49ers will be NFC No. 1 seed if they win out, Eagles will win NFC East if they win out.
With their victory over the Eagles on Sunday night, the Cowboys took a commanding lead in the NFC East, but they will want additional support if they hope to avoid having to travel to play as a wild card team in the playoffs.
The Eagles continue to lead the NFC East, while the 49ers are in charge of the NFC playoff picture.
The 49ers are the team in the NFC with the easiest scenario: They win out and receive home-field advantage and a first-round bye in the playoffs. The 49ers defeated the Cowboys and Eagles in their head-to-head match, but they are still tied atop the NFC at 10-3. The first tiebreaker is that.
The Eagles are currently behind the Cowboys in the NFC East based on the division record tiebreaker, but that will change if the Eagles win out: Run the table to finish 14-3 and the Eagles will pick up one more NFC East win than the Cowboys to tie the division record, and
the Eagles would win the division based on the conference record tiebreaker.
The Cowboys need help: Even if Dallas wins out to finish 14-3, it needs Philadelphia to lose at least one game to avoid a wild card. And Dallas would need both Philadelphia and San Francisco to lose at least one game for Dallas to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Cowboys’ most difficult remaining schedule—which includes games at Buffalo, Miami, home against the Lions, and Washington to close off the season—doesn’t help.
The Eagles have a considerably easier schedule: after playing the Seahawks, Philadelphia plays the Giants, Cardinals, and Giants once more.
The 49ers play at Arizona, at Washington, at home against the Rams, and at home against the Ravens.
Three strong teams are fighting for the top spot in the NFC, so the postseason should be exciting.
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