Yea even with the injuries they SHOULD beat the Saints. If they lose it would be a pretty big red flag obviously. I don't care that the Saints are going to try-hard because they still have a playoff shot. The Saints defense has been playing very well lately though, so the game could be closer then we think. They've held all opponents to 20 points or less for their last 6 games.
Following the win in CHI and DAL losing to JAX, needing to only win 1 of the last 3 (or DAL and SF both losing at least 1 of their last 3) seemed like it wouldn't be a problem. But since that moment:
- Hurts injury
- Maddox injury
- Lane injury
- Gave away a win to DAL with sloppy turnovers and questionable D
- Saints won to stay in contention (and hurt our draft pick)
- NYG lost on a last second FG missing a chance to clinch a playoff spot and possibly making their Week 18 game against the Eagles mean something
- SF is riding their defense and feel-good-story Brock Purdy to wins
- DAL next opponent has nothing to play for this week
- CJGJ is unlikely to be back this week (eligible, but word is he's not completely healed/cleared)
Just an awful streak of things not going our way. What's the best thing to happen since that moment? Dallas Goedert came back? Cool, but he got less targets than Quez Watkins in a key game, so that didn't even give us a positive.
So, here we are that if we somehow lose to NO this week, there will be a mountain of pressure on this team. We will have gone from no-brainer #1 seed to having one last game to either barely hang on and get it, or have the dishonor of completing an epic collapse and limping into the playoffs as a wildcard team on the road.
But, win this NO game (while also avoiding more injuries since we have to go all out) and everyone breathes easier and there's a couple weeks to step back, reset, get healthy, and get ready for a home playoff game.
I'm not in full-on panic mode right now, but definitely lack the "Relax, we'll win this week or next, it's fine" confidence that many Eagles fans (surprisingly) have right now!