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Philadelphia Eagles: Here’s a reason to be excited about the divisional round

By Geoffrey Knox

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 25: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles acknowledges the crowd after the Eagles defeated the Oakland Raiders 19-10 in a game at Lincoln Financial Field on December 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 25: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles acknowledges the crowd after the Eagles defeated the Oakland Raiders 19-10 in a game at Lincoln Financial Field on December 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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Here’s a controversial statement. The Philadelphia Eagles are still capable of a deep playoff run.

Without question, the best thing that’s happened for the Philadelphia Eagles since Carson Wentz’s injury was going 2-0 behind Nick Foles and locking up a first-round bye in the process. It’s hard to remember another time where a team has done that and had their fan base be as gloomy as the fans have been in Philly. The Eagles and Foles’ performance on Monday night has some wondering whether or not ‘The Birds’ can even win a game in the upcoming postseason.

It may not be the impossible task as some are thinking it is.

Here’s why the Eagles still might make it to the NFC Championship game.

On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings meet the Chicago Bears in their season finale. The second-overall seed in the playoffs will be on the line for the Vikes. We can all agree that Minnesota is probably going to win that one right right?

If the Vikings end up as the second-seeded team. That places the Los Angeles Rams in the third position if they take care of business against the San Francisco 49ers (a suddenly-difficult but also likely scenario). That means the Eagles, after having a week off, will probably face someone like the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, the New Orleans Saints or the Seattle Seahawks (if they somehow squeak in) at home as they’ll meet the lowest-seeded team that advances from the Wildcard Round.

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That means we’d now know the only way the Eagles meet the Vikings is in the NFC Championship game. Let’s say the Rams, one of the current favorites to reach Super Bowl 52, are the third seed and they win. They’ll have to travel to Minneapolis to face the Vikings. Philly avoids having to beat one of those teams to reach the NFC Championship.

Those are all positives for a team that’s struggled as of late.

So, what have we learned?

There are no easy games in the NFL. Week 16 for the Eagles taught us all that. Sure, every team entering the playoffs has a legitimate shot to make it to football’s biggest game, but knowing one of the higher seeded teams will moved out of Philly’s way because they have to face one another may serve as some good news for a fan base desperately seeking some.

Next: Doug Pederson isn’t bothered by Nick Foles’ performance

No NFC team will have an easy road to Minneapolis, including the Eagles. Whoever they face, we’ll know they aren’t guaranteed a victory, but here’s one thing everyone seems to have forgotten.

They aren’t guaranteed a loss either.

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