Just when it looked like the Philadelphia Eagles were going to coast to a dominant win against the Dallas Cowboys on the road, their 21-0 lead vaporized into nothing after they took their foot off the gas. A few Dak Prescott big plays later led to Dallas squeezing out a 24-21 victory.
The Eagles may have only dropped to 8-3 on the season, but in an NFC that is as deep as it has been in years, every win and loss is going to have some sort of meaningful impact on the standings. Philly's loss makes it much harder for them to beat out the competition and earn the No. 1 seed.
The Eagles are still in a very advantageous position when compared to the rest of the NFC, but the surplus of 8-3 teams out there has them falling back to the middle of the playoff pack following what could have been a statement win.
Updated NFC Playoff Picture after Eagles lose to Cowboys
No. 1 Los Angeles Rams (8-2) vs. BYE
No 2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) vs. No. 7 San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
No. 3. Chicago Bears (8-3) vs. No. 6 Green Bay Packers (7-3-1)
No. 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) vs. No. 5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
In The Hunt: Detroit Lions (7-4), Carolina Panthers (6-5), Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1)
The Eagles have a very deep roster, championship experience, and a ferocious defense on their side. However, the loss to Dallas illustrated many of the same offensive and secondary problems that have prevented the Eagles from replicating last year's dominant run.
If the season ended right now, Philly would have a duel against Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy, and the San Francisco 49ers on tap. However, the NFC Championship rematch may not to come to fruition if the 49ers fall against the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football.
The Eagles will have a chance to impact the standings on a short week, as their Black Friday matchup against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears is sure to have some long-lasting implications for the conference as a whole. An Eagles win could help them in their push to reclaim the No. 1 seed.
Read more:Lane Johnson's absence from Cowboys game exposes Eagles' glaring flaw
While it seems like the Eagles still have a very comfortable chance to take home the NFC East crown, their poor play in recent weeks combined with Dallas' recent hot streak has put Nick Sirianni's team in a position where they don't have the same invincibility they had in 2025.