A short week is a good thing for an Eagles team coming off a 27-7 loss on Monday night to the Chicago Bears. With the Los Angeles Rams next, the Eagles understand the best way to get back on the winning side is to tighten things up, correct the mistakes they made in Chicago, and play Eagles football.

The formula for success is one the Eagles have followed for many years, so let's take a look at the roadmap to follow ...

1. Play with a lead

It changes everything and it has been elusive for the Eagles through three weeks. The offense has yet to score in the first quarter, so as the team game plans for the Rams, putting together a great offensive script is imperative. There have been times when the Eagles have moved the football early – notably in the game at Tennessee – but the offense has not yet been able to put it all together early. The month of September is a time for discovery in the NFL, so the Eagles are going to be realistic with their evaluation and make corrections. It isn't all the responsibility of the offense, of course. The defense has to come up with some three-and-out possessions and create some momentum when it has the chance to do so.

2. Build on the running game

This was an improved area on Monday night in Chicago. You can just feel that it's coming for the Eagles and running back Saquon Barkley. He ripped off some big runs in the tough loss and had a couple called back by penalty. The offensive line did a good job early opening holes and the timing up front is improving. Barkley ran for 82 yards, with 73 of them coming in the first half. We saw the outside zone running scheme have success. It is going to take some time, but this offense has a chance to put it all together on a consistent basis, and it starts with establishing the running game.

3. The turnover ledger is imperative to change

Of everything that has happened in this 2-1 start to the Eagles season, the most beguiling is the turnover department. Head Coach Nick Sirianni and the Eagles have long dominated in this category and here the Eagles are after three games with a minus-5 number. The Eagles gave it away three times on Monday night.

Meanwhile, the defense has yet to register a takeaway. There have been some chances, but nothing yet. More pressure is coming, if the encouraging debut of outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard is any indication, so that will help. But the Eagles will look to shore things up starting with Sunday's game against the Rams.

4. Third-quarter performance must improve

As tough as it has been for the offense to get untracked in the first quarter, it has been equally difficult in the third quarter of the three games. Solution? Adjustments are critical in the NFL. The Eagles have turned around so many games in the past, so they have the pathway to do the same moving forward. This is a four-quarter game. The energy level has to rise coming out of the locker room in front of the home crowd on Sunday.

5. Defense looks to set the tone

This kind of all goes back to taking the football away and winning at the line of scrimmage, so that's the goal. The defense has given up first-possession points to Washington and Chicago, so the goal in the weeks to come is to change up the pattern. Setting the tone means playing with lights-out energy, physicality and emotion, and dominating the field. Now, it's not going to be easy against the Rams. This is a high-powered offense with a veteran quarterback and a slew of weapons. But the Eagles have no choice. The defense slowed the powerful Bears running game for much of Monday night, but Bears quarterback Case Keenum won with quick drops and releases and on-target passes to spots. His pass catchers got to those spots to spur an early, short-yardage passing game that helped open things up later in the game. Want to get things on the right path? Get the defense out there snarling on Sunday afternoon.

6. Playing with discipline

The penalty count against the Eagles was on the right track through two games, but then Philadelphia committed 10 of them Monday night, most costing the Eagles big plays on offense and stops on defense. Playing with discipline has been a hallmark of this football team, so after the blip on Monday night, the Eagles have to get back to the basics for Sunday and the rest of the season.

The loss on Monday night was not pleasant in any way, but the fact is that it was one game and if the Eagles go about things the right way, they will use it as a springboard to correct mistakes and learn the right way to go about winning these kinds of football games.

We've got a short week ahead of us. That's a good thing. Sunday can't come fast enough for this football team to get back on the winning track.