The Philadelphia Eagles' schedule for the 2024 season has been unveiled, and fans are eager to dissect the pros and cons of their upcoming matchups. A closer look at the schedule reveals several advantages and challenges that the Eagles will face throughout the season.

One notable advantage is that the Eagles will not have to play against any opponents coming off their bye week. This eliminates any potential rest disadvantage for the team. However, it also means that they will not have a rest advantage over any opponent either, unlike last year when they had a bye week at the same time as the Chiefs before facing each other.

In Week 6, the Eagles will enjoy a rest advantage over the Cleveland Browns. The Browns will have to travel extensively before visiting Philadelphia, playing in Las Vegas and Landover, Maryland in the preceding weeks. The Eagles will also have a rest advantage over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2, with the Falcons playing on Sunday after the Eagles' season opener on Friday. Although the Eagles will face a long trip back from Brazil, playing on Monday will provide them with a buffer to handle their return.

Unlike the challenging stretch of games the Eagles faced last year known as "The Gauntlet," this year's schedule presents a more balanced series of matchups. The toughest part of their schedule includes back-to-back road games against the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens, as well as a three-game stretch consisting of the Cincinnati Bengals on the road, the Jacksonville Jaguars at home, and the Dallas Cowboys on the road.

In Week 12, the Eagles will have a rest advantage over the Rams, coming off their post-Thursday Night Football mini-bye. The Rams will also have to make a cross-country trip to face the New England Patriots in Week 11. Additionally, the Eagles will not have to play Thursday Night Football on the road.

Towards the end of the season, the Eagles will enjoy a favorable schedule with four out of their last six games being played at home at Lincoln Financial Field. Even their two road games are relatively short drives to Baltimore and Landover, Maryland, with a 21-day gap between them. This stretch of games could potentially allow the Eagles to build momentum heading into the playoffs.

One significant improvement from last year is that the Eagles will not have to face any teams with a mini-bye after Thursday Night Football. This removes the challenge of playing multiple games at a rest disadvantage, as experienced in the past season.

A slight edge may work in the Eagles' favor when they host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. The Cowboys will be coming off a Sunday Night Football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Eagles will have a 1:00 PM start in Landover, Maryland before returning home.

Based on a relevant strength of schedule metric, the Eagles have been assigned one of the easiest schedules in the league for the upcoming season. However, they will lose a home game due to their match in Brazil, which is against a potential playoff competitor in the NFC.

The Eagles face an early bye in Week 5, which means that if they do not secure the No. 1 seed, they potentially face playing their 17th consecutive game without a break if they make it to the Super Bowl.

Their schedule from Week 3 through Week 13 appears to be challenging, with the Eagles playing seven out of 10 games on the road. However, analysts believe that the Eagles are in a good position to win fewer than six games, thus continuing their streak as the non-repeat NFC East winner.

Another notable observation is that the Eagles will not face the Dallas Cowboys in a prime-time game. Although subject to flex scheduling, it is unusual not to see these division rivals scheduled for prime-time matchups.

The 2024 schedule offers a more balanced distribution of game start times, with six 1:00 PM starts compared to only three last season. This provides a welcome relief for fans who prefer earlier starts or struggled to stay up for late games. The Eagles will not have extended breaks from Thursday to Monday games, which was the case in the previous two seasons.

In terms of preseason games, the final 1:00 PM Saturday matchup may not attract a large crowd due to the scorching summer sun and the presence of long-shot players on the field.

Overall, the Philadelphia Eagles' 2024 schedule appears to be an improvement over their previous slate. With advantageous rest periods, balanced matchups, and a favorable strength of schedule ranking, the Eagles have an opportunity to make a strong push towards the playoffs in their quest for success.