Eagles Nearing the Postseason, But the Road Ahead Is Still Full of Questions
At 9-5 with just three games left on the regular-season slate, the Philadelphia Eagles are sitting in a strong position. The playoffs are well within reach - in fact, NFL.com has their odds of winning the NFC East north of 99%.
One more win in any of their final three games - Week 16, 17, or 18 - punches their ticket. And even if they stumble the rest of the way, all it takes is one Cowboys loss or tie for Philly to secure back-to-back division titles for the first time since 2004.
That’s the good news.
The not-so-good news? The Eagles are still a team with more questions than answers, and while they looked dominant in a blowout win over the Raiders - a 31-point outburst paired with a suffocating defensive performance that allowed just 75 total yards - that was against a team that’s been in freefall. The real test is what comes next.
Week 16: Commanders Game Is No Gimme
Next up for the Eagles is a road trip to Washington to face a Commanders squad that’s had a rough go of it in 2025. Sitting at 4-10, Washington has been without Jayden Daniels for most of the season, and with Marcus Mariota stepping in at quarterback, the offense has struggled to find rhythm.
They rank 24th in points scored and 26th in points allowed. Across the board, it’s been a tough year - their passing game, pass defense, and run defense are all bottom-tier.
On paper, this is a game the Eagles should win. But if there’s one thing this season has taught us, it’s that nothing is guaranteed. Just ask any Philly fan who watched Week 6’s stunning loss to the Giants.
The Commanders may be banged up and underperforming, but they do one thing very well: run the football. They rank fourth in the league in rushing yards, piling up 1,919 on the ground so far this season. That’s not a fluke - it’s a legitimate strength.
And that’s where the concern creeps in for Philadelphia. On Black Friday, the Eagles got gashed by a top-5 rushing offense, surrendering 281 yards on the ground.
That’s a red flag, especially with Vic Fangio’s defense built to prevent exactly that kind of domination. If Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, and the front seven can’t contain Washington’s run game, the Commanders could control the clock, shorten the game, and pull off an upset that would send the NFC East race into chaos.
Week 17: The Buffalo Test
If there’s one game that looms large on the Eagles’ schedule, it’s their Week 17 showdown with the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo is 10-4 and in the thick of a fierce AFC playoff race, battling with the Patriots, Chargers, and Texans for seeding. They’ve won three straight - including high-scoring battles against Cincinnati and New England - and boast a point differential of +87, one of the best in the league.
What makes the Bills dangerous is their balance. Josh Allen is doing Josh Allen things - making plays with his arm and legs - and the offense ranks 13th in passing.
But it’s the defense that really stands out. Buffalo is second in the NFL against the pass and leads the league in rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns through Week 15.
They’re physical, they’re deep, and they know how to grind out wins.
That said, they’re not unbeatable. The Bills have dropped four games this year, including some head-scratchers. And while their defense is elite against the pass, they’ve been vulnerable on the ground, giving up the third-most rushing yards in the league.
The Eagles, however, haven’t exactly been lighting it up with their run game. After having one of the most dominant rushing attacks in NFL history just a year ago, they’ve taken a noticeable step back.
Through 15 weeks, they rank 19th in total rushing yards despite being top-10 in attempts. Their 4.1 yards per carry ranks 25th league-wide.
Still, there are signs of life. In Week 15, the Eagles posted their second-best rushing performance of the season, with Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, and Jalen Hurts combining for 183 yards. That’s the kind of balance they’ll need to beat a team like Buffalo on the road.
A win in Week 17 would be more than just another notch in the win column - it would be a statement. It would prove that the Eagles can hang with playoff-caliber teams and that their offense is finally rounding into form at the right time. But if they fall flat, it could raise serious concerns about their postseason ceiling.
Playoff Picture: Who’s Waiting in January?
If the Eagles do clinch a playoff berth - and all signs point to that happening - they’re most likely looking at either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the NFC. That means a home playoff game against a Wild Card opponent, and the list of potential matchups is anything but soft.
Right now, the most likely opponent is the San Francisco 49ers in a 3-6 showdown. But depending on how the final three weeks shake out, Philly could also draw the 11-3 Seahawks, the 10-4 Niners, the 9-4-1 Packers, or even the Lions, who are currently sitting just outside the playoff picture.
The Eagles have already beaten the Packers and Lions this year, so those matchups wouldn’t be unwelcome. The 49ers, while talented, have been hit hard by injuries and have struggled to find consistency. They’re not the same juggernaut they’ve been in years past.
The Seahawks, though, are a different story.
Philadelphia hasn’t faced Seattle since December 2023, and a lot has changed since then. Gone are Geno Smith, Shane Waldron, and Pete Carroll. In their place: Sam Darnold under center, Klint Kubiak dialing up the offense, and Mike Macdonald - formerly of the Ravens - running a revamped and aggressive defense.
This version of the Seahawks is a bit of a Wild Card. They rank eighth in passing offense despite throwing the ball the second-fewest times in the league.
Their run game hasn’t been efficient, but they’ve committed to it - fifth-most attempts despite ranking 22nd in yards. Defensively, they’re top-7 against both the run and pass.
That’s a team the Eagles haven’t seen before, and unfamiliarity can be dangerous in the postseason. While Philly might feel more comfortable facing the Packers, Lions, or even the banged-up Niners, Seattle presents a different kind of challenge - one built on unpredictability and defensive discipline.
Final Stretch: Control What You Can
The Eagles control their own destiny. Win one of the next three, and they’re in.
Win two, and the NFC East is almost certainly theirs. But how they win - and who they beat - will tell us far more about their playoff potential than the standings ever could.
Can they stop a top-tier rushing attack in Washington? Can they go into Buffalo and beat a physical, playoff-ready team on the road? Can they string together consistent performances, something that’s eluded them all season?
The answers to those questions will define not just how far the Eagles go in January - but whether they belong in the Super Bowl conversation at all.