Eagles rooting guide for Week 16 games

The sixteenth weekend of the 2022 NFL regular season is here! It’s time to run through a Philadelphia Eagles-focused rooting guide for all of the Week 16 games.

This exercise will be especially interesting this year since the Birds have more things to care about than usual due to owning a first-round pick from the New Orleans Saints in the 2023 NFL Draft.

NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE

Via ESPN:

2023 NFL DRAFT ORDER

Via Tankathon:

EAGLES GAME

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at DALLAS COWBOYS: The Eagles will clinch the NFC East and the No. 1 seed with a win in Dallas. Would be a great Christmas gift for Philly.

NFC EAST

NEW YORK GIANTS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS: The Eagles can actually clinch the No. 1 seed by tying the Cowboys if there’s a Vikings loss or tie. Root for the Giants.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: If you don’t want all four NFC East teams making the playoffs, well, you can obviously root against the Commanders. But there’s an argument to be made it’s preferable for them to make the postseason over a surging Detroit team. Also better to keep the 49ers away from the No. 2 seed so they might have to play a road game in Minny before an NFC Championship Game in Philly. Root for the Commanders.

NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE

DETROIT LIONS at CAROLINA PANTHERS: A Panthers win is preferable because 1) it helps to prevent a red hot Lions team from making the playoffs and 2) it helps Carolina move behind the Saints pick owed to Philly. Root for the Panthers.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: If you don’t want to see the Commanders make the playoffs, you should want to see Seattle make it over Detroit. Root for the Seahawks.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at ARIZONA CARDINALS: The Eagles should want to see the Bucs win the NFC South because 1) it prevents the Saints from winning it and 2) it likely gives the Cowboys the toughest game they’ll face in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed matchup. Dallas has NEVER beaten Tom Brady. Root for the Buccaneers.

DRAFT PICK WATCH

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at CLEVELAND BROWNS: The combination of a Saints loss and a Bucs win officially eliminates New Orleans from playoff contention. Would be preferable for them to have nothing to play for when they visit Philly in Week 17. Root for the Browns.

ATLANTA FALCONS at BALTIMORE RAVENS: Rooting for the Falcons feels futile since they’re elite losers but they’re ahead of the Saints pick owed to Philly in the draft order so it would be good to see them pull it off somehow. Root for the Falcons.

BUFFALO BILLS at CHICAGO BEARS: The Saints pick owed to Philly probably isn’t getting ahead of Chicago’s selection. But you can root for it to happen anyway. Root for da Bears.

CINCINNATI BENGALS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: The Pats are the bigger threat to move ahead of the Saints pick owed to Philly, though it probably won’t happen. Root for the Patriots.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS: The Raiders have a better chance of moving ahead of the Saints pick owed to Philly in the draft order due to a weaker strength of schedule. It would be better to see that not happen. Root for the Raiders.

GREEN BAY PACKERS at MIAMI DOLPHINS: Wouldn’t be the worst thing to see the Packers lose to help ensure Aaron Rodgers doesn’t make the playoffs. But from a draft pick perspective, it’s better to see Green Bay win. Root for the Packers.

DENVER BRONCOS at LOS ANGELES RAMS: The Saints pick owed to Philly has a better chance of getting ahead of the Rams pick owed to Detroit due to the strength of schedule tiebreaker. Root for the Rams.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Root for the Colts over the Bolts since Indy is ahead of the Saints pick owed to Philly in the draft order. Even easier to root for this outcome since Nick Foles will be the Colts’ starting quarterback. Root for the Colts.

LET’S GO DOUG

HOUSTON TEXANS at TENNESSEE TITANS: The Titans winning is preferable from a draft pick perspective but the Eagles probably don’t have to worry about them surpassing the Saints pick owed to Philly. With that in mind, it seems more fun to root for the Titans to lose in order to help Doug Pederson’s Jags win the AFC South. And the Texans are basically already locked in at the No. 1 pick. Root for the Texans.