NFL playoff picture: Eagles make statement in NFC with Thursday night win over Commanders

The Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Commanders game wasn’t just important in the NFC East, it has ripple effects throughout the conference.

by Matt Warren

Nov 15, 2024, 4:19 AM UTC

Washington Commanders v Philadelphia Eagles

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Matt Warren is Associate Director of NFL coverage for SB Nation and previously covered the Buffalo Bills for Buffalo Rumblings for more than a decade. If it has to do with math, he covered it, from NFL playoff standings to salary cap analysis.

The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles kicked off Week 11 in the NFL. With just a half-game separating the two teams, it was bound to be an impactful game in the NFC East race but also the Wild Card.

The Eagles put on a clinic, wearing down the Commanders on both sides of the ball before eventually pulling ahead for good. No matter the outcome, the Detroit Lions would have felt pressure on the one seed, as both teams came in with seven wins. Now the Minnesota Vikings (7-2) get some breathing room at the top of the Wild Card race and the Green Bay Packers (6-3) move ahead of Washington in the standings.

The Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, and a huge NFC West matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are still on the docket in the NFC this weekend.

Here are the current NFL playoff standings heading into the weekend after Thursday night.

Note: In the standings below, only the pertinent tiebreakers are listed.

AFC standings during Week 11

1. Kansas City Chiefs (9-0)
2. Buffalo Bills (8-2)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2)
4. Houston Texans (6-4)
5. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (6-3)
7. Denver Broncos (5-5)
8. Indianapolis Colts (4-6, 3-4 AFC)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (4-6, 2-4 AFC)
10. Miami Dolphins (3-6)
11. New York Jets (3-7, 2-1 in NE common games)
12. New England Patriots (3-7, 0-3 in NYJ common games)
13. Cleveland Browns (2-7, 2-3 AFC)
14. Tennessee Titans (2-7, 2-4 AFC)
15. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7, 2-5 AFC)
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8)

NFC standings during Week 11

1. Detroit Lions (8-1)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2)
3. Atlanta Falcons (6-4, 6-2 NFC)
4. Arizona Cardinals (6-4, 3-3 NFC)
5. Minnesota Vikings (7-2)
6. Green Bay Packers (6-3)
7. Washington Commanders (7-4)
8. San Francisco 49ers (5-4)
9. Chicago Bears (4-5, win over LAR)
10. Los Angeles Rams (4-5, win over SEA, loss to CHI)
11. Seattle Seahawks (4-5, loss to LAR, 1-4 NFC)
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6)
13. Dallas Cowboys (3-6)
14. New Orleans Saints (3-7, 2-3 NFCS)
15. Carolina Panthers (3-7, 1-2 NFCS)
16. New York Giants (2-7, 1-5 NFC)

Shakeup in the NFC East division race from Week 10 continues

The Commanders lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10, flipping Washington and Philly in the standings. The Eagles move from sixth to second in the conference while the Commanders fall all the way from second to sixth. The result on Thursday night just further solidified the change.

Saquon Barkley stats from Eagles vs Commanders

Saquon Barkley continues his career resurgence in Philadelphia. He finished the game with 146 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns. In the air, he caught two passes for 52 yards. He’s the NFL’s leading rusher heading into the weekend.