Each week we'll lay out a rooting guide for non-Eagles games on the NFL schedule for those of you on the fence while watching the other action around the league. Ideal winners bolded.
NFC East
First, a look at the updated NFC East standings:
| NFC East | Record | Div record | GB |
| Eagles | 8-2 | 3-0 | - |
| Commanders | 7-4 | 2-1 | 1.5 |
| Cowboys | 3-7 | 1-1 | 5 |
| Giants | 2-8 | 0-4 | 6 |
The Eagles have a 1.5-game lead over the Commanders, while the Cowboys' and Giants' seasons are cooked. The Eagles have a 79 percent chance of winning the division, per Inpredictable.
• Buccaneers at Giants: The Giants have cut Daniel Jones, and there's unsurprising reporting that the players don't like GM Joe Schoen and that head coach Brian Daboll is losing the locker room. John Mara is on record saying that he is going to stick with Schoen and Daboll into 2025, but I just don't see how that's possible. The more games this team loses down the stretch the better the draft pick they'll have for a potential new regime. So, you know, it's best if they win some games.
Also, the Bucs are a real threat to win the NFC South, even at 4-6, and that's not a team the Eagles want to see in the playoffs, given Jalen Hurts' poor history against Todd Bowles.
• Cowboys at Commanders: The more distance the Eagles can put between themselves and the Commanders in the NFC East, the better. (Duh.)
As for the Cowboys, they're in the same situation as the Giants. The more games the Cowboys lose, the better the pick they'll have, and Mike McCarthy is almost certainly getting fired.
NFC contenders
As usual, let's first look at the NFC seeding if the season ended today (it doesn't).
| Seed | Team | Record | Conf record |
| 1 | Lions | 9-1 | 6-1 |
| 2 | Eagles | 8-2 | 5-2 |
| 3 | Cardinals | 6-4 | 3-3 |
| 4 | Falcons | 6-5 | 6-2 |
| 5 | Vikings | 8-2 | 3-2 |
| 6 | Packers | 7-3 | 3-3 |
| 7 | Commanders | 7-4 | 5-2 |
| 8 | Rams | 5-5 | 3-4 |
| 9 | Seahawks | 5-5 | 2-4 |
| 10 | 49ers | 5-5 | 3-4 |
| 11 | Buccaneers | 4-6 | 4-3 |
| 12 | Bears ☠️ | 4-6 | 2-3 |
| 13 | Saints ☠️ | 4-7 | 3-4 |
| 14 | Panthers ☠️ | 3-7 | 2-4 |
| 15 | Cowboys ☠️ | 3-7 | 1-5 |
| 16 | Giants ☠️ | 2-8 | 1-6 |
As you can see, the Eagles actually have more of a buffer between themselves and either the Falcons or Cardinals for the 2 seed than they do over the Commanders. They are also only a game behind the Lions for the 1-seed.
NFC crossover games
• 49ers at Packers: The 49ers are having a difficult season after blowing the Super Bowl last year. If the season ended today, they'd finish in 10th place in the NFC, and out of the playoffs. Still, would you rather face the Packers in the playoffs, or a 49ers team that will have to have gotten hot down the stretch to earn their way in? If I'm the Eagles, I'd rather face the Packers.
- MORE EAGLES
- Eagles-Rams preview: Five things to watch
- Giants waive QB Daniel Jones: Should the Eagles have interest?
- Eagles-Rams: Staff picks, betting odds and more for the Sunday Night Football matchup
NFC North
• Lions at Colts: The Eagles are in striking distance of the Lions for the 1-seed, so a Lions loss is ideal. However, the Lions would still be atop the NFC with a loss and an Eagles win on the the strength of a better conference record. It's more ideal if the Lions lose to an NFC team, but all losses are welcomed, of course.
• Vikings at Bears: Again, same question as above... Would you rather face the Vikings in the playoffs, or the 49ers?
NFC West
• Cardinals at Seahawks: The Cardinals lead the NFC West with a 6-4 record. They are an ideal team to win the NFC West instead of the 49ers or Rams.
For future reference
Ravens at Chargers: The Ravens are the Eagles' Week 13 opponent (next Sunday). Both the Ravens and Eagles will have to travel home from Los Angeles in advance of their matchup, but the Ravens will have to do so after a Monday night game. I think that if you're an Eagles fan you're just rooting for a physical game here.
Chiefs at Panthers: The Eagles then play the Panthers Week 14. They have a terrible roster, but have actually been a little frisky lately and have a two-game winning streak. It's probably best if the Chiefs humble them.
Irrelevant to the Eagles
- Patriots at Dolphins
- Titans at Texans
- Broncos at Raiders
MORE: Eagles-Rams preview: 5 things to watch
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