The Philadelphia Eagles can still win the NFC East, though that outcome is largely out of their hands. As a result, coach Nick Sirianni is considering a strategy that some might see as somewhat unusual.
Sirianni admitted Monday that he is at least considering resting his starters in Sunday’s season finale against the New York Giants. This would happen despite the fact that the Eagles still need to win to have any chance of a division title, though that outcome would also require the Cowboys to lose to the Washington Commanders.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said sitting key players on Sunday is "a consideration" since they're locked into the 5 seed unless the Cowboys lose in Washington.
"I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no. I'm saying everything's discussed."
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) January 1, 2024
If the Cowboys win, the Eagles are locked into the No. 5 seed no matter what they do. From that standpoint, this makes sense, and the reality is that a Dallas loss to the lowly Commanders seems highly unlikely at this point. Still, if that were to happen and the Eagles also lost while playing backups, Sirianni would definitely take some heat.
The Eagles are a mess right now, and frustration is obviously growing. Sirianni has to also decide if it’s worth giving his starters some reps to try to get right before the playoffs. Either way, the decision could have significant ramifications.
