As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for their final regular-season game against the Washington Commanders, head coach Nick Sirianni faces questions regarding his strategy for the game, particularly whether he will rest key starters or play them in pursuit of the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
Despite the advantages that come with securing the second seed, including a guaranteed home playoff game, Sirianni has been tight-lipped about his game-day decisions. “It”s not a decision I have to make today or even tomorrow,” he stated, reflecting on the team”s recent 13-12 victory over the Buffalo Bills, which, combined with a loss by the Chicago Bears, has kept the Eagles alive in the playoff race.
To clinch the No. 2 seed, the Eagles must defeat the Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field and hope that the Bears lose to the Detroit Lions. Both games are scheduled to start at 4:25 PM on Sunday, leaving the Eagles without further insights before their matchup.
The second seed not only guarantees a home playoff game but could also mean a favorable matchup against a struggling Green Bay team in the wild-card round, avoiding a potentially tougher opponent from the NFC West. Sirianni acknowledged the uncertainty around playoff seeding, saying, “Things are still up in the air as far as seeding goes. It”s pretty similar to where we were last week.”
Last week, the Eagles opted to play their starters as they normally would, despite ongoing discussions about resting players. “We”ve done it both ways,” Sirianni said, citing past experiences where the team rested players while still securing a playoff spot. “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.”
When questioned about the significance of aiming for the No. 2 seed, Sirianni referred to the previous season, where the Eagles rested their starters in the last game after locking in the second seed. He noted that in the 2022 season, they played their starters to win the top seed, which allowed them to enjoy a bye week.
With a solid track record of success following bye weeks—an 11-4 record in games with at least 10 days of rest—Sirianni is aware of the importance of both seeding and rest. “This is a marathon of a season,” he remarked, highlighting the need to balance seeding advantages with the benefits of rest. “A lot of guys would say last year that having a built-in bye was a big deal.”
As the Eagles navigate their playoff aspirations, it seems they may attempt to strike a balance by resting some players while still fielding a competitive team against the 4-12 Commanders, who may start third-string quarterback Josh Johnson. “You guys don”t know what we”re doing yet,” Sirianni joked, hinting at the ongoing evaluation process leading up to game day.
