December 18, 2025
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images
Better potential NFC Championship Game matchup: Rams or Seahawks?
If the NFL season ended today (it doesn't), the Philadelphia Eagles would be the 3 seed in the NFC at 9-5. The Eagles aside, there are games on the NFL schedule that are meaningful to the Birds' seeding if they are able to close out the NFC East by beating the Washington Commanders on Saturday.
Here 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. And yes, I'm aware that most of the below is obvious. Ideal winners bolded.
• Chargers at Cowboys: This game won't matter if the Eagles handle their own business against the Commanders on Saturday, as they will clinch the division. But, if the Eagles lose, they can still win the division this weekend with a Cowboys loss to the Chargers. If the Eagles lose, it's best if the Cowboys lose, too. If the Eagles win, it's best of the Cowboys win and mess up their draft positioning. So we'll bold neither team until we learn the outcome of the Eagles-Commanders game.
The NFC East standings now look like this:
| NFC East | Record |
| Eagles | 9-5 |
| Cowboys | 6-7-1 |
| Commanders | 3-10 |
| Giants | 2-11 |
Inpredictable.com now has the Eagles as 99 percent likely to win the division.
• Vikings at Giants: If the season ended today (again, it doesn't), the Giants would have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Giants aren't likely to draft a quarterback after Jaxson Dart's promising rookie season, but they could trade back for a treasure trove of picks with teams like the Raiders, Browns, Jets, Cardinals, Saints, Rams, Dolphins, etc. There are no shortage of teams that could covet a new franchise quarterback.
Therefore, it's best if the Giants win a game or two down the stretch and wreck their draft positioning.
First, a visual of the NFC standings/seeding:
| Seed | Team | Record |
| 1 | Rams | 11-3 |
| 2 | Bears | 10-4 |
| 3 | Eagles | 9-5 |
| 4 | Buccaneers | 7-7 |
| 5 | Seahawks | 11-3 |
| 6 | 49ers | 10-4 |
| 7 | Packers | 9-4-1 |
| 8 | Lions | 8-6 |
| 9 | Panthers | 7-7 |
| 10 | Cowboys ☠️ | 6-7-1 |
| 11 | Vikings ☠️ | 6-8 |
| 12 | Falcons ☠️ | 5-9 |
| 13 | Saints ☠️ | 4-10 |
| 14 | Commanders ☠️ | 4-10 |
| 15 | Cardinals ☠️ | 3-11 |
| 16 | Giants ☠️ | 2-12 |
• Rams at Seahawks: I think this game boils down to who you think is the more ideal matchup in a road NFC Championship Game scenario. And so, I polled the public:
Curious who you think the better matchup is for the Eagles in a potential road NFC Championship Game scenario...
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) December 18, 2025
I can see arguments for both sides. On the one hand, there would no doubt a whole lot of Eagles fans will be invading SoFi Stadium for a matchup against the Rams, and the Eagles' biggest strength (the defense) lines up with the Rams' biggest strength (their offense). I also believe that the Eagles would have some matchup advantages against the Rams' light defense (both along their line and at CB). Plus, Seattle is a difficult place to play, and in my opinion, the Eagles' offense wouldn't match up as well against the Seahawks' defense.
On the other hand... Sam Darnold. 🤷♂️
So, you know, it's kind of a toss-up, and the polling above agrees.
I think this is just a game you watch, see how it unfolds, and then decide. (But for now I'd lean toward the more ideal scenario being the Eagles' pass rush getting after Darnold.)
• Packers at Bears: Whichever team wins the NFC North has a good chance of hosting the Eagles in the divisional round should the Eagles get that far. The Eagles already beat the Packers in Green Bay this season, and they have won all three matchups against them since 2024. Plus, the Packers have lost several of their best players to season-ending injuries. They're the better matchup, in my opinion.
Personally speaking, I will be rooting HARD for the Bears, as I do not want to have to go back to Green Bay this season, or in 2026 for that matter, as the Eagles will play on the road against the NFC North winner next season (assuming the Eagles win the NFC East). Go Bears! 🐻
• Buccaneers at Panthers: Whoever wins the NFC South will likely play whichever of the Rams or Seahawks doesn't win the NFC West. Ideally, the NFC South team will win that matchup in the playoffs, so it's more ideal if the better of the Buccaneers and Panthers win this game. I'm not sure who I think is better, but the Bucs have more playoff experience, so I'd go with them, I guess.
• 49ers at Colts: The Niners could actually leapfrog whichever of the Seahawks or Rams doesn't win the NFC West, which would put the Eagles at risk of having to host the Rams or Seahawks in the wildcard round as the 3 seed. That would be a tough draw. It's best if the Niners don't jump them.
• Steelers at Lions: The Lions are talented, but as explained in the Hierarchy this week, they are probably going to have to win five straight road games to get to the Super Bowl. That's not happening. I think it's best if they get in as the 7 seed, and knock off whoever wins the NFC North (the likely 2 seed). If the Eagles are the 3 seed, that would make them the second-highest seed in the conference heading into the divisional round, and they would thus get another home game if they advance that far. By the time the Eagles would have to face the Lions, they'd be on their fourth or fifth straight road game.
• Patri*ts at Ravens: Via Deniz Selman:
If #Eagles win & GB beats CHI Saturday (meaning Eagles still would need a GB loss for a shot at the 2 seed):
— Deniz Selman (@denizselman33) December 17, 2025
Root **against** [PIT loss + BAL win] on Sunday. That combo would guarantee Week 18 BAL@PIT is for the AFC North, inducing BAL to rest starters Week 17 at Lambeau. https://t.co/wrRrKkNZ6k
I'll pass on elaborating on that.
• Bryce Huff sacks. (After a promising start, it's not looking good.)
• Jets at Saints: The Eagles own the Jets' third-round pick, so the more games they lose, the better.
And then there are several games in which it's best if teams near the top of the draft order lose, and potentially leapfrog the Giants (or Commanders):
For future reference:
Irrelevant to the Eagles:
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