Handing out credit for the Eagles’ record playoff run, also what NFL refs got right and DK Metcalf did wrong in Week 16

Eagles GM Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie make the big decisions, and most of their decisions in the past five years turned out to be sound. But they didn’t take a single snap, run a meeting, or call a play during the Eagles’ five consecutive playoff runs, culminating Saturday in the first back-to-back NFC East championships since Andy Reid’s Eagles did it four times from 2001-04.

» READ MORE: Eagles use big second half to overwhelm Commanders, become first repeat NFC East champs since 2004

Five straight postseason runs ties those Reid-era Eagles for most consecutive playoff appearances. It also is the longest active streak, technically, but Buffalo (six straight from 2019-24) and Tampa Bay (five straight) both have a chance to extend theirs. Kansas City’s 10-year run, which is second only to the Patriots’ 11-year run, just ended; the Eagles’ win in KC on Sept. 14 helped to exclude Reid and his Chiefs.

In all cases, consistent excellence and dedication have pushed a wealth of talent to accomplish what is every NFL team’s goal at the start of every season. These are the front line people who were a part of it in Philly for all of the last five years:

Nick Sirianni, whose coaching ability far outstripped anyone’s expectations. On Saturday, he tied George Seifert as the coach with the most regular-season and playoff wins in his first five seasons as a head coach in the Super Bowl era, but Sirianni’s 64 wins are much more impressive than Seifert’s. Seifert inherited a Super Bowl team with legends all over the 49ers roster. Sirianni inherited Jalen Reagor.

Jalen Hurts, whose quarterbacking ability far outstripped anyone’s expectations. His 61 wins, including playoffs, rank third behind the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and the Bills’ Josh Allen.

Lane Johnson, right tackle, who might be the best Eagle ever.

DeVonta Smith, wide receiver, who already is the Eagles’ all-time leader in playoff receiving yards with 595.

Landon Dickerson, left guard, part of the best left side in Eagles offensive line history.

Jordan Mailata, left tackle, the other part of the best left side in Eagles offensive line history.

Brandon Graham, defensive lineman, who was drafted in 2010, retired after 2024, unretired in mid-2025, changed positions from end to tackle two weeks ago, and has three sacks since.

Jake Elliott, who has missed five of his last 11 kicks, but who set a Super Bowl record in February with 16 points when he made four field goals in New Orleans.

Dallas Goedert, tight end, whose 52 postseason catches are a franchise record.

Jeff Stoutland, the offensive line coach and the best assistant in the history of Philadelphia.

Michael Clay, special teams coordinator, who entered the NFL coaching ranks in 2014 thanks to former Eagles coach Chip Kelly, who should be credited for a lot of changes in Eagles culture.

Kevin Patullo, first-year offensive coordinator, former passing game coordinator, and Sirianni’s longtime majordomo. Currently, he is unpopular.

Jemal Singleton, running backs coach and current assistant head coach who has overseen the best seasons of Saquon Barkley, D’Andre Swift, and Miles Sanders.

Jason Michael, the tight ends coach who made Goedert a top-five tight end and helped sixth-rounder Grant Calcaterra last for four years in the NFL.

Aaron Moorehead, the receivers coach tasked with keeping A.J. Brown in line.

Jeremiah Washburn, who has coached edge rushers including Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Jaelan Phillips, and Josh Sweat. Also Bryce Huff and Joshua Uche.

“Big” Dom DiSandro, security chief, Howie’s adviser, game-day and sideline sheriff, whose basic job it is to keep everybody safe and out of trouble.

Honorable mention: Lurie and Roseman delegate liberally, and their scouts and support staff are remarkably loyal and proficient.

Late in the second quarter of their game in Detroit, Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf approached a blue-wigged Lions fan in the fans and exchanged words. He then grabbed the fan’s shirt, pulled the fan down closer to him, then appeared to try and strike the fan as he released the fan’s shirt and walked away.

Metcalf remained in the game — officials afterward said they didn’t see it happen — but after he walked several steps to engage a fan, then violently assaulted that fan, his future in upcoming games is murky. He certainly will face a fine, and possibly a suspension, for at least one game, if not the final two. The Steelers, 9-6 and atop the AFC North, face the Browns then the 7-8 Ravens to finish the year.

Social media, Rams fans, and Lions fans nearly shared a group embolism after several unusual plays with intricate rules applications affected the outcomes of games with significant playoff implications — plays on which officials ultimately landed on the correct calls, with no room for argument.

On Thursday night, the Seahawks were granted a two-point conversion that tied their game with the Rams, 30-30, on a bizarre sequence:

Sam Darnold threw a backward pass to Zach Charbonnet, which deflected off Rams linebacker Jared Verse’s hand, then his helmet. The second deflection sent the ball forward, just over the goal line. As Charbonnet dejectedly retrieved the ball, a whistle blew.

Officials gathered to discuss the play and they ruled that, even though the whistle blew, the ball remained live. Further, since there is a distinction between a backward pass and a fumble — the offense cannot advance a fumble on a two-point conversion — Charbonnet’s recovery was valid.

Not only did the refs get this right, TV rules analyst Terry McAulay immediately explained why officials were discussing the play and he accurately predicted a reversal. Minutes later, the Football Zebras account took to Twitter/X and explained the intricacies of the determination.

If you’re interested, early Friday morning McAulay used his own entertaining Twitter/X account to further explain and defend his comments and opinion, including a quote-tweet of one of his posts from 2023, which explains the rules and emphasizes the confusion regarding the whistle. This includes a reply to an esteemed, retired Inquirer writer who covered the Eagles.

You might not agree with the rules enforced here, but they have existed for a long time, and they were appropriately applied. That said, I understand the outrage. I’ve been covering the NFL for 35 years and I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure what I was watching. I am sure, however, that, between the nuances of the backward pass and the whistle, I would have gotten at least part of it wrong.

The refs, in the end, did not.

Notably, this all happened with more than six minutes to play in regulation. Each team had three more possessions before overtime, so the conversion didn’t directly determine the winner. Each team scored a touchdown in overtime, and after the Seahawks scored the answering TD they were successful with a bold, if benign, two-point conversion. The win put them at 12-3, gave them the current top seed in the NFC, and the lead in the NFC West over the 11-4 Rams.

On Sunday evening, another bizarre play did determine the winner of the Steelers-Lions game, with possibly even greater playoff consequences that included a third team.

The Lions drove to the Steelers’ 1-yard line with 25 seconds to play, trailing by five points. They scored a touchdown on the next play, but it was nullified by offensive pass interference on Jameson Williams, called for an illegal pick on a Steelers defender. Good call.

Two plays later, the final play of the game, Jared Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown near the goal line. St. Brown was stopped but not declared down; instead, he lateraled to Goff, who vaulted into the end zone for a touchdown after time expired.

Unfortunately, Goff had vaulted past two flags on the ground. Brown had clearly pushed his defender away to get open.

A lengthy discussion determined that St. Brown had indeed committed offensive pass interference before the catch. The penalty nullified the touchdown. Since time had expired, the game was over.

The fallout: The Steelers clinched a playoff spot for the 49ers and essentially ended the Lions’ season, since, due to tiebreaker rules, the 8-7 Lions now cannot catch the 10-4 49ers in the wild-card race. The Steelers, now 9-6, also greatly improved their own postseason hopes with a crazy 29-24 win in Detroit, where they were seven-point underdogs.

Anyway, kudos, refs.

Then, on Sunday Night Football, as if to spite their few supporters, officials failed to call a blatant pass interference penalty against the Ravens late in the Patriots’ comeback win at Baltimore, probably the worst missed call of the year. The Pats still scored on that drive and won the game, but come on, fellas.

The Bears’ comeback win over the Packers on Saturday night virtually locked the Eagles into the No. 3 seed behind the Seahawks (12-3) and the Bears (11-4). … The Chiefs could be moving from Missouri to Kansas to secure a new stadium, with an announcement coming as soon as Monday afternoon. … The Patriots’ win not only locked in their first playoff berth since 2021, it gave them a 12-3 record, same as the Broncos, who lost in Jacksonville (11-4), though the Patriots lose the top-seed tiebreaker against the Broncos (common opponents). … The Jags have won six in a row.