The division that nobody seemed to want to win this season could have an unlikely champion before the end of Saturday night. The NFC East title is hanging in the balance this weekend when the Philadelphia Eagles host Washington in a game that will go a long ways toward deciding the postseason fate of both teams.
Thanks to the Eagles and New York Giants both losing in Week 15, combined with Washington's win over the Buffalo Bills, Jay Gruden's club can clinch its first division title since 2012 with a win in Philly. At 7-7, the team has a one-game lead in the standings with two games to go. A win by Washington would give the Eagles their ninth loss, eliminating them from the race. It would also wrap up the tiebreaker advantage over New York, regardless of what the Giants do in their final two games.
The fact that Washington is on the verge of a playoff spot is quite an accomplishment for a team that most predicted to be one of the NFL's worst in September. The preseason computer simulations at FiveThirtyEight.com pegged them with a 1 percent chance to win the division and 8 percent odds to make the playoffs, third-lowest among all teams. Now, those numbers are both 51 percent.
Despite their 6-8 record, the Eagles are still somehow alive in the division race. Stunningly, they are just two wins away from the playoffs, even if they are a team that hardly looks playoff-worthy. A loss on Saturday, though, and they'd be sitting out the postseason for the second straight season under Chip Kelly and staring at their first losing campaign since 2012.
How to Watch
When: 8:25 p.m. Saturday
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
TV: NFL Network
Announcers: Ian Eagle, Trent Green and Evan Washburn
Online: NFL Game Pass