Jason Kelce addresses Eagles sitting starters, losing No. 2 seed for playoffs

One of the more controversial decisions made during Week 18 of the NFL season involved Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni resting quarterback Jalen Hurts and other starters for the club's regular-season finale versus the Washington Commanders.

Philadelphia ultimately suffered a 24-17 defeat that resulted in the Eagles falling to the No. 3 seed for the NFC playoffs. On the latest edition of the "New Heights" podcast, Eagles legend and current ESPN analyst Jason Kelce addressed Sirianni's handling of the Week 18 matchup. 

Jason Kelce backs Nick Sirianni's decision to rest starters

"They prioritized the rest going into the playoffs, which I think is right," Kelce explained, per Johnny McGonigal of PennLive. "If the Eagles could have guaranteed getting the No. 2 seed by playing their starters, I think they probably would have played. But because there was this other game that also had to take place, you have the risk of injury, and it’s kind of outside of your control. The one thing you can control in that situation is making sure your team is raring and ready to go for Week 1."

Kelce was referencing how the Eagles would've finished as the NFC's second seed had they won, and the Chicago Bears lost to the Detroit Lions. The Lions finished their season with a 19-16 win at the Bears. 

This coming Saturday night, Chicago will host the Green Bay Packers (9-7-1) in the wild-card round of the playoffs. As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Bears as 1.5-point home underdogs for that game. 

On Sunday, the Eagles will welcome the San Francisco 49ers (12-5) to Lincoln Financial Field. DraftKings Sportsbook had Philadelphia as a 4.5-point home favorite for that contest as of Wednesday morning. 

There's no easy road to a Super Bowl berth

"You’ve still got to go through good teams to win the Super Bowl," Kelce added. "Like, yeah, if we’re the No. 2 seed and can guarantee two home games, that is a big deal. But at the same time, we’re going to have to play great teams regardless. If the team is good enough, they’re still going to find a way to get it done. I don’t think that Week 18 decision is going to determine the outcome of this team. I just think that when we play up to our potential, with the defense we have and the offensive firepower we have, I think we can beat anybody."

Sirianni may appreciate Kelce's vote of confidence, but one wonders what the head coach may have to say about his Week 18 decision this coming Sunday evening.