Eagles, Niners Destined For Title Game Matchup

There will be quite a bit of jockeying for playoff positioning in the NFC throughout the remainder of the season, but the most elite teams in the conference appear to head and shoulders above the other postseason contenders,

The best teams in the NFC are the Philadelphia Eagles (9-1-0), San Francisco 49ers (8-3-0) and Dallas Cowboys (8-3-0). It would be a shock if one of those teams is not the NFC representative in the Super Bowl.

The Detroit Lions (8-3-0) have begun to spring leaks after barely getting by the Chicago Bears in Week 11 and losing to the Green Bay Packers (5-6-0) on Thanksgiving Day. They have developed a significant weakness in their tendency to turn the ball over the last two games. Opponents have 7 takeaways in the last two games, and that could be a huge problem as the Lions proceed down the home stretch of the season.

The Seahawks (6-5-0) blew a key game in Week 11 to the Los Angeles Rams (4-6-0) and were overwhelmed on Thanksgiving Night by the Niners. Quarterback Geno Smith is playing with an elbow injury and explosive running back Kenneth Walker III has an oblique injury that could sideline him for two more weeks. The Seahawks now face a gauntlet of a schedule with their next three games against the Cowboys, Niners and Eagles. They could play themselves right out of the postseason.

The Vikings (6-5-0) have won 5 of 6 after a brutal start, and the combination of head coach Kevin O’Connell and new quarterback Josh Dobbs appears to be a winning one. When superstar wideout Justin Jefferson returns from his hamstring injury, the offense could reach an elite level. Coordinator Brian Flores has worked wonders with the Vikings defense. That unit has risen from the 31st-ranked unit in 2022 to 13th this season.

The New Orleans Saints (5-5-0), Atlanta Falcons (4-6-0) or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6-0) will compete in the playoffs as the NFC South champion and will be the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. The team that emerges will be a significant home underdog to the Cowboys (likely No. 5 seed) in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Unless the Niners can overcome their 2-game deficit to the Eagles, they most likely be the No. 2 seed in the playoffs and will face the No. 7 seed. That could be the Vikings, Seahawks, Packers or Rams, and the 49ers will most likely overwhelm that opponent.

The NFC North winner will most likely have the No. 3 seed, and the Lions were in great shape before their generosity with turnovers became a major issue. They have a 2-game lead over the Vikings, but those teams will meet in Week 16 and 18. If Minnesota wins both of those games, they have an excellent chance of wrestling the division title away from Detroit. The runner-up has an excellent chance of owning the No. 6 seed. If that scenario plays out, it means the Lions and Vikings will play each other three times in a four-week span.

The expectation is that the Eagles will end up hosting the 49ers in the NFC Championship game, just as they did last year. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy suffered an elbow injury (ulnar collateral ligament) in that game and the Niners lost touch early as the Eagles rolled to the Super Bowl. If both teams stay healthy, this potential championship matchup could come down to the last possession.

If it seems like the Cowboys are being dismissed, that is a fair conclusion. Despite having superior talent on both sides of the ball – Dak Prescott, Tony Pollard and CeeDee Lamb on offense along with Micah Parsons and record-setting DaRon Bland on defense – they have continued to lose regularly to the Eagles and Niners.

Head coach Mike McCarthy does not appear to have any answers when facing those elite teams, and the Cowboys will fall short until they can prove differently. That is not going to happen until Jerry Jones makes a change at the top and sends McCarthy packing.