NFL Power Rankings: Eagles Facing ‘Impossible’ Super Bowl Chances?

The Philadelphia Eagles' free-fall continued with a 27-10 loss to the New York Giants in Week 18.

It feels like forever ago when the Philadelphia Eagles were 10-1 and had an inside track toward the No. 1 seed in the NFC. 

Fast-forward six weeks, and the Eagles are 11-6 and limping into the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the NFC. The one team Philadelphia beat in the final six weeks of the season, the New York Giants, came back and beat them 27-10 in Week 18 to stifle any chance they had of winning the NFC East. 

Jalen Hurts running from New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke / USA Today

With the Eagles entering the playoffs having lost five of their last six games, they landed at No. 7 in Sports Illustrated's power rankings. 

"The late-season collapse of the Eagles has been disappointing," SI writes. "While I am not pointing the blame at Eagles fans in particular, I am pointing the blame at our own expectations. So, what is my happy takeaway, you ask? What is my nice thing? I am hoping that, through the Eagles’ struggles, we can come to learn that making the Super Bowl after losing the game the year before, and both coordinators, is next to impossible. So stop asking!" 

While blaming expectations is a bit far-fetched after Philadelphia was a couple of plays away from winning the Super Bowl last season, the loss of the offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon can't be overstated after they both left to become head coaches this season. 

Steichen went on to become the Indianapolis Colts head coach and led a 4-13 team to a 9-8 season, and they were a game away from winning the AFC South in his first year. Gannon kept a rebuilding Arizona Cardinals roster competitive for much of the year. 

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The good news for Philadelphia is a new season begins for them on Monday, and it starts against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that they beat 25-11 in Week 3. If the Eagles can parlay the success from that meeting into this first-round matchup, it could be exactly what they need to get back on track and stop this six-week free-fall. 

Philadelphia and Tampa Bay square off on Monday Night Football at 8:15 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium.