Eagles could still win division, but wild card not out of question

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The Eagles got to sit back and watch some football on Sunday and they saw a few things go their way unlike Thursday when they had to watch the Cowboys beat the Saints. 

On Sunday, the Panthers, Vikings and Packers all lost. 

For a long time, we’ve all assumed if the Eagles were to make it to the playoffs, they’d need to win the NFC East. That might still be true, but they’re also not that far out of the wild-card race either. 

As the Eagles (5-6) get ready to face the Redskins (6-5) on Monday Night Football, here’s an updated look at who would be in the playoffs in the NFC if they started right now: 

Division leaders

Rams (11-1) 
Saints (10-2) 
Bears (8-4)
Cowboys (7-5) 

Wild card

Seahawks (7-5)
Redskins (6-5) 

Seattle has been hot recently and beat the 49ers, 43-16, Sunday to stay ahead in the wild-card race, but an Eagles’ win over the Redskins tonight would have them right in the mix. 

Here are the top teams in the hunt for the wild-card spots right now: 

Vikings (6-5-1)
Panthers (6-6)
Eagles (5-6)
Buccaneers (5-7)
Packers (4-7-1) 

It’s been true all season, but the Eagles are still in control of their fate. If they were to win out, they’d win the division and make it into the playoffs that way. Obviously, that’s a lot to ask, especially for a team that hasn’t won back-to-back games all year. The wild card is tougher because there are a lot more teams in the mix, but they still have a chance there. 

The wild-card tie-breakers between two division teams follow the normal division tie-breaker procedures. But if the two clubs are from different divisions, it goes in this order: head-to-head, conference record, common games, strength of victory, strength of schedule, and so on. 

According to FiveThirtyEight, it looks like the Eagles’ best chance to get to the playoffs is to win the division, but they could still get there from the wild card too. Their percentage chance to win the division is 15 percent, but their chances to make the playoffs is 21 percent. 

But if the Eagles win the next two games, their percentage chances to make the playoffs go up to 57 percent, according to FiveThirtyEight.  

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