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2018 NFL Power Rankings: Wild Card edition

By Russell S. Baxter

FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 31: Tom Brady
FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 31: Tom Brady /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 25: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles walks onto the field against the Oakland Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field on December 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 25: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles walks onto the field against the Oakland Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field on December 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

6. Philadelphia Eagles

13-3 (NFC East champions)

No. 1 Seed in NFC

For the vast majority of 2017, there were the most complete team in the National Football League. And then came in Week 14 and a showdown with the Rams in Los Angeles. And on the way to a 43-35 win, the Philadelphia Eagles lost starting quarterback Carson Wentz to a knee injury.

All told, Doug Pederson’s team did finish tied for the best record in the NFL. But the last two weeks the Birds have looked anything like NFC East champions, much less the top seed in their conference. Yes, there was that comeback victory over the New York Giants the week after Wentz went down. But a listless win over the Oakland Raiders followed by a shutout setback to the Dallas Cowboys (with quarterback Nick Foles sitting most of the game) didn’t inspire much confidence.

If the Eagles are going to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 2004, they will have to do it a different way than they did most of the season. Can they get a superior three-game run from Jim Schwartz’s unit? The team was among the league leaders with 31 takeaways. Can the third-ranked ground game in the NFL carry a bigger load? Will the Philadelphia cornerbacks come up with a more consistent effort?

Fair or unfair, there’s just not a lot to go on the past few weeks. On the plus side, the Eagles allowed a total of two touchdowns in two games. But Foles and the offense looked a little lost as of late. Perhaps the off-week provided some clarity.

Next: No. 5

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