With two weeks remaining in the 2024 NFL regular season, the Philadelphia Eagles have secured a playoff berth for the fourth consecutive year.
The Eagles can secure hosting a first-round postseason game by either winning their next game against the Dallas Cowboys or via a Washington Commanders loss.
Philadelphia is in this position thanks to the historic season running back Saquon Barkley has had for the franchise.
This year, Barkley has rushed for an NFL-best 1,838 yards, a mark that’s 267 yards shy of the league record set by Rams great Eric Dickerson in 1984.
Barkley could surpass that total by playing in this weekend’s game against the Cowboys and the following week’s matchup with the New York Giants as he’s already rushed for 242 rushing yards against these two opponents earlier this season.
Although the all-time mark is achievable, the Eagles could make a surprising decision in Week 18 should the team’s playoff positioning be set on Sunday, NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed.
“If the Eagles seed is in hand and there’s nothing at stake, I would say that they would not want to get Saquon the record because … they’d want to sit down, rest their players, and make sure the Giants win that last game so the Giants then fall from (draft position) one or two to seven and don’t get their quarterback of the future,” Schefter said.
Adam Schefter suggested that the Eagles could sit their starters in Week 18 and give the Giants the win to make sure the Giants fall down the draft order😬 #Giants100 pic.twitter.com/MCQoK1uyXa
— Anthony Rivardo (@Anthony_Rivardo) December 24, 2024
Currently, the Giants have the No. 1 overall draft position as the only team with just two wins this season.
Five teams are currently 3-12, and several teams could jump in front of New York should the Giants win another contest this year.
NEXT: Adam Schefter Reveals How Eagles Could Prevent Giants From Drafting Shedeur Sanders
