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  • Eagles vs. 49ers: Predictions, odds, injuries, playoff schedule, and what everyone is talking about

    Eagles vs. 49ers: Predictions, odds, injuries, playoff schedule, and what everyone is talking about

    The playoffs are finally here. The Eagles officially kick off their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field against the San Francisco 49ers.

    Here’s everything you need to know ahead of their wild-card matchup.

    How to watch Eagles vs. Niners

    Eagles vs. Niners will kick off on Fox at 4:30 p.m. ET. Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady will call the game from the booth, and Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will be on the sidelines.

    If you’d rather listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick call the game, the radio broadcast can be found on 94.1 WIP, and if you’re not heading to the Linc, but want to watch the game with your fellow Birds fans, here are a few spots to check out.

    Eagles’ postseason adjustments, concerns with the offense, breakout players, and other AMA highlights

    Playoff bracket and wild-card schedule

    There will be six games played over the next three days. Here’s the full playoff schedule for the wild-card round …

    NFC

    • (4) Rams vs. (5) Panthers | Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Fox
    • (7) Packers vs. (2) Bears | Saturday, 8 p.m., Prime Video
    • (6) Niners vs. (3) Eagles | Sunday, 4:30 p.m., Fox
    • Bye: (1) Seahawks

    AFC

    • (6) Bills vs. (3) Jaguars | Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
    • (7) Chargers vs. (2) Patriots | Sunday, 8:15 p.m., NBC
    • (5) Texans vs. (4) Steelers | Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
    • Bye: (1) Broncos

    Who could the Eagles face in the divisional round?

    First, the Birds need to take care of business on Sunday, but if they do, they could face one of three potential remaining NFC teams: the Los Angeles Rams, the Carolina Panthers, or the Chicago Bears. They could not, however, face the Seattle Seahawks or Green Bay Packers.

    The lowest advancing seed will play the top-seeded Seahawks in Seattle. And because the Panthers and Rams — the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, respectively — play one another, a team with a lower seed than the Eagles is guaranteed to advance. The Packers (or Niners, if they beat the Eagles) could also be in that spot.

    If the Packers beat the Bears, Green Bay would be the lowest remaining seed and would face Seattle. The Eagles would then play the winner of the Panthers-Ram game, and would get to host that team in the divisional round. However, if the Bears win, the Eagles would travel to Chicago for the divisional round, with the Panthers-Rams winner heading to Seattle.

    Because the Eagles-Niners game is the final NFC wild-card matchup, the winner won’t have to wait to find out its opponent.

    The Eagles could get offensive tackle Lane Johnson, left, back for Sunday’s wild-card game.

    Final injury report

    It sounds like the Eagles won’t know until Sunday whether or not right tackle Lane Johnson, who has been out since Week 11 with a Lisfranc (foot) injury, will make his return to the offensive line. Johnson, interior lineman Brett Toth (concussion), and outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) are all listed as questionable for the Birds’ wild-card game. Ojulari was the only of the three who practiced fully on Friday. Johnson and Toth were limited all week.

    On the flip side, the Eagles will be getting several banged-up players back in time for the playoffs. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter (hip), linebacker Nakobe Dean (hamstring), edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (ankle), tight end Dallas Goedert (knee), and safety Marcus Epps (concussion) were all full participants in Friday’s practice and are expected to play.

    Eagles officially list Lane Johnson as questionable for wild-card round

    Meanwhile the 49ers have quite a few injuries, including to several starters. Veteran tackle Trent Williams, linebackers Dee Winters and Luke Gifford — after the team put LB Tatum Bethune on IR earlier this week — and cornerback Renardo Green are among those listed on the injury report for Sunday’s game. The following players are all questionable:

    • WR Jacob Cowing (hamstring)
    • LB Luke Gifford (quadricep)
    • CB Renardo Green (ankle)
    • WR Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle)
    • DL Keion White (groin, hamstring)
    • T Trent Williams (hamstring)
    • LB Dee Winters (ankle)

    Eagles-Niners odds

    The Birds are a 5.5-point favorite at DraftKings and a 4.5-point favorite at FanDuel as of Friday afternoon. The over/under on both sites is set at 44.5.

    As for the Super Bowl, the Seahawks are the betting favorite to win it all. At FanDuel, the Eagles have the fourth-best odds, at +800, behind Seattle, the Rams, and the Broncos. At DraftKings, the Eagles have the fifth-best odds, at +950, also behind the Patriots.

    For more betting lines, click here.

    Kevin Patullo is in his first year as the Eagles offensive coordinator.

    Storylines to watch

    What is the state of the Eagles’ offense? With Johnson potentially set to make his first start since Nov. 16 against the Detroit Lions, the banged-up offensive line could get a big boost.

    In the starting offense’s final game of the year in Buffalo, they played one of their best first halves and worst second halves of the year. Which version will show up at the Linc on Sunday? And what will that mean for the future of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo?

    More storylines to watch:

    • Saquon Barkley is extra excited for this weekend’s showdown with Niners running back Christian McCaffrey, whom he calls “one of the best to ever do it.”
    • Linebacker Nakobe Dean’s return from injury could be critical against 49ers ground attack. After his last playoff game ended in injury, he’s “elated” to be back.
    • The Eagles are entering the playoffs relatively healthy, while the 49ers have a few key injuries.
    • Could the weather be a factor? Wind gusts are expected to reach 40 mph Sunday.
    • Will Jalen Hurts’ “clutch gene” be the difference against the Niners?

    One number to know

    5 — The total number of No. 3 seeds who have reached the Super Bowl since seeding was introduced in 1975.

    Eagles vs. 49ers: These numbers and trends could impact Sunday’s result
    Jalen Hurts and the Eagles last faced the 49ers in Dec. 2023.

    Our Eagles-Niners predictions

    Here’s how our writers are predicting Sunday’s game …

    Jeff McLane: “There’s a push when it comes to the Eagles’ underperforming offense vs. the 49ers’ subpar defense; but I give the edge to a great Eagles defense over a very good, but not great 49ers offense.” | Eagles 23, Niners 17.

    Jeff Neiburg: “It hasn’t been an encouraging season from the Eagles’ offense, to put it mildly, but the 49ers are down multiple linebackers and don’t have an abundance of talent in the secondary. If the Eagles don’t beat themselves, which you can’t rule out, they should be able to establish a running game that gets the offense back on track.” | Eagles 24, Niners 20.

    Olivia Reiner: “Maybe the Eagles can finish what the Seahawks started last week and continue to punish the 49ers on the ground. Maybe Jalen Hurts and the passing attack can exploit the 49ers’ thin inside linebacker corps with passes over the middle of the field. Neither have been characteristic of the offense this season, though. Or, maybe, the defense will stifle Shanahan’s offense while Nick Sirianni, Kevin Patullo, and the Eagles offense do just enough to get by. It wouldn’t be the first time.” | Eagles 24, Niners 20.

    Matt Breen: “The Niners had a great finish to the season before their dud against the Seahawks, but they just seem too banged up to hang with the Eagles.” | Eagles 24, Niners 13.

    Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. 49ers in the wild-card round

    National media predictions

    The national media is divided over this one, but there’s a definitely lean toward the home team. Here’s a look at how they are predicting Sunday’s game …

    Nick Sirianni opted to rest his starters in Week 18 despite a chance to get the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

    What we’re saying about the Eagles

    Our columnists had plenty to say about the Eagles this week, including Mike Sielski, who believes their toughest opponent is not any team in the bracket, but themselves.

    “From Eagles fans to the players themselves, there has seemed to be an ever-present blanket of expectations weighing on them. It’s as if the only thing that would make anyone happy and relieved at any moment this season would be another Super Bowl victory — a benchmark so lofty that it virtually guarantees people will be worried at best and miserable at worst unless the Eagles win every game 49-0.”

    Here’s more from our columnists …

    David Murphy: “The pertinent question for Kevin Patullo and the Eagles now is what the offense will look like moving forward. This is a weird time of year. Sunday’s wild-card game against the 49ers could be the start of a month of football that leaves us memory-holing our four months of angst. Or, it could be the start of the offseason, and a litany of questions that sound way closer to January 2024 than January 2025.”

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering the wild-card round vs. the 49ers

    Marcus Hayes: “It was Zack Baun. The best linebacker in football over the last two seasons. The man tasked Sunday with covering and tackling Christian McCaffrey, the best offensive player in football, and George Kittle, the league’s best tight end. In a city that still worships linebackers like Chuck Bednarik, Seth Joyner, and Bill Bergey, Baun somehow remains largely anonymous.”

    Mike Sielski: “There’s more than one way to be an excellent head coach, even if one of those ways gets a little more attention, a little more scrutiny, a little more credit these days. The film can tell you how good a coach Kyle Shanahan is. What Nick Sirianni does well sometimes isn’t so easy to see. Come Sunday, may the best savant win.”

    San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is a big Vic Fangio fan.

    What the Niners are saying

    Kyle Shanahan is one of Vic Fangio’s biggest fans. Shanahan is such a big fan, that he’s tried to hire Fangio in San Francisco “all the times that there’s been an opportunity.”

    “I mean, Vic schematically, he has always been the best to me,” Shanahan said. “As good as anyone there is. Has a very sound scheme that he doesn’t need to change up very much. It just naturally changes with how he does his coverages, how he does his fronts, the personnel groupings he does. He’s very good at getting a bead on what you’re trying to do and making you adjust.”

    49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has ‘always respected’ Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio

    Sunday should be an extremely hostile environment for the Niners. Tight end George Kittle recalled a few of his craziest stories on Thursday.

    “I just thoroughly enjoy it because it’s so unique every single time,” Kittle said. “I’ll never forget my rookie season, the year they won the Super Bowl, it was my first time playing in the Linc. There were like four 10-year-old kids holding a seven-foot tall papier-mâché middle finger that had a rotating thing on it that made the middle finger come up. That was the coolest thing, I’ll never forget it. That was my rookie year and I was like this is excellent.”

    Kittle isn’t the only member of the 49ers offense looking forward to playing in the Linc. Kyle Juszczyk is also ready to take on Eagles fans.

    “It’s more difficult [going into a hostile environment] but the payoff is better,” Juszczyk told reporters. “There’s nothing like that feeling of going into a hostile territory and getting a win. Yeah, it’s a little bit more difficult, but it’ll be worth it in the end.”

    The 49ers know the Eagles — and their fans — but downplay history in Philly: ‘They hate all of us equally’

    What else we’re reading (and watching)

    • 👨‍⚖️ A rowdy game against the 49ers game led to Eagles Court inside Veterans Stadium, where the hardest part was “keeping a straight face.”
    • 🚒 Philly bar Ladder 15 turned away 49ers fans who were planning a playoff takeover. “We were backing our city,” the managers said.
    • ⚾ To the Eagles, Vic Fangio is a savvy defensive mind. To his native Dunmore, he’s a former umpire, bartender, and “Hector.”
    • 🎞️ Eagles-49ers film review: Christian McCaffrey’s touches, dangerous George Kittle, and where Brock Purdy struggles
    • 🖊️ Dallas Goedert tried to keep things light amid a trying offseason. He ended up having an unlikely career year.
    • 📺 NBC’s Cris Collinsworth says Eagles fans haven’t changed.
  • Eagles’ postseason adjustments, concerns with the offense, breakout players, and other AMA highlights

    Eagles’ postseason adjustments, concerns with the offense, breakout players, and other AMA highlights

    Heading into the Eagles’ wild-card matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, fans have plenty of questions surrounding the team’s offense, adjustments they could make in the playoffs, and players who may step up in the postseason.

    Before Sunday’s game at Lincoln Financial Field, The Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner took to Reddit for an AMA — or “Ask Me Anything” — to answer reader questions about the team … and the future of its offensive coordinator.

    The following has been edited for length and clarity.

    Despite the 11-win season, the offense has felt ‘enigmatic’ (and at times dysfunctional) compared to the defense this year. In your opinion, is the disconnect primarily viewed as a play-calling issue with Kevin Patullo, or are there deeper issues with the offensive players this year?

    Reiner: It would be very easy to chalk all of the offense’s dysfunction up to one thing, but I don’t think that’s fair. The blame deserves to be spread around. But just anecdotally speaking, I feel like there have been too many instances this year where Hurts doesn’t have anywhere to go with the ball. He’s been forced to make plays out of structure, whether he’s scrambling for yardage or extending the play.

    I think we saw in the season finale with Tanner McKee and the backups what happens when the Eagles don’t have a quarterback who can do those things. Re: the lack of answers, how much is that on Patullo for the play call? How much is that on Hurts for not changing the play if he has the freedom to do so based on what the defense presents before the snap? Or on the offense for not getting to the line fast enough for Hurts to make a change? Only the Eagles really know.

    Dallas Goedert tried to keep things light amid a trying offseason. He ended up having an unlikely career year.
    Jalen Hurts’ designed runs have been more frequent during the second half of the season.
    What adjustments could we hope to see for the offense to finally get going in the playoffs

    Reiner: I’m curious to see if Kevin Patullo calls more designed runs for Jalen Hurts now that the team is in the playoffs and they could be a little less concerned with the self-preservation aspect of it. Hurts has insisted throughout the season that his designed rushes being down are more of a product of the offense, not so much an issue of keeping him healthy, though, although Nick Sirianni has acknowledged the health aspect of it.

    I wrote about Hurts’ designed rushes being down this year last month. His rushing ability has the power to help keep defenses honest and open up opportunities for his teammates. That could be the most logical tweak to the offense this late in the game. I wouldn’t expect wholesale changes at this point.

    The Eagles’ toughest playoff opponent won’t be the 49ers or Rams or Seahawks | Mike Sielski
    Do you think the eagles offense will be able to get it done if they don’t put together four solid quarters in four straight games?

    Reiner: Well, that’s how they’ve won most games this season! Many games have come down to Vic Fangio’s defense playing nearly flawless to bail out an inconsistent offense. A.J. Brown referred to it earlier in the season as the defense putting a “Band-Aid” over the offense’s inability to produce over a full four quarters.

    I’m not sure if that method will fly in the playoffs. The competition, of course, gets better in the postseason. But can the Eagles offense suddenly become this consistent, well-oiled machine after sputtering so many times throughout the regular season? I think they’re still going to need the defense to bail them out, and that doesn’t sound like a recipe for success going forward.

    A rowdy Eagles-49ers game led to Eagles Court, where the hardest part was ‘keeping a straight face’
    Jahan Dotson has just 18 catches on the season. Could he be more impactful in the postseason?
    If you had to pick a player likely to take a big step forward in production in the playoffs, who would it be? Is anyone unexpected going to break out?

    Reiner: Jahan Dotson was kind of that player last postseason, especially in the Super Bowl. I’m more surprised that he hasn’t been more of a factor in the passing game during the regular season given his contributions in February. Maybe he comes down with a couple of key catches in the postseason. Even if it’s just a couple, that would be notable, given that he has just 18 catches on the season (one fewer than 2024).

    Eagles vs. 49ers predictions roundup: Local and national media picks for wild-card weekend
    Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, do you expect major changes to the coordinator staff this offseason? Hopefully that change involves Kevin Patullo.

    Reiner: This is pure speculation and not reporting: I would think that Sunday’s outcome has to be taken into consideration regarding any changes at the offensive coordinator position, and the outcome of any additional playoff games. A wild-card exit wouldn’t reflect well on anybody. Another Super Bowl win would. This postseason run is important for Kevin Patullo, as my colleague David Murphy wrote about this morning.

    To check out the rest of Olivia’s AMA, click here.

  • Potential Eagles coaching changes, Jalen Hurts’ evolving style, and what else the national media is saying

    Potential Eagles coaching changes, Jalen Hurts’ evolving style, and what else the national media is saying

    If someone told you 18 weeks ago that the Eagles would be kicking off the playoffs at home with a healthy roster, you probably would have been quite excited.

    On the other hand, if you read and listened to what the national media has said about the team’s rocky road, you might be less cheerful.

    As the team prepares for its wild-card matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday (4:30 p.m., Fox29), here’s a look at some of the recent chatter surrounding the Birds, from their evolving run game to the current revolving door of NFL head coaches — and how that could impact Philly …

    Hurts, by design

    There has probably been a time while watching the Eagles this season when you’ve wondered where some of those great play calls from last season went.

    A significant piece missing from the playbook, and one many fans have been clamoring to see deployed more, is designed runs for Jalen Hurts. The fifth-year quarterback posted career lows in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in 2025, with 45 fewer rushing attempts than last year.

    Eagles vs. 49ers predictions: Our writers pick a winner for the wild-card round

    According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Eagles have been working toward increasing Hurts’ rushing attempts just in time to face a 49ers defense dealing with a number of injuries to its linebacker unit. Veterans Eric Kendricks and Kyzir White (a former Eagle) could start Sunday.

    “The Eagles have quietly expanded Hurts’ rushing volume in recent weeks,” Barnwell wrote. “With the offense seemingly picking up one third-and-long per game with a quarterback draw. Leaving sneaks, scrambles and kneels aside, Hurts had just 10 designed runs through Week 10. The Eagles then gave him 17 designed runs over the next six games, yielding 100 yards and seven first downs. After a week of rest and with the stakes raised, I would expect to see more Hurts in the QB run game, which adds another efficient play to the offense and helps make life easier for Barkley.”

    Nick Sirianni has the best winning percentage and third most wins of any coach in Eagles franchise history.

    The NFL’s coaching carousel

    This week, including Black Monday, saw several NFL head coaches fired. Mike McDaniel and Kevin Stefanski, excused from their duties with the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns, respectively, headline a lengthy list of talented play callers, but no name looms quite as large as John Harbaugh.

    Let go on Tuesday after 18 years with the Baltimore Ravens, Harbaugh, the former Super Bowl winner and AP Coach of the Year, will be a hot commodity.

    Eagles’ odds vs. 49ers improve for Sunday; plus updated player props for wild-card weekend

    Nick Wright, host of Fox Sports’ First Things First, believes that if the Eagles struggle Sunday, Howie Roseman could boot Sirianni for a chance at landing the newly single Harbaugh.

    “If Philly loses in bad fashion, I think that is the exact type of perfect fit for Harbaugh,” Wright said. “Harbaugh, I don’t want to say he’s not a schematics guy, but he’s not an offensive coordinator or a defensive coordinator, he’s a culture CEO head coach. Howie Roseman wants to pick the coordinators anyway. He’s not going to be in the offensive game plan the way some of these young, brilliant head coaches would want to be as it is. We have seen them be very bold with championship-caliber and championship-winning head coaches.”

    “I do think Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman are the type of people that will say, ‘Is he better?’” Wright finished. “If we can get the guy who’s better, shouldn’t we do that? I just think they are fearless in that.”

    If firing Sirianni a year after winning the Super Bowl for a coach that last saw playoff success during the Barack Obama presidential administration sounds ludicrous, just remember that Wright is the same guy who picked the Chiefs to three-peat and said the Eagles had a “Jalen Hurts problem.”

    Eagles-49ers film: Christian McCaffrey’s touches, dangerous George Kittle, and where Brock Purdy struggles
    Kevin Patullo is in his first season as the Eagles offensive coordinator.

    ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler also believes a coaching shakeup may be in Philadelphia’s future, with many around the league questioning Kevin Patullo’s job security after a difficult year as the Birds’ play caller.

    “Some around the league are wondering about the future of Kevin Patullo because of the offense’s struggles,” Fowler wrote. “Patullo has clout in Philadelphia because of his strong relationships with key players and a long-standing position as a Nick Sirianni confidant. The offensive line’s quality of play has certainly not been the same as last year’s, which is bad timing for Patullo. The offense ranks 24th in yards per game, which is tough considering the overall talent of the group.”

    Patullo might not be the only assistant coach on his way out, with Fowler also reporting that certain defensive coaches might have earned themselves a promotion elsewhere.

    “Additionally, defensive backs coach Christian Parker should be in the mix on the coordinator carousel,” Fowler wrote. “Teams are intrigued by him. And defensive line coach Clint Hurtt has coordinator experience and has helped in developing DTs Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, which could lead to opportunities elsewhere.”

    Philly bar Ladder 15 turns away 49ers fans who were planning a playoff takeover: ‘We were backing our city’

    Resting was the right decision?

    The Eagles’ offense has been the team’s biggest question mark throughout the season. So when Sirianni announced that the team’s offensive starters would sit out the Eagles’ Week 18 matchup vs. the Commanders, it drew plenty of criticism — especially with the No. 2 seed still on the line.

    Following the team’s 24-17 loss to the Josh Johnson-led Commanders, criticism intensified even further, but not in the mind of Hall of Fame quarterback and two-time MVP Kurt Warner. Speaking on ESPN’s The Rich Eisen Show, Warner explained his belief that, despite the offense’s inadequacies, fewer reps and more rest was the right way to go.

    “Sometimes it pays such huge dividends early in the playoffs when you get a chance to rest and recover,” Warner said. “When other teams are beat up and going through physical games, I just think that lends itself to the advantage for the Philadelphia Eagles, even though I’m with you, I don’t know what we’re going to get from the offense. I don’t know what they’re going to try to do offensively, but San Francisco’s defense hasn’t been great. They haven’t been able to get pressure, giving up some yards in the run game.

    “So I just feel like, from a matchup standpoint, as struggling as this Philly offense has been I feel like it’s a good matchup for Philly against that defense to start the playoffs.

  • Nick Sirianni’s ‘stupid’ superstition, Cooper DeJean at wide receiver, and more highlights from ‘Hard Knocks’

    Nick Sirianni’s ‘stupid’ superstition, Cooper DeJean at wide receiver, and more highlights from ‘Hard Knocks’

    Hard Knocks ushered in the new year on Tuesday, with the HBO documentary series showcasing the Eagles’ preparations for both their Week 18 matchup against the Washington Commanders and the playoffs.

    The sixth episode focused on Nick Sirianni’s field goal superstitions, Jordan Davis’ impact on the team, DeVonta Smith securing another 1,000-yard season, and more.

    Here’s what you may have missed from this week’s episode of Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East …

    Just like us

    Many fans have their game-day traditions, especially when it comes to field goals. If you have ever been mocked for blowing on the screen in an attempt to disrupt an opposing player’s kick, don’t be ashamed — even Sirianni has his rituals.

    Eagles-49ers is really a matchup of Nick Sirianni and Kyle Shanahan, savants in their own ways | Mike Sielski

    The Eagles coach revealed that he asked special teams coordinator Michael Clay the same question before Davis’ game-winning field goal block against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3 and Jalen Carter’s consequential extra point block against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17.

    “The last time I was superstitious was during the [expletive] Rams game,” Sirianni said. “I go, ‘Clay, can we block this?’ And that was actually the first time we blocked a kick … because we needed a big play right there. I did it again in the Buffalo game. And that’s why superstitions are stupid, because that had nothing to do with why we blocked the kick.”

    Whether or not the question “Can we block this?” joins the pantheon of Eagles’ fans’ game-day superstitions is yet to be seen, but don’t be surprised if you hear them asking one another the same question this weekend.

    Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (left) and safety Reed Blankenship warm up before Sunday’s game against the Commanders, but neither saw the field.

    Some rest for the weary

    The talk of the town following Sunday’s loss was Sirianni’s decision to rest most of the Eagles’ starters against the Commanders — despite still having a chance to capture the NFC’s second seed by securing a win (thanks to the Chicago Bears’ loss).

    While fans were able to see Sirianni’s explanation to the media before the game, Hard Knocks provided a glimpse into how the Eagles coach broke the news to his players. Sirianni said that some players would be fully off — like Jalaen Phillips, who hadn’t yet had a bye week after his in-season trade from the Miami Dolphins — while some might dress and play a little, or dress and be ready just in case. Others, however, would get a chance to shine in their place.

    “Some guys are going to have a great opportunity to play more than you have,” Sirianni said. “And make no mistake about it, we are going out there to win this [expletive] game. We are going out there to win this [expletive] game.”

    Former coach, others rip Nick Sirianni’s decision to rest Eagles’ starters: ‘Makes no sense’

    Several resting starters decided to flip to the other side of the ball while not getting their normal first-team reps in practice, including Jordan Mailata and Cooper DeJean, who were shown joining the Eagles’ scout team as a pass rusher and wide receiver, respectively.

    “Look at all our guys that are on scout team,” Sirianni said to a smiling Connor Barwin. “It’s helping on defense. Look, the whole defense is in on it. [It’s] a sign of a good team.”

    However, without their starters, the Birds lost to the Commanders, 24-17, forfeiting their shot at the No. 2 seed, which would have guaranteed a second home playoff game if they survive their first-round matchup against the Brock Purdy-led San Francisco 49ers.

    The episode ends with Davis and right guard Tyler Steen walking off the field together while discussing the team’s next steps.

    Nakobe Dean’s expected return from injury could be critical against 49ers ground attack

    “We’ve got to make this run now,” Davis said following the game. “Its crunch time now, boy.”

    “We would’ve had the two seed,” Steen said.

    “As long as we get in and win every single one, that’s all that matters, bro,” Davis said. “Don’t matter if it be home or away.”

    Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis got in much better shape this offseason.

    Davis in the spotlight

    Davis has had a stellar year at defensive tackle for the Eagles, ranking fourth in the league in combined tackles by a defensive lineman.

    In the latest episode, the 6-foot-6 former Georgia star was open about his difficult first few years in the NFL, specifically his struggles with his weight and attitude.

    “I want to genuinely be the best person I can be,” Davis said. “And that’s why I’m going so hard in terms of how my body is changing, and my weightlifting and my conditioning and stuff like that, because I want to do this for me. I want to look sexy. I want to be skinny, selfishly, but, at the same time, the more that I do that, and the more that I see progress and I see results, I’m even more motivated.”

    Defensive line coach Clint Hurtt — who in a previous episode referred to Davis as a “big [expletive] Care Bear” — believes the 25-year-old lineman started this path to improvement during the team’s Super Bowl run last year, focusing on his sleep patterns, extra conditioning, including a healthy Peloton habit, and cutting out sweets. Davis went as far as saying that the biggest difference between the player he was two years ago in comparison to now is that he “learned how to say no.”

    “You can’t be entitled,” Davis said. “Entitlement is like going through life thinking that you can do no wrong. Not that I was ever entitled, but there are definitely traits that I reflected a little bit and looked upon myself like, ‘Damn, that kind of sounds entitled.’ It’s just little small stuff like that that I want to change.”

    Eagles vs. 49ers: These numbers and trends could impact Sunday’s result

    Davis also plays an important role off the field for the Eagles, as he believes it’s his role to “keep things light.”

    “JD is bigger than life, man,” edge rusher Nolan Smith said. “I call him the giant dancing bear. JD is just amazing. He’s fun, he’s energetic, he always makes you laugh, man. He’s one of those guys that just has a big presence.”

    Pun intended or not, Davis’ cultural impact on the team can’t be overstated, from his joyful rendition of Rod Wave’s “Street Runner” during practice to inviting his fellow defensive linemen to South Philly restaurant Alice to celebrate the new year.

    Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (right) made sure to show off photos of his cats during the defensive line’s New Year’s dinner.

    During dinner, the players were in high spirits, discussing everything from whether cats have souls to the questionable origins of Phillips’ favorite quote, before Davis officially rang in the new year for his teammates.

    ”To whom much is given, much is required,” Phillips said.

    “Shout out, Uncle Ben,” Jaylx Hunt replied, in reference to the character from Marvel’s Spider-Man.

    “Is that the Uncle Ben quote?” Phillips responded. “I thought Jesus said that, [expletive]. I’ve been telling my girl — I swear to God, I thought the bible said that [expletive].”

    For those wondering, that is an actual bible quote — Luke 12:48 — and the Uncle Ben quote in question is just a little different, but it sends a similar message: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

    “Man, Stan Lee was dropping bombs,” Phillips joked.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering the wild-card round vs. the 49ers

    1K Smitty

    On Sunday, there was one major offensive starter still on the field for the Eagles: DeVonta Smith.

    Smith, who reached 1,000 receiving yards in each of his previous two seasons with the Birds, entered the regular-season finale 44 yards away from reaching the mark for a third straight year.

    The star receiver only needed the first quarter to get his yards, and finished the game with 52 total. Sirianni pulled the former Heisman Trophy winner early to help keep him ready for the playoffs — but not before jokingly criticizing Smith’s on field decision-making.

    “You didn’t run out of bounds,” Sirianni said to Smith after being pulled from the game. “You took a hit and didn’t run out of bounds.”

    “When?” Smith responded.

    “On that first play,” Sirianni said. “You lying son of a …”

  • Former coach, others rip Nick Sirianni’s decision to rest Eagles’ starters: ‘Makes no sense’

    Former coach, others rip Nick Sirianni’s decision to rest Eagles’ starters: ‘Makes no sense’

    The No. 2 seed in the NFC was on the line on Sunday during the late window — but Nick Sirianni and the Eagles instead chose to rest their starters against Washington. The Birds needed the Bears to lose to have a shot at it, but the two games were unfolding simultaneously.

    Instead of playing for the win and hoping for a Bears loss, the Birds looked forward to the playoffs. But some other former NFL coaches didn’t understand that decision, including Rex Ryan.

    “If we had a chance for the two seed? Hell yeah, you’re playing the whole game, we’ll rest in the offseason,” Ryan said of the Eagles’ opportunity to guarantee themselves a second home playoff game if they advance past the San Francisco 49ers.

    “One thing I know about Philly?” Ryan added. “They are hard as hell to beat in the playoffs at home.”

    Eagles have a tough playoff road, as few No. 3 seeds have made it to the Super Bowl

    The Birds earned the No. 2 seed in 2024, and had home-field advantage until the Super Bowl thanks to last year’s No. 1 seed, the Detroit Lions, losing in the divisional round. This year, the third-seeded Eagles could potentially get just one home game, Sunday’s wild-card round game against San Francisco.

    “I don’t understand Nick Sirianni not playing for the 2 seed Sunday,“ Peter King wrote in his newsletter. ”Makes no sense. If you’re the 2 seed and you win the Wild Card game, you’re home for two playoff games. If you’re the 3 seed and the 2 seed wins the Wild Card game, you’re home for only one playoff game. Seems like a missed opportunity to me, sitting so many of your guys in a game you’d likely win. Sirianni said he opted for resting guys who needed it. We’ll see if impacts the next two weeks.”

    Chad Johnson, however, disagreed. The former wide receiver said giving the players the week off and not concerning themselves with the results of the other teams was the best path forward, to make sure everyone was good to go for the games that matter.

    “Honestly, I like it, especially with the way they’ve looked,” Johnson said on Nightcap. “They’ve been up and down all season long. It’s one game or go home. It doesn’t matter where we’re seeded. We still have to play the game.”

    Nick Sirianni didn’t rest Kevin Patullo and the Eagles offense still looked inadequate

    Former Eagles defensive end Chris Long agreed that due to the injuries along the offensive line, it was best to just rest everyone to avoid anyone else getting hurt ahead of the playoffs. After the previous game against the Commanders ended in a scuffle, Long believes it was also the safest outcome.

    “It’s a bit of a rockhead take, but if Jalen Hurts were playing in that game, [Commanders LB Frankie] Luvu would have done some crazy [expletive] to him,” Long said on his Green Light podcast. “Dudes were head hunting. … You had to rest the offensive line. That’s the crux of it. That offensive line is hanging on by a thread. Jalen out there without that offensive line, it’s going to be terrible.”

    Hurts — and the rest of the Eagles starters — will be back out on the field Sunday when they host the Niners at 4:30 p.m.

    Nick Sirianni did the smart thing by resting his starters. Now the Eagles have to show he was right. | Mike Sielski

  • Eagles have a tough playoff road, as few No. 3 seeds have made it to the Super Bowl

    Eagles have a tough playoff road, as few No. 3 seeds have made it to the Super Bowl

    There are a lot of opinions about Nick Sirianni’s decision to rest the Eagles starters Sunday in a loss to the Washington Commanders, especially after the Chicago Bears’ loss opened the door for the Birds to land the No. 2 seed.

    Philly sports talkers are likely to debate the decision all week, but what’s done is done. The Eagles will enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed, a position that has produced surprisingly few Super Bowl teams.

    Wharton professor Deniz Selman crunched the numbers. Since 1975, when the current playoff seeding began, just five No. 3 seeds have made it through the playoffs and ended up in the Super Bowl. By comparison, 55 No. 1 seeds, 24 No. 2 seeds, and 11 No. 4 seeds have made it to the big game.

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    The most recent No. 3 seed to advance to the Super Bowl was the Kansas City Chiefs, who made it to Super Bowl LVIII in the 2023 season and defeated the No. 1 San Francisco 49ers.

    The Eagles’ four Super Bowl appearances have all come as either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed, including last year’s victory against the Chiefs.

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    The Eagles were the No. 3 seed in 2013, but they lost to the New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round at Lincoln Financial Field. They also didn’t advance past the wild-card round as a No. 3 seed in 2010, while in 2006 their postseason run ended in the divisional round.

    The Birds made it to the NFC championship game as the No. 3 seed during the 2001 playoffs, but lost to the then-St. Louis Rams, 29-24 when Aeneas Williams intercepted Donovan McNabb with less than two minutes remaining.

    Here are the five NFL teams that entered the playoffs as the No. 3 seed and advanced to the Super Bowl:

    • 1979: Los Angeles Rams lost Super Bowl XIV
    • 1987: Washington won Super Bowl XVIII
    • 2003: Carolina Panthers lost Super Bowl XXXVIII
    • 2006: Indianapolis Colts won Super Bowl XLI
    • 2023: Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII
  • Eagles backups fall short against Commanders, squander chance to collect NFC’s No. 2 seed

    Eagles backups fall short against Commanders, squander chance to collect NFC’s No. 2 seed

    The No. 3 seed will have to do for the reigning Super Bowl champions.

    With Nick Sirianni opting to rest most of the starters, the Eagles fell, 24-17, to the Washington Commanders on Sunday night. After the Los Angeles Rams’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals, the Eagles will draw the No. 6-seeded San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

    Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions defeated the Chicago Bears, 19-16, on Sunday. Because of the Eagles’ loss, the Bears clinched the NFC’s No. 2 seed.

    The Eagles backups couldn’t pull off the win. Tanner McKee and the offense got out to an early 7-0 lead over the Commanders, who came out on top after three lead changes throughout the game.

    The Eagles had multiple opportunities to even the score late in the fourth quarter but turned it over on downs twice. With 1 minute, 21 seconds remaining, McKee threw incomplete to Kylen Granson on fourth-and-3 from the Commanders’ 31.

    The Eagles got the ball back with 53 seconds left at their own 28, but McKee couldn’t make anything happen (three incompletions, one sack).

    Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ regular-season finale:

    Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne grabs Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee.

    Roller coaster for McKee

    In the most meaningful game of his NFL career to date, McKee made big plays and big mistakes.

    He was efficient in the passing game to start. Through his first two possessions, McKee went 5-for-7 for 82 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Grant Calcaterra that put the Eagles up, 7-0.

    He also had DeVonta Smith at his disposal for those first two possessions, as the 27-year-old receiver sought to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards for the season. He needed just 44 yards to hit the milestone and he quickly earned them. McKee opened the game with a 17-yard completion to Smith in the flat.

    Smith caught two more passes on the ensuing possession, an 8-yarder and a leaping 27-yard grab over Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones. His three catches for 52 yards brought him to 1,008 on the season, prompting Sirianni to pull him from the game.

    McKee and the Eagles offense faltered in the red zone on the next two possessions. In the second quarter, they marched 54 yards down the field to the Commanders’ 6-yard line, but Washington stopped the Eagles on fourth-and-2. McKee had pressure in his face from defensive end Jacob Martin, fled the pocket to his right, and threw the ball away.

    Later in the second quarter following an interception from Jalyx Hunt, Darius Cooper caught a 17-yard, in-breaking pass to the Commanders’ 5. However, the rookie receiver spun the ball at Jones in celebration and was flagged for taunting.

    The Eagles couldn’t overcome the 15-yard penalty. On third-and-10 from the Commanders’ 20 with 59 seconds left in the first half, McKee threw an interception to safety Jeremy Reaves in the end zone on a pass intended for Jahan Dotson.

    “Just me trying to force it,” McKee said of his interception after the game. “Felt like I tried to get too much back in one play. I saw the coverage, I knew what it was, knew it was going to be a tight throw, tried to fit a really tight ball in. Just dumb, trying to force it. Obviously that was one of the big things that I can learn from.”

    The Commanders moved into field goal range on the brief possession that followed the pick, setting up Jake Moody for a 56-yard field goal to pull Washington ahead, 10-7.

    In the third quarter, McKee turned down an opportunity to scramble for a first down on second-and-1, instead throwing an incomplete pass intended for Cooper. Tank Bigsby couldn’t pick up the requisite yard on third down, forcing the Eagles to punt from their own 29.

    McKee’s performance continued to slide on the final drive of the game. He threw a pair of incomplete passes on first and second downs, took a sack on third down, then tossed another out of bounds on fourth.

    He finished the night going 21-for-40 for 241 yards with a touchdown, and an interception.

    Jalyx Hunt made an impact, but the defense faltered late.

    Hunt’s surge overshadowed

    A handful of key Eagles defensive players earned significant snaps against the Commanders, including Hunt, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo.

    Hunt, the 2024 third-rounder out of Houston Christian, was clutch against the Commanders with his pair of takeaways. In the second quarter, as the Commanders sought to break a 7-7 tie, Hunt dove to undercut a pass intended for Deebo Samuel and picked off Josh Johnson deep in Eagles territory.

    He had an assist from Joshua Uche, who generated the initial pressure on Johnson that forced him to make an ill-advised throw.

    Hunt also scooped up a botched snap in the third quarter, giving McKee and the offense prime field position at the Commanders’ 28. The fumble recovery set up Bigsby’s 2-yard touchdown run.

    But the second-year edge rusher’s heroics were overshadowed by a shaky showing from the Eagles’ depth cornerbacks. Jakorian Bennett, Kelee Ringo, and Mac McWilliams combined for six defensive pass interference or holding penalties (three on Bennett, two on Ringo, one on McWilliams).

    In the fourth quarter, Bennett’s pass interference penalty in the end zone gave the Commanders a fresh set of downs. The Commanders capitalized with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Bates, tying the score at 17.

    “It is what it is, I guess,” Bennett said. “I’m going to try and clean up on film and whatnot. But I’m just out there trying to play my game.”

    Ringo’s pass interference call, which Terry McLaurin drew halfway through the fourth quarter, took the Commanders from their own 23 to the Eagles’ 45. The Commanders eventually took advantage of the field position when Johnson scrambled for the game-winning 1-yard touchdown run to put his team up, 24-17.

    Tank Bigsby got some time in the rushing spotlight in Week 18.

    Big Tank

    With Saquon Barkley resting, Bigsby earned his most extended look of the season since the Eagles acquired him from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 9.

    He rose to the occasion. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound running back collected a season-high 75 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. He also snagged a catch for a career-long 31 yards in the second quarter, turning a dump-off into a long gain while breaking a tackle from Jordan Magee.

    In the third quarter, Bigsby scored his second career touchdown as an Eagle. After Hunt recovered a Johnson fumble in the red zone, Bigsby had five straight carries, starting at the Commanders’ 18-yard line. His 2-yard punch-in on third-and-goal allowed the Eagles to regain the lead, 14-10.

    “My confidence has been there,” Bigsby said. “When I get the opportunity, be the best player I can be for my teammates and be the best player I can be for this team.”

    Injury report

    Brandon Johnson, who started at safety alongside Sydney Brown, injured his ankle while attempting to pick off a deflected pass in the second quarter.

    With Johnson out, Michael Carter moved from nickel cornerback to safety. McWilliams, the fifth-round rookie out of Central Florida, slotted in at nickel corner.

    Calcaterra hurt his ankle and knee on a hip-drop tackle from Reaves in the third quarter.

    Brett Toth was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth quarter and did not return to action.

  • Nick Sirianni defends taunting Bills fans: ‘We had fun winning that game’

    Nick Sirianni defends taunting Bills fans: ‘We had fun winning that game’

    During the 2023 season, an emotional Nick Sirianni taunted Kansas City Chiefs fans following a narrow win by the Eagles.

    “Hey! I don’t hear any [expletive] anymore Chiefs fans!” Sirianni yelled as he left the field. “See ya!”

    Things went downhill from there. The Eagles went on to lose five of their next six games in an epic collapse that cost them an NFC East title, followed by an early playoff exit.

    That trash-talking Sirianni was back following Sunday’s win against Buffalo, where the Birds coach offered a similar-sounding taunt aimed at Bills fans.

    “There was a lot of talking by those Buffalo fans coming in. Not so much anymore!” Sirianni shouted as he exited the field. “Not so much anymore.”

    Wide receiver A.J. Brown, who was walking in next to Sirianni, didn’t appear too impressed by his coach’s outburst. Neither was 94.1 WIP morning show host Joe DeCamara.

    “Can he just not help himself?” DeCamara said during Monday’s broadcast. “I think he’s a great coach. This is an aspect of his thing I could do without.”

    So what got Sirianni so worked up? During an interview Tuesday morning on WIP, Sirianni said it didn’t have anything to do with growing up in nearby Jamestown, N.Y., or having friends and family in the stands. Instead, he offered a simpler explanation.

    “Football is fun,” Sirianni said. “It’s OK to show emotion. It’s fun to show emotion. Like, it’s OK to be excited.”

    Sirianni certainly hasn’t been shy showing his emotion during his five-year tenure as Eagles coach. It has led to some awkward moments, like when he yelled at Birds fans in the stands last season or was caught mugging for the camera after the Eagles went up 14-0 on the New York Giants during a 2023 playoff game.

    The outbursts might cause some fans to cringe, but you can’t question the results. Since Sirianni took over as head coach in 2021, the Eagles have advanced to the playoffs five straight seasons, played in two Super Bowls, and took home a Lombardi Trophy last season. Sirianni already ranks second in wins in franchise history (including the playoffs), and is just one of five head coaches in NFL history with a career winning percentage above .700.

    Even during Sunday’s game, Sirianni was seen on the sideline jawing with Bills players and celebrating following a first-quarter touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert.

    “We had fun winning that game,” Sirianni said. “And, yeah, you’re going to be emotional after the game and you’re going to be emotional in the game.”

    “I love seeing our guys show emotion after they make a big play, and I show emotion after they make a big play,” Sirianni added. “That’s one of the reasons why you get into coaching. You can’t make plays anymore, and you want to help other people make plays.”

    No update on whether Eagles starters will play

    If Sirianni has made a decision on whether to play or rest his starters Sunday against the Washington Commanders, he didn’t open up about it Tuesday morning.

    “We still have time,” Sirianni said. “There’s benefits to rest, there’s benefits to play, and we’ve just got to do what we think is best for the football team.”

    The Eagles will likely enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed and face either the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round. But the Birds could move up to the No. 2 seed and face the Green Bay Packers with a win Sunday and a loss by the Chicago Bears against the Detroit Lions.

    Rams loss eliminates one Eagles wild-card opponent as playoffs approach

    Columnist David Murphy thinks Sirianni’s lack of a straight answer is a signal he’s giving serious thought to resting his starters.

    “If the Eagles punt on Week 18, it will allow the coaching staff and front office to spend an extra week preparing for the playoffs. It will give Jalen Hurts and the rest of the starters the ability to participate in that scouting and game-planning process,” Murphy wrote. “That’s a big, big deal.”

  • The Eagles are going to keep driving you crazy with their passive offense. Get used to it.

    The Eagles are going to keep driving you crazy with their passive offense. Get used to it.

    The quieter his offense is, the louder Nick Sirianni gets. There he was Sunday night, strutting down a tunnel at Highmark Stadium in the aftermath of the Eagles’ 13-12 victory over the Bills, crowing about how all those Buffalo fans had nothing more to say, how they didn’t have so much bleep to talk anymore. He caught up to A.J. Brown and turned to look him in the eye, and Brown shot a smirk back that said, Coach, did you watch us try to move the ball after halftime?

    Did Sirianni watch it? Of course. Did he care? My guess: only so much. If you’re complaining about the Eagles’ impotent offense and unimaginative play-calling both from Sunday’s second half and from several previous games this season, if you’re waiting for Sirianni and coordinator Kevin Patullo to have some eureka moment and suddenly start dazzling everyone with their play designs and a wide-open style of offense, you’re missing the key to understanding the 2025 Eagles.

    They want to play like this. They want to rely on their defense. They want to limit every and any available possibility that their offense and special teams might commit a turnover. It took some time and some trial and some error, but they’ve settled on an approach, and this is it.

    Running back Saquon Barkley (right) embraces defensive tackle Jalen Carter after the Eagles defense stopped the Bills on a two-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter Sunday.

    By they, I don’t necessarily mean Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman. They’re happy with the wins, to be sure, and they’re surely thrilled that Roseman and Vic Fangio have worked to create a defense of such quality that the Eagles can gain all of 17 yards in a single half and still hold on to beat a Super Bowl contender, which is what happened Sunday. But you can pretty much guarantee that Lurie, in particular, is looking at the money and salary-cap space that he has allocated to Brown, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and Cam Jurgens and asking himself, Did I really spend all that money so Jalen could hand the ball to Saquon on delayed inside handoffs in second-and-long situations?

    No, by they, I mean Sirianni. If he rented a small plane, attached to its tail a banner that read, WHEN WE DON’T TURN IT OVER WE WIN, and flew it over Lincoln Financial Field, he could not be more overt about his intentions here, about the way he wants the Eagles to play. He even put the lie to the notion that nothing revealing comes out of HBO Max’s Hard Knocks series anymore, because the cameras captured him in a team meeting earlier this month spelling out this strategy.

    Eagles’ inexplicable second half offense nearly soils defensive gem vs. Josh Allen and the Bills

    “This is what it’s about this week,” he said to an auditorium full of players. “We’ve got to be obsessed with the football. We’ve got to be obsessed with the [expletive] football. When we take care of the football, it is so hard to beat us. When we turn the football over as a defense, it is so hard to beat us. …

    “This is the most important fundamental we have. We’ve got to be so locked in to this, because as we continue on this year, this is what presses us: the ball, the ball, the ball, the ball. We win when we take care of the football. We win when we turn them over on defense.”

    During Sirianni’s five-year tenure as their head coach, the Eagles have won 42 of the 44 games in which they have committed fewer turnovers than their opponents; that record includes Sunday’s win, when Josh Allen lost a fumble while trying to fend off Jaelan Phillips and the Eagles did nothing so daring that might have cost them possession of the football. That 42-2 mark is a stark and striking statistic, one that has a talismanic quality for Sirianni. He believes in its power so deeply that he is willing to bet that the Eagles can build an early lead, then hold any opponent at bay thereafter.

    Let us raise a glass to the Tush Push. It’s dead, and the Eagles have to find an alternative.

    Two games from the last five weeks are particularly insightful in this regard. On Nov. 23, the Eagles lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 24-21, after getting out to an early 21-point lead. On Dec. 8, they moved the ball well against the Los Angeles Chargers but still lost, 22-19 in overtime, largely because Hurts threw four interceptions and lost a fumble. One could certainly conclude from those losses that the Eagles should have continued to be aggressive on offense, that it would be a mistake for them to dial back their aggressiveness. They tore up the Dallas defense for that game’s first 15½ minutes, and it took an all-time terrible performance from Hurts, maybe the worst of his career, to cost them a victory against the Chargers.

    Eagles coach Nick Sirianni banters with Buffalo Bills fans after Sunday’s victory in Orchard Park, N.Y.

    But after scoring a combined 60 points against a couple of bad teams (the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders), the Eagles went right back to being conservative against a good team, the Bills. The lesson that Sirianni took from the Dallas and L.A. losses wasn’t, In one game, we took our foot off the gas pedal, and it came back to bite us. In the other, Jalen had the kind of game that he’s unlikely to have again. So we can afford to open things up. No, the lesson he took was, We opened things up, and we lost. We can’t afford to do that again.

    Can the Eagles return to the Super Bowl and win it again this way? Yes, they can. But that doesn’t mean they will, and even if they do, their journey there will be stressful and tenuous, with winter storms and giant potholes. But this is the road they’ve chosen. So stop mentioning the firepower that they have on offense, the players whose talents are being wasted. Stop arguing over whether Hurts is a winning winner who just wins or a fraud who has been propped up by the infrastructure around him. Those discussions are pointless. This is who the Eagles have been this season. This is who they are. This is who they’re going to be. They don’t have Trent Dilfer at quarterback, but they’re going to play like they do. Get used to it.

  • The Eagles wouldn’t be foolish to rest their starters in Week 18. But they’d better be right.

    The Eagles wouldn’t be foolish to rest their starters in Week 18. But they’d better be right.

    I really don’t know where to begin. Maybe with my Ron Burgundy voice.

    I don’t believe you.

    That means you, Nick Sirianni. And you, fellow media members. The big question from Sirianni’s news conference Monday isn’t a question at all. In fact, the Eagles coach is making an obvious error — albeit minor and forgivable — by playing along. There is simply no possible way he could be entertaining the idea of resting his starters in their regular-season finale against the Commanders in Week 18. Not with all the Eagles would stand to gain as the No. 2 seed, which would be theirs with a win over Washington and a Bears loss to the Lions.

    Why wouldn’t the Eagles go for the No. 2 seed? Nick Sirianni pointed to the Super Bowl for some insight.

    Right?

    Uh … right?

    “This is a marathon of a season,” Sirianni said Monday, one day after the Eagles eked out a 13-12 win over the Bills and then watched the Bears lose to the 49ers and thus fail to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. “Yes, your seeding is not locked down yet, but you are thinking, ‘Hey, can I put ourselves in the best position seeding-wise,’ while also you’re thinking to yourself how important byes are and creating them if you don’t earn the right for the first-round bye. Those are all things you’ve got to think through and go through.

    “I think a lot of guys would say last year that that was a big deal, being able to have a built-in bye last year to set us up for what we ultimately did last year.”

    C’mon, Nick! I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt here. You’re only doing that thing where you play the dummy on TV. We both know how good at this job you are. Few coaches in the NFL have as good of an understanding of what it takes to win in this league. Nobody has a better feel for his team, for his players, for his competitive reality. You know who the Eagles are and what they need and what situations will set them up for success.

    Nick Sirianni was unsurprisingly noncommittal when asked Monday if he intended to roll out his starters for the final regular-season game or rest them.

    Surely, you would agree with this long list of things that your team doesn’t need:

    • The Eagles don’t need a wild-card matchup against the Rams. Nor the 49ers. Nor the Seahawks. But especially not the Rams.
    • They don’t need a divisional round road game against a team they’ve already lost to in a stadium where the high temperature on Monday was 24 degrees with wind speeds well into the double digits.
    • They certainly don’t need any whiff of a quarterback controversy, which means they certainly don’t need to spend next week prepping for a playoff game while answering questions about Tanner McKee. And that means they don’t need their home crowd to watch McKee shred the hapless Commanders on Sunday, one week after Jalen Hurts failed to complete a pass in the second half of their narrow win over the Bills.

    The Eagles would eliminate all of these possibilities by securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. So, why wouldn’t they try their darndest to do so? Why would Sirianni even think about keeping Hurts on the sidelines and sending McKee and the second-teamers out there on Sunday?

    Eagles just might muddle their way to another Super Bowl, thanks to Jalen Carter and the NFL’s best defense

    I’m assuming the argument is as follows. The Eagles do not control their own destiny with regard to the second seed. If the Bears beat the Lions next week, Chicago gets the No. 2 seed, regardless of how the Eagles fare against the Commanders. The Lions don’t have anything to play for and the Bears just came up 3 yards short of beating a 49ers team that has a 50% chance to enter the playoffs as the NFC’s top overall seed. Chances are, the Bears beat the Lions (they are 2.5-point favorites). Thus, chances are, the Eagles are locked into the third seed and will be hosting one of the three NFC West powers instead of the sputtering Packers. In which case, the Eagles would gain far more by giving their starters an extra week to rest and prepare for the playoffs than they would by winning a meaningless game.

    OK, I’ll admit. It’s a compelling argument, especially when you consider how much the Eagles seemed to gain by resting their starters in Week 18 last season.

    An even more compelling argument is the one that Sirianni wouldn’t dare say out loud. I suspect it might be the real reason he is giving serious thought to resting his starters. The reason is Sirianni himself. And his coaches. If the Eagles punt on Week 18, it will allow the coaching staff and front office to spend an extra week preparing for the playoffs. It will give Hurts and the rest of the starters the ability to participate in that scouting and game-planning process. That’s a big, big deal.

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts did not complete any of his seven passes in the second half against the Bills.

    It doesn’t really matter that the Eagles don’t know who they will be playing. The extra week would allow them to prepare for everybody, and those preparations can pay dividends throughout the playoffs if and when they run into those teams. In short, rest for the players is more of a bonus. The real benefit of looking past the Commanders is the preparation.

    On the other hand … The benefits of the No. 2 seed are much more real this year than they are in a lot of years. The Packers are, by far, the easier matchup in the wild-card round. You’d much rather host them and then host a divisional round game and then potentially host an NFC championship game than any of the alternatives.

    As for the McKee thing … Sirianni will shrug it off. I can’t imagine it will be a consideration. But you are fooling yourself if you don’t look at it as a potential downside. If Hurts’ backup goes out there and looks like a world-beater on the eve of the playoffs, it will only ratchet up the pressure on the Eagles’ starter. To be clear, the people calling for McKee would be wildly off base. It’s a silly notion to think anybody but Hurts gives the Eagles the best chance to win a football game. But perceptions are what they are. And they can definitely bleed into a locker room.

    Eagles’ inexplicable second half offense nearly soils defensive gem vs. Josh Allen and the Bills

    Long story short, Sirianni’s decision is much tougher than it looks at first glance. The extra week of internal preparation is incredibly valuable. The Eagles can still beat the Commanders with the backups playing, while allowing the starters to focus their practice weeks on the postseason.

    I just keep coming back to one thought. Imagine if everything breaks in a certain direction. The Bears lose. The Rams end up as the sixth seed. But the Eagles’ backups lose to the Commanders and their road to the Super Bowl ends up being home vs. the Rams, then on the road at the Bears, then on the road at the Seahawks or 49ers.

    All season, Sirianni preaches that the NFL is all about handling the opponent in front of you and then letting the other stuff sort itself out. Now, more than ever, he should listen to himself.