Can I blame a Super Bowl hangover?
My prognosticating prowess from last year has gone south so far this season.
That's a nice way of saying I now stand 0-3 on the Birds, including picking against them in both of their victories. The one week I thought they'd win, the lost in Tampa.
I think we might both get on the same page this week, even though they face a 2-1 Titans team in Tennessee.
They also will get a look at 'what might have been,' matching up against Marcus Mariota, who was the apple of then coach Chip Kelly's eye.
I don't think anyone now is thinking about what could have been with Mariota over the guy who currently lines up behind center for the Birds, Carson Wentz.
Yes, the Eagles' offense has struggled in the early going. But Wentz does not show any real ill effects of missing nine months with a knee injury. This week he should get wide receiver Alshon Jeffery back. Jay Ajayi also will be back to lug the ball on the ground, despite a small fracture in his back.
But Wentz and friends will be going up against a very stern Tennessee defense.
The real plus for the Eagles should be on the other side of the ball.
Mariota is ailing with some problems in his fingers. They are trying to rely on the run, and not doing it very well. That should play right into the strength of the Eagles' defense. Fletcher Cox and the Eagles' 'D' should dominate this game.
That's a good thing, because they will be without starting safety Rodney McCleod, who will miss the rest of the regular season with a knee injury.
Look for Wentz and the Birds' offense to keep working out the kinks. They likely won't hit full speed for another couple of weeks. The important thing is that this team should get better each week.
The Eagles should put this one in the win column on the backs of a defense that will make life miserable for Mariota while shutting down the Titans' run game.
THE PICK: Make it Eagles 26, Titans 13. Wentz will likely look a little bit better each week. And he will have more weapons this week. The Eagles' defense should have a field day against a limited Titans' offense.
LAST WEEK: I'm not exactly off to a hot start. I thought Andrew Luck and the Colts would do more against the Birds' defense. One thing about this group. They keep people out of the end zone, especially at the end of games. The Colts, just like the Falcons, were sitting on the Birds goal line with a chance to win, but were denied when Derek Barnett sacked Luck on 4th down. The win lifts the Eagles to a 2-1 mark, while yours truly is still looking for his first prognosticating victory, with an ugly 0-3 skid. Need to correct that curve.
GAME BY GAME: Eagles 18, Falcons 12. (My Pick: Falcons 27, Eagles 13)
Buccaneers 27, Eagles 21 (My Pick: Eagles 23, Buccaneers 13)
Eagles 20, Colts 16 (My Pick: Colts 23, Eagles 17)
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