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While the Philadelphia Eagles have already punched their ticket to the NFL Playoffs, their work isn’t quite done, as they’ve yet to lock up the NFC East or home-field advantage throughout the NFC portion of the postseason.

However, the Eagles’ playoff seeding can be finalized this weekend as they hit the road for a Christmas Eve matchup with the rival Dallas Cowboys.

Eagles playoff seeding: How the Eagles can win the NFC East and clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC in Week 16

Jalen Hurts during an Eagles-Bears matchup in December 2022
Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles in action against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 18, 2022 | Michael Reaves/Getty Images

At 13-1, the Eagles are the top seed in the NFC and are coming off a 25-20 win over the Chicago Bears this past Sunday. But while the big news should have been Philly matching the highest win total in franchise history, the bigger emphasis was the status of Jalen Hurts, who sprained his throwing shoulder in the victory.

As of this writing, it’s unknown if the NFL MVP candidate will suit up for Saturday’s showdown with the Cowboys, but Nick Sirianni hasn’t yet ruled him out. If Hurts can’t go, Philly will turn to Gardner Minshew, who’s made three appearances this season, all in lopsided victories, and has completed two of four passes for 34 yards.

But no matter who takes the snaps for Philadelphia in Dallas, the Eagles can win the NFC East with a victory as they currently hold a three-game lead over the 10-4 Cowboys with three weeks remaining in the regular season.

A win over America’s Team also guarantees the Eagles home-field advantage throughout the NFC Playoffs and a first-round bye. If the Birds tie Dallas, they’d still clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC if the Minnesota Vikings tie or lose to the New York Giants.

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Senior Writer, Programmer

Luke Norris

Luke Norris began his sportswriting career in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2020. The former Section Editor of the NFL and Motorsports sections, he now spends his time here in the role of Senior Writer-Programmer. His well-rounded sports knowledge allows him to cover the NFL, NBA, PGA Tour, MLB, boxing, WWE, and NASCAR for Sportscasting.

Luke is an avid golfer who finds inspiration in the way sports can bring people together and provide a distraction from the real world. He hopes to provide a little entertainment or an escape from the real world with every article he writes, even if only for a few minutes.

In addition to his work here at Sportscasting, Luke’s work has appeared on  The Sportster, Inquisitr, GiveMeSport, FanSided, Yahoo! Fox Sports, and Sports Illustrated.