The Philadelphia Eagles‘ path to the playoffs just got a lot clearer.
Despite the team’s devastating loss to the Chicago Bears on Black Friday, they remain in first place in the NFC East. But the Dallas Cowboys weren’t too far behind and had a chance to narrow the gap on Thursday night in their primetime match against the Detroit Lions.
With a win, the Cowboys had a 23 percent chance of making the playoffs, but since they lost, that chance drops to 9 percent, with only a 4 percent chance of winning the NFC East, according to The Athletic’s NFL playoff simulator. As for the Eagles, their chances to make it to the playoffs increased by 2 percent with Dallas’ loss, and now they also have a 96 percent chance of winning the division.
Here are the current NFC East Standings:
- Eagles (8-4)
- Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Commanders (3-9)
- Giants (2-11)
Former NFL QB Reveals His Feelings About Eagles’ Playoff Chances
GettyBroadcaster Dan Orlovsky
The Eagles have lost back-to-back games, bringing into question their playoff chances and whether they can repeat as Super Bowl champions. However, despite their struggles, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky made it clear that he still believes they have what it takes to compete in the postseason.
“There’s a lot more question marks about their offense and why they’re struggling in comparison to what it was last year,” Orlovsky told the Inquirer. “But, they still are a talented group, and I think that they’re trying to figure out who they are.”
However, Orlovsky also pointed out the harsh truth about Philadelphia’s performance this year compared to last.
“They’re not what they were last year on offense,” he explained. “Last year, they were historically great when it came to running the football. That’s not reality. Their tailback was historically great. He just hasn’t had the same impact.”
How Can The Eagles Clinch The NFC East Title?
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles defense
The Cowboys have four remaining games against the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants. So, if they were to win out and finish the season 10-6-1, that would mean the Eagles, who are currently at 8-4, would need to get to 11 wins.
Philadelphia has five remaining games against the Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Commanders, Buffalo Bills, and Commanders again. As long as they secure at least three wins in that span, the NFC East title is theirs.
As for how soon they can clinch the division, a win over the Chargers on Monday night would allow the Eagles to potentially know their playoff fate as early as Week 15. If Philadelphia defeats the Raiders and Dallas falls to the Vikings, the Eagles will have the division all wrapped up.
However, Monday night might not be as easy as they once thought. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert recently underwent surgery on his fractured left hand, which sidelined him on Wednesday. But, he made it clear that the plan is still for him to be out there in the primetime game.
“The plan is to prepare as if I’m going to play and see how the next couple of days goes,” Herbert said per ESPN. “Do everything I can to be out there for the team and the guys out there.”
On Thursday, he was listed as a limited participant.
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