Evaluating the Pros and Cons of the Eagles (Potentially) Making the Playoffs
Believe it or not, the Philadelphia Eagles can qualify for a postseason berth even with the rollercoaster of a season we have all witnessed.
The Eagles will probably cap off the season with seven or eight wins, which would usually not be enough to make the playoffs in any other year. This year, of course, is 2020 so anything is possible.
Making the playoffs is typically a great thing for any team, but this year there seems to be some pros and cons of a potential playoff berth here in Philadelphia.
Pros
1) If the Eagles Are Able to Win the NFC East, This Will Be Their Fourth Consecutive Trip to the Postseason.
In the Doug Pederson era, the Eagles have only failed to qualify for the playoffs once back in 2016, during Pederson and Wentz’s first season.
Throughout the last two seasons, we have seen this team rally towards the latter part of the year and clinch a postseason berth after overcoming a whole season’s worth of adversity within the final few weeks. Some would predict that Philly is built for these types of situations.
2) Wentz Would Get More Playoff Experience.
Throughout his first five seasons No. 11 has only played half a quarter of post-season ball, with an extremely lackluster stat line completing only one of his three passing attempts for just three yards. If Philly still believes Wentz is their franchise QB he needs to get as many postseason snaps as possible, even if it does result in a losing effort by the Eagles. Since Pederson took over as head coach, the Eagles participated in six post-season contests and have posted up a 3-2 record in those playoff games. None of those victories have been led by Wentz…
3) Along With Wentz, Some of the Younger Players on This Roster Will Also Gain Valuable Experience in the Postseason.
As the regular season progresses, we can expect more contribution from Philly’s younger players as the season progresses. Having Travis Fulgham take some playoffs snaps will be highly beneficial for the Bird.
Seeing first-round pick Jalen Reagor on the field as well will be key since those two are the future at WR moving forward here in Philadelphia.
Cons
1) The Eagles Will Not Receive the Draft Capital the Team Truly Deserves.
Ideally, the Birds would pick between 10-15 in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. If the Eagles win the NFC East and punch their ticket to the playoffs, the lowest spot they will land is the 19th selection in the Draft. The draft pick will obviously elevate if the Eagles manage to win on Wild-Card Weekend, but it is tough to foresee the team winning a playoff game at this current point in time…but we will get to that part in a bit.
Even if the Eagles do end up missing the postseason and landing a higher draft pick, do you actually expect the organization to select the correct player? Howie Roseman has been under some scrutiny as of late not for not being able to maximize the value of his recent picks. Roseman will have to start hitting in the NFL Draft if the Eagles hope to improve their roster moving forward.
2) Changes Within the Coaching Staff and Front Office Will More Than Likely Not Occur if the Eagles Make the Playoffs.
If this scenario does unfold, this will be the third straight time the Eagles made the playoffs with very similar coaching staff, so the team will probably not make any changes. We know Pederson’s play-calling has been wildly inconsistent this season. Having a solidified offensive coordinator in place will help the offense evolve.
We have also heard through the pipeline that Pederson and QB coach Press Taylor are not particularly too hard on Wentz, so maybe consistent coaching can help Wentz get back on track in 2021.
3) The Eagles Will Probably Not Win Their Playoff Game.
Sad but true.
Even though the Eagles would technically be NFC East champions, they will likely limp into the postseason with only six or seven wins. The NFC Conference is deep this year, so a team or two with a winning record will presumably miss the playoffs because of the Birds.
The Eagles can only earn the fourth seed in the NFC Playoffs, meaning they will host the best Wild Card team in the first round.
Here is a list of Philly’s potential first-round opponents:
- Chicago Bears
- Arizona Cardinals
- L.A Rams
- New Orleans Saints
Featured Image: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
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