If it seems like forever since the Eagles last played, it has.
Actually, it's been about 10 days since the Birds dispatched Eli Manning and the New York Giants in a Thursday night prime time affair.
Can't the Eagles play the Giants every week?
Instead it's back to the routine this week with a 1 o'clock test vs. the Carolina Panthers at the Linc.
The Eagles biggest problem continues to be mounting injuries. Both anchors of their offensive line, left tackle Jason Peters and right tackle Lane Johnson, are banged up. Both will play, but neither will be at 100 percent. Look for Peters to make his usual move to the sidelines several times during the game.
Once again, the Eagles chances will ride largely on the right arm of Carson Wentz, who has been dealing with a bit of a balky back himself this week in practice. Corey Clement and Wendell Smallwood once again will have to come up big supplying some version of a running attack. But the Birds are going to live and die this year with Wentz's ability to get the ball to Alshon Jeffery and his two very good tight tends, Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.
On defense, Jim Schwartz's crew has had success in the pass limiting Cam Newton's ability to make something out of nothing. They've forced him to stay in the pocket. His biggest weapon so far this year has been spotting Christian McCaffrey. The Eagles linebacking corps will have their hands full with him.
But the Panthers do not play well on the road, and this will make back-to-back road games against NFC East foes. The Panthers are 3-0 at home, but a winless 0-2 on the road.
I don't see that changing this week.
THE PICK: Make it Eagles 26, Panthers 17. I'm not even a little bit confident that the Eagles' win over the lowly Giants means they have shaken off their Super Bowl hangover. But they seem to have Cam Newton's number and the Panthers are not a good road team.
LAST WEEK: The Eagles weren't the only ones desperate for a win last week vs. the Giants. It marked by my first correct pick of the week. I'm still trying to dig out of a fairly miserable 1-5 record. This is why I don't hang out in casinos. The win lifted the Eagles back to the .500 at 3-3.
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)
Titans 26, Eagles 23 in OT (My Pick: Eagles 26, Titans 13)
Vikings 23, Eagles 21 (My Pick: Eagles 24, Vikings 13)
Eagles 34, Giants 13 (My Pick: Eagles 19, Giants 17)
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