MNF Week 15 expert picks, playoff implications: Eagles at Seahawks

POD staff picks for the “Monday Night Football” matchups between the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL closes out Week 15 with a “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks. This game was originally set to feature the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots, but the NFL flexed to this matchup because it will have direct ramifications on the NFC playoffs.

This game should very much be of interest to Detroit Lions fans because there is a potential playoff-clinching scenario at hand for the Lions. On Saturday, the Vikings lost to the Bengals and the Lions beat the Broncos, fulfilling two of three legs in a playoff-clinching scenario for Detroit. That means, if the Eagles beat the Seahawks in this game, the Lions will clinch a spot in playoffs.

But before you settle in on cheering for an Eagles team that recently promoted Matt Patricia to defensive coordinator, it’s also worth pointing out that a Seahawks win would also benefit the Lions.

The Lions hold a three-game lead in the division with only three games remaining in the regular season. That means they’re only one win, or a Vikings loss, from locking up the division and a home playoff game—which could happen as soon as this Sunday.

So, if you don’t mind being patient in officially locking up a playoff spot and have bigger goals on the horizon, it may interest you to root for Seattle. A Seahawks win would result in the Eagles’ (and Cowboys) record being 10-4—the same as the Lions—and in turn, would open up a path to a higher seed in the postseason. The Lions would still have to take care of business, but the path to the No. 2 seed in the NFC gets a lot easier if Seattle takes home the victory.

The good folks over at DraftKings Sportsbook are favoring the Eagles by a field goal, and the Pride of Detroit staff agrees, as everyone is taking Philadelphia on the moneyline—although a few staff members jump ship when it comes to the spread.

Here is a look at who each of our staff is picking for Monday night’s game:

Here’s how to watch tonight’s “Monday Night Football” game:

Eagles at Seahawks

Date: Monday, December 19, 2023
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington
TV: ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Lisa Salters (field reporter)
ESPN2 Manningcast: Peyton and Eli Manning plus special guests
Online Stream/Replay: ESPN+, ESPN APP, NFL+ Premium

Enjoy the games and come chat with us in the comments!