LANDOVER, Md. – The Eagles had to wait about 7½ hours after their 20-16 win over the Washington Football Team on Sunday before they could officially clinch what once seemed like the most unlikeliest of playoff berths.
As the Eagles bused back to Philadelphia on Sunday evening, they had to wait out three other outcomes that right tackle Lane Johnson said would make them “clench their teeth” on the bus ride home.
The final outcome was completed at around 11:30 p.m., long after the Eagles arrived at their homes when the Green Bay Packers completed their 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
INSTANT ANALYSIS:Eagles beat WFT on game-saving INT, can clinch playoff spot on ride home
CLOSING IN ON DESEAN:DeVonta Smith nears this Eagles’ legend rookie receiving record; defense ranked in top 10
Before that, the Eagles (9-7) needed either the San Francisco 49ers to beat the Houston Texans, which they did 23-7, or the New Orleans Saints to lose to the Carolina Panthers. The Saints won 18-10.
“I don’t even know anything about (the scenarios),” Johnson said. “I just know if we get invited to the dance, then it’s time to dance.”
The Vikings’ loss and 49ers’ win prevented a three-way tie among those two teams and the Eagles for the final two wildcard spots. That was the only way the Eagles could have missed the playoffs.
As it stands now, the 49ers would hold the No. 6 seed and the Eagles the seventh and final spot with one game remaining. The Eagles close out the regular season against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night at 8:15.
The Eagles could still finish in a three-way tie with the 49ers and Saints if the Eagles and 49ers lose their finales while the Saints win. But in that scenario, the Eagles would finish with the No. 6 seed, the Saints with the No. 7 seed and the 49ers would be eliminated.
All of this seemed so unlikely on Oct. 24, after the Eagles lost 33-22 to the Las Vegas Raiders to fall to 2-5. Since then, the Eagles went 7-2. That made Eagles coach Nick Sirianni only the fourth coach in NFL history to finish with a winning record after such a poor start.
“When you’re 2-5, if you look at how you’re going to get four wins in a row, or whatever it is, or how you’re going to get back to 9-7 … that mountain looks really tall to climb,” Sirianni said. “But when you focus on one day, one meeting, one walkthrough, one practice at a time.”
Regardless of where the Eagles end up, they’ll have to travel for their first-round game, which will be held from Jan. 15-17.
The most likely opponent would be either the Los Angeles Rams (12-4) or defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4). It won’t be the Packers, who clinched the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye.
It likely won’t be the Cowboys, either. By losing to Arizona, Dallas will likely remain in the No. 4 seed. It’s possible that Arizona could overtake the Rams and win the NFC West. That would also make the Cardinals a possible first-round opponent for the Eagles.
The Eagles are making the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons, going back to the 2017 season when they won the Super Bowl.
But this one seemed the most unlikely. Not only is Sirianni in his first season as a head coach, but Jalen Hurts is in his first season as the full-time starting quarterback.
Hurts, the Eagles’ second-round pick in 2020, completed 17 of 26 passes for 214 yards against Washington. He also ran for 45 yards on seven carries.
What impressed Sirianni the most about the 23-year old Hurts was his calmness.
“That whole game, there was just this calmness from our leaders on the team that reflected to everybody else,” Sirianni said. “Jalen was so calm throughout the entire game. That’s what you do when you take things little by little.”
Hurts remained stoic throughout the game and even afterward.
“I’ve always had the approach of enjoying it when it’s done,” Hurts said. “I’ll let everyone else reflect on how far we’ve come as a football team. … But for me, the job is not done for us. It is not done, so we’re not done yet.”
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
