Can the Eagles STILL Make the Playoffs?
Can the Eagles STILL Make the Playoffs?
11 games deep into the season, the Philadelphia Eagles are currently 5-6 and standing at second place in the NFC East. The general confidence in the team is low after consecutive abysmal showings by the offense, but all hope is not lost. Here’s an assessment of the Eagles playoff chances.
The Eagles Aren’t Getting a Wildcard
In order for the Eagles to make the playoffs, they are going to have to win the NFC East. There is no way around it. The teams currently in the 5th and 6th spots are the Vikings and Seahawks, two squads that boast superior records to Philadelphia and both have head-to-head tiebreakers over the Eagles as well. Even if they end up winning their respective divisions, the Packers and the 49ers (arguably the best team in football) will fall into those last two spots with records much better than Philadelphia’s.
The Cowboys Aren’t Good
After dropping a huge Thanksgiving matchup against the Buffalo Bills, the Cowboys (6-6) are just a sliver ahead of the Eagles for first place in the division. Jason Garrett’s seat gets hotter every week as Dallas fails to beat good teams. Out of their six wins, none have come against teams with winning records coming into the game. They also lost to Sam Darnold and the winless Jets. The Eagles should be thankful that the team in their way is as fraudulent as the Dallas Cowboys.
Their Schedule is Ridiculously Easy
The Eagles have the easiest schedule in the NFL over the last part of the season. They face the Dolphins, Giants, Redskins, Cowboys, and Giants to close out the year. Win out, and they’re guaranteed a playoff spot. Lose any of those games, and things get much more complicated. All of those games besides the matchup against Dallas should be won, and any other result would be shameful.
The Cowboys Schedule Isn’t Nearly as Easy
After losses to New England and Buffalo, Dallas now faces Chicago, Los Angeles (Rams), Philadelphia, and Washington. Los Angeles stands at 6-5 and Chicago has the same record as Dallas. The Rams have a winning record, so if this season is any indication, Dallas should lose to them. Chicago has a good defense, but expecting Mitchell Trubisky to play well is like expecting the Patriots to lose back-to-back games. Both of those games are a toss-up.
Final Analysis
The Eagles haven’t given a reason for optimism, but they haven’t been bad enough that either Miami, Washington, or New York should stand a fighting chance against them. Assuming the Eagles emerge victorious against those bottom-tier teams, they will come into the crucial Week 16 Dallas game at 8-6.
If Dallas beats both Los Angeles and Chicago…
Both teams would enter Week 16 at 8-6 and their matchup would serve as the NFC East Championship game. The winner goes to the playoffs and loser can call it quits (kinda). I say “kinda” because if Philadelphia takes the win, they would be 9-6 compared to Dallas’ 8-7. If they were to somehow lose the next week against the Giants and Dallas defeats Washington, they would both be 9-7 and Dallas would take the crown because of divisional record.
If Dallas beats one of Los Angeles and Chicago…
If Dallas falls in one of those two matchups, things get more interesting. The Week 16 matchup would still be huge, with a Dallas victory taking them to 8-7 and a Philadelphia victory taking them to 9-6. If Dallas wins and both teams end up at 8-7, all Dallas would need the next week is a win or an Eagles loss to clinch their spot. If Philadelphia wins and goes to 9-6 with Dallas falling to 7-8, they would clinch the division.
If Dallas loses to both Los Angeles and Chicago…
This would be a dream scenario for the Eagles. Dallas would enter the Week 16 matchup at 6-8 and Philadelphia at 8-6. Even if the Eagles drop that game, they could still secure a playoff spot by defeating the Giants in the week after. If this scenario plays out and the Eagles find a way to lose to both Dallas and New York, they would miss the playoffs at 8-8 while Dallas qualifies with an identical record (assuming they topple Washington in the final week).
In conclusion, the Eagles have an amazing chance to make the playoffs as much as they don’t deserve to, but they will likely need to defeat Dallas in Week 16 to make it happen. If Dallas can do what Dallas does and fall to Chicago and LA, just hang the division banner in Lincoln Financial Field right now.
-By: Micah Jimoh
Writer/Interviewer