The Eagles’ playoff situation heading into their Week 16 game against the Washington Commanders is clear for the NFC East and No. 2 seed in the playoffs. A victory would secure both the NFC East title and the No. 2 playoff seed for Philadelphia. However, the race for the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed remains complicated. The Eagles, along with the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, are tied with a 12-2 record. However, the Eagles would lose tiebreakers against both teams: the Lions would have a better conference record, and the Vikings would likely edge out Philly due to a stronger strength of victory. Thus, the Eagles must finish the season with at least one more win than either Detroit or Minnesota to have a realistic shot at the top playoff seed.
The good news for the Eagles is that Detroit and Minnesota will face off in Week 18, which guarantees one of those teams will suffer a loss. Detroit plays the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers in the next two weeks, while Minnesota faces the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. For the Eagles to take the No. 1 spot, they will need to win their final games and hope that Detroit or Minnesota falters.
In the NFC East standings, the Washington Commanders still have an outside chance of overtaking the Eagles for the division title. To do so, the Commanders would need to beat the Eagles and then win their final two games against the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. Additionally, they would require the Eagles to lose their final two games. If the Commanders win, they could also secure a playoff spot if the Falcons lose and either the Los Angeles Rams or Seattle Seahawks also lose.
Dallas still has an unlikely shot at the playoffs, but it would need to win its final three games, including a victory over the Eagles, while hoping that the Commanders lose out. A loss by either the Cowboys or the Eagles would eliminate Dallas from playoff contention. As a result, the Eagles’ game against Washington will have major implications for both teams, as well as the playoff race for Dallas.
The rest of the NFC playoff picture is also tightening up. The Lions are in control of the NFC’s top seed for now but could fall as low as the No. 7 seed if they lose all three of their remaining games. The Packers need a win against the Saints and some help to clinch a playoff berth. Meanwhile, the 49ers have a slim chance of making the playoffs after a disappointing season following their Super Bowl appearance.
NFC Playoff Picture Summary
| Team | Record | Status | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 12-2 | Clinch NFC East & No. 2 Seed | Must win to secure NFC East and No. 2 seed, need to outperform Lions/Vikings |
| Lions | 12-2 | Current No. 1 Seed | Must avoid losing all final games, including Week 18 against the Vikings |
| Vikings | 12-2 | In the hunt for No. 1 Seed | Could edge out Eagles with better strength of victory |
| Commanders | 9-5 | Outside chance to win NFC East | Must win against Eagles, Falcons, and Cowboys, plus Eagles losses |
| Cowboys | 6-8 | Elimination possible | Must win all 3 games and hope for Commanders’ losses to stay alive |
| Packers | 10-4 | Possible Playoff Berth | Needs a win against the Saints and some help (Falcons, Rams, or Seahawks losses) |
| 49ers | 6-8 | Slim chance of making playoffs | Needs a strong finish, likely missing playoffs after the Super Bowl loss |
