A mismatch the playoff contender has to have, and what looked like an inter-conference matchup of playoff contenders even a month ago, but now....not so much.
Philly has gotten - or better hope that they've gotten - over their "Seahawk fatigue" (so coined from the fact that teams that play the World Champs almost always lose the following week, as the Eagles did at home to the Cowboys last week), and while they have little chance at a first-round bye, they can still secure a first-round home playoff game by winning the NFC East.
Meanwhile, the Redskins, though they won at the FCC yesterday, couldn't win this game if the Eagles failed to show up.
Philadelphia* (-7.5)
Washington
It seems like the Chargers have two late-season templates: They either start slowly and then get hot down the stretch, like they did last year in advancing as far as the divisional round and giving the eventual AFC champion Denver Broncos all they could handle, or they start fast and then fade spectacularly as December unfolds.
This year is the latter for the Bolts, as their playoff hopes are flickering at 8-6, their power ranking sunk to #20 after being in the top ten for most of the season. SD is holding on by a thread, and the thread is greased.
But they've got it made compared to the Niners, who are in complete disarray. They've dropped to #23 in my power rankings, Coach Jim Harbaugh is on his way out after "wearing out his welcome" despite this, his fourth season, being the first off year of the Harbaugh era. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a basket case, running back Frank Gore has gotten old like Walter Donovan after drinking from the wrong Grail, their stellar linebacker corps still hasn't fully reassembled from the injured and suspension lists, respectively, the secondary losses in last offseason's free agency were more impactful than anticipated. And then there's the worst development of all: they got swept by Seattle. Getting skunked by your bitterest rival is not the taste you want in your mouth as you head off into a playoff-less offseason, but there they go.
So who has the edge at the Big Bell Bottom tonight? I don't think it matters all that much, frankly. But I'll take what Vegas considers a slight upset.
San Diego* (+2.5)
San Francisco
I will say this, though: I agree with those who argue that the 49ers will rue the day they let a proven NFL head coach of the quality of Jim Harbaugh leave merely because he's "too competitive" without having somebody at least as good in mind and lined up for his replacement.
Not that I, as a Seahawk fan, am complaining, you understand. Having a clearer path to the NFC West title each year is just fine by me.
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