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Saturday update: With a loss to the Cowboys, the Eagles will be the No. 7 seed if the 49ers claim the final wild card berth and No. 6 if the Saints claim it.
The Philadelphia Eagles are headed to the playoffs and their final position is nearly settled. The Eagles clinched a wild card berth in Week 17 and head into Week 18 knowing they will either be the No. 6 seed or the No. 7 seed.
The Eagles are 9-7 are tied with the 49ers, with both teams a game up on the Saints. The 49ers have the tiebreaker edge on the Eagles due to a head-to-head win, so the 49ers are sixth and the Eagles are seventh. Here’s what Week 18 results mean for Eagles seeding:
Eagles win, 49ers win: 49ers are No. 6, Eagles are No. 7
Eagles win, 49ers lose, Saints lose: Eagles are No. 6, 49ers are No. 7
Eagles win, 49ers lose, Saints win: Eagles are No. 6, Saints are No. 7
Eagles lose: Eagles are No. 7
The Eagles face the Cowboys, and Philadelphia might elect to sit their starters. Philadelphia has little to play for in positioning while the Cowboys could climb as high as second from their current fourth position. A second place spot means a divisional round home game on top of a wild card home game, so the Cowboys have incentive.
One interesting note: if the Cowboys beat the Eagles, the 49ers beat the Rams, and the Bucs lose, the Cowboys and Eagles would meet in the wild card round.
If you are an Eagles fan, there’s not a lot you need to track this week, but if you’re curious about wild card round opponents, here’s what you should track.
49ers vs. Rams
If the Eagles lose and the Rams win, the Eagles would face LA in the first round of the playoffs. If the Eagles and Rams both win, a Saints win would set up an Eagles-Rams wild card game while a Saints loss would set up an Eagles-Bucs wild card game. If the 49ers win this game, the Eagles would likely play the Bucs in the first round regardless of their result against the Cowboys. The Rams are 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Panthers vs. Buccaneers
The Bucs are in third place and their final standing depends on the Rams. If LA wins, the Bucs are locked into third place regardless of Cowboys-Eagles. If LA loses, the Bucs could move into second place with a win. The Bucs are eight-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Seahawks vs. Cardinals
This game only has an impact if the Rams lose. If LA loses and Arizona wins, the Cardinals win the NFC West. In that case, if the Cowboys beat the Eagles and the 49ers beat the Rams, the Eagles would play the Bucs in the first round. The Cardinals are 6.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook.