Philadelphia, PA - Coming off a wild OT victory over the Buffalo Bills and two unfortunate losses since the Philadelphia Eagles still stand atop their division, but only by default with a now-tied record with Dallas. But, as we all know, nothing is guaranteed come playoff time; ask the 2007 Patriots, 2011 Packers, and 2016 Cowboys, and you get the idea. Going on a magical run to the Super Bowl is hard, and all it takes is one bad matchup to send a whole season of success tumbling down.
Despite being two games clear of any other team in the NFC, the Eagles would be wise not to look past some of their potential playoff opponents. Here are Philly's top possible NFC Championship games to look out for come playoff time and why each squad will present a unique challenge for the Birds.
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1. San Francisco 49ers (8-3)
When looking at the Eagles team as a whole, there’s truly only one glaring weakness. Whether you want to chalk it up to injuries, coaching, or just plain bad luck, Philly's secondary hasn’t been the best. A bottom-five team in both passing yards and touchdowns allowed, this unit has been torn up even by the likes of Sam Howell.
So, the San Francisco 49ers, with weapons everywhere you look in the passing game, present one of the toughest matchups in football. Not only has Brock Purdy proven to be the real deal at QB, but the combination of Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel has proven nearly unguardable at times.
The Eagles’ offensive line is no doubt dominant, but it’s hard to think of a tougher challenge than the combined edge-rushing might of Nick Bosa and Chase Young. Since trading for Young in early November, the Niners have allowed just 30 points across three games despite going up against some solid offenses in Jacksonville and Seattle during that stretch.
2. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)
Listen, we hate the Cowboys as much as the rest of you, but it would be a lie to not call them one of the Eagles’ biggest threats on a run to the Super Bowl. The #1 scoring offense in football, Dallas can put points up by the truckload, and Dak Prescott is throwing the ball as well as just about anybody in the league right now.
Just look at their first matchup against Philly. The Eagles might have walked away with a W, but Dallas outgained them by over 100 yards and had multiple chances to win near the end of the game. On a lot of nights, they probably would have won the game.
The Cowboys’ offense can certainly score points in bunches, but they’ve yet to really put it together against an elite opponent. Think about it, what’s really their best win of the season? Beating the Rams at home? Demolishing the Giants?
They played Philly close, but they also got destroyed by the Niners in their week five matchup.
3. Detroit Lions (8-3)
The Lions have been one of the NFL’s pleasant surprises this season and are primed to win their first division title since 1993.
Their point differential might not be quite what you’d expect for an 8-3 team, but they still present a challenging matchup for Philly thanks to their great passing offense, led by one of the best connections in football between Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Combine that with an efficient two-headed rushing attack that could potentially even trouble Philly's league-best defensive line, and you have a team that could definitely put up the points required to win a playoff game.
The real question is on the other side of the ball. Detroit can sling it, but they also have trouble stopping other teams in the air. With Jalen Hurts at the helm, the Eagles could do some serious damage against this lackluster secondary.
Look at Detroit’s 38-6 week seven loss to the Ravens as a blueprint for a potential future Philly playoff victory. Like Hurts, Lamar Jackson is an extremely mobile QB, and he used the threat of his feet to open holes in the secondary time and time again. With a great QB, deep receiver room, and multiple talented rushers, the Eagles should match up just as well.
Time to Finish the Job
The Eagles have the best record in the NFC and are well on their way to becoming NFC East champions, but the job is far from finished. San Francisco, Dallas, and Detroit all have the type of potent passing game that might cause trouble for Philly's defense, and any of those matchups in the NFC Championship game will probably lead to a close, nerve-wracking game.
