Can the Eagles land a top-5 pick? A week 17 NFL rooting guide

[Road to Victory]

https://phillysportsnetwork.com/2020/12/29/eagles-top-5/

Can the Eagles land a top-5 pick? A week 17 NFL rooting guide

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Liam Jenkins

 

The Eagles are out of the playoff picture. That sentence is probably 3 weeks overdue, but it finally happened. Now, all eyes turn to the offseason and a new transformative chapter. There’s one last hurdle before we get there though, and it will dictate where the team will pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Time to tank?

It’s hard to get a handle on this season. Sure, the Eagles had a shot at the NFC East title up until this past Sunday but they were under .500 for most of it. However, during a four-week span when Travis Fulgham erupted and stole hearts across the City, the number of betting sites grew in the state. For example, the Pennsylvania handle was over $500 million alone in October, so there was definitely a sense of excitement back when the team was winning…it just wasn’t sustained.

That hope now turns to the NFL Draft. As things stand, the Eagles will be picking 6th overall, but they could move as high as third, or as low as 10th. Here’s all you need to know.

If the Eagles lose…

#5 CINCINNATI

It’s a little ironic that the team currently standing in the way of a top-5 pick are the same team the Eagles tied with all the way back in week 3 after a string of penalties and poor decisions sent the game to overtime.

You’d think that the Bengals, who are now down to Brandon Allen at QB, would be embracing the opportunity to reward Joe Burrow with a shiny new tackle or maybe even a former teammate at wide receiver. Instead, they want to end the season by bringing the locker room together and punch opponents in the mouth.

Gio Benard has been flying high, helping guide Cincy to a two-win streak, while Brandon Allen threw for 371 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Texans. 

Cincy will end the season against Baltimore and this could go one of two ways. All of a sudden, Lamar Jackson is playing like the MVP he was in 2019 and they know that if the Browns win this week and the Ravens lose, they miss the playoffs.

The likelihood of Cincy upsetting a Ravens team that will be playing for a win is going to be unlikely, they can jump as high as pick 3 with a loss. 

#4 ATLANTA

After a gut-punch of a loss to the Chiefs, Atlanta end the season playing against Tampa Bay. The Bucs have already secured a playoff berth and can’t overtake the Saints for a division title, so they may well decide to lift off the gas against a Falcons team who have been fighting so hard in the back end of this season. 

They’re on a four losing streak right now, but the team, like Cincy, are giving it all they have right now and may be the best positioned to actually win a game if the Bucs back their starters out of the contest early.

#3 MIAMI

You have to feel for the Texans, who have given what is now the third overall pick (and a first-rounder next year) to the 10-5 Miami Dolphins in exchange for Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills, and some mid-round picks. I’m trying really hard not to laugh while writing this. I get that Tunsill is a fantastic lineman and the desire to replace D-hop but…this could not have gone any worse. 

After losing their fourth game in a row, they now face the barreling Tennessee Titans,who need to win this game in order to secure their third divisional title in four years, and the first-round bye that comes with it. I can’t see the Texans having too many signs of life in this one.

If the Eagles win…

#7 DETROIT

The Lions have conceded 30+ points in each of their last five games and in the one game to break that streak, they were shutout by the Carolina Panthers.

What doesn’t help here is that the Vikings, the Lions’ Week 17 opponents, are now eliminated from the playoffs and could well be looking at a tank-bowl matchup here. Minnesota would probably benefit from the win more, with Detroit having fallen apart at the seams a long time ago and having its carcass dragged around by Matt Stafford and Matt Stafford alone. 

#8 NEW YORK

The G-men had a real shot to upset the odds this past weekend, but upset their fanbase instead. They’re not totally out of the woods yet though. With a week 17 finale against Dallas, the Giants could well end up in a three-way tie at the top of the division…or the entire division excluding the Eagles. 

Washington is in total disarray right now and face the Eagles in week 17. If they lose and the Giants win, New York win the division based on a 4-2 divisional record. 

They’ll be fighting for that and could help the Eagles as a result.

#9 CAROLINA

It’s arguable that Carolina deserved a playoff spot. Teddy Bridgewater continued to come up big on the road with a win over New York, but after being eliminated, they now face a rival in New Orleans who have nothing to play for. A Jameis Winston pick parade? Potentially. If the Saints are resting their starters, this could also be a huge boost to the Eagles.

#10 DENVER

Coming off of a two-game slide, the Broncos are out of playoff contention and face an Oakland team who will also heartbreakingly miss the postseason despite looking like contenders for a chunk of the season. With a Chargers loss playing a big role, this could be the second ‘tank bowl’ on the slate and one that Denver has more incentive to win.

 

 

[time2rock]

Quote

After losing their fourth game in a row, they now face the barreling Tennessee Titans,who need to win this game in order to secure their third divisional title in four years, and the first-round bye that comes with it. 

The last part of that sentence is wrong ... there is only one team per conference securing a first round bye this year (and that is KC).

They really need to increase the playoff field to 8 and have no first round byes.  

[wyote]

I don't want a top five pick. Don't people realize that sucking is humiliating? Have we raised a generation of losers who are such loser-y losers that they're proud of losing because they get the prize for losers? 

[Outlaw]

1 hour ago, wyote said:

I don't want a top five pick. Don't people realize that sucking is humiliating? Have we raised a generation of losers who are such loser-y losers that they're proud of losing because they get the prize for losers? 

Not much difference between 4 and 5 wins.  I'm not actively cheering for them to lose, but I won't be upset if they do.

[jsdarkstar]

I want Washington to win because I don't want us to help the Cowboys to get into the playoffs. That's enough reason to lose. getting a top 5 pick is just the Cherry on top.

[EagleJoe8]

19 hours ago, wyote said:

I don't want a top five pick. Don't people realize that sucking is humiliating? Have we raised a generation of losers who are such loser-y losers that they're proud of losing because they get the prize for losers? 

Make no mistake. This team sucks whether they win or lose this game. That this team sucks was decided a long time ago. 

[wyote]

3 hours ago, EagleJoe8 said:

Make no mistake. This team sucks whether they win or lose this game. That this team sucks was decided a long time ago. 

They have a chance to win. I will be happier if they do. 

[EagleJoe8]

6 minutes ago, wyote said:

They have a chance to win. I will be happier if they do. 

To each his own. I won't kill you for wanting that.

[jsdarkstar]

So if the Eagles lose and Atlanta beats the buc's, (seems like our only hope) where do they draft? 5?

[Road to Victory]

3 hours ago, jsdarkstar said:

So if the Eagles lose and Atlanta beats the buc's, (seems like our only hope) where do they draft? 5?

I don’t think this article is accurate. I read TB is not locked in. They can be the 5th seed and play the NFC East winner with a win or play another WC team with a loss as the 6th seed. I’m sure they want to win. 

[Madriver]

I can't imagine being a Falcons fan or a Jets fan.

Atlanta goes to the SB only to barely lose on a boneheaded play from which that team has not recovered.

And the Jets, well...their front office decisions make us look like a functional organization.

[EagleJoe8]

17 minutes ago, Madriver said:

I can't imagine being a Falcons fan or a Jets fan.

Atlanta goes to the SB only to barely lose on a boneheaded play from which that team has not recovered.

And the Jets, well...their front office decisions make us look like a functional organization.

Makes one happy we did what we did one year later, as we don’t appear to be much better off than Atlanta going forward. 

[time2rock]

I really don't see us moving up past 6 - the Titans are fighting for a playoff spot (doubt they drop one to Houston), doubt Atlanta beats the Bucs in TB (Ariens on record saying he really wants that 5 seed), and Cincinnati not likely to beat Baltimore who is also fighting for a playoff spot (not to mention they lost their starting QB for the year).  I think we can only move down (with a W tomorrow) but would end up picking no worse than 10th (if the Lions, Panthers, Giants, and Broncos all lose).  The Lions host the Vikings - neither have anything to play for expect pride (both are eliminated) - so that could go either way.  The Panthers host the Saints who are still in the mix for the #1 seed/bye - hard to see NO lose that one (but stranger things have happened).  The Broncos host the Raiders (both eliminated) - really could go either way.  And of course the Giants host the Cowboys playing for the chance to win the NFCE (depending on what happens with our game against WFT).  Either way ... go Giants!  Should we beat WFT I'd much prefer to see Dallas eliminated too haha.  

[nipples]

On 12/30/2020 at 7:29 AM, time2rock said:

The last part of that sentence is wrong ... there is only one team per conference securing a first round bye this year (and that is KC).

They really need to increase the playoff field to 8 and have no first round byes.  

Eh, I think 6 per conference with two BYES was perfect. 

[time2rock]

26 minutes ago, nipples said:

Eh, I think 6 per conference with two BYES was perfect. 

Yeah I preferred that vs what they are doing now.  But IMO it made no sense to increase the field to 7 teams per conference - if you increase you go to 8 and eliminate the bye week.  

[wyote]

9 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Yeah I preferred that vs what they are doing now.  But IMO it made no sense to increase the field to 7 teams per conference - if you increase you go to 8 and eliminate the bye week.  

If it were my money being made I'd do 7 or 8 but as a fan I like the old way better too. 

[birdman#12]

I DO NOT like teams getting a bye,.......Home field advantage should be enough.  These teams all battle for 16 games and everybody is banged up.  In the NFL, 2-3 games a week are decided by flukey kind of plays, injuries to key players or teams that are in really weak divisions, like the patriots had during their run....it's ridiculous to give them a bye.