On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) captured the NFC East title after they defeated the Dallas Cowboys(7-9) 41-7 at Lincoln Financial Field.
With the win, the Eagles are locked into the number two seed in the NFC.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Philly’s ‘Big 3’ and their outstanding performances on Sunday:
-Pickett/McKee: Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee both played well on Sunday in place of the injured Jalen Hurts(concussion). Pickett completed 10/15 attempts for 143, two total touchdowns, and after Pickett(ribs) left in the third quarter, McKee stepped in and was 3/4 for 54 yards, two touchdowns. Pickett/McKee combined for 197 yards and four total touchdowns.
-Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards on 31 carries. In addition, he became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000-plus yards. His 2,005 rushing yards are the eighth-most in NFL history. He is 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s record(2,105) for rushing yards in a season.
-C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who had two interceptions on Sunday, recorded his first career touchdown when he picked off Cowboys QB Cooper Rush and returned the ball 69 yards for a score in the first quarter.
Honorable Mention:
-DeVonta Smith had six receptions for a season-high 120 yards and two touchdowns. Smith rebounded after having a crucial drop against the Commanders last week.
End of the Day:
The Eagles won the division, Pickett/McKee were solid, and they now get ready for the playoffs, but there are a couple of questions they will have to answer as they enter Week 18:
Do you play quarterback Jalen Hurts if he is ready to go?
If you don’t play him when the playoffs start, he would not have played in three weeks, which means he could be rusty. He probably should play a quarter next Sunday.
Do you let Saquon Barkley go for the record?
This is a tough one. Dickerson’s record is 40 years old, and in all reality, Barkley probably will not have a season like this one again.
Plus, he could break the record against his former team, but the Eagles have bigger things to accomplish. They want to win a Super Bowl, so we think Barkley should rest up for the playoffs.
What’s Next:
Eagles finish the season at home against the New York Giants.
One more thing….
The Eagles (10) have produced the 4th-most division titles since the NFL’s realignment in 2002, behind New England (16), Green Bay (12) and Kansas City (12).
Nick Sirianni is the third Eagles head coach to win multiple division championships within their first four years, joining Doug Pederson (2017, ‘19) and Andy Reid (2001-02).
Philadelphia has produced a 13+ win season for the fourth time in franchise history, having also accomplished the feat during the 2022 (14-3), 2017 (13-3) and 2004 (13-3) campaigns.
Sirianni is the first Eagles head coach to record multiple 13+ win seasons. He has produced a 47-20 (.701) career record in four seasons with Philadelphia.
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