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5 Games That Will Decide Whether Eagles Will Be the No. 1 Seed in NFC Playoffs

By Jeff Kerr Sports Illustrated

Updated July 11, 2026 12:12 AM

When the road to the Super Bowl goes through Philadelphia, the Eagles are basically unbeatable.

The last two times the Eagles had the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, they went to the Super Bowl. The last time the Eagles had the No. 2 seed, they ended up hosting three playoff games and went to the Super Bowl.

See the pattern here?

If the Eagles have home playoff games at Lincoln Financial Field, there's a good chance they're going to win. Since Nick Sirianni became the Eagles head coach, Philadelphia is 6-1 in playoff games at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles are 9-2 in their last 11 playoff games at Lincoln Financial Field.

In a year where the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks appear to be better than the Eagles, Philadelphia will have to have home-field advantage in order to make its Super Bowl goal easier.

These are the five games on the Eagles schedule that will determine if the Eagles earn home-field advantage.

Week 3: at Chicago Bears

The Bears were the surprise of the NFC last season, and also beat the Eagles in Philadelphia.

How did the Eagles have the No. 3 seed last year? They lost to the Bears...but could have taken the No. 2 seed if Nick Sirianni would have played his starters in the regular season finale.

There isn't that much of a difference between No. 2 and No. 3, but this stressed the importance of winning head-to-head matchups. If the Eagles can beat the Bears this time around, it would go a long way towards getting the top seed in the NFC.

Week 4: vs. Los Angeles Rams

If the Eagles want the inside track towards the No. 1 seed in the NFC, here is their opportunity.

The Rams are expected to be the best team in the NFC, even though the Seahawks will present a challenge towards winning the division. Remember, this is how the Rams had to go on the road in the NFC Championship Game last year.

Head-to-head matchups are the first tiebreaker in the NFC playoff race. Nick Sirianni has never lost to Sean McVay.

This would be a good year for the Eagles to beat the Rams.

Week 12: at Dallas Cowboys

To get home-field advantage, winning the NFC East is the first box that needs to be checked.

The Thanksgiving showdown in Dallas may be the deciding factor in the Eagles winning the NFC East for the third straight year. The Eagles do have a Week 7 matchup against the Cowboys at home, but this road test in Dallas -- with the whole country watching -- will determine how the nFC East will be decided.

The Eagles have lost seven of their last eight in Dallas, so this is a massive game.

Week 15: vs. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champions and are ahead of the Eagles in the NFC pecking order. This is an important game for the Eagles, who always struggle against Seattle.

The Eagles haven't beaten the Seahawks since 2008. They haven't beaten the Seahawks in Philadelphia since 1989, when Seattle was in the AFC. The Eagles have to win a head-to-head matchup with the Seahawks if they want that tiebreaker for home field-advantage.

Beating the Rams and Seahawks would be massive.

Week 17: at San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers were the team at beat the Eagles in the playoffs last seaosn, but this game could determine whether Week 18 matters for the Eagles.

A win in Week 17 could but the Eagles in position for the No. 1 seed, pending on how they fare against the Rams and Seahawks. This game could clinch the NFC East and guarantee at least one home game in the playoffs as well.

Winning games in December and January typically set a team up for home playoff games, especially on the road. This one is very important for the Eagles and their playoff scenario in 2026.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/eagles/onsi as 5 Games That Will Decide Whether Eagles Will Be the No. 1 Seed in NFC Playoffs.

This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 12:00 AM.