Playoff Picture: How the Eagles Can Clinch the Division Title AND First-Round Bye
Following their dismantling 48-22 win over the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles have officially punched their ticket to the NFL Playoffs, being the first team in the entire league to clinch.
Making the playoffs is an accomplishment in itself, but the Eagles have bigger goals than that. They’ve talked all year about how there’s one goal in the locker room, and that’s to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the first time since the 2017-18 season. Over the next two weeks, the Eagles can make their road to the trophy a lot easier with a few simple steps.
Eagles Clinch NFC East With…
- Eagles beat Dallas on Christmas Eve (Week 16)
- (Week 15 vs. Bears doesn’t play into NFC East race)
Eagles Clinch #1 Seed in NFC With…
- Wins against Chicago and Dallas
- Win against Dallas, Minnesota loses one of next two, and San Francisco loses one of next two
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The Eagles have opened up as 8.5-point favorites in Chicago against the Bears, sitting at -405 on the ML. The Eagles are looking to start 13-1 for just the second time in franchise history, with 2004 being the first and only time.
The Minnesota Vikings have started to look like potential frauds over their last four games. They got demolished by the Cowboys, beat the Patriots, just barely pulled out a win over the Jets at home, and lost to the Lions by 11 points. Minnesota faces the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants over their next two games.
Read more: Jalen Hurts is officially the betting favorite for NFL MVP >>
The San Francisco 49ers are the second-best team in the NFC. Even after losing Jimmy Garroppolo, the Brock Purdy show has been a thing of beauty out on the west coast. Mr. Irrelevant of 2021 has put up 68 points in his first two games, leading the Niners. two huge wins over the Dolphins and the Buccaneers. The Niners take on the Seahawks on TNF, who have lost three out of their last four, followed by Taylor Heinecke and the Washington Commanders.
Current NFC Standings
The easiest route for the Eagles is going to be winning their next two games. Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, and the entire Philadelphia Eagles organization have proved every game that they are the best team in football, but they all have the same goal when the game is done…the job is not done.
The Birds are going to beat Dallas on Christmas Eve, which will lock up the NFC East. Home-field advantage will be huge for the Eagles because I know not a single team in this league wants to come to South Philadelphia with their season on the line.
Win the next two, and the NFC Playoffs run through Philly.
More Eagles
- Jalen Hurts gets MVP chants at MetLife Stadium
- Jalen Hurts is officially the betting favorite for NFL MVP
- Five takeaways as Eagles punch their ticket to the playoffs
