Philadelphia Eagles Control Their Playoff Destiny for the No. 2 Seed

With the holiday season wrapping up, the Philadelphia Eagles are sending a special thanks">Philadelphia Eagles are sending a special thanks to the Chicago Bears, especially quarterback Jay Cutler and wide receiver Devin Aromashodu.

After the Bears upset the Minnesota Vikings in overtime on Monday Night Football, the Eagles control their own destiny and have a chance to lock up the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye with a win over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday.

The Vikings seemed to be a lock for the second seed in the NFC a few weeks ago, but have dropped three of their last four games after beginning the season 10-1. As exciting as this may be for a team on a six-game winning streak, Philadelphia knows they could easily miss out on not only a first-round bye, but a home game at Lincoln Financial Field as well.

The Cowboys currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Eagles after a 20-16 win in Philadelphia back in Week Nine. They may have a chance to lock up the No. 2 seed with a win, but the Eagles could also lose the NFC East title with a loss to the Cowboys.

It’s hard to imagine the Eagles controlling their own destiny for the No. 2 seed in the postseason. After dropping to 5-4, Philadelphia has won their last six games—including three games decided by scoring on their final drive of the game.

Of course, they are not the only team looking to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. If the Eagles lose, the Vikings, Cardinals, and Cowboys are all capable of clinching the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

• Vikings clinch with win and Eagles loss.

• Cardinals clinch with win and losses by Eagles and Vikings.

• Cowboys clinch with win and losses by Vikings and Cardinals.

For the second-straight season, the Eagles and Cowboys will square off in Week 17 with plenty on the line. At least this time around, both Philadelphia and Dallas have already clinched a playoff berth—it’s just a matter of seeding at this point.

Dan Parzych Is the Eagles Fan Voice for NFLTouchdown.com.

He is also the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com.