Things aren’t looking too great for the Philadelphia Eagles right now. The team has lost three straight games thanks largely to an anemic offense and they’ve lost some serious ground in the NFC playoff picture as a result.
However, the Eagles’ playoff hopes are far from over. They still hold a lead over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East, though that lead has dwindled significantly thanks to Philadelphia’s losing streak and the Cowboys winning three of their last four games.
So, at this point in the season, what will it take for the Eagles to win the NFC East for a second straight season and secure a spot in the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year? Let’s take a look.
Magic number for Eagles to win NFC East remains three after loss to Chargers
Heading into the game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football, Philadelphia’s magic number to clinch the division was three. That number remains the same following L.A.'s 22-19 victory. That means that the Eagles need a combination of either three wins, or Cowboys losses, to secure the division.
For example, if the Eagles win three more games, they win the division. If the Cowboys lose three of their remaining games, the Eagles win the division. If the Eagles win two games and the Cowboys lose one, Philly wins the division. Both the Eagles and Cowboys have four games remaining on their regular season slate. Here’s a look at how the remaining schedule breaks down for both teams.
Eagles remaining opponents:
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
Cowboys remaining opponents:
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Giants (2-11)
Neither team has an especially difficult schedule to close out the season. Both play one game against a team currently in the playoff picture, and three games against non-playoff teams. Both teams will also play two of their final four games at home and two on the road.
So, while things haven’t been going well for the Eagles, there’s still reason for optimism in Philadelphia. They just need a couple more wins and/or a couple of Cowboys losses to lock up the division and a home playoff game in the Wild Card round.
Sure, the hopes of being the top overall seed in the conference have likely evaporated, but everything that the Eagles want to accomplish this season is still in front of them.