Eagles playoff update: Birds closing in on NFC East title, No. 1 seed

The Eagles are inching closer to clinching a division title and first round bye.

BY EVAN MACY
PhillyVoice Staff

DANIEL BARTEL/USA TODAY SPORTS

The Eagles emerge from the tunnel at Soldier Field for Sunday's game against the Bears.

Awin is a win, especially when you're scoreboard watching.

The Eagles are fighting tooth and nail to earn an NFC East title and the NFC's No. 1 seed, and thanks to their ugly — and at times deflating win in Chicago, 25-20, in Week 15 — they still have multi-game leads for both of the regular season prizes currently up for grabs.

The Cowboys followed up their embarrassing near loss last week to the NFL-worst Texans by faltering in overtime to another subpar AFC South opponent in the Jaguars. A pick-six in overtime undid Dallas and could end any hopes they have of a bye in the first round.

The Giants and Commanders play on Sunday night, but the result of their game has Wild Card implications only, as the Eagles and Cowboys are in a two-team race for the division title.

A look at the current standings after the afternoon games Sunday:

Team	Record	GB
Eagles	13-1	—
Cowboys	10-4	3
Commanders	7-5-1	5.5
Giants	7-5-1	5.5

Depending on how things shake out with the Seahawks and Lions down the stretch, it seems entirely possible that all four NFC East teams make it to the postseason, which would be an all-time first. 

The Eagles have two divisional games remaining themselves, beginning this coming Saturday in Dallas and finishing in January with the Giants. If Philly can beat the Cowboys they'll have a four-game lead for the NFC East with two games to play — which will wrap things up. 

But they may not be able to rest their starters regardless of their result against the Cowboys. That's because if the Vikings and 49ers keep winning they are technically each in the mix for a first-round bye — if they win out and the Eagles falter down the stretch.

A look at the 1-seed race:

Team	Record	GB
Eagles	13-1	—
Vikings	11-3	2
Cowboys	10-4	3
49ers	10-4	3

The Niners need an inside straight to get the 1-seed, but the Cowboys and Vikings could technically pounce ahead if the Eagles falter. Dallas, as we mentioned, would win a tie-break if they win their Week 16 matchup. The Vikings would lose a tiebreaker with Philly (the Birds won in Week 2), so they are in actually 2.5 games behind.

All of this could be made a lot simpler with an Eagles win next weekend, which would clinch both the division and a first-round bye.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/eagles-playoff-update-standings-1-seed-bye-nfc-east-schedule-scenarios-cowboys-vikings-49ers-news/

I think we wrap up the #1 seed one way or another this weekend. Either we win later on today or Minnesota slip up and hand it to us. 

2 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I think we wrap up the #1 seed one way or another this weekend. Either we win later on today or Minnesota slip up and hand it to us. 

If Minny loses, we'd still only clinch the #1 seed if we won or ended today's game with a tie (i.e. we cannot lose and clinch ... Dallas could still clinch the top seed should they win out and we lose out).

2 minutes ago, time2rock said:

If Minny loses, we'd still only clinch the #1 seed if we won or ended today's game with a tie (i.e. we cannot lose and clinch ... Dallas could still clinch the top seed should they win out and we lose out).

Win and we're in...all the way in...just the way we like it.

2 minutes ago, PoconoDon said:

Win and we're in...all the way in...just the way we like it.

Funny, having Minshew leading us doesn't make me lose much confidence.  My bigger concern is over the rest of the team not playing up to their potential, letting Dallas out play them because they want it more (like we saw against Washington and for a good part of the Chicago game).  If the rest of the team around Minshew comes with their A+ game, I really like our chances.  

8 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Funny, having Minshew leading us doesn't make me lose much confidence.  My bigger concern is over the rest of the team not playing up to their potential, letting Dallas out play them because they want it more (like we saw against Washington and for a good part of the Chicago game).  If the rest of the team around Minshew comes with their A+ game, I really like our chances.  

I really don't think this Eagles team suffers from lack of desire. I think they suffer from a lack of focus from time to time. To be fair, every team does as well. With this team, it tends to be early in games, like that AJ Brown drop last week. After that, he locked in and played very well. As the game goes on, this Eagles team usually gets better. I think the Cowboys are the opposite.

My belief is that if the Eagles are focused from the start of the game, they win going away. 

3 hours ago, time2rock said:

If Minny loses, we'd still only clinch the #1 seed if we won or ended today's game with a tie (i.e. we cannot lose and clinch ... Dallas could still clinch the top seed should they win out and we lose out).

Oh damn really? Well that sucks but thanks for clarifying.