Eagles' Rooting Guide for 2021 NFL Draft Implications of Week 9

The 2022 NFL draft is going to be franchise-altering for the Philadelphia Eagles. With a 3-5 record heading into the halfway point of the season, that should be a major source of solace for the organization. 

As it stands, the Eagles would have the third, eighth and 14th selections in the NFL draft, giving them the option to add three top 15 selections to their roster or utilize their draft haul in hopes of swinging a trade for a franchise quarterback. 

That's a great place to be in even if this season ends up going sideways. 

So while some fans may be still looking at the standings to see if the young Eagles can claw themselves into a playoff spot, it might be better for the long-term to continue watching the draft order and hope the teams ends up with three highly valuable picks. 

If you fall in the latter camp, here are the three biggest games to watch this week and what you should be rooting for. 

Current NFL Draft Order

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1. Detroit Lions (0-8)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami 1-7)
3. Houston Texans (1-7)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)
5. New York Jets (2-5)
6. New York Giants (2-6)
7. Washington Football Team (2-6)
8. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)
9. New York Jets (from Seattle 3-5)
10. New York Giants (from Chicago 3-5)
11. Atlanta Falcons (3-4)
12. Miami Dolphins (from San Francisco 3-4)
13. Minnesota Vikings (3-4)

14. Indianapolis Colts (3-5)*
15. New England Patriots (4-4)
16. Denver Broncos (4-4)
17. Cleveland Browns (4-4)
18. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)
19. Carolina Panthers (4-4)
20. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
22. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)
23. New Orleans Saints (5-2)
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
25. Buffalo Bills (5-2)
26. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2)
27. Dallas Cowboys (6-1)
28. Green Bay Packers (7-1)
29. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
30. Detroit Lions (from LA Rams 7-1)
31. Tennessee Titans (6-2)
32. Arizona Cardinals (7-1)

Current order via Tankathon

*The Indianapolis Colts first-round pick goes to the Eagles if Carson Wentz plays more than 75 percent of the offensive snaps OR 70 percent and the team makes the playoffs.

Where the Eagles Stand

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As previously mentioned, the Eagles are in a good spot in terms of draft capital. At 3-5 they aren't completely out of the playoff picture. The Carolina Panthers are currently the last team in and they are just one game ahead of the Eagles for a wild card spot at 4-4. 

But if the Eagles are honest with themselves, this isn't a team ready to compete in the playoffs yet. 

That being said, the Eagles are well on their way to a top-five pick, even if they end up turning things around and make the playoffs. They just have to continue to root for a Miami meltdown. 

The Carson Wentz snap count watch is going as well as it could for the team right now. So far, the quarterback has logged 99 percent of the offensive snaps which puts him easily on pace to surpass the 75 percent they need to have the first-round pick convey to the Eagles. 

Philly fans will need to hope the Colts stay just outside of the playoffs so they continue to play their quarterback but also give them the best draft pick possible. 

Games to Watch

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Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins (1 p.m. ET)

Not even Texans or Dolphins fans probably want to watch this one. Both teams come into the game at 1-7 but it could have major draft implications because it will break the tie that is currently in place for the second and third pick. 

The Eagles have the Dolphins first-rounder so it's obvious they'll be big Houston Texans fans on Sunday. According to ESPN's FPI rankings, the Texans have a 26.1 percent chance of pulling off the upset.

 That seems generous, even against the struggling Dolphins. The Texans ave lost seven straight and only one of those losses was by single digits. They aren't just losing, they're getting blown out. The Dolphins, on the other hand, have also lost seven straight but three of those have been by one score. 

That's a tale of two teams who appear similar on the surface but really aren't in the same boat. 

Las Vegas Raiders at New York Giants (1 p.m. ET)

Looking at the teams that currently sit in front of the Eagles in the top seven picks, it's pretty tough to pick out some games that will realistically help them. The lowly Lions and the Washington Football Team are on a bye, the Texans and Dolphins play each other so someone will win that game but the Jaguars draw the Buffalo Bills.

The lone team that actually has a more than slim chance of winning their game and thus potentially moving down the draft board are the New York Giants. 

As much as it will pay Eagles fans to root for their NFC East brethren, a win would move the Giants 2-6 record one step closer to the Eagles in the standings.

ESPN FPI gives the Giants a 45 percent chance to beat the Raiders at home. If they're going to pull it off they are going to have to do so with a banged-up offense. Saquon Barkley is still out of the lineup, Sterling Shepard is listed as doubtful and Kadarius Toney is still dealing with an ankle injury. 

Still, the Raiders have to travel from the west to the east coast and play a Giants team that just took the Chiefs to the wire. 

Chicago Bears at Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday Night Football, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Eagles fans tuning into the Monday Night Football broadcast have a clear rooting interest in this one. The New York Giants own the first-round pick of the Chicago Bears which currently sits at 11 even though they have the same record as the Eagles. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers, on the other hand, aren't close at this point to passing the Eagles. They sit at 4-3 on the season with the 21st selection. While there are certainly more losses coming for the Steelers they have proven their defense will keep them in most of their games, beating the Browns 15-10 in a game where the offense had a hard time getting going. 

The Bears, on the other hand, are a threat to ultimately post a worse record than the Eagles. They are on a three-game skid in which they've lost every game by at least two scores and one of their three wins came against the Lions.

Playing Pittsburgh on Monday Night could be a tipping point for their season. If they can score a win over the Steelers with Justin Fields at quarterback on primetime it could spark them to try and make a little run. If they lose their fourth-consecutive game, things could get ugly quick. 

The Steelers are good but they haven't been the most consistent team. They've won three straight but before that had a three-game losing streak.