The Philadelphia Eagles began Week 18 with a clear mathematical path to the No. 2 seed in the NFC. The scenario required a win over the Washington Commanders and a loss for the Chicago Bears against the Detroit Lions. Detroit delivered a 19–16 road victory over Chicago, but Philadelphia fell 24–17 at home, a result that fixed the Eagles as the No. 3 seed and set up a wild-card meeting with the sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers.
The Eagles approached the regular-season finale with many starters resting. Head coach Nick Sirianni addressed the decision after the game and said he did not regret sitting key players despite the effect on playoff seeding.
“No,” Sirianni said. “Again, you go through your process, you make what you think is the best decision for the football team, and that’s what we did. I knew this was an outcome, that these things could happen.”
With Jalen Hurts not playing, Tanner McKee started at quarterback and completed 21 of 40 passes for 241 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. McKee played primarily with backup players. One exception early was wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who entered the game 44 yards short of 1,000 receiving yards for the season. Smith caught three passes for 52 yards, reached the 1,000-yard mark in the latter part of the first quarter, and did not play afterward. It was the third 1,000-yard receiving season of Smith’s career.
Devonta Smith catches a 20+ yd pass to get him over the 1,000 yds receiving mark!
byu/amatom27 ineagles
“I’m grateful that he allowed me to do it,” Smith said after explaining that the opportunity came following a conversation with Sirianni.
On defense, several starters participated, including linemen Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Jalyx Hunt, while most regulars did not see the field. The game remained competitive into the second half, but Sirianni did not consider inserting rested starters late. He explained that players who had not been active throughout the game would be placed at risk if asked to play in the third or fourth quarter, and he said the plan set early in the week remained in place.
Inside the locker room, players expressed support for the approach. Safety Reed Blankenship acknowledged that watching the Lions’ win affected emotions on the sideline, but said the added rest was preferable to playing a full game and going into the playoffs fatigued.
As the Eagles’ postseason matchup became official, sportsbooks adjusted their odds throughout the week. Initial lines following the regular-season finale listed Philadelphia as a 3- to 3.5-point favorite at home, with totals posted between 46 and 46.5 points and moneylines around Eagles -180 to -190. As the week progressed, several sportsbooks, including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and PointsBet, moved the spread to Eagles -4 or -4.5. The total shifted downward to approximately 45 points, while the moneyline moved to Philadelphia -220 and San Francisco +190.
Player prop markets were also active. Christian McCaffrey and Jalen Hurts appeared among common anytime touchdown options across sportsbooks, while quarterback props included Brock Purdy’s interception total. Futures markets listed the Eagles among Super Bowl contenders, with odds of +850 at FanDuel and +950 at DraftKings.
Sirianni said he discussed the rest plan with players during the week, but reiterated that the final decision was his responsibility.
“That’s part of being the head coach,” Sirianni said while explaining that he gathered input before making the call he believed was best for the team.
The playoff schedule is now set. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Eagles will host the 49ers on Sunday, January 11, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Eastern at Lincoln Financial Field. San Francisco comes into the matchup after averaging 36 points during a six-game winning streak before closing the regular season with a 13–3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Lineup for wild-card weekend: pic.twitter.com/Nuv8gBR6hk
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2026
With the NFL’s regular season now over, on to the post-season: pic.twitter.com/QsGm5p2J34
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2026
Sirianni spoke about the upcoming opponent and the challenge ahead, citing respect for head coach Kyle Shanahan, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, and the players on the 49ers’ roster. Defensive end Brandon Graham later pointed to Christian McCaffrey and Brock Purdy as key players the Eagles must account for when preparing for the wild-card game.
