2018 Philadelphia Eagles season

The 2018 season was the Philadelphia Eagles' 86th season in the National Football League and their third under head coach Doug Pederson.

2018 Philadelphia Eagles season
OwnerJeffrey Lurie
General managerHowie Roseman
Head coachDoug Pederson
Home fieldLincoln Financial Field
Results
Record9–7
Division place2nd NFC East
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(at Bears) 16–15
Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at Saints) 14–20
Pro BowlersTE Zach Ertz
OG Brandon Brooks
DT Fletcher Cox
SS Malcolm Jenkins
OT Lane Johnson
Uniform

The Eagles entered the season as the defending champions of Super Bowl LII, when they defeated the previous defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots 41–33 and attempted to become the first team since the 2004 New England Patriots to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. They opened the season with the NFL Kickoff Game on September 6, beating the Atlanta Falcons 18–12. A vast majority of their Super Bowl-winning squad from the 2017 season was retained, although some notable losses included tight end Trey Burton (who contributed to the Philly Special in the Super Bowl), defensive end Vinny Curry, and cornerback Patrick Robinson. Franchise quarterback Carson Wentz, who had been injured late in the 2017 season, returned as a starter in Week 3,[1] but a back injury would bump him down as the number 3 quarterback instead of being placed on injured reserve,[2] and Nick Foles would start in his place for the remainder of the season.

The Eagles struggled through the first three months of the season to a 4–6 record, with inconsistent play and multiple injuries to players such as safety Rodney McLeod and running back Jay Ajayi. With a 21–17 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 7, the Eagles failed to improve or match their record from the previous season. The Eagles also made history in Week 11 with a 48–7 loss in New Orleans, the largest loss by a defending Super Bowl champion in league history. Despite this, the Eagles proceeded to win 5 of their last 6 games, including two division wins over the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins to move to 9–7. A three-game win streak to end the season which included upset wins over the Rams, Texans, and Redskins helped the Eagles make the playoffs with a Vikings loss to the Bears. This is the first time the Eagles made the playoffs in back to back seasons since the 2008–10 seasons.

The Eagles played in their first NFL Kickoff Game and their first game at London's Wembley Stadium in franchise history.

In the playoffs, the Eagles upset the third-seeded Chicago Bears 16–15 in the wild-card round to advance to the Divisional round, where they lost 14–20 to the top-seeded New Orleans Saints, ending their hopes of defending their Super Bowl title. The Eagles were the first defending champions to win a postseason game on the road since the 2004 Patriots.

Roster changes

Free agents
PositionPlayerTag2018 teamNotes
DTBeau AllenUFATampa Bay BuccaneersSigned 3-year, $15 million deal
RBKenjon BarnerUFACarolina PanthersSigned 1-year deal
OTWill BeattyUFA
RBLeGarrette BlountUFADetroit LionsSigned 1 year, $4.5 million deal
LBNigel BradhamUFAPhiladelphia EaglesSigned 5-year, $40 million deal
DEBryan BramanUFA
TETrey BurtonUFAChicago BearsSigned 4-year, $32 million deal
LBDannell EllerbeUFA
LBNajee GoodeUFAIndianapolis ColtsSigned 1-year deal
SCorey GrahamUFAPhiladelphia EaglesSigned 1-year deal
CBPatrick RobinsonUFANew Orleans SaintsSigned 4-year, $20 million deal
RBDarren SprolesUFAPhiladelphia EaglesSigned 1-year, $1.415 million deal
KCaleb SturgisUFALos Angeles ChargersSigned 2-year, $4.45 million deal
SJaylen WatkinsUFALos Angeles ChargersSigned 1-year deal
Player re-signed by the Eagles

Signings
PositionPlayerTag2017 teamDate signedNotes
LBCorey NelsonUFADenver BroncosMarch 14Signed 1-year, $2.25 million deal
DTHaloti NgataUFADetroit LionsMarch 15Signed 1-year, $2.6 million deal
WRMike WallaceUFABaltimore RavensMarch 22Signed 1-year, $2.5 million deal
LBPaul WorrilowUFADetroit LionsApril 3Signed 1-year deal
TERichard Rodgers IIUFAGreen Bay PackersApril 4Signed 1-year deal
WRMarkus WheatonUFAChicago BearsMay 2Signed 1-year deal
QBJoe CallahanUFAGreen Bay PackersMay 7Signed 2-year deal
RBMatt JonesUFAIndianapolis ColtsMay 9Signed 2-year deal
LBLaRoy ReynoldsUFAAtlanta FalconsMay 15Signed 1-year deal
WRKamar AikenUFAIndianapolis ColtsJuly 25Signed 1-year deal
WRDeAndre CarterUFASan Francisco 49ersJuly 28Signed 1-year deal
TEGannon SinclairUFAJacksonville JaguarsAugust 5Signed 1-year deal
QBChristian HackenbergUFAOakland RaidersAugust 12Signed 1-year deal
WRDarius PrinceN/APhiladelphia SoulAugust 18Signed 1-year deal
SDeshawntee GallonUFAArizona CardinalsAugust 27Signed 1-year deal
TEAnthony DenhamUFAArizona CardinalsAugust 28Signed 1-year deal

Departures
PositionPlayer2018 teamDateReason
PDonnie JonesLos Angeles ChargersApril 4Released
TEBrent CelekN/AMarch 13Retired
DEVinny CurryTampa Bay BuccaneersMarch 16Released
CBDaryl WorleyOakland RaidersApril 15Released
LBMychal KendricksSeattle SeahawksMay 22Released
WRMarquess WilsonTBAJuly 24Released
CBRandall GoforthTBAJuly 24Released
TEAdam ZarubaTBAAugust 11Released
LBCorey NelsonTBAAugust 26Released

Trades

Draft
Main article: 2018 NFL Draft
2018 Philadelphia Eagles draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
2 49 Dallas Goedert  TE South Dakota State From Indianapolis via Seattle and NY Jets
4 125 Avonte Maddox  CB Pittsburgh From Baltimore
4 130 Josh Sweat *  DE Florida State From Minnesota
6 206 Matt Pryor  OT Texas Christian
7 233 Jordan Mailata  OT From New England via Arizona and Kansas City
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Draft trades

  • The Eagles traded their second-round selection (64th overall), first-, third- and fourth-round selections in 2016 (8th, 77th and 100th overall), and their first-round selection in 2017 (12th overall) to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's first-round selection in 2016 (2nd overall) and a fourth-round selection in 2017 (139th overall).
  • The Eagles traded their third-round selection (96th overall) and wide receiver Jordan Matthews to Buffalo in exchange for cornerback Ronald Darby.
  • The Eagles traded quarterback Sam Bradford to Minnesota in exchange for Minnesota's fourth-round selection (130th overall) and a first-round selection in 2017 (14th overall).
  • The Eagles traded cornerback Eric Rowe to New England in exchange for a conditional fourth-round selection (131st overall).
  • The Eagles traded a fourth-round selection (131st overall) to Miami in exchange for running back Jay Ajayi.
  • The Eagles traded their seventh-round selection (250th overall) and offensive tackle Matt Tobin to Seattle in exchange for Seattle's fifth-round selection (156th overall). The two sides later returned these selections to each other with the trade of Michael Bennett
  • The Eagles traded their first-round selection (32nd overall), and their fourth-round selection (132nd overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a 2nd-round draft pick (52nd overall), a fourth-round pick (125th overall), and a 2nd-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
  • The Eagles traded their second-round selection (52nd overall) and their fifth-round selection (169th overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a second-round draft pick (49th overall).
Undrafted free agents
PlayerPositionCollege
Jeremy ReavesSSouth Alabama
Josh AdamsRBNotre Dame
Toby WeathersbyOTLSU
Joe OstmanDECentral Michigan
Dominick SandersSGeorgia
Chandon SullivanCBGeorgia State
Jordan ThomasCBOklahoma
Stephen RobertsSAuburn
Bruce HectorDTSouth Florida
Anthony MahoungouWRPurdue
Asantay BrownLBWestern Michigan
Aaron EvansOTUCF
Ryan NealSSouthern Illinois
Ian ParkOGSlippery Rock
Danny EzechukwuDEPurdue
Tim WilsonWREast Stroudsburg
Kyle WilsonLBArkansas State
Adam RethDTNorthern Iowa
Jaboree WilliamsLBWake Forest

Staff
2018 Philadelphia Eagles staff
Front office
  • Chairman/CEO – Jeffrey Lurie
  • President – Don Smolenski
  • Executive vice president of football operations – Howie Roseman
  • Senior football advisor – Tom Donahoe
  • Vice president of player personnel – Joe Douglas
  • Director of player personnel – Andy Weidl
  • Vice president of football operations and strategy – Alec Halaby
  • Senior director of college scouting – Anthony Patch
  • Director of college scouting – Ian Cunningham
  • Assistant director of college scouting – Alan Wolking
  • Director of pro scouting – Dwayne Joseph
  • Assistant director of pro scouting – Brandon Brown
  • Vice president of football administration – Jake Rosenberg
  • Director of football operations – Jon Ferrari
  • Director of team travel & football logistics – Dan Ryan
  • Player personnel executive – T. J. McCreight
  • National scout – Patrick Stewart
  • Assistant director of football analytics – Taylor Rajack

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength coach – Josh Hingst
  • Assistant strength coach – Keith Gray
  • Performance nutrition coordinator – Michael Minnis
  • Strength assistant – Ben Wagner
  • Director of high performance – Shaun Huls

Roster
2018 Philadelphia Eagles final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
 53 active, 18 inactive, 10 practice squad

Preseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 August 9 Pittsburgh Steelers L 14–31 0–1 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
2 August 16 at New England Patriots L 20–37 0–2 Gillette Stadium Recap
3 August 23 at Cleveland Browns L 0–5 0–3 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
4 August 30 New York Jets W 10–9 1–3 Lincoln Financial Field Recap

Regular season

Schedule

On January 11, the NFL announced that the Eagles will play the Jacksonville Jaguars in one of the London Games at Wembley Stadium in London, England, with the Jaguars serving as the home team. It will be the Eagles' first appearance in the International Series. The game would occur during Week 8 (October 28), and will be televised in the United States. The exact date, along with network and kickoff time, were announced in conjunction with the release of the 2018 regular season schedule.[6]

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 September 6 Atlanta Falcons W 18–12 1–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
2 September 16 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 21–27 1–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap
3 September 23 Indianapolis Colts W 20–16 2–1 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
4 September 30 at Tennessee Titans L 23–26 (OT) 2–2 Nissan Stadium Recap
5 October 7 Minnesota Vikings L 21–23 2–3 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
6 October 11 at New York Giants W 34–13 3–3 MetLife Stadium Recap
7 October 21 Carolina Panthers L 17–21 3–4 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
8 October 28 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 24–18 4–4 United Kingdom Wembley Stadium (London) Recap
9 Bye
10 November 11 Dallas Cowboys L 20–27 4–5 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
11 November 18 at New Orleans Saints L 7–48 4–6 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
12 November 25 New York Giants W 25–22 5–6 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
13 December 3 Washington Redskins W 28–13 6–6 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
14 December 9 at Dallas Cowboys L 23–29 (OT) 6–7 AT&T Stadium Recap
15 December 16 at Los Angeles Rams W 30–23 7–7 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap
16 December 23 Houston Texans W 32–30 8–7 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
17 December 30 at Washington Redskins W 24–0 9–7 FedExField Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1: vs. Atlanta Falcons

NFL Kickoff Game

Week One: Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Falcons 3 3 0612
Eagles 0 3 7818

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Game information

The Eagles kicked off the 2018 season hosting Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons in a rematch of last year's Divisional Round. The Falcons struggles in the red zone continued as they were stopped on fourth and goal on their first drive. The Eagles, however, had struggles of their own being held scoreless until midway through the second when Jake Elliott kicked a 26-yard field goal to tie the game. The Falcons responded with a Matt Bryant field goal to take a 6–3 lead at the half. The Eagles offense finally found life midway through the third in a remake of the Philly Special with the reigning Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles catching a pass from Nelson Agholor on a trick play. A 1-yard TD run by Jay Ajayi gave the Eagles their first lead of the night. A couple of drives later, the Eagles defense came up big again with a Rasul Douglas interception that ended a potential scoring drive for the Falcons. However, Foles (who struggled for most of the game) return the favor after throwing an interception to Deion Jones. Atlanta took advantage and scored on a 9-yard TD run by Tevin Coleman to give them a 12–10 lead (Bryant missed the extra point). The Eagles scored with under 3 minutes left on an 11-yard TD run by Ajayi and converted a two-point conversion to take a 6-point, 18–12 lead. Ryan and the Falcons had one more shot to win the game but in a repeat of last year's playoff matchup, the game came down to the final play with the Eagles stopping the Falcons on five consecutive plays, with the last being an incomplete pass from Matt Ryan to Julio Jones.

The Eagles won a nailbiter and open the season with a 1–0 record for the seventh time in their last nine openers dating back to 2010. Despite the defense's outstanding game, the offense struggled mightily. Foles finished 19/34 for just 117 yards and the latter interception. Atlanta and Philadelphia combined for 26 penalties by the end of regulation.

Week 2: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week Two: Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 0 7 7721
Buccaneers 7 13 7027

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Game information

The Eagles traveled to Tampa Bay for Game 2 of the 2018 season. The Eagles defense struggled throughout most of the game as Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 400+ yards and four TDs for the second consecutive week. The Eagles late comeback attempt fell short after the Bucs offense converted on a 3rd-and-3 aided by a penalty en route to a 27–21 loss. Cornerback Jalen Mills was heavily criticized after his poor performance which included allowing a 75-yard TD to DeSean Jackson on the first play of regulation.

The loss dropped the Eagles to 1–1.

Week 3: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week Three: Indianapolis Colts at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Colts 7 0 6316
Eagles 7 3 3720

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Game information

Carson Wentz made his 2018 debut returning from a torn ACL he had suffered during Week 14 of the 2017 season in this game against the Colts. The Eagles offense struggled after the first drive, but the defense played well, holding Colts quarterback Andrew Luck to under 100 passing yards until late in the fourth quarter. Wentz led the offense to an 11-minute drive in the fourth quarter (aided by penalties) which resulted in running back Wendell Smallwood rushing for a touchdown to take the lead with 3 minutes left. The Colts got into the red zone but failed to score or at least get a first down. The final play came down to Jacoby Brissett attempting a Hail Mary that ended up barricaded in the end zone.

The win earned the Eagles a 2–1 record, tying with the Redskins for first in the NFC East.

Week 4: at Tennessee Titans
Week Four: Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Eagles 0 10 73323
Titans 3 0 710626

at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

  • Date: September 30
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), sunny
  • Game attendance: 69,013
  • Referee: Shawn Hochuli
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

The Eagles played sparingly well for the first three-quarters holding Tennessee to just a field goal. Wentz threw for two TDs including one to Alshon Jeffery who made his 2018 debut after an offseason surgery which kept him out for the first three weeks. However, the Eagles broke down completely in the fourth allowing Marcus Mariota and the Titans to comeback and take a 20–17 late in the fourth. A 42-yard punt return by DeAndre Carter set up a 30-yard field goal by Jake Elliott tied the game leading to overtime. Elliott kicked a 37-yarder to give the Eagles the lead in overtime. The defense was unable to stop the Titans offense allowing a 4th-and-15 conversion. The drive ended with Mariota throwing a 10-yard TD to Corey Davis. The loss proved to be humiliating for the Eagles. Wentz in his second game back went 33/50 for 348 yards and two TDs. A defense decimated by injuries were once again criticized heavily for the loss.

The loss dropped the Eagles to 2–2, tied for second place with the Cowboys.

Week 5: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week Five: Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 3 14 3323
Eagles 0 3 31521

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Game information

In a rematch of last year's Conference Championship game, the Eagles dropped their second straight game of the season to Minnesota 23–21. A slow start aided with poor defensive play costed the Eagles as their rally attempt fell short.

With this loss, the Eagles matched their loss total from 2017. There were multiple plays that proved critical to the outcome, including a controversial roughing-the-passer call on Michael Bennett at the end of the first half that continued a touchdown-scoring drive, and a third-quarter Jay Ajayi fumble near the goal line. They were also flagged 3 times for illegal formation penalties, and Carson Wentz was flagged for intentional grounding that cost the Eagles an opportunity to kick a field goal with 9:33 left in the 4th quarter.

The loss dropped the Eagles to 2–3, still tied for second place since Dallas lost later to the Texans in overtime.

Week 6: at New York Giants
Week Six: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 14 10 7334
Giants 3 3 7013

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Date: October 11
  • Game time: 8:20 pm. EDT
  • Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), light rain
  • Game attendance: 77,167
  • Referee: Ronald Torbert
  • TV announcers (Fox/NFLN): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

What was considered a must win game, the Eagles looked dominant and never looked back. The game started off with linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill intercepting Eli Manning setting up a Wentz TD pass to Alshon Jeffery. The Giants responded with a field goal making it 7–3. Later in the first, a Corey Clement 1-yard TD run put the Eagles up 14–3 The Eagles shut down the Giants for the most part in the first half leading 24–6 by half time. All the Giants mustered was a 50-yard TD run by rookie Saquon Barkley. The Eagles mostly burned out time in the fourth adding more points with an Elliott 30-yard field goal to make it 34–13. The Eagles offense resembled their Super Bowl winning offense while the defense stepped up and shut down Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. However, Barkley had 130 rushing yards and a TD.

With this win, the Eagles had increased their record to 3–3 and have now won four straight games over the Giants dating back to December 2016. However the Eagles remained tied second place in the division since the Cowboys and Redskins won their games.

Week 7: vs. Carolina Panthers
Week Seven: Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Panthers 0 0 02121
Eagles 0 10 7017

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Game information

After a big road win, the Eagles came back home to square off against Cam Newton and the Panthers. The Eagles again looked poised to win; going up 10–0 before halftime, then going up 17–0 before the end of the 3rd Quarter. But in a much similar narrative to their Week 4 loss in Tennessee, the Eagles broke down in the fourth quarter allowing the Panthers to score 21 unanswered points; including a 2-point conversion from Cam Newton to Jarius Wright following the second of their 3 touchdowns. The offense was shut down and did not respond to Cam Newton's three TDs to Curtis Samuel, Devin Funchess and Greg Olsen. The Eagles had one more shot to win after a defensive pass interference penalty moved them deep in Panthers territory, but they didn't convert on a key fourth down, sealing yet another loss with a blown lead.

The loss dropped the Eagles to 3–4 and third in the NFC East, and allowed the Redskins to take a two-game lead in the division after they beat the Cowboys later that evening. Also with this loss, they could no longer match their win total from their Super Bowl-winning season.

Week 8: at Jacksonville Jaguars

NFL London Games

Week Eight: Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 0 10 7724
Jaguars 3 3 6618

at Wembley Stadium, London, England

Game information

This marked the Eagles first appearance in the NFL International Series in London as they faced the Jacksonville Jaguars who were also struggling after a strong 2017 campaign. After two turnovers on their first two processions, the Eagles offense played well. Wentz had another strong game after facing criticism after last week, throwing for three TDs. Rookie tight end Dallas Goedert scored a TD for the second straight week and his third in his career. The defense managed to stop the Jaguars on their last drive to prevent a game winning drive. The Eagles sealed the win on their last drive, making two key conversions on second down, which helped them milk out the clock.

With the close win, the Eagles headed into their bye week with a 4–4 record.

Week 9: Bye week

During their bye week, the Eagles traded a 2019 third-round pick to the Detroit Lions for WR Golden Tate at the trade deadline. The Eagles also gained better position in the NFC East with the Redskins and Cowboys both losing their games.

Week 10: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week Ten: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 3 10 01427
Eagles 0 3 10720

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: November 11
  • Game time: 8:20 pm. EST
  • Game weather: 38 °F (3 °C), clear
  • Game attendance: 69,696
  • Referee: John Parry
  • TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

The Eagles returned home for a crucial Sunday Night game against their bitter rivals the Dallas Cowboys who had struggled with a dismal 3–5 record. Despite being favored to dominate, they struggled in the first half trailing 13–3 at the half, and despite keeping neck and neck, never once led. After finding a spark on offense, the defense struggled to contain the Cowboys. A last second desperation drive with Zach Ertz lateraling the ball to Golden Tate ended up falling short of the end zone. With this loss, they not only dropped them to 4–5, but it also raised many concerns on whether or not if the team were still contenders. Also with the loss, they dropped to third place in the NFC East division, standing at the brink of playoff contention just 9 months after winning the Super Bowl.

Week 11: at New Orleans Saints
Week Eleven: Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 0 7 007
Saints 10 14 141048

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: November 18
  • Game time: 4:25 pm. EST/3:25 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,042
  • Referee: Carl Cheffers
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

The Eagles entered this game with a gruesome injury list and shorthanded on defense. The Eagles struggled to get anything going on offense while the defense (which consisted of third string/practice squad players) was unable to contain Drew Brees and the Saints. The Eagles suffered a major meltdown all evening long as fans started to boil over on social media and question their defending champs inconsistent performance. Even the voice of the Eagles; Merrill Reese commented on Twitter, "What a disaster! I didn't expect the Eagles to win but I didn't expect them to be completely dominated in every respect from beginning to end. Where are they going to get corners to play against the Giants next week ?". The Saints were too much for the Eagles as the team fell to 4–6 on the season and at the brink of the playoff picture. Carson Wentz had the worst game of his career; being held to 156 yards, no touchdowns and 3 interceptions.

Furthermore, the Eagles' loss to the Saints by 41 points is the biggest defeat for a defending Super Bowl Champion.[7] In addition, this was their worst loss since their 42–0 defeat to the Seahawks in 2005.

This was also the Eagles' first defeat to New Orleans since the 2012 season.

Week 12: vs. New York Giants
Week Twelve: New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Giants 9 10 0322
Eagles 0 11 31125

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Game information

After last week's meltdown, the Eagles returned home for round 2 against the Giants who were having an underwhelming season. The Eagles struggles continued as they fell through early facing a 19–3 deficit. However, the offense turned around and scored 22 unanswered points led by young running backs Corey Clement and rookie Josh Adams while the defense shutdown Eli Manning and held them to just 3 points in the second half. The Eagles would win with a Jake Elliott game-winning field goal completing their comeback and snapping their 3-game losing streak.

The Eagles advanced to 5–6 after what it seemed like all hope was lost.

With this win, the all-time series is tied 86–86–2. Furthermore, the Eagles have now won five straight games over the Giants dating back to December 2016 and extended their home win streak against the Giants to five games (dating back to October 2014).

Week 13: vs. Washington Redskins
Week Thirteen: Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Redskins 0 13 0013
Eagles 7 7 01428

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Game information

After a big comeback last week, the Eagles stayed home for a Monday Night showdown against Adrian Peterson and the Redskins. The Eagles mostly dominated throughout the game although there were some self-inflicted wounds that could've costed them. The offense was solid for the most part although there were some questionable plays. The defense mostly contained the Redskins, despite allowing a 90-yard Adrian Peterson TD run. The defense knocked out veteran backup Colt McCoy (who was filling in for Alex Smith who was out for the year). Former Eagles QB Mark Sanchez came in for the Redskins. A Nathan Gerry INT setup the Eagles to essentially pull the game away with a 4-yard TD pass to Jordan Matthews.

With this win against the Redskins, the Eagles now evened their record at 6–6. They have now won three straight games over the Redskins dating back to 2017. Also with this win they won back to back games for the first time this season.

Week 14: at Dallas Cowboys
Week Fourteen: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Eagles 0 0 617023
Cowboys 3 3 314629

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: December 9
  • Game time: 4:25 pm. EST/3:25 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,127
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

The Eagles came in feeling good about themselves as they looked to take the division. However, with a slow start, the Eagles seemed to lose life again. However, they came back and it was a back and forth battle between the two teams. While the Eagles offense got it going, the defense was unable to contain Dak Prescott and the Cowboys; who torched the Eagles with 455 yards, 192 yards from scrimmage by Ezekiel Elliott and 3 touchdowns to Amari Cooper. Eventually, the Cowboys won with an Amari Cooper TD in overtime. The loss proved to be crumbling for the Eagles as they fell back at the brink of the playoff picture. After the game, controversy filled among fans on social media blaming the officiating by the referees which affected the outcome.[8]

With the loss, the Eagles fell to 6–7, and they were swept by the Cowboys for the first time since 2012.

Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams
Week Fifteen: Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 3 10 17030
Rams 7 6 01023

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

  • Date: December 16
  • Game time: 8:20 pm. EST/5:20 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C), cloudy
  • Game attendance: 74,210
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

After a heartbreaking loss, the Eagles came into LA wounded with injuries, including QB Carson Wentz, who was ruled out for the game. It was Nick Foles who was going to start against Jared Goff and the red hot Rams. The Eagles shocked the Rams with a 30–13 lead by the end of the third quarter. However, the Rams rallied back within one score with one last shot to send the game into overtime. The Eagles defense stalled them on their last drive and sealed the upset. The defense was praised for containing one of the NFL's top offenses while the offense was praised for its strong performance led by Foles.

With the win in Los Angeles, the Eagles climbed back to 7–7, and kept their playoff hopes alive. They entered the game as 13.5-point underdogs. Nick Foles once again came into LA and beat the Rams after taking over for an injured Carson Wentz, as he had done in 2017.

Week 16: vs. Houston Texans
Week Sixteen: Houston Texans at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 0 16 01430
Eagles 7 6 10932

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Game information

The Eagles defeated the Texans after a last-second field goal attempt from Jake Elliott was successful, despite turning the ball over three times and a late rally attempt by Houston. The offense continued dominating with Foles taking down another big opponent. The defense was solid despite the late collapse that could've ended their playoff hopes.

With the win, the Eagles advanced to 8–7 with higher hopes of making the playoffs only needing a win and a Vikings loss. The Eagles now have a record of 4–1 since a 48–7 loss to the Saints.

Week 17: at Washington Redskins
Week Seventeen: Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 3 7 7724
Redskins 0 0 000

at FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland

  • Date: December 30
  • Game time: 4:25 pm. EST
  • Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C), sunny
  • Game attendance: 63,188
  • Referee: Craig Wrolstad
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

The Eagles entered Week 17 needing a win over the Redskins and help from the Chicago Bears to keep their playoff hopes alive. Philadelphia dominated Washington from start to finish in a 24–0 shutout win. The offense was consistent despite losing Foles midway through the fourth quarter dominating time of possession having the ball for over 40 minutes compared to just over 15 minutes for Washington. Third string QB Nate Sudfeld sealed the win with a 22-yard TD pass to Nelson Agholor. The defense shutdown QB Josh Johnson and the Redskins who were held to just 89 total yards and 8 first downs. CB Rasul Douglas set the tone early with an INT on the first play of the game.

With the win, the Eagles finished the 2018 season with a 9–7 record. The Eagles would eventually clinch the final playoff berth when the Bears defeated the Minnesota Vikings 24–10. The Eagles made the playoffs for consecutive seasons for the first time since the 2008–2010 seasons. The Eagles became the first defending champions to qualify for the postseason as a wild card team since the 2010 Saints.

Division
NFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(4) Dallas Cowboys 10 6 0 .625 5–1 9–3 339 324 W2
(6) Philadelphia Eagles 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 367 348 W3
Washington Redskins 7 9 0 .438 2–4 6–6 281 359 L2
New York Giants 5 11 0 .313 1–5 4–8 369 412 L3

Conference
NFC
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1[lower-alpha 1] New Orleans Saints South 13 3 0 .813 4–2 9–3 .482 .488 L1
2[lower-alpha 1] Los Angeles Rams West 13 3 0 .813 6–0 9–3 .480 .428 W2
3 Chicago Bears North 12 4 0 .750 5–1 10–2 .430 .419 W4
4 Dallas Cowboys East 10 6 0 .625 5–1 9–3 .488 .444 W2
Wild Cards
5 Seattle Seahawks West 10 6 0 .625 3–3 8–4 .484 .400 W2
6 Philadelphia Eagles East 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 .518 .486 W3
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Minnesota Vikings North 8 7 1 .531 3–2–1 6–5–1 .504 .355 L1
8[lower-alpha 2] Atlanta Falcons South 7 9 0 .438 4–2 7–5 .482 .348 W3
9[lower-alpha 2] Washington Redskins East 7 9 0 .438 2–4 6–6 .486 .371 L2
10[lower-alpha 2] Carolina Panthers South 7 9 0 .438 2–4 5–7 .508 .518 W1
11 Green Bay Packers North 6 9 1 .406 1–4–1 3–8–1 .488 .417 L1
12 Detroit Lions North 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 .504 .427 W1
13[lower-alpha 3] New York Giants East 5 11 0 .313 1–5 4–8 .527 .487 L3
14[lower-alpha 3] Tampa Bay Buccaneers South 5 11 0 .313 2–4 4–8 .523 .506 L4
15 San Francisco 49ers West 4 12 0 .250 1–5 2–10 .504 .406 L2
16 Arizona Cardinals West 3 13 0 .188 2–4 3–9 .527 .302 L4
Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 4]
  1. New Orleans finished ahead of LA Rams based on head-to-head victory.
  2. Atlanta finished ahead of Washington based on head-to-head victory. Atlanta finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head sweep. Washington finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head victory.
  3. NY Giants finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory.
  4. When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason
See also: 2018–19 NFL playoffs

Schedule
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap
Wild Card January 6, 2019 at Chicago Bears (3) W 16–15 1–0 Soldier Field Recap
Divisional January 13, 2019 at New Orleans Saints (1) L 14–20 1–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap

Game summaries
See also: Double Doink

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (3) Chicago Bears
NFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) Philadelphia Eagles at (3) Chicago Bears – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 3 0 7616
Bears 0 6 0915

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

The Eagles started their playoff run by traveling to Chicago to square off against Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears, who helped the Eagles get to the playoffs in the first place. In an intense defensive battle, the Eagles got the edge with a Golden Tate TD with just under a minute left. The Bears drove down the field, but after an upright and crossbar "Double Doink" by Bears kicker Cody Parkey (also a former Eagles kicker), the Eagles narrowly escaped the Windy City with a 16–15 win and advanced to New Orleans for a rematch.

The Eagles won their first road playoff game since 2008.

NFC Divisional Playoffs: at (1) New Orleans Saints
NFC Divisional Playoffs: (6) Philadelphia Eagles at (1) New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 14 0 0014
Saints 0 10 7320

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

The Eagles traveled to New Orleans to face the Saints in a rematch of the Week 11 game which ended in a 48–7 rout in the Saints' favor. Despite jumping out to an early 14–0 first-quarter lead over the top-seeded Saints on touchdowns by Jordan Matthews and Nick Foles, the Eagles could not keep up the pace. New Orleans responded with 20 unanswered points over the final three-quarters, including the eventual game-winning third-quarter touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Michael Thomas, to defeat the Eagles 20–14 and end Philadelphia's reign as Super Bowl Champions. The loss was just the second career postseason loss for Foles, the other being a 26–24 loss in the 2013 season, also to the Saints. New Orleans' victory over Philadelphia meant that, for the 14th straight season, a new Super Bowl champion would be crowned.

References
  1. "Carson Wentz cleared to return, will start Sunday". NFL.com. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  2. "Carson Wentz will continue to be the Eagles No. 3 quarterback". 247sports.com. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  3. "Eagles Acquire DE Michael Bennett From Seahawks". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  4. "CB Daryl Worley Comes To Philadelphia in Exchange For WR Torrey Smith". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  5. "Lions trade wide receiver Golden Tate to Eagles". NFL.com. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  6. "2018 NFL LONDON SCHEDULE KICKS OFF AT NEW TOTTENHAM STADIUM; THREE TEAMS TO MAKE UK DEBUTS". NFL Communications. January 11, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  7. "Eagles 41-point loss to Saints is the largest by a defending Super Bowl champion". Eagles Wire. November 19, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  8. "Social media torches Eagles-Cowboys referees after awful offensive PI call". NBC Sports Philadelphia. December 9, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
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