Philadelphia, PA
- The Philadelphia Eagles are getting set to have a rematch against the #1 seed New Orleans Saints in the Big Easy. These two battled in Week 11, with New Orleans embarrassing Philadelphia in a 48-7 rout. The Eagles will get a chance to even the score and punch their ticket to their second straight NFC Championship Game. Seemingly everything has gone right for the Eagles since Nick Foles stepped in for an injured Carson Wentz in Week 15.
Philadelphia Eagles VS. New Orleans Saints - Playoffs Prediction
Foles has ridden four consecutive victories, including last week in Chicago, a game where he played incredibly clutch football. The 4th down touchdown to Golden Tate in the final minute was the stuff of legend. A very cold, hard fought, and the low-scoring game was decided on a Cody Parkey missed field goal, an attempt that saw backup defender Trayvon Hester get a piece of the football. The Eagles got a little lucky on Sunday, but many wonder if Philadelphia can even contend with the Saints.
In the earlier matchup this season, the Eagles couldn’t stop the Saints, as seemingly everything they tried worked. More concerning though was the play of the offense, which mustered just seven points and was terrorized by a strong pass rush and good coverage all over the field. For Philadelphia to avoid that again, they need to establish the offense early and pressure the Saints. If the Eagles can score early, that’ll immediately force the issue and may cause the Saints to press more and make mistakes. If Philadelphia stumbles out of the gate, the Saints can ride a loud crowd and get the time to find their footing. I expect a lot of passing in this game, as Nick Foles and the passing game has flourished and Foles made some terrific throws in the game.
For Philly’s defense, they just have to play smart. The Saints are a unique team in the sense that they can easily dominate you by running or throwing. The Saints have been slow the last few games, but the firepower is still there and expect them to unleash the full house on the Eagles. Cornerback Avonte Maddox had a mixed performance last week, as he jumped short passes but was easily beaten by double moves. He needs to play more disciplined and avoid giving up the big play when he can, and so should the rest of the defense. All in all, the Eagles look like a team of destiny, and I think they’re going to pull off another road upset.
Final Score: Eagles, 27. Saints, 23.
