Philadelphia, PA
- They’re back! The Philadelphia Eagles smothered the Washington Redskins 24-0 on the road to punctuate a strong late-season push. The Chicago Bears downed the Minnesota Vikings that same evening to not only eliminate the Vikings from playoff contention but punch the Eagles’ ticket into the postseason. Philadelphia was rooting for the Bears last week, but now they’re pitted against them in the NFC Wild Card Round. Nick Foles was banged up last week. However, he is slated to play against a ferocious Chicago defense in the windy city. This is maybe the premier matchup of the weekend, and I can’t wait for it to go down this Sunday.
Philadelphia Eagles NFC Wild Card Round Predictions
Nick Foles has played fantastically down the stretch, torching secondaries and playing efficiently under a revived attack. The Eagles absolutely controlled time of possession against Washington, boasting two drives of over ten minutes. That feat will be way harder against the Bears, as they possess one of the best front sevens in football, led by Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks. Jason Peters and Lane Johnson, two of the top offensive lineman in the league, will be tasked with stopping these pass rushers. Look for a lot of quick passes and running the football from the Eagles. If they can mix in a few deep shots, the defense will be on their toes, and that will open up everything for Philadelphia.
For the Bears, things have really come together in all facets. The offense has been entertaining to watch, with Mitch Trubisky coming into his own, his young receiving core making plays, and Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard filling out a very scary backfield. The Eagles defense had no issue against a lifeless Redskins offense, but how will they fare against Chicago? The Bears have been very creative all year long, meaning it’ll be hard to anticipate what’s coming. I expect a lot of running the football from them, coupled with a strong play-action game that gets Trubisky rolling and using his legs. For the Eagles, they should send pressure often and try and force mistakes from a young quarterback. That being said, I think the Eagles will drop a close one, as the Bears have just looked too good and their defense will contain the magic of Nick Foles when the game is on the line.
Final Score: Eagles, 21. Bears, 28.
Eagles have ended the regular season with an 8-7 record.
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