I know it sounds crazy, but heading into the second half of the 2021 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles are primed for a playoff push. With seven games remaining, the Eagles play just two teams with a record over .500. One of those two teams is the New Orleans Saints, who will come to South Philly this weekend on a two-game losing streak without their starting quarterback.

The Eagles have a newfound identity and have been playing great football over the last few weeks. If they continue to improve and play well, they will be in control of their own destiny over the last few weeks of the season. Losing both games to the Saints and Cowboys, the two above .500 teams left on the schedule, wouldn’t even take them out of wildcard contention. The Eagles would finish the season one game above .500 with a 9-8 record.

Here is an exact lineup of the Eagles’ remaining schedule:

• Vs. Saints (5-4)
• @ Giants (3-6)
• @ Jets (2-7)
• Bye
• Vs. Washington (3-6)
• Vs. Giants (3-6)
• @ Washington (3-6)
• Vs. Cowboys (7-2)

For their best shot at a wildcard bid, the Eagles would need to nearly run the table, which is certainly in the realm of possibility.

Washington and New York are struggling without any identity to their offense, the Jets are the Jets, and we know how Dallas is by the end of the season. What’s also vital is both games against .500 teams are at the Linc, which is a massive boost.

According to FiveThirtyEight, the Eagles have a 26% chance to make the playoffs. With a win over the Saints, those odds jump to 39%, and 57% with a win over the Giants the following week. A loss against New Orleans drops those odds all the way down to 11%.

It might sound like a bunch of overconfidence after one game, but it’s legitimate if you take a look at it. Jalen Hurts and the offense are starting to look well-composed and will only improve with the return of Miles Sanders and others. 

The biggest concern is Jonathan Gannon’s defense, which any half-decent QB could pick apart. Luckily for the Eagles, only one of the five teams left on their schedule has a QB capable of doing so. Every team besides Dallas is in the bottom half of the NFL in yards per game. 

To compare, all six teams who the Eagles lost to are in the top half of YPG. All four teams they beat are in the bottom half. It won’t be asking much to take down these teams, and if their level of play remains the same, a 10-7 record is very realistic. 

One thing we don’t have to worry about is the Eagles’ effort. They have refused to give up at any point this season, and that is in large credit to Nick Sirianni and the culture he has created. After expecting a top-five pick, everything is lining up perfectly for a late-season playoff push for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Inquirer