Twelve Eagles have played in their first NFL game this season. It's only fitting that with all of the young players on this Eagles team that the schedule is set up similar to the ones these players had in college.

In the first seven games, the Eagles had just one division matchup. Two of the first seven games were against teams that are not even in the same conference.

Yes, six of the final nine games are against teams with a winning record. Believe it or not, the Cowboys and the Vikings are the only opponents who don't sport a winning record. Who would have thought that at the beginning of the season?

The Eagles suffered a tough loss on Sunday at the hands of the Titans. But this could be a lesson that a young team needs late when the playoff spots are on the line.

"As long as we keep learning and getting better, that's a good thing," head coach Andy Reid said on Monday. "I trust that this group is going to continue to do that. And then, we'll continue to do a better job of coaching, and get better as it goes on."

Reid's teams have typically been better after the bye week. The Eagles are 11-0 in the first game following the bye week.

In Reid's first 11 years, the Eagles are 72-32-1 in the regular season following the bye week. Last year, the Eagles had an early bye and were still 9-4 after the bye week. Only once, in 2005, did the Eagles go under .500 after the bye under Reid.

"It's important that the players and coaches understand that that just doesn't happen. That you have to go back and you've got to focus in. You put yourself in striking distance, really, the first half of the season. But you've got to get better," Reid said. "I've got to get better as a head football coach, and our football team has to get better. I'm talking coaches and players, so we're going to focus in on making sure that that happens."

We'll see if history continues to repeat itself.

-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 12:00 a.m., October 26