The Philadelphia Eagles are 5-8. And they could still win the NFC East.
NFL Playoff Picture: Eagles Still In NFC East Race, Somehow
The Eagles are locked in their Week 15 tussle with the New York Jets right now, but they got a boost in the early afternoon window, when the New York Giants fell to the Washington Redskins to drop to 7-7 on the year. That makes the unlikely scenario that could still get the Eagles into the 2011 NFL playoffs — and playing at home, no less — an iota more possible.
For the Eagles to make the playoffs, they need to win the NFC East; for the Eagles to win the NFC East, they need to finish tied with the Giants and Dallas Cowboys at 8-8. In that scenario, the Eagles would win the division based on a better divisional record.
And getting every team to 8-8 might not be as outlandish as it seems on its face: the Eagles play the Cowboys in Week 16, and the Giants play Dallas in Week 17, meaning that Philadelphia could set up a scenario in which a 7-8 Giants squad could play Dallas in the final game of the regular season ... and send the Eagles to the playoffs with a win.
Philly may not be the "dream team" that Vince Young infamously wondered aloud about, but they've certainly got a lot more sand in the hourglass than most 5-8 squads.
For more on the 2011 NFL playoffs, visit SB Nation NFL.
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