There were some teams that had a major leap compared to last season. Although no one improved as much as the Philadelphia Eagles did in 2022. They were the last undefeated of the league, but they still have things to do if they want to be the top seeded franchise in the National Conference.
The front office had a big role in the improvement of the team with moves all over the place. It was the trade with the Tennessee Titans to get star WR A.J. Brown on draft day the one that unlocked everything. That gave Jalen Hurts an extra weapon to become an unstoppable offense while he was the quarterback.
Although the last couple of weeks gave them some doubts regarding their place in the playoffs. They were confirmed to be in the postseason, but the seeding is what appears at risk following Hurts’ injury against the Bears. Now they have to make sure they don’t lose that potential advantage that could be very meaningful.
What do the Philadelphia Eagles need to be the #1 seed in the NFC?
The Eagles lost some momentum after losing Hurts for two games. In those matchups against the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints the starting QB was Gardner Minshew, but the results weren’t ideal. Those ended up being losses that added suspense to week 18 for what is at stake.
Philadelphia arecurrently the #1 seed with a 13-3 record. Their rivals to finish there are only the San Francisco 49ers and the Cowboys both at 12-4, so they have something else to do. The best for them is that they control their faith since a win over the New York Giants will give the Eagles that spot. It would mean hosting every playoff game they play and a bye week in the first round.
This is a perfect situation because of their opponents’ status too. Given New York already know they will be the 6th seed, they are going to rest important starters to be fresh in their wild card match. In case of a loss, Philadelphia will need San Francisco (vs Arizona Cardinals) and Dallas (at Washington Commanders) to not win. A three-team tie would favor the 49ers.