:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71562226/1434209132.0.jpg "Has a 7-0 team ever missed the NFL playoffs? How often do they make playoffs? Who last started 7-0?")
The Philadelphia Eagles return to action after a bye week and have a big opportunity in Week 8. The Eagles are 6-0 and while they cannot clinch a playoff berth yet, a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers would move them that much closer to the playoffs.
The NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978, but more notably, changed to a 12-team playoff format in 1990. Since the playoff expansion in 1990, 29 teams have started the season with seven straight wins. Every single one of those teams has made the playoffs. Six of those teams won the Super Bowl and another seven made it to the Super Bowl before losing.
At least one team has started the season 7-0 every year dating back to 2018. Last year, the Cardinals started 7-0 before finishing 11-6 and losing in the Wild Card round. The year before, the Steelers started 7-0 before finishing 12-4 and losing in the Wild Card round. In 2019, the Patriots and 49ers both started 7-0. The Patriots finished 12-4 and lost in the Wild Card round while the 49ers finished 13-3 and lost in the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia is an 11.5-point favorite against the Steelers at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Eagles are -540 on the moneyline while Pittsburgh is a +420 underdog. The Eagles entered Sunday with odds to make the playoffs at -10000, tied with the Bills for the best odds to make the playoffs heading into Week 8.