Game results: The Eagles held off a tough Panthers squad, winning 22-16 after a defensive stop in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter. The Bucs beat the Raiders, which eliminated two clinching scenarios. However, the Falcons lost to the Vikings and the Lions won on Thursday, which leaves a clinching scenario alive that doesn’t require a tie. The Eagles clinch a playoff berth if the Cardinals lose.
How can Eagles clinch a playoff berth in Week 14?
The Eagles need some help, but they can clinch a playoff spot this week. We break down how they can clinch a spot in the 2025 NFL Playoffs in Week 14.
Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via 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.
4 p.m. window update: The Cardinals lost to the Seahawks 30-18, which means the Eagles have clinched a playoff berth for a fourth consecutive season.
The 10-2 Philadelphia Eagles have won eight straight games and are showing no signs of slowing down, demolishing an AFC front-runner in Week 13. Their Week 14 game is against the 3-9 Carolina Panthers on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. While they can’t yet clinch their division, the Eagles can clinch a playoff berth in Week 14 with a win and some help.
Philadelphia is a huge 12.5-point favorite over the rebuilding Panthers, per FanDuel Sportsbook. The Eagles haven’t since September when they started the season shaky with injuries.
Eagles playoff berth clinching scenarios
First, the Eagles need to win to get to 11-2 so the worst they can finish is 11-6. Because their two losses were to the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they figure prominently in the scenarios below along with the other six-loss teams in the NFC.
Note: We are ignoring ties in our scenarios for brevity. They don’t happen enough to be included for the time-being.
- Eagles win PLUS Falcons loss AND Cardinals loss AND Rams loss
- Eagles win PLUS Falcons loss AND Cardinals loss AND Lions win
- Eagles win PLUS Bucs loss AND Cardinals loss AND Rams loss
- Eagles win PLUS Bucs loss AND Cardinals loss AND Lions win
NFC East clinching scenarios
With the Eagles at 10-2 and the Washington Commanders at 8-5, it’s going to be a couple weeks before the Eagles can clinch the division. Circle Sunday December 22nd, because that’s the day the two teams square off for the second time in 2024. Philadelphia could clinch as early as that day having already beaten the Commanders back in Week 11.
NFC standings entering Week 14
1. Detroit Lions (11-1)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)
3. Seattle Seahawks (7-5)
4. Atlanta Falcons (6-6, 2-0 vs TB)
5. Minnesota Vikings (10-2)
6. Green Bay Packers (9-3)
7. Washington Commanders (8-5)
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6, 0-2 vs ATL, 6-3 NFC)
9. Arizona Cardinals (6-6, win over LAR, 3-5 NFC)
10. Los Angeles Rams (6-6, loss to ARI)
11. San Francisco 49ers (5-7, win over DAL)
12. Dallas Cowboys (5-7, loss to SF)
13. New Orleans Saints (4-8, 2-3 NFC South, 3-5 NFC)
14. Chicago Bears (4-8, 2-5 NFC)*
15. Carolina Panthers (3-9)
16. New York Giants (2-10)* eliminated
Teams with an asterisk have been eliminated from their divisional races.
Teams with an “x” have clinched a playoff spot
Teams with a “y” have clinched their division
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