Each week we'll lay out a rooting guide for non-Eagles games on the NFL schedule for those of you on the fence while watching the other action around the league. Ideal winners bolded.
NFC East
First, a look at the updated NFC East standings:
| NFC East | Record | Div record | GB |
| Eagles | 12-3 | 3-1 | – |
| Commanders | 10-5 | 2-2 | 2 |
| Cowboys | 7-8 | 3-1 | 5 |
| Giants | 2-13 | 0-5 | 10 |
The Eagles will clinch the NFC East with a win or tie in either of their final two games, or a Commanders loss or tie in either of their two final games.
• Falcons at Commanders: This is the Week 17 Sunday Night Football matchup. It has importance on several different levels.
• If the Eagles lose to the Cowboys during the 1 p.m. games, then they will need the Commanders to lose to (or tie) the Falcons on Sunday night in order to wrap up the NFC East. If the Eagles don't clinch this weekend, they will not be able to rest starters Week 18 if it makes sense to do so. (It would make sense to do so if they are eliminated from 1 seed contention with a Lions or Vikings win, but we'll get to that shortly.)
• If the Eagles are the 2 seed as projected, they will either face the Packers, Commanders, or Buccaneers —whichever team is the 7 seed — in the first round. Those odds:
Current odds for #Eagles Wild Card bye/opponent based on betting market odds from @inpredict.
54% : 2 seed vs WAS
35% : 2 seed vs GB
6% : 2 seed vs TB
4% : 1 seed (bye)
<1% : 6 seed @ LAR/TB/ATL/SEA
<1% : 7 seed @ MIN/DET/WAShttps://t.co/V9mIv6d6UH— Deniz Selman (@denizselman33) December 23, 2024
A couple weeks ago we ranked the Eagles' potential playoff opponents from most ideal to least ideal. I might switch the Rams and Seahawks on that list (shown below as originally published), but otherwise, I probably wouldn't change anything:
- Falcons
- Commanders
- Rams
- Seahawks
- Buccaneers
- Vikings
- Packers
- Lions
Yes, the Eagles lost to the Commanders on Sunday, and yes, the Buccaneers have had the Eagles' number in recent playoff matchups, but those two teams are clearly inferior to the Packers, in my opinion. It's best for the Eagles if the Packers continue to win games and lock up the 6 seed. The Eagles should not want the Commanders to catch the Packers, so a Commanders loss is ideal on that front, too. And if the Buccaneers wind up with the 7 seed with the Commanders falling out of the playoffs completely, I mean, at least that would be funny.
• The Falcons are currently leading the NFC South on a tiebreaker with the Buccaneers. It's better if a bad team like the Falcons gets in the tourney, so a Falcons win is ideal.
The 1 seed, and more ideal playoff opponents
As usual, let's first look at the NFC seeding if the season ended today (it doesn't).
| Seed | Team | Record | Conf record |
| 1 | Lions – x | 13-2 | 9-1 |
| 2 | Eagles – x | 12-3 | 7-3 |
| 3 | Rams | 9-6 | 5-5 |
| 4 | Falcons | 8-7 | 7-3 |
| 5 | Vikings – x | 13-2 | 8-2 |
| 6 | Packers – x | 11-4 | 6-4 |
| 7 | Commanders | 10-5 | 7-3 |
| 8 | Buccaneers | 8-7 | 6-4 |
| 9 | Seahawks | 8-7 | 4-6 |
| 10 | Cowboys ☠️ | 7-8 | 5-5 |
| 11 | Cardinals ☠️ | 7-8 | 3-7 |
| 12 | 49ers ☠️ | 6-9 | 4-6 |
| 13 | Saints ☠️ | 5-10 | 4-7 |
| 14 | Bears ☠️ | 4-11 | 2-8 |
| 15 | Panthers ☠️ | 4-11 | 3-7 |
| 16 | Giants ☠️ | 2-13 | 1-10 |
With their loss to the Commanders combined with Lions and Vikings wins on Sunday, the Eagles' chances for the 1 seed plummeted. It was previously 34 percent, per Inpredictable, but it's now down to 4 percent. In order to win the 1 seed, the Eagles need the following:
- They have to win Week 17 against the Cowboys and Week 18 against the Giants.
- Lions loss Week 17 at 49ers.
- Vikings loss Week 17 vs. Packers.
- Vikings win over the Lions Week 18.
Four percent feels almost feels a little high. Let's look at those games individually:
• Packers at Vikings: As noted above, a Vikings loss is required for the Eagles' chances at the 1 seed to remain alive. Also as noted above, in the likely event the Eagles are the 2 seed, it's best if the Packers earn the 6 seed (or higher), and thus would not be the Eagles' first-round opponent.
• Lions at 49ers: A Lions loss is necessary to keep 1 seed hopes alive, but also it would further show that that they are vulnerable heading into the playoffs.
• Panthers at Buccaneers: The Buccaneers can be dangerous at times, whereas the Falcons just have way too many flaws. It's better if the Falcons win the NFC South.
• Seahawks at Bears: The Seahawks play Thursday night. With the Rams getting hot late in the season, it's best if the Seahawks win the NFC West, though their odds aren't great:
If #Rams lose to Arizona 👉 #SEAvsLAR Week 18 will be for NFC West (regardless of Seahawks-Bears result).
If Rams beat Arizona 👉 #Seahawks' only chance is to win both their games *AND* get a strength of victory miracle.
Color-coded guide of remaining games for SOV tally 👇 pic.twitter.com/ImlENMtdUT— Deniz Selman (@denizselman33) December 23, 2024
• Cardinals at Rams: I mean, if nothing else, I'd watch a Rams-Seahawks Week 18 playoff game.
Irrelevant to the Eagles
- Chargers at Patriots
- Broncos at Bengals
- Jets at Bills
- Raiders at Saints
- Colts at Giants
- Titans at Jaguars
- Dolphins at Browns
We could maybe argue that a Giants win would ruin their chances of landing the No. 1 overall pick. But really, does it matter? They're either going to have to draft a quarterback from a seemingly weak quarterback draft class, or they could pass on drafting a quarterback again, in which case, you know, they still won't have a quarterback. So who cares where they pick? They're kinda screwed either way.
MORE: Eagles-Cowboys Week 17 injury report, with analysis
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