The Philadelphia Eagles have made a mockery out of any concerns around a Super Bowl hangover through the first 12 weeks of the 2023 NFL season. Sitting at 10-1, the Eagles are two losses clear of the rest of the field in the NFC, putting them in a commanding position.
With that advantage solidified, how far is Philadelphia away from securing a playoff spot, the NFC East, and the No. 1 seed in the NFC? With the help of PFN’s NFL Playoff Predictor, we chart how the rest of the season could play out for the Eagles.
When Can the Philadelphia Eagles Clinch a Playoff Spot?
The Eagles are just a week away from potentially clinching a playoff spot, but they still have plenty to do themselves and need a little help for it to happen that early. Philadelphia is currently five games ahead of the eighth-seed Green Bay Packers in the loss column following their Week 12 game.
In Week 13, the Eagles could have the chance to open that up to a six-game gap with five to play. They’ll need the Packers, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints to lose next week. If any of them win, and so do the Eagles, then it would come down to how the NFL playoff tiebreakers shape up as to whether they will officially have clinched a playoff spot.
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The more realistic clinching date is in Week 14. For that to happen, Philadelphia would need to go 2-0 between now and then, with the Packers, Rams, Buccaneers, and Falcons all losing one game.
That would be the Eagles’ quickest path to securing a playoff spot in 2023. If that doesn’t come to fruition, then going 3-0 through Week 15 will do it without needing to rely on anyone else.
There is also a chance to clinch a playoff spot in Week 14 by clinching the division.
What Do the Eagles Need To Clinch the NFC East?
The other path to clinching a playoff spot for the Eagles is to win the NFC East. The timeframe for clinching the division is similar to that of clinching a playoff spot via a Wild Card spot. The matchup with the Dallas Cowboys (8-3) in Week 14 will be very telling on how that timeframe plays out.
After Thanksgiving weekend, there is a two-game gap between the Eagles and Cowboys. In theory, that could stretch to three games coming out of Week 13 if Dallas loses and Philadelphia wins. That would give the Eagles the chance to clinch in Week 14 if they defeat the Cowboys.
If the above scenario plays out, the Eagles would be four games ahead of the Cowboys with four to play. However, because they would have beaten Dallas twice, that lead would be unassailable, and Philadelphia would clinch the division.
If the Cowboys do win in Week 13, a win in Week 14 for the Eagles would give them a three-game advantage with four to play. That means if Philadelphia wins its next three games, they’ll clinch the division in Week 15 regardless.
Where things could get dicey is if they lose to Dallas in Week 14. Another loss would put them level with the Cowboys on win percentage and send us into the NFL playoff tiebreaker spiral.
If that loss comes against the New York Giants in Week 18, it could cost the Eagles the division (assuming the Cowboys win out from here).
What Would Clinch the No. 1 Seed in the NFC for the Eagles?
First and foremost, the Eagles have to clinch the division before they can worry about the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Yet, with the Cowboys tied for the second-best record in the conference, their path to the No. 1 seed is similar to that of the division.
The Eagles will face the San Francisco 49ers next week and can virtually eliminate them from contention with a win. That would potentially leave the 49ers 3.25 games behind with five to play. San Francisco would need Philadelphia to fall apart in the final five weeks to have any chance of finishing atop the NFC.
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The other team in the mix is the Detroit Lions. Philadelphia doesn’t face Detroit this season, so it could come down to other tiebreakers if the Eagles lose two games. The Lions would need a lot to go their way, but with the Eagles facing the 49ers and Cowboys in the next two weeks, the NFC playoff picture could change dramatically.
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