Week 18 has arrived all too soon, and the final power rankings are relatively clear.
Despite a recent slide, the NFC’s top team remains on top of the NFC East but should be concerned about the upcoming Sunday match with a locked-in division rival. The bottom of the division was finalized during Week 17, with the only NFC East team that will not be in the playoffs determined.
There are many important games to look forward to on Saturday and Sunday that will alter the landscape of the playoffs, but just one playoff berth is still up for grabs. Everyone else is jockeying for playoff positioning or nothing at all.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, 3-2 division)
NFL Ranking per NFL.com: 5 (-3 from Wk. 17)
Week 17 Result: 20-10 loss vs. New Orleans Saints
Philadelphia has now lost two games in a row, setting up the unlikeliest of unlikely possibilities — that a team entering Week 15 needing just one win to clinch the division may lose the division title in Week 18. None of that takes away from the fact that the Eagles have the talent to beat any team and will be a much bigger threat when quarterback Jalen Hurts returns after suffering a shoulder strain that caused him to miss two games.
The Eagles must beat the New York Giants at home on Sunday to clinch the NFC East and the No.1 seed in the playoffs. A loss may still give the Eagles the division, but it also could cause the team to drop to the No.2 seed.
The Eagles took a serious hit in the NFL power rankings this week as a result of more than just the lack of Jalen Hurts. This is the wrong time of the year for teams to be sliding.
2. Dallas Cowboys (12-4, 4-1 division)
NFL.com Ranking: 6 (no change from Wk. 17)
Week 17 Result: 27-13 win at Tennessee Titans
The Cowboys could not be in a better position heading into Week 18. They have a road game against a Washington Commanders team that has nothing to play for — except bragging rights going into next season.
A Cowboys win to close out the season opens up exciting possibilities. If San Francisco and Philadelphia lose their respective Week 18 games, Dallas could take the one seed, thus earning a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the playoffs. An Eagles loss, a 49ers win, and a Cowboys win give Dallas the two-seed and home-field advantage in the wildcard round. Any other outcome locks Dallas in at the five seed.
The Cowboys begin 2023 at sixth overall after cracking the top five a few times in 2022. Despite the playoff implications, a solid finish to the season is needed to propel the team into the playoffs with a chance to erase ghosts of seasons past.
3. New York Giants (9-6-1, 1-3-1 division)
NFL.com Ranking: 13 (+1 from Wk. 17)
Week 17 Result: 38-10 win vs. Indianapolis Colts
The G-Men are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 with a huge win in Week 17. It has been a rollercoaster of a season for the Giants, but quarterback Daniel Jones is showing that he can be “the guy” in the Big Apple, and head coach Brian Daboll has the team believing in itself for the first time in years.
The Giants are locked into the No.6 seed whether they win or lose on the road in Philadelphia on Sunday, and it appears they will be resting some key starters.
New York is on the verge of showing they deserve respect again and should not be counted out in the playoffs, even if they face the No.3 seed in the wildcard round.
4. Washington Commanders (7-8-1, 1-3-1 division)
NFL.com Ranking: 22 (-6 from Wk. 17)
Week 17 Result: 24-10 loss vs. Cleveland Browns
Washington will end up as the only NFC East team not to make the playoffs this season after a disappointing loss and a triumph by Green Bay over Minnesota that ended 2022 for the Commanders.
Washington has one more game, and while the outcome won’t matter for the team, it could have implications for other teams in the NFC playoff race.
The Commanders started off the season 1-5, then clawed back into the race by winning six out of seven. The tie with the New York Giants back in Week 13 was the undoing point for the Commanders, who will go into the offseason with huge questions at quarterback and possibly even at head coach.
Only time will tell whether this long-maligned team will right the ship in 2023.
The Commanders will show off a shiny-new quarterback on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. It could be argued that the Carson Wentz/ Taylor Heinicke situation directly led to another lost season for Washington. The Commanders host the Cowboys for Week 18.
