Eagles contemplate resting starters ahead of pivotal finale
The Philadelphia Eagles find themselves at a crossroads as they approach their Week 18 regular-season finale against the struggling Washington Commanders. With the prospect of securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs still on the table, the Eagles face a tough decision regarding the deployment of their starters this Sunday.
The playoff picture
To clinch the coveted second seed, the Eagles must first defeat the Commanders and hope for a favorable outcome in the NFC North, where the Chicago Bears must fall to the Detroit Lions. This scenario mirrors last season’s playoff entry, which culminated in the Eagles’ triumph at Super Bowl LIX.
Head coach Nick Sirianni addressed the situation during his weekly post-game video conference, emphasizing that the team is still deliberating its strategy. “We’re still thinking through that,” he stated, indicating that the decision is far from straightforward. “There are still things up in the air as far as seeding goes. It’s pretty similar to where we were last week.”
Evaluating the options
Sirianni reflected on the different approaches the team has taken in the past, weighing the benefits of resting players against the potential advantages of playing for a better playoff position. “What you end up going through is obviously we’ve done it both ways,” he explained. “We’ve had opportunities to rest, we’ve had opportunities to continue to get a better seed and play.”
The decision-making process is nuanced, as each season and team presents unique challenges. Sirianni noted, “Every season is a little bit different. Every team is a little bit different. We’ll end up doing what we think is best for the team as we go through our process.”
Hints at resting key players
While Sirianni stopped short of making any definitive commitments, he dropped hints suggesting that some key players might be rested, drawing on experiences from past Super Bowl runs. “If I look back and how beneficial some of the byes that we’ve had have been, that’s part of the reason why you think through it,” he remarked. “It’s a marathon of a season. You give your guys some rest, you get some time to think through some different things, even though you’re preparing for an opponent as you go.”
He further elaborated on the significance of the bye week, recalling how the Eagles benefited from similar opportunities in their last two Super Bowl appearances in 2022 and 2024. “Both times that I’ve been here that we’ve been to the Super Bowl, we’ve had that opportunity for a bye, and that’s ’22 and obviously ’24,” he noted. “In ’21, we created ourselves a bye as well. You have the opportunity to do that.”
As the Eagles prepare for a crucial matchup, the strategic choices made over the coming days will have implications that extend well beyond this weekend’s game, potentially shaping their playoff journey.
