If you’re checking your calendar to see who plays the eagles next week, I have some tough news that might make your Monday morning a little gloomier. There is no game next week. None. The Philadelphia Eagles' 2025-2026 season officially hit a brick wall yesterday at Lincoln Financial Field, and the silence in South Philly is pretty much deafening right now.
The Birds fell 23-19 to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round on Sunday, January 11. It was a game that felt like a microcosm of the whole season—flashes of Saquon Barkley's brilliance mixed with frustrating red-zone stalls and a defense that just couldn't quite get off the field when it mattered most. Instead of preparing for a Divisional Round trip to Seattle or a home date with the Rams, the players are currently at the NovaCare Complex packing their lockers into cardboard boxes.
The Wild Card Heartbreak
The 49ers came into the Linc as the No. 6 seed, but honestly, everyone knew they weren't your typical underdog. Brock Purdy played efficient, annoying football. Quinyon Mitchell did his best to keep the Eagles in it with two massive interceptions, but it wasn't enough. Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown seemed out of sync for large stretches, which led to that heated exchange on the sidelines that everyone is talking about today.
When you lose in the first round as the No. 3 seed, "next week" stops being about football and starts being about flight bookings to Cabo.
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Who will the Eagles play in 2026?
Since the playoff run is dead, we have to look much further ahead. The NFL hasn't released the specific dates yet—that usually happens in May—but because the Eagles clinched the NFC East this year, their 2026 dance partners are already locked in.
The schedule makers aren't doing them any favors. Next year's "gauntlet" includes some heavy hitters. You've got the usual divisional scraps, but the out-of-division draws are brutal.
2026 Home Opponents at Lincoln Financial Field:
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- Dallas Cowboys (The usual hate-fest)
- New York Giants
- Washington Commanders
- Los Angeles Rams (Matthew Stafford is still slinging it)
- Seattle Seahawks
- Houston Texans (C.J. Stroud's first trip to Philly)
- Indianapolis Colts (The Shane Steichen homecoming)
- Carolina Panthers
- Pittsburgh Steelers (The battle for Pennsylvania)
2026 Away Opponents:
- Dallas Cowboys
- New York Giants
- Washington Commanders
- San Francisco 49ers (A chance for revenge at Levi's Stadium)
- Arizona Cardinals
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tennessee Titans
- Chicago Bears
That road trip to San Francisco is already circled in red on my mental calendar. After what happened yesterday, that game is going to have a lot of "extracurricular" energy.
What went wrong against San Francisco?
It’s easy to point fingers. Some people are blaming the play-calling. Others are looking at the 131-yard performance from Saquon Barkley and wondering why he didn't touch the ball 40 times.
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The reality? The Eagles finished 11-6 this year. They won the division. By most standards, that’s a successful year. But in Philly, if you aren't hoisting the Lombardi, the season feels like a waste of perfectly good cheesesteaks. The lack of a "next week" means the front office now has to decide if Nick Sirianni is the guy to lead this roster through that 2026 schedule or if the late-season slide was a sign of deeper rot.
Actionable Steps for the Eagles Offseason
The "game" has moved from the turf to the front office. Here is what actually happens next:
- Monitor the Coaching Staff: Keep an eye on the coordinator positions. Usually, after an early exit like this, someone is the sacrificial lamb.
- Free Agency Fixes: The Eagles need help in the secondary despite Mitchell's heroics. Watch for Howie Roseman to get aggressive in March.
- Draft Prep: With the season over, the Eagles' draft pick is now settled in the low 20s. Start looking at edge rusher prospects; the pass rush disappeared when it was needed most.
- The A.J. Brown Situation: That sideline spat needs to be handled internally. If the star receiver and the head coach aren't on the same page, the 2026 season could be over before it starts.
Basically, if you were looking for who plays the eagles next week, the answer is "nobody." The next time we see them in pads will be late July at training camp. It's going to be a long, loud off-season in Philadelphia.