In a somewhat shocking turn of events, the Philadelphia Eagles could not only find themselves in the playoff picture, but also in a position where they are resting starters against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18.

Yes, the Eagles have an opportunity to clinch a Wild Card playoff spot with a Week 17 win over Washington and some added help from a handful of other teams.

Battle for the final NFC Wild Card Spot:

• 6th Seed: 8-7 49ers
• 7th Seed: 8-7 Eagles
• 8th Seed: 7-8 Vikings
• 9th Seed: 7-8 Falcons (Eagles hold tiebreaker)
• 10th Seed: 7-8 Saints (Eagles hold tiebreaker)
• 11th Seed: 6-9 Washington

The Birds are sitting with a good chance to make the playoffs but the more pressing question here is what exactly needs to happen for the Eagles to clinch this weekend?

Eagles can clinch a playoff spot Sunday if:

• Eagles win in Washington
• Vikings lose to Packers
• Saints lose to Panthers or 49ers beat Texans

The Eagles have to beat the Washington Football Team:

Philadelphia played a COVID-ridden Washington Football team in Week 15 to secure a comfortable 27-17 win. Since then, Washington has been completely embarrassed by the Dallas Cowboys in a 56-14 primetime loss.

Now it is time for the Eagles to take on this division rival yet again, only now as the visiting team.

Washington will be healthier and most likely seeking a vengeance given their last two performances, but Parx Sportsbook still has Philadelphia as 4 point favorites in this matchup. A win here is the first step in order to relax in Week 18 knowing that the postseason is in our future.

The scary part is, the other teams that we need to help us out should be able to do so. ‘Should’ being the keyword because nothing in the National Football League is a guarantee, but we are not asking for anything too extreme.

The Vikings Must Lose to the Green Bay Packers:

We continue doing what we have been doing for the majority of the second half of this regular season and that is rooting against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings are one of the few teams on the playoff bubble that would hold the tie-breaker over Philadelphia due to their record against common opponents. In order for the Eagles to hold on to a Wild Card spot, they must end up with a better record than Minnesota.

However, in regards to clinching, a Vikings loss this weekend is one of the required puzzle pieces. If they do end up victorious here, Philadelphia’s chances at the playoffs are not off the table, but they will have to continue to pave that path in Week 18.

A 49ers Win Against the Texans – OR – A Saints Loss to the Panthers:

One of two things can happen here.

What feels to be the most obvious scenario is the 49ers beating the Texans, but we can not overlook the fact that Houston just handed the Los Angeles Chargers a 41-29 loss so nothing is a guarantee. If the Texans have suddenly decided to wake up, play spoiler, and become a decent team for the remainder of this season, then the Eagles would absolutely need a Saints loss.

However, that game feels much more complicated. Not only is it divisional but both of these teams are equally average and honestly, on the verge of being bad. New Orleans has been dealing with injuries and COVID, while the Panthers have no idea how to play football without Christian McCaffrey.

It is not too long of a laundry list that we need here in Week 17 (an Eagles win, Vikings loss, 49ers win, OR a Saints loss), and this is not out of the realm of possibility by any means.

If all of these pieces do fall into place then your Philadelphia Eagles have earned their spot in the 2021 postseason with one week still left in the regular season.

Stay updated on all things in Eagles playoff news, and everything going on in Philadelphia sports, by checking back to TheLibertyLine.com

Mandatory Credit: TouchdownWire.USAToday.com