An Eagles action plan for playoff success: Play the starters? Of course. Feed A.J.? Yep.

These days, all of the focus seems to be on everything that is wrong with the Eagles. There’s a good reason for that. Everything is wrong with the Eagles.

But, hey, the harder you fall, the higher you can bounce, right? It all depends on what you’re made of. The Eagles have a chance to show us what that substance is over these next few weeks. If that sounds like something Jalen Hurts would say, well, give me a gold hoop earring and some chicken soup for the soul.

It’s a new year, ain’t it?

Here is the Eagles’ action plan for a brand new them:

The strangest messaging coming out of the NovaCare Complex wasn’t A.J. Brown claiming that his radio silence was a result of DeVonta Smith’s injured ankle. It was Nick Sirianni openly acknowledging that he would consider resting his starters against the Giants.

“Obviously, we always try to think through everything at all times and we are always thinking about those things,” Sirianni said on Monday. “We’re going to do whatever we need to do to win this game. But still, that’s a consideration, what you’re saying, because we think through all those different things.”

» READ MORE: Is Jalen Hurts pacing himself? The Eagles need him back scrambling.

I’m going to give Sirianni the benefit of the doubt and assume that he was either stating the obvious or playing some sort of mind game.

Sure, a coach’s job is to think about everything. But the only way to think about this game is as if it could be the difference between two playoff games at home vs. two on the road. Because it could. Which means the outcome of this game could mean as much as if the Eagles were playing for the No. 1 overall seed.

There’s way too much math involved to run through every possible scenario. Besides, there are only two that matter. Best case and worst case. Best case, the Commanders beat the Cowboys and the Eagles beat the Giants to claim the No. 2 seed.

Not only would that get them a home game in Round 1 against the lowest-seeded wild-card team, it could mean the difference between hosting the Lions in Round 2 and playing on the road against the 49ers. Frankly, there’s an argument to be made that the No. 2 seed is just as valuable as the No. 1 seed.

There’s no harm in thinking through all of the possibilities. It makes sense to have a plan in place if the Cowboys jump out to an early 28-0 lead. But let’s keep in mind — Washington blew them out in a similar situation just last year. Sirianni needs his players to enter this game prepared to win for four quarters.

Fixing the Eagles defense could be as simple as Darius Slay returning in the postseason as a better version of himself. It sounds as though the veteran cornerback’s knee surgery was timed with that in mind.

Slay said on Wednesday that his knee has bothered him for quite some time and that he finally realized that he needed to take action. He pulled the no-excuses line when asked whether it impacted his play this season. But he also said that his knee feels better than it has in years.

The Eagles defense wasn’t exactly the Purple People Eaters even before his three-game absence. But he easily could have been the difference in the losses to Arizona and Seattle. On the list of reasons for hope, Slay sits near the top.

The lack of an edge rush has certainly been a contributing factor in the spotty play from the Eagles’ secondary. Haason Reddick was an absolute difference-maker in the postseason last year, with 3½ sacks, two tackles for losses, and a forced fumble in wins over the Giants and 49ers.

He’s had a curious season, with 2½ sacks in his last six games. But let’s not forget that seven-game stretch that included wins over the Rams, Dolphins, Cowboys, and Chiefs. Reddick had 8½ sacks, nine tackles for losses, and 14 quarterback hits between Weeks 4 and 11. He has stepped up in big moments since arriving in Philly. Nobody should be surprised if he resurfaces in the playoffs.

There’s really no excuse for a receiver of A.J. Brown’s caliber to finish a game with only five targets. There is no greater security blanket for a quarterback than a pass-catcher who can do so regardless of the coverage around him.

Look at what CeeDee Lamb has been doing in Dallas over the last 10 weeks: 12.1 targets per game, 8.1 catches, 117.5 yards.

Brown is capable of that. We’ve seen it.

Say what you will about Brown’s body language and the little mini-drama that erupted this week. He defended his coaches on Wednesday, but Sirianni and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson need to find a way to make the most of his talent. Brown is averaging 9.3 targets, 5.6 catches, and 63.5 yards over the last eight games. If it isn’t the coaches, then it is the quarterback. Hurts needs to find him, and trust him, and feed him.

» READ MORE: In (partial) defense of Jonathan Gannon

Which brings us to the biggest X factor of all. Hurts has had a fine season. The accuracy he showed in the Super Bowl is here to stay.

Now, he just needs to get back to the same free-flowing, instinctive style of play. He hasn’t shown the same explosiveness as a runner or passer in the open field. Some quicker decision-making could help on both fronts. His entire career has been a case study in rising to the moment.

For both Hurts and the Eagles, that moment will soon arrive.