The Eagles are on the brink of breaking a 20-season streak in the NFC East
Their magic number to win the division is down to just one.
The Eagles could break a 20-season streak on Saturday.
Their magic number to clinch the NFC East reached one late Sunday night after the Eagles blew out the Las Vegas Raiders, 31-0, earlier in the day and the Dallas Cowboys lost a home game, 34-26, to the Minnesota Vikings in prime time.
The Eagles, at 9-5, have a 2½-game lead over the 6-7-1 Cowboys.
» READ MORE: NFL playoff picture: Eagles No. 1 seed scenarios, Chiefs eliminated, two teams clinch
Any Eagles win or Cowboys loss over the final three weeks of the season would clinch the NFC East for the Eagles and make them the first repeat champions in the division since the 2004 Eagles.
The Eagles won the division in 2022 before Dallas won in 2023. The Eagles clinched their 2024 division title after a 41-7 home victory over the Cowboys last December. The 2025 title would give them three in four years.
The Cowboys made things interesting in the division after they stormed back from 21-0 down to beat the Eagles in Week 12. They followed that with a Thanksgiving Day victory over Kansas City. But Dallas’ defense — which has continuously let down the league’s best offense by yards per game — couldn’t hold up in losses to Detroit and Minnesota, and the Eagles inched closer to the finish line.
The Eagles play their first of two games in three weeks vs. Washington (4-10) Saturday at 5 p.m. in Landover, Md. The Eagles opened as 5½-point favorites at most sportsbooks.
The Commanders started Marcus Mariota at quarterback Sunday and beat the lowly Giants, 29-21. It was Washington’s first win since Oct. 5. Three of Washington’s four wins have are against the Giants and Raiders. The Commanders did, however, beat the Chargers in that Oct. 5 victory. It’s unclear if Jayden Daniels (elbow) will play in Week 16.
The Eagles remain two games behind the top-seeded Rams, who are tied with the Seahawks in the NFC West at 11-3, and a game behind second-seeded Chicago.
At this stage, the No. 1 seed seems like a stretch, and it’s unlikely the Eagles finish below the third seed.