Every winning record isn’t created equally. Some are the product of an easy schedule or catching teams at the right time. Others come from good teams showing that they’re ready for the rigors of a long NFL season. A month had expired in the 2017 campaign for the Philadelphia Eagles when they headed to Charlotte for a clash with a legitimate playoff team in the Carolina Panthers. The stakes were high.
The winner would have a leg up in the NFC’s standings and an early lead in playoff positioning. League offices cashed in by making this one a prime time game on Thursday Night Football.