Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni opted to rest key starters for his team's season finale against the Washington Commanders, a decision that drew some questions with the Eagles still playing for seeding.
While the Eagles had the NFC East title in hand, they entered Week 18 in position to potentially jump the Chicago Bears for the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
A 24-17 loss to the Commanders on Sunday ended those hopes, and the ramifications could be more significant than a one-seed difference might indicate.
Here's what you need to know about the Eagles' loss to Washington and how it impacts their playoff outlook.
LIVE: Updated NFL playoff picture for Week 18
What Commanders loss mean for Eagles
The Eagles saw a 17-10 lead slip away late in Sunday's game against the Commanders, as they allowed two Josh Johnson-led touchdown drives and couldn't answer offensively with backup Tanner McKee at quarterback in place of a resting Jalen Hurts.
Because the Bears lost on Sunday, a win would have been enough for the Eagles to jump into the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Instead, Philadelphia will enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed.
That reality comes with two potential consequences. On one hand, the Eagles would have to play in Chicago, rather than at home, in a hypothetical divisional round matchup with the Bears. If the Eagles and Bears both win their Wild-Card round games, that matchup would happen.
The Eagles' path to the divisional round likely got more complicated as well thanks to Sunday's loss. Rather than hosting the Green Bay Packers as the No. 2 seed, the Eagles will play host to the San Francisco 49ers, taking on a 12-win team with a head coach and quarterback who have been to the Super Bowl and are expected to get healthier with OT Trent Williams poised for a return in the first round.
Perhaps none of that matters. The Eagles will certainly go into the playoffs believing they can take advantage of a 49ers pass defense that has hit some bumps this season, and they likely won't be too intimidated by Soldier Field after winning in Buffalo in Week 17. Still, the path looks more difficult than it would have been if a hurting Packers team was coming to Philadelphia in the Wild-Card round for the second consecutive year.
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NFC playoff picture
1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Chicago Bears vs. 7. Green Bay Packers
3. Philadelphia Eagles vs. 6. San Francisco 49ers
4. Carolina Panthers vs. 5. Los Angeles Rams
The Eagles are the No. 3 seed in the NFC, trailing the Seahawks and Bears among division champions but leading the sub-.500 Panthers.
Despite the seeding gap, the Eagles will face a 49ers team that actually finished with a better record at 12-5. Should the Eagles win, their opponent isn't clear because the NFL bracket is re-seeded. Wins by both the Bears and Eagles would set up a divisional round matchup between the two in Chicago, but an Eagles win and Bears loss would set the stage for Philadelphia to host a divisional round game.
Who do the Eagles play next?
The Eagles will host the 49ers in the opening round of the playoffs.
San Francisco had a chance to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win over the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night, but the loss knocked them to No. 5 in the conference, and a Los Angeles Rams win on Sunday dropped the 'Niners to No. 6 to set up what will be a star-studded showdown.
Together, the Eagles and 49ers have won each of the last three NFC championships and five of the last eight.