Are the Eagles the Best Team in the NFC?
Standing at 10-2 with firm control of the NFC East, the Eagles’ play and overall chemistry continues to develop each week. They have not lost a game in the past two months, thanks to their current eight-game winning streak, the team is on right now. Firing on all cylinders since the bye week, the offense ranks fourth in total points per game and fifth in total yards per game. Saquon Barkley is the NFL rushing leader as of right now, possibly closing in on Eric Dickerson’s all-time season record. On defense, they rank sixth in points allowed and third in third-down conversion rate. The defense has been stellar all season, with key contributors scattered throughout. In their upcoming five-game stretch to end the regular season, three of the teams the Eagles will face are below .500. All scenarios considered, the Eagles still need some good fortune from the Lions to capture the one seed in the NFC. The Green Bay Packers are also worth mentioning as a top NFC team, but they still fall well short of the Lions in terms of winning percentage. Standing at 11-1, the Lions have been a powerhouse all season long. Can the Eagles surpass them with a possible playoff matchup looming?
Detroit has a tough road to finish out the regular season. Over the next five weeks, they will have to face the Packers, Bills, and Vikings. That is no slight against the Lions, who have truly arrived as a franchise this season. Jared Goff is in the midst of one of his best seasons to date, and they have two powerful backs who balance their offense. The Lions do control their own destiny, but the Eagles are right next to them at the summit of the NFC. Philadelphia has the front seven to slow down their run game, and two cornerbacks in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean to match up against Detroit’s weapons. For Philadelphia, the hope is that Detroit could realistically lose one, maybe two of these matchups. The Eagles have to face the Steelers and Commanders in between the next month, but they already beat Washington previously, and Philadelphia will be favored against the Steelers. If the Eagles were to see the Lions in January, it would easily be the most anticipated matchup of the 2024 season.
The two teams are almost identical to each other in terms of having stellar offensive lines, and the weapons that surround Jared Goff and Jalen Hurts. Of course, the great equalizer will be what stadium this potential game could be played at. If the Lions were to host Philadelphia, Detroit’s Ford Field would certainly be electric. They have a dome field with a great fanbase. On the other hand, if the Eagles grasp control of the home field, the tide turns. The cold weather and chaotic atmosphere of Lincoln Financial Field could be the combo one-two punch to beat a powerful Lions squad. The weeks ahead will determine the playoff identity of both teams, but it is no secret the Eagles and Lions are the bellcow of the NFC this season. As Philadelphia’s vision for the Super Bowl grows clearer by the week, there is no avenue to getting there without beating the hungry Detroit Lions.
