NFL playoff picture: Eagles scenarios after loss, Cowboys and three more teams eliminated

The Eagles’ playoff math was pretty straightforward heading into Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders (10-5) — a win and the Birds would’ve clinched both the NFC East and the NFC’s No. 2 playoff seed.

That didn’t happen.

Despite Sunday’s loss to the Commanders, the Eagles (12-3) can still clinch the NFC East with a win next week against the Dallas Cowboys (6-8). But the loss puts them one game behind both the Detroit Lions (13-2) and the Minnesota Vikings (13-2), both of whom won Sunday.

As a result, only one path remains for the Eagles to clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed, and with it a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the playoffs:

If all that were to happen, the Vikings would win the NFC North and end the season tied with the Eagles at 14-3. The Eagles would win the tiebreaker with a better record against common opponents. The Lions would drop all the way down to the No. 5 seed.

The more likely scenario is the Eagles win one of their remaining two games, lock up the NFC East, and end the season with the No. 2 seed. That would mean a rematch with the Commanders at the Linc in the wild-card round.

Thanks to their comeback win against the Eagles, the Commanders still have a narrow path to top the Birds in the NFC East, but it remains a longshot.

Washington would need to win their final two games against the Atlanta Falcons (8-7) and the Cowboys and have the Eagles end the season with losses against the Cowboys and New York Giants (2-13). It’s more likely the Commanders will end up with the No. 7 seed and face the Eagles at the Linc in the first round of the playoffs.

With the Commanders’ win, the Cowboys have officially been eliminated from the playoffs. Dallas joins the Giants, who have been eliminated from the playoffs for weeks. It also means the NFL might move Eagles-Cowboys out of Fox’s national 4:25 p.m. window next week.

The Lions hold on the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed got stronger, thanks to their win over the Chicago Bears (4-11). But the Vikings kept pace by defeating the Seattle Seahawks (8-7) and could still overtake them.

The Packers would clinch a playoff berth with a win against the Saints on Monday Night Football.

Three other NFC teams were eliminated from the playoffs Sunday — the Arizona Cardinals (7-8), New Orleans Saints (5-9), and 49ers, who become the 11th team since 2000 to miss the playoffs after losing in the Super Bowl.

The Buffalo Bills (12-3) are still alive in the hunt for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, thanks to their win Sunday against the New England Patriots (3-12).

The Kansas City Chiefs, who defeated the Houston Texans (9-6) on Saturday, would clinch the No. 1 seed on Christmas day with a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5). They would also clinch the top seed with a loss by the Bills next week against the New York Jets (4-11).

The Baltimore Ravens (10-5) clinched a playoff spot and moved into first place in the AFC North by defeating the Steelers (10-5) Saturday night.

The Miami Dolphins (7-8) remained mathematically live in the playoff hunt by defeating the 49ers Sunday, but would still need to overcome the Cincinnati Bengals (7-8), Indianapolis Colts (7-8), and Denver Broncos (9-6) to secure a wild card spot.

The NFL playoffs begin with the wild-card round on Saturday, Jan. 11, which will feature six games airing on Fox, CBS, NBC, and ESPN/ABC.

For the second straight season, one wild-card game will stream exclusively on Peacock, NBC’s subscription service.