Eagles' opponents, week by week

A RUN OF four road games in five weeks that immediately follows the early Week 4 bye, and a Monday night visit from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers highlight the Eagles' 2016 schedule.

Oh, and the Cowboys come to town on New Year's Day when the Mummers certainly will be on their best behavior.

If Doug Pederson keeps the team in contention, it could be an interesting holiday season as the Birds host each of their three NFC East opponents over the final four weeks.

The only exception is a Week 15 trip down I-95 to visit the Baltimore Ravens.

Here is a closer look at the Birds' opponents:

Week 1 - vs. Cleveland

Sunday, Sept. 11, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Browns in 2015 (3-13): Good to see that 7-9 mark in 2014 was just a mirage.

Key additions: Coach Hue Jackson (Cincinnati offensive coordinator), QB Robert Griffin III (Washington), LB Demario Davis (Jets), G Alvin Bailey (Seattle).

Key departures: Coach Mike Pettine (fired), QB Johnny Manziel (free agent), FS Tashaun Gipson (Jacksonville), T Mitchell Schwartz (Kansas City), WR Travis Benjamin (San Diego).

First-round pick: No. 2.

Notable: This will be just the second time the Browns play in Philadelphia since they were reincarnated in 1999. The Eagles waxed them in 2008 when Browns QB Ken Dorsey made one of the last starts of his 17-game career. Dorsey currently is Cam Newton's position coach in Carolina. RGIII was 3-2 against the Eagles with Washington.

Week 2 - at Chicago

Monday, Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

2015 (6-10): Missed the playoffs again but were much more competitive in John Fox's first year.

Key additions: LB Danny Trevathan (Denver), T Bobby Massie (Arizona), LB Jerrell Freeman (Indianapolis), DE Akiem Hicks (New England),

Key departures: RB Matt Forte (Jets), LB Shea McClellin (New England), offensive coordinator Adam Gase (Miami, head coach).

First-round pick: No. 11.

Notable: The Bears had six wins last season. Just one was at home.

Week 3 - vs. Pittsburgh

Sunday, Sept. 25, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)

2015 (10-6): Had a strong season despite Ben Roethlisberger missing four games and star running back

Le'Veon Bell out the last two months.

Key additions: TE Ladarius Green (San Diego), T Ryan Harris (Denver).

Key departures: T Kelvin Beachum (Jacksonville), DT Steve McLendon (Jets), CB Brandon Boykin (Jets), WR Martavis Bryant (suspended for season).

First-round pick: No. 25.

Notable: Pittsburgh has played in Philadelphia just once (2008) in the last 18 seasons. The last time the Steelers won in Philadelphia was 1965, when Terry Bradshaw was still in high school and two years before Doug Pederson was born.

Week 4 - Bye Week

Week 5 - at Detroit

Sunday, Oct. 9, 1 p.m. (Fox)

2015 (7-9): Went 6-2 after the bye. It was enough to keep coach Jim Caldwell around, but not enough for Megatron.

Key additions: WR Marvin Jones (Cincinnati), WR Jeremy Kerley (Jets).

Key departures: WR Calvin Johnson (retired), S Isa Abdul-Quddus (Miami).

First-round pick: No. 16.

Notable: Golden Tate is not a terrible option as a No. 1 receiver. Two years ago, when Calvin Johnson struggled with injuries, Tate had 99 catches for 1,331 yards. Surely, Eagles corner Eric Rowe, who was torched by Megatron last season, is wishing Johnson well in his retirement.

Week 6 - at Washington

Sunday, Oct. 16, 1 p.m. (Fox)

2015 (9-7): From 4-12 to a division title. As Kirk Cousins might say, you like that?

Key additions: SS David Bruton (Denver), DE Kendall Reyes (San Diego), TE Vernon Davis (Denver).

Key departures: QB Robert Griffin III (Cleveland), RB Alfred Morris (Dallas).

First-round pick: No. 21.

Notable: Cousins, who went 9-7 last year to improve to 11-14 in his career, is currently slated to make $20 million in 2016 under the one-year franchise tag. The Redskins have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal.

Week 7 - vs. Minnesota

Sunday, Oct. 23, 1 p.m. (Fox)

2015 (11-5): Shanks for the memories. Blair Walsh's 27-yard miss at the end of the playoff loss to Seattle soiled what was a nice season for the improving Vikes.

Key addition: G Alex Boone (San Francisco).

Key departure: WR Mike Wallace (Baltimore).

First-round pick: No. 23.

Notable: Minnesota's last visit came in 2010 after a snowstorm forced the game to be played on a Tuesday and rookie Joe Webb, who started the season as a wide receiver, quarterbacked the Vikings to an upset win. The loss cost the Eagles a chance at a playoff bye.

Week 8 - at Dallas

Sunday, Oct. 30, 8:30 p.m. (NBC10)

2015 (4-12): What do you get when you mix Tony Romo and two broken collarbones with Matt Cassel, Brandon Weeden and Kellen Moore? Disaster.

Key additions: RB Alfred Morris (Washington), DE Cedric Thornton (Eagles), DE Benson Mayowa (Oakland).

Key departure: DE Greg Hardy (poisonous free agent).

First-round pick: No. 4.

Notable: Romo turns 36 next week. He was 3-1 as a starter last year. Moe, Larry and Curly (mentioned above) were 1-11.

Week 9 - at New York Giants

Sunday, Nov. 6, 1 p.m., (Fox)

2015 (6-10): Don't go away angry, coach. Just go away.

Key additions: DE Olivier Vernon (Miami), DT Damon Harrison (Jets), CB Janoris Jenkins (Rams), LB Keenan Robinson (Washington), head coach Ben McAdoo (was offensive coordinator).

Key departures: Coach Tom Coughlin (fired), DE Robert Ayers (Tampa Bay), WR Rueben Randle (Eagles).

First-round pick: No. 10.

Notable: Giants GM laid out about $204 million in contracts in the first few hours of free agency to that veritable dream team of defensive players acquired in free agency.

Week 10 - vs. Atlanta

Sunday, Nov. 13, 1 p.m., (Fox)

2015 (8-8): So much for that 5-0 start.

Key additions: C Alex Mack (Cleveland), WR Mohamed Sanu (Cincinnati), DE Derrick Shelby (Miami), QB Matt Schaub (Baltimore).

Key departures: DT Paul Soliai (Carolina), LB Nathan Stupar (New Orleans).

First-round pick: No. 17.

Notable: This would be Matt Ryan's fourth start in his hometown. He's 1-2 with a 30-17 victory in 2012, the Falcons most recent visit. Adding Mack at center gives Ryan arguably his best o-line in years.

Week 11 - at Seattle

Sunday, Nov. 20, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)

2015 (10-6): Started 2-4, finished 8-2, escaped a loss at Minnesota in the first round and almost rallied from 31-0 in the second. How's that for a seesaw season?

Key addition: T J'Marcus Webb (Oakland).

Key departures: LT Russell Okung (Denver), LB Bruce Irvin (Seattle), G J.R. Sweezy (Tampa Bay), DT Brandon Mebane (San Diego).

First-round pick: No. 26.

Notable: At this point, Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael are 1-2 in Pete Carroll's running-back rotation. Rawls will be making his way back from the broken ankle which came in Week 14 - or Week 1 of the fantasy playoffs, if you're into that sort of thing.

Week 12 - vs. Green Bay

Monday, Nov. 28, 8:30 p.m., (ESPN)

2015 (10-6): A preseason knee injury to Jordy Nelson had the Packers' offense running uphill for most of the season, particularly after the first month. Aaron Rodgers still had them within an overtime loss to Arizona from playing for the NFC title.

Key additions: TE Jared Cook (Rams).

Key departures: CB Casey Heyward (San Diego), DT B.J. Raji (retired), WR James Jones (unsigned).

First-round pick: No. 27.

Notable: Fantasy fans should note that RB Eddie Lacy is in the last year of his contract - unless he ate that, too.

Week 13 - at Cincinnati

Sunday, Dec. 4, 1 p.m. (Fox)

2015 (12-4): The only thing missing from the Bengals giving away that playoff game to the Steelers was wrapping paper and a Christmas card.

Key addition: WR Brandon LaFell (New England).

Key departures: WR Marvin Jones (Detroit), WR Mohamed Sanu (Atlanta), S Reggie Nelson (Oakland), offensive coordinator Hue Jackson (Cleveland, head coach).

First-round pick: No. 24.

Notable: Seeing as how Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is 0-7 in the postseason, it's a shame this game isn't in January.

Week 14 - vs. Washington

Sunday, Dec. 11, 1 p.m. (Fox)

Notable: With Alfred Morris off to Dallas, it appears Washington will go with second-year pro Matt Jones as the lead running back. Jones had five fumbles in 163 touches as a rookie.

Week 15 - at Baltimore

Sunday, Dec. 18, 1 p.m., (Fox)

2015 (5-11): This was Joe Flacco's first losing season since 2006, when he was a junior at Delaware. Flacco's string of 137 consecutive starts was snapped by a season-ending knee injury in Week 11.

Key additions: S Eric Weddle (San Diego), WR Mike Wallace (Minnesota), TE Benjamin Watson (New Orleans).

Key departures: G Kelechi Osmele (Oakland), QB Matt Schaub (Atlanta).

First-round pick: No. 6.

Notable: Baltimore, a perennial playoff team, is drafting in the top 10 for the first time since getting Terrell Suggs at No. 10 in 2003. Ironically, Suggs' injury in Week 1 was a dismal foreshadow of the gloomy season to follow.

Week 16 - vs. New York Giants

Thurs., Dec. 22, 8:25 p.m. (NBC10, Twitter)

Notable: Eli Manning is just one game over .500 against NFC East opponents (37-36) in his career, including postseason. He is 9-17 against the Eagles and has lost six of his last seven starts in Philadelphia. This will be the first Eagles game ever live-streamed on Twitter.

Week 17 - vs. Dallas

Sunday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. (Fox)

Notable: The Cowboys have so far declined to re-sign Greg Hardy and will not have Randy Gregory for the first four games because of a substance-abuse suspension. Rushing the passer could be a problem.

@EdBarkowitz