The Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) are in an unusual position on Sunday. Facing the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) on the road, it’s not a game they need to win for any particular reason.
If they win three of their final six and the Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, and Seattle Seahawks lose just once apiece, the Birds will have an NFC East title and home-field advantage until at least the NFC Championship Game.
It’s not a very challenging schedule, either—a team on a seven-game winning streak should be able to beat teams like the Carolina Panthers (3-8), Dallas Cowboys (5-7), and New York Giants (2-10) at home. The Eagles aren’t exactly playing with house money, but they’re pretty close.
Of course, they’ll want to be after the top seed. But right now, that seems rather unattainable. Philadelphia needs to win all of its games and the 11-1 Detroit Lions to most likely lose twice. Instead of focusing on something out of their control, focus on what they can do: acquire the second-best seed in the NFC.
Considering the match ahead of them is objectively the most challenging one left, the Ravens are far from a must-beat opponent (especially since they’re out-of-conference). The Birds have nothing to lose, but quite a bit to gain against one of the AFC’s finest.
Barkley’s Make-or-Break MVP Game?
A few weeks ago, I dove into the importance of A.J. Brown to the Eagles’ offense, arguing he deserves to at least be in people’s minds when voting for MVP. I mean, he is an essential piece to the passing attack and far more valuable than most other star receivers. It’s no coincidence that the Birds are 8-0 with him in the lineup.
But all of this was before Saquon Barkley broke the Eagles’ single-game rushing record with 255 yards on the ground. On just 26 carries, he put up a mythical rushing total with two touchdowns to boot. This led to a rise in his MVP talks, and for good reason.
If Barkley sustains his rushing pace (126.55 rushing yards per game) through a full season, he’d break the NFL’s single-season rushing yardage record by about 46. A total that used to be seen as unbreakable by some could belong to a player whose former team (the Giants) let him test free agency just a few months ago. Plus, he could break the record against said team. It’s poetic justice.
Let’s get into what we already know, though. Barkley has over 400 more rushing yards than any non-Derrick Henry running back in the NFL (Henry trails by 67 himself), and that’s despite only having 11 games played. On a per-game basis, nobody comes within 15 yards of the Penn State alum. That’s MVP stuff.
Against Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson, this game could create a drastic swing. Jackson will look to join Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Joe Montana, and Jim Brown as the only players to win back-to-back MVPs. The Baltimore QB is currently one of the top favorites.
Assuming the victor of this matchup is led by the excellence of either Barkley or Jackson, one of the two could emerge as the MVP favorite as soon as the end of the week. The Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen may have something to say about that, but it’s hard to believe voters won’t have their minds swayed just a bit. If Barkley continues his record-breaking pace and the Eagles are winners because of it, his chances to become the first non-quarterback MVP since 2012 will be very real.
If the Eagles Beat the Ravens, They Can Beat Anyone
Individual achievements are great, but the goal of this season is obvious. It’s not Super Bowl or bust, but nobody would be happy with anything short of it. This team is championship caliber, and they want to win now. While this game in particular won’t skyrocket their odds of winning one in February, a victory shows that, in theory, the Eagles are capable of beating anyone.
A road victory against a team tied for the second-most wins since the 2023 season began is one huge accomplishment. A win is far from necessary, but it can show that no environment bothers Philadelphia. Even a fun, back-and-forth game proves that a team like the Lions won’t have a cakewalk to the Super Bowl.
You want to win every week, obviously. But the result of the Eagles’ game against the Ravens doesn’t impact them much. The NFC’s second seed seems to be the most likely outcome for the Birds, with nobody in particular breathing down their neck and the Lions with a nice cushion as the top seed.
Even if Philadelphia doesn’t have much to lose, there is a lot to gain. A win will still go a long way, even if it won’t alter the standings.
PHOTO: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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