While the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles are in the running for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, one team appears to be OK not going all-in on snatching that second spot.
The Eagles seem content not going all out to get the No. 2 seed, with Philadelphia-based reporter Jeff McLane sharing the team’s plans to keep quarterback Jalen Hurts and other starters on the bench for the team’s Week 18 regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders:
#Eagles are expected to rest QB Jalen Hurts and most starters in the season finale vs. the Commanders, sources told The Inquirer.Shouldn’t come as a surprise based on HC Nick Sirianni’s comments when asked about the benefit of having a “bye” week heading into the playoffs.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) December 31, 2025Bears, Eagles taking different paths to the postseason
While the Eagles appear to be content going into the postseason with the No. 3 seed, the Bears are angling to take down the Detroit Lions. Earlier in the week, Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson told reporters “we’re playing to win this week.” At face value, I expect Chicago’s football team to follow the coach’s lead. However, I can envision a scenario playing out where Johnson calls off the dogs — but only if seeding is set in stone. Even still, based on Johnson’s words and actions in the first 17 weeks of the season, his intent to play to win the game in Week 18 is more than just coachspeak.
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Should Ben Johnson follow through on a plan to play his regulars, we’ll probably look back at this quote from his Tuesday press conference as a moment in which we knew he was serious:
“We want to continue to get better. We’ve got a lot of young players where, each week, you do see growth. We’re going to stay true to our process throughout this thing. This is the next one. Certainly, coming off a loss like that, you don’t want to go into the postseason with two losses in a row. You want to have a little momentum behind you. That’s part of the thought process.”
I see both sides of this debate. For a tried and tested team like the Eagles, I can understand why pushing for the No. 2 seed isn’t a priority for the defending Super Bowl champs. There is a “been there, done that” element that team has going for it as it enters the postseaosn. From the Bears side of things, I see why this coaching staff would want to keep their foot on the gas. In the end, I don’t know if there is a right or wrong answer. I just hope everyone gets to the playoffs healthy.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni speaks with Ben Johnson after the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn ImagesHence then, the article about plot twist the eagles are resting their starters in week 18 was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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