After the Eagles barely made it out with a victory in Green Bay on Monday Night, it was time to start preparing for another prime time spotlight against the Eagles’ 3rd NFC North opponent of the year.
The Detroit Lions
Sunday’s match against Detroit will be the 2nd time the Sirianni/Hurts-led Eagles will play the Campbell/Goff Lions. Previously, the Eagles won both games played at Ford Field – 44-6 in 2021 and 38-35 in 2023.
And while this matchup won’t have nearly as much excitement as the NFC Championship Game that could have been last year. The winner and loser of this game could see a huge impact on playoff seeding within the next 5-6 Weeks.
The Cluttered NFC Race
Luckily for the Eagles. The NFC East is the only division that isn’t filled with multiple contenders or teams just outside the wildcard bubble. Like the 49ers (6-4), Panthers (5-5), and Vikings (4-5). However, with two games left against NFC North opponents. The Eagles will be able to pull ahead in the division and from the rest of the NFC.
Already having victories over the Rams (7-2), Buccaneers (6-3), and Packers (5-3-1) gives the Eagles the head-to-head tiebreaker against the 5th, 4th, and 7th seeds in the NFC playoff race. While the odds of the Eagles dropping into a wildcard spot are low, with a 4-game lead in the NFC East race. It has happened before.
Being able to string together wins during the toughest stretches of the schedule will help the Eagles lock up the division race as quickly as possible, while still being in the thick of it for the Bye Week or as much home-field advantage as possible in the playoffs.
Schedule Down The Stretch
Following the Lions this weekend, the Eagles will see a total of three more teams in the current playoff picture, including:
There will also be a gutsy game against the 3-5-1 Cowboys, who, for some reason, decided to be buyers at the deadline—acquiring Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson.
With some more breathing room between playoff opponents, the Eagles will also see the following teams whose season is approaching an ugly finish:
- 2-7 Raiders (Week 15)
- 3-7 Commanders (Week 16 and 18)
Both teams will most likely be playing for a top 5-10 pick come December. The wins might not matter that late for the Eagles, depending on how the rest of this “gauntlet” unfolds.
With an impressive 7-2 run to start the season, how many wins will it take to clinch the NFC East?
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