7-1
Go ahead, Eagles fans. Pinch yourselves.
So far this team has blown away all expectations, lifting Carson Wentz into the MVP-talk atmosphere and shattering all those questions about Doug Pederson's abilities.
But the road gets decidedly tougher in the second half. And that will start Sunday at the Linc.
Yes, I know the Broncos come in 3-4 and are making a quarterback switch, going back to Brock Osweiler in attempts to get some kind of offense going.
That won't be the Eagles problem.
This just might be the biggest test of Carson Wentz's young career.
Led by Von Miller, the Denver defense might be the best he's faced. They are the No. 1 ranked defense in the league. Yeah, I know, you haven't heard that much about that this week. The Broncos are No. 2 against the rush, and No. 6 against the pass.
Don't look for a lot of offensive fireworks in this one. Wentz's No. 1 job will be to protect the ball, not turn it over, and not hold on to it forever and take sacks. This could be a big day for kicker Jake Elliott. Good thing, too. So far he's been more dependable on 50-yard field goals than extra points. He missed two more last week.
There's also the karma thing. Will the mid-season addition of Dolphins All-Pro back Jay Ajayi upset the Eagles apple car. That will be another test of Doug Pederson's coaching skills.
I see the Eagles getting a win, if only because of the schedule. The Broncos had to go on the road to play Monday night in Kansas City. Then they went back to Denver and now fly across the country for a date in Philly. That's a big advantage for the Birds.
THE PICK: Make it Eagles 23, Broncos 19. Look for a nasty, smash-mouth affair with once again the Eagles swarming defense providing the difference. We'll get a feel for just how good Carson Wentz is going against one of the NFL's best defenses. But with Brock Osweiler back in at QB for the Broncos, I see a couple of key turnovers turning the game the Eagles way.
LAST WEEK: This was exactly the kind of game so many Eagles have lost in the past. A winless team comes in on a miserable, rainy day. Yes, the Birds struggled at the start, but Doug Pederson managed to get his team back on track and the Eagles' defense completely shutdown C.J. Beathard and the Niners. Another impressive win puts Doug Pederson's Birds at a stunning, NFL-best 7-1 mark. I was on board with another win and raised my personal mark on the year to 6-2.
GAME BY GAME: Chiefs 27, Eagles 20. (My Pick: Chiefs 33, Eagles 17)
Eagles 30, Redskins 17. (My Pick: Eagles 26, Redskins 13)
Eagles 27, Giants 24. (My Pick: Eagles 23, Giants 17)
Eagles 26, Chargers 24. (My Pick: Chargers 27, Eagles 17)
Eagles 34, Cardinals 7. (My Pick: Eagles 29, Cardinals 24)
Eagles 28, Panthers 23. (My Pick: Panthers 26, Eagles 17)
Eagles 34, Redskins 24. (My Pick: Eagles 31, Redskins 19)
Eagles 33, 49ers 10. (My Pick: Eagles 24, 49ers 10)
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