on Week 2, and will visit Dallas on Nov. 8, after their bye week.

The season opens with the first Monday night game of the year, in Atlanta against the Falcons.

Another highlight? Circle Dec. 23. That's when Shady McCoy will try to make like the Grinch and ruin the Eagles holiday season when he returns to the Linc on Dec. 13 for a 1 p.m. game.

Beat writer Bob Grotz says the early part of the schedule is kind to the Eagles, giving them a chance to get off to a solid start. Me? I'd just settle for knowing who the quarterback will be. We'll probably get a better feel for that next week when we can finally put the speculation surrounding Kelly's pursuit of Oregon QB Marcus Mariota to bed when the NFL Draft is held Thursday, April 30. The Eagles have the 20th pick.

Here is the complete 2015 Eagles schedule: Philadelphia Eagles

Sept. 14 at Atlanta, 7:10p

Sept. 20 Dallas, 4:25 p.m.

Sept. 27 at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Oct. 4 at Washington, 1 p.m.

Oct. 11 New Orleans, 1 p.m.

Oct. 19 N.Y. Giants, 8:30 p.m.

Oct. 25 at Carolina-x, 8:30 p.m.

Nov. 1 BYE

Nov. 8 at Dallas-x, 8:30 p.m.

Nov. 15 Miami, 1 p.m.

Nov. 22 Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Nov. 26 at Detroit, 12:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 at New England, 4:25 p.m.

Dec. 13 Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Dec. 20 Arizona, 1 p.m.

Dec. 26 Washington, 8:25 p.m.

Jan. 3 at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.