Looking Back On My ‘Bold’ Predictions For This Eagles Season

With the conclusion of the 2023 regular season upon us, it’s time to take a look back at my 5 bold predictions for the 2023 season. With this season collapsing in front of our eyes, some of my bold predictions collapsed along with it.

1. (Wrong) DeVonta Smith Will Have More Receiving Yards Than A.J. Brown

Unfortunately for the Eagles offense this year, both of our elite wide receivers had a decrease in yards this season. A.J. Brown finished with 1,456 yards, while Smith finished with 1,066. A.J. had the most dominant stretch we have ever seen for a wide receiver in Philadelphia when he went six straight games with 125 yards or more. After that stretch was over, Brown only had one game of over 100 yards in the last 9 weeks of the season. Having over 1,400 yards in a single season is incredible, but he has not been playing his best football since that streak ended.

DeVonta Smith also had fewer receiving yards than he did last season, with only 2 games where he eclipsed 100 yards. I personally think that Smith is extremely underutilized in this offseason, and should have had a better year than he did. I thought that the Eagles’ passing game was going to take another leap this season, but instead, it took a step back. Both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are elite receivers, and we are lucky to have them, but both failed to reach the heights they did last season.

2. (Wrong) Kenneth Gainwell Will Lead The Team In Rushing

Looking back on this now this was most certainly a bold prediction, but during training camp, Gainwell led all running backs in total carries. Usually when a player gets first-team reps in camp that will translate to first-team reps on the field. That was not the case with the Eagles as D’Andre Swift finished the season with 1,049 yards and Gainwell finished with just 364 yards. D’Andre Swift has had a career year in his first year in Philadelphia as he was also selected to the Pro Bowl.

3. (Wrong) Jalen Hurts Will Set The Franchise Record For Passing Yards in a Single Season

Coming off an MVP runner-up season the expectations for Hurts was to build on last season and take another step forward. At the end of the regular season it’s more than fair to stay Hurts has taken a step back this season. The single-season passing yards record for the Eagles is currently held by Carson Wentz with 4,039 yards. Hurts finished with 3,858 yards passing this season. While this is more than last season, he only played in 15 games last season. His 226.94 yards per game average is just about 20 yards less than his 246.73 yards per game in 2022. Hurts finished 14th in total passing yards this season, and 4th in turnovers with 20 total turnovers. If the Eagles are going to do anything in the playoffs they need Hurts to get back to his 2022 level.

4. (Wrong) The Defense Will Start Slow

With a lot of rookies and a new defensive coordinator, I thought the defense was poised for a slow start. While it turns out the defense ended the season playing their worst football of the season, at the beginning of the season they played ok. In their first eight games, the defense allowed over 30 points twice, and it was both against the Commanders. For whatever reason they really struggled with the Commanders, but they played really well in the Bucs, Rams, Jets, and Dolphins games early. The second half of the season of the defense has been a completely different story, but the first half was not that bad overall.

5. (Wrong) The Eagles Will Win The NFC East

This prediction was looking so good for so long, but someway somehow the NFC East curse strikes again. The Eagles lost 5 out of their last 6 games to end the season, allowing the Dallas Cowboys to win the NFC East. After starting 10-1 the Eagles will have to travel on the road in the playoffs to play Tampa Bay after blowing the division and the number two seed against the Cardinals. The only positive is that now that Dallas has won the division, the NFC East curse tells us that they will not win it again next season.