With a win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night, the Philadelphia Eagles retained their position as the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture.
The Birds can clinch a first-round bye by winning their final seven games.
That outcome obviously isn’t likely. But they probably won’t need to win out to be the top seed.
The Eagles’ top competition for No. 1 is currently the Los Angeles Rams, who are also 8-2 after a big win over the Seattle Seahawks. But Philly holds a valuable head-to-head tiebreaker against Sean McVay’s squad from beating them in Week 3.
Let’s take a look at the remaining schedules for these two teams.
EAGLES REMAINING SCHEDULE
Week 12 at Dallas Cowboys
Week 13 vs. Chicago Bears
Week 14 at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 15 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Week 16 at Washington Commanders
Week 17 at Buffalo Bills
Week 18 vs. Washington Commanders
Let’s say the Eagles go 5-2 in this stretch, with losses to the Cowboys (who they rarely sweep) and the Bills. That would put them at 13-4.
RAMS REMAINING SCHEDULE
Week 12 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 13 at Carolina Panthers
Week 14 at Arizona Cardinals
Week 15 vs. Detroit Lions
Week 16 at Seattle Seahawks
Week 17 at Atlanta Falcons
Week 18 vs. Arizona Cardinals
If the Eagles go 5-2, the Rams have to go 6-1 or better in this stretch. Not impossible … but not likely.
Of course, it’s possible it’s another team and not the Rams who give the Eagles a run for the top spot. But the Bucs are also on the wrong side of a head-to-head tiebreaker against Philly. The Eagles have a chance to beat the Bears, who have a negative point differential, at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles don’t play the Seahawks in the regular season, so, head-to-head doesn’t apply … but Seattle is currently 4-3 in conference games while the Eagles are 7-1.
When it comes to the NFC East, the Eagles’ magic number (combined Eagles win and Cowboys losses) to win the division is four. This feels like an inevitability at this point. It can happen very soon if the Eagles manage to beat the Cowboys in Dallas next weekend.
There’s still a lot of football left to be played. But it’s hard not to like where the Eagles are right now from playoff positioning standpoint.
Here’s the entire current NFC playoff picture.
PROJECTED PLAYOFF TEAMS
DIVISION LEADERS
1) Philadelphia Eagles: 8-2
2) Los Angeles Rams: 8-2
3) Chicago Bears: 7-3
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-4
WILD CARD TEAMS
5) Seattle Seahawks: 7-3
6) Green Bay Packers: 6-3-1
7) San Francisco 49ers: 7-4
…
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
IN THE HUNT
8) Detroit Lions: 6-4
9) Carolina Panthers: 6-5
10) Minnesota Vikings: 4-6
11) Dallas Cowboys: 3-5-1*
*Cowboys play the Raiders in Las Vegas on Monday night.
UNSERIOUS TEAMS
12) Arizona Cardinals: 3-7
13) Atlanta Falcons: 3-7
14) Washington Commanders: 3-8
15) New Orleans Saints: 2-8
16) New York Giants: 2-9
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