The Eagles’ playoff chances got a boost before they even kicked off against Arizona when Washington lost to Seattle— and then, they took a hit with a loss of their own.
With the loss to Arizona, the Eagles dropped to 4-9-1, blowing a chance to take advantage of Washington losing to Seattle.
Now, to get into the playoffs, the Eagles need three things to happen.
First, they need to win next week at Dallas. That is a required step in any path to the postseason.
If they can beat Dallas, they would then need help from two NFC East teams. They need Washington to lose to Carolina next Sunday and need the Giants to go 1-2 in their final three. That might sound like a lot, but it really isn’t. Carolina is certainly capable of beating Washington and the Giants have tough games against Cleveland and Baltimore coming up.
If all that happens, the Eagles and Washington would face off in Week 17 for a winner-take-all game for the NFC East title. With a win, the Eagles would be 6-9-1. Both Washington and the Giants would be 6-10, giving the division title to the Eagles.
What will happen remains to be seen, but one thing is clear — the Eagles are lucky to still be alive despite losing on Sunday.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
