NFL power rankings: Eagles jump again as playoff spots are clinched

The Eagles are playoff-bound, and the football world seems to be taking notice of what's going on in South Philly.

After a few weeks of getting snubbed in the weekly crop of NFL power rankings because they weren't exactly beating top-tier opponents, the Birds' recent four-game win streak (and overall 7-2 stretch) has the critics admitting there might be something brewing with Jalen Hurts and his guys.

So let's scour seven different national outlets to find out what they're saying about the Birds after they punched their ticket to the postseason

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ESPN

Last week: 13

This week: 13 (+0)

"The Eagles want to be a "quarterback factory," as general manager Howie Roseman once famously said, and that's not a bad mindset to have -- over investing in the most important position in pro sports is generally smart. But the QB1 also needs to feel supported. When Carson Wentz felt that was in question after the Eagles selected Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, things fell apart quickly. It might be enticing for the Eagles to use some of their handsome draft capital (they have three first-round picks this April) to secure a big-name quarterback, but Hurts has guided his team to the playoffs in his first year as a full-time starter, and at age 23, deserves some breathing room before the Philly brass gets the factory up and cranking once again."

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NFL.com

Last week: 15

This week: 14 (+1)

"Four straight wins punched a ticket to the postseason for the Eagles, but it’s fair to wonder if Philly is the NFC’s answer to the Dolphins -- another team that fattened up on the league’s have-nots. The Eagles' current win streak has been built on the backs of the Jets, the Giants and Washington (twice). Take a step back and you’ll see Philly doesn’t have a single win against a team that currently has a winning record. It will be the sensible play when Iggles fans pull those “underdog” masks out of their closets in a couple weeks."

CBS Sports

Last week: 16

This week: 15 (+1)

"They struggled some against Washington, but they found a way late to win it, which is a good sign. They are in the playoffs."

Sporting News

Last week: 15

This week: 14 (+1)

"The Eagles had to find their defensive way against Washington, but once they did, the win came easy with Jalen Hurts' passing and running doing plenty. Nick Sirianni has done a great job as a rookie coach, the Brandon Staley of the NFC."

Pro Football Network

Last week: 15

This week: 15 (+0)

"Jalen Hurts wasn’t bothered much by the Washington pass rush, and in turn, looked quite comfortable from within the pocket against Philadelphia’s divisional opponent.

"The Eagles control their own destiny, but they have a tough matchup against the Cowboys to finish their season. Hurts hasn’t played well against Dallas yet in his career. It would be massive for the perception about him if he played well in that game."

Bleacher Report

Last week: 14

This week: 14 (+0)

"Sunday's victory in D.C. more or less followed the same script the Eagles have used to turn their season around. They ran the ball 34 times in Week 17, and while they gained just 3.5 yards per carry, the Eagles controlled the flow of the game and won the time-of-possession battle.

"[...]

"With a postseason berth assured, the Eagles can breathe a little easier about next week's visit from the Dallas Cowboys. It's also possible that the team sits Hurts to allow his injured ankle to heal.

"But knocking off Dallas would also go a long way toward establishing that the Eagles can have success in the postseason."

Sports Illustrated

Last week: 16

This week: 11 (+5)

"Slowly becoming one of the most exciting teams in the league, the Eagles are shapeshifting offensively behind the versatile Jalen Hurts. One week, they are the Ravens. One week, they are the Colts. One week, they are the Patriots on Monday night in Buffalo (okay, maybe not that run heavy). Still, the No. 1 rushing offense in the league is opening up some fascinating doors for Nick Sirianni’s ballclub."

All the way up to ELEVEN in Sports Illustrated's rankings?! Nick Sirianni & Co., take a bow.

For a second straight week, the Birds set a season-high in their average power ranking position.

And what a difference 10 weeks makes - after Week 7, the Eagles had an average power ranking of 26. They've nearly cut that number in half. That's insane.

The final week of the season probably won't help much, considering they have a laundry list of starters on the COVID list and it's unclear if Sirianni will even want to play his best players, so enjoy this and get ready for the postseason.

I'll be tracking the Eagles' average power rankings across these seven outlets all season long at the bottom of these posts.