The Philadelphia Eagles came out of their bye week looking like a team on a mission-until the wheels suddenly came off. Three straight losses not only knocked them out of the NFC’s driver’s seat but also cracked the door open for the Dallas Cowboys to sneak back into the division race. But in Week 15, the Eagles reminded everyone why they were contenders in the first place.
Hosting the 2-11 Las Vegas Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles didn’t just win-they dominated. It was the kind of performance that felt more like a preseason tune-up than a high-stakes December matchup.
The starters barely saw the field in the fourth quarter, a luxury rarely afforded this late in the season. That’s how lopsided it was.
And as if that wasn’t enough of a boost for Philly, things got even better later that night. On Sunday Night Football, the Cowboys stumbled again under the primetime lights, falling 34-26 at home to the Minnesota Vikings. Dallas’ defense, which has been shaky in big moments this season, couldn’t hold up when it mattered most.
Eagles control their playoff destiny - and then some
With three weeks left in the regular season, the Eagles sit atop the NFC East at 9-5. The Cowboys, thanks in part to an early-season tie with the Packers, are 6-7-1.
Mathematically, Dallas isn’t out of it yet. But the margin for error is razor-thin-and the Eagles are holding all the cards.
Here’s the playoff math: one Eagles win, or one Cowboys loss, and Philadelphia punches its ticket to the postseason. That’s it.
No need for tiebreaker scenarios or scoreboard watching. Just one more notch in the win column, or one more Dallas slip-up, and the Eagles are in.
Looking at the schedule, Philly has every reason to feel confident. Two of their final three games are against the 4-10 Washington Commanders-a team that’s struggled to find consistency all season.
Washington’s wins have come against the Giants (twice) and the Raiders, both sitting at 2-12. The only real challenge left for the Eagles is a road trip to Buffalo, where the Bills are still fighting for playoff position in the AFC.
Dallas, meanwhile, has a slightly more forgiving slate-but not by much. Week 16 brings a matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that’s underperformed but still has enough firepower to cause problems.
After that, the Cowboys close the season with games against the Commanders and Giants. On paper, that’s manageable.
But paper hasn’t been kind to Dallas lately.
Dallas needs perfection-and help
For the Cowboys to steal the division, they’d need to win out and hope the Eagles stumble through the final stretch. That would put Dallas at 9-7-1, just ahead of a Philly team that finishes 9-8.
But that’s a tall order, especially considering the Cowboys have no path to a Wild Card spot. It’s division title or bust.
That’s what makes Philadelphia’s Week 15 rebound so significant. Yes, the opponent was a struggling Raiders squad, but the way the Eagles played-confident, efficient, and in control-suggests they’ve shaken off whatever funk led to their three-game skid.
When this team is clicking, they’re a tough out for anyone. And with playoff implications on the line, they don’t need to be perfect-they just need to take care of business once.
Bottom line: The Eagles are back in the driver’s seat. One win, and they’re in.
One Cowboys misstep, and the door slams shut. After a few turbulent weeks, Philadelphia looks like it’s found its footing again-and with the postseason in sight, they’re in position to finish strong.