Will the Eagles overtake the Lions to become the top seed in the NFC?

Eagles players and coaches enjoyed their extra time off after defeating the Washington Commanders on Thursday night and solidifying their lead in the NFC East.
The additional rest allowed them to watch Sunday’s game between the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars. Many in the Eagles organization were rooting for former head coach Doug Pederson to lead the Jaguars to an upset — which would have handed the Lions a loss and given the Eagles an important postseason edge — but they were disappointed with a 52-6 blowout.
The Lions and Eagles are vying for the NFC’s best record and the coveted No. 1 seed, which comes with a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, an edge that could prove crucial if the two teams meet with a trip to Super Bowl LIX on the line. While the Eagles have been strong on the road, going 16-7 over the past three seasons, the Lions have turned Ford Field into a fortress, boasting a 10-3 home record over the last two seasons.
Heading into Week 12, the Lions (9-1) hold a one-game lead over the Eagles with seven games left in the regular season. The Lions currently own the tiebreaker over the Eagles because of a superior conference record. Detroit has won six of its seven conference games, while the Eagles have dropped two — to the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here are the remaining games for the Lions:
*Bold denotes team currently holding a playoff spot
The teams remaining on the Lions schedule have a winning percentage of .583, led by the Buffalo Bills. Here is the remaining schedule for the Eagles:
*Bold denotes team currently holding a playoff spot
The Eagles may appear to have an easier schedule based on their opponents’ combined winning percentage (.486) and their final games against backup quarterbacks with the Cowboys currently starting Cooper Rush and the Giants deciding to bench Daniel Jones in favor of Tommy DeVito, but their path to the playoffs is far from simple.
Both teams have two AFC opponents remaining, with the Eagles facing the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers — two teams battling for the AFC North title. Meanwhile, the Lions face the Bills, a formidable opponent chasing the AFC’s No. 1 seed and holding the tiebreaker over the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as the Indianapolis Colts, who face uncertainty at quarterback with Anthony Richardson still proving himself as a franchise player.
The Eagles can’t afford to lose another conference game, as they’re already behind the Lions. Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams carries additional importance. If the Eagles manage to tie the Lions in conference record, the next tiebreaker is performance against common opponents. Both teams have lost to the Buccaneers and beaten the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Jaguars. If the tie persists, the next tiebreaker is strength of victory. The Lions, with several blowout wins this season, would likely hold the advantage.
In all likelihood, the Eagles will need the Lions to finish 5-2 over their final seven games. They’ll also need the Bills, 49ers, and Vikings to stay competitive in their respective playoff races. The 49ers are fighting for a wild-card spot, while the Vikings may still be in contention for a division title or playoff seeding. There are still a lot of football to be played, and things can change quickly, but for the Eagles, if they want to have the road through the NFC playoffs to come through Philadelphia, they will need to continue to extend their six-game winning streak for as long as possible.
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Chris Franklin may be reached at [email protected].