It was beginning to look a lot like an Eagles NFC top seed for Christmas.

But then the Grinch in Washington named Jayden Daniels stole all their presents and whisked away.

Was the 36-33 loss in Washington the end of the Eagles’ sleigh ride with their top reindeer concussed?

In this week’s version of my Inside the Huddle column, I’ll take a look at the Eagles’ current state — as well as other things around the league with a Christmas theme in mind.

Naughty Not Nice ... This game was a wake-up call on several fronts. Head coach Nick Sirianni will need to clamp down on defensive tackle Jalen Carter (leads the league in roughness penalties) and C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s cheap play that cost him an ejection.

Saquon Barkley continued his assault toward becoming the single-season, all-time leading rusher, but he had only 41 of his 150 yards after the opening quarter. The defense was picked apart by Daniels’ five touchdowns and gave up the most points since a 33-16 loss in Tampa in Week Four.

It was a sloppy performance that should be out of the way with the postseason around the corner.

With or without Jalen Hurts, the Eagles will now have a battle with the revived Cowboys (7-8) at the Linc Sunday with the NFC East title hanging in the balance.

Rounding Up the Presents ... In the final weeks of the regular season, Dallas can play a true spoiler role. The Cowboys impressively have won two straight — the latest in a 26-24 victory over Tampa Bay — and they could save head coach Mike McCarthy’s job by winning one of both of their final games.

Even though they are out of the playoffs, the Cowboys have won four of their last five games and are finally playing like they were expected all season. They can not only ruin the Eagles’ plan, but also stain the Commanders’ (10-5) playoff hopes.

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush — playing for injured starter Dak Prescott — has looked comfortable in the role. During their recent five-game span, Rush has thrown six touchdowns, one interception, and has been sacked only six times. In their consecutive victories, Rush has completed 44 of 64 for 506 yards and four TDs.

By the way, Rush is 0-2 as a starter against the Eagles. He completed 18 of 38 passes for 181 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions in a 26-17 loss in Dallas last year. This season, he was 13 of 23 for 45 yards in a 34-6 loss in Dallas in November.

Bag of Coal ... One of the hottest teams throughout the first 15 weeks of the season was Pittsburgh. The Steelers apparently had found their quarterback in the revival of Russell Wilson, and their defense had sparked plenty of memories from their Steel Curtain days.

However, the Steelers (10-5) have found a bag of coal the past two weeks.

Two weeks ago, the Eagles manhandled the Steelers in a physical battle they won, 27-13, and the Ravens returned the favor this past Sunday in a 34-17 victory.

Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson threw three touchdowns and Derrick Henry rambled through the Pittsburgh defense for 162 yards.

Wilson has had some recent struggles, throwing a pick six and losing a fumble against Baltimore, and he threw for only 128 yards against the Eagles.

One of the major reasons for their struggles has been the loss of leading receiver George Pickens, who still leads the team in receptions (55) and yards (950) despite missing the last three games.

Pickens practiced Monday and could play against the Chiefs in a Christmas Day showdown. The Steelers are also hopeful that corners Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson, along with safety DeShon Elliott, can play.

Visions of Super Bowl Sugar Plums ... In keeping with some Christmas thoughts, here are some quarterbacks who I believe will not get their anticipated big gift of a Super Bowl ring with their current teams:

1. Prescott — He can produce some impressive numbers during the regular season, but Prescott has never produced in the postseason as anticipated. He has played eight seasons, and has failed to end Dallas’ run of getting to a conference championship game since 1995.

2. Kurt Cousins — Cousins had a good cast around him in Minnesota, and he couldn’t get the Vikings back to the Big Dance. He received a big pay day from the Falcons, but couldn’t survive this season. Cousins will be back on the free-agent market in the spring as Atlanta owes him a $10 million bonus on March 17.

3. DeShaun Watson — Watson was once considered among the elite in the league before his off-the-field issues derailed him. Now, he is considered to be one of the biggest busts in this decade — and possibly beyond. However, Watson has another year left on his $230 million deal, and he will be reportedly back in the mix next season.

Footnote: No quarterback has ever won a Super Bowl with their draft team after failing to start in a conference championship game through the first eight seasons.

Is the Man with the Beard Everywhere? ... Maybe it is just me, but have we seen too much of former Eagles’ center Jason Kelce?

According to iSpot.tv, Kelce recently has appeared in 18 commercials nationwide with more than 28,000 airings. Some of the national spots have involved Campbell’s Chunky Soups, General Mills, Courtyard by Marriott, NFL Sunday Ticket and Buffalo Wild Wings, along with his regular work with ESPN. Kelce also has had his share of local Philly spots.

Reportedly, he is in talks to host a national sports show.

Making a List ... Here are my top five teams heading into Week 17:

1) Chiefs (14-1) — Playing with a sprained ankle, Patrick Mahomes ran for 33 yards with a score and threw for 260 with a touchdown in a victory last week. Enough said.

2) Lions (13-2) — They bounced back with a convincing win over the Bears. Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs put the offense back in gear.

3) Eagles (12-3) — Birds got a wake-up call from Washington. Can Kenny Pickett outduel Dallas’ version of their “Gold Rush?”

4) Bills (12-3) — They toughed it out against a stubborn Patriots team and also had a wake-up call. They’re 7-0 at home and host the Jets.

5) Vikings (13-2) — Like Rodney Dangerfield, they haven’t gotten much respect, yet they are starting to with eight straight wins. They host the Packers in a key battle Sunday to strengthen their stance.

Checking It Twice ... Here are my five worst teams after Week 16:

1) Giants (2-13) — Atlanta’s Michael Pennix Jr. put on a clinic in his debut against them, and Drew Lock looked like a hurried high school quarterback. That probably spelled the end for head coach Brian Daboll, general manager Joe Schoen or both.

2) Jaguars (3-11) — Mac Jones is still Mac Jones. There’s a foul smell on Florida’s northern coast and a probable cleansing ahead.

3) Raiders (3-12) — They hung around long enough to beat the Jaguars to end a 10-game losing streak. Part-owner Tom Brady will be in the middle of the restructure there.

4) Titans (3-12) — The Titans scored 30 points in their loss to the Colts (38-30), but they allowed 335 yards rushing. It has been that kind of season.

5) Patriots (3-12) — They had a great effort against the Bills, but made a costly turnover at the end. It’s still all about Drake Maye.

Christmas Day ... I have previously mentioned it, but I’ll never forget the Christmas Day 1971 AFC Divisional playoff matchup between the Chiefs and Dolphins, the longest game in league history that took six quarters compiled of 82 minutes and 40 seconds. Miami won 27-24.

I remember watching it on my little white portable TV. Did you?

Merry Christmas!

Your thoughts are always welcomed; email them to tnpsorts@tnonline.com