The Eagles have done it! Although in doubt down the stretch, the Eagles decisively secured the number 1 seed in the NFC. On paper, this team seems unstoppable, setting franchise records up and down the year. At 14-3, very few teams have been able to figure the birds out. However, all that is thrown out the window come playoff time. If the Eagles want to not be a one-and-done team, they need to get a good draw in the divisional round. With four possible suitors for the penultimate NFC showdown, the birds must pray the dominoes fall in the right order.
7 Seed: Seattle Seahawks – Play
This one is a no-brainer. If the Seahawks somehow upset their division rival (2-seeded San Francisco), they will automatically play the Eagles. After starting 6-3 against all odds, the hawks came back down to Earth losing 5 of their final 8 games. Their only wins in that stretch came against the putrid and banged up Rams (twice) and the quarterback-less Jets. While they kept it close, they were swept by the 49ers this year and a similar result is expected this weekend.
Plain and simple, the Seahawks do not have enough talent or experience to compete just yet. The roster is weak and we have yet to see what Geno Smith can do in postseason play (usually quarterbacks sputter in their first postseason starts). Eagles fans can hold onto hope by looking at their hater-silencing wins over playoff teams in the Giants and Chargers, but that was 2 months ago at this point.
While this is the most ideal matchup for Philly, there is no universe where they knock off the Niners who haven’t lost since before Halloween.
6 Seed: New York Giants – Play
Another ideal matchup for Philly comes in their rivals from New Jersey, but this matchup is more plausible. Off a week of rest, The G-Men’s starters will look for revenge against a Minnesota team that beat them by the skin of their teeth on Christmas Eve. The Vikings are very beatable after the magic of first year HC Kevin O’Connell is being figured out. Kirk Cousins is notorious for not playing well under the spotlight. Plus, where New York lacks in talent they make up for in coaching. Giants coaches Brian Daboll and Wink Martindale have proven to be elite in game prep and adjustments.
That being said, we swept them this year. Detractors will point to our narrow 22-16 victory over them on Sunday versus their second unit to be a sign of bad things but it does not worry this writer (who was at the game). Jalen Hurts was not 100% and even so the offense moved well with Jalen missing throws. The issue was redzone offense, which Shane Steichen and company will have an extra week to evaluate and fix against the same defense that “figured it out”. Not to mention, the Eagles will have Lane Johnson back in the lineup. Lane over the years has been the difference to this offense, with the firepower sputtering when he misses time. Last time all the pieces at full strength (minus CJ Gardner-Johnson) played the Giants, we almost dropped a 50 burger on them.
Plus, I want to kick their butts at the Linc more convincingly. Shout out Jake Elliott.
5 Seed: Dallas Cowboys – Stay Away
The first team I would rather steer clear of is Dallas who have the strongest chance of upsetting us in my opinion. I know it is fun to clown on them for losing to the Commanders, but there are plenty of factors that went into that slip-up. This is a team that hasn’t lost twice in a row yet this season, and they will come out angry looking for revenge against the team that knocked Dak out for weeks. The Bucs are not what they have been these past few years, and Dallas should be the clear and obvious favorite on the road.
Last time we met this team they dropped 40 on our heads plain and simple. Granted, with no CJGJ and Avonte Maddox (for most of the game), we are slightly more healthy but there is still reason for concern. Mike McCarthy is a coach with winning playoff experience. He and his staff were embarrassed once before and I doubt it happens again so quick. Despite the dud last week, this offense has a tendency to get real hot led by Ceedee Lamb and Tony Pollard. The Eagles had no answer for them last time and have reason for concern this time.
Ultimately I think the Eagles still win this matchup. The return of Hurts and Lane Johnson makes the birds more equipped for a shootout, and the (hopeful) return of Josh Sweat and CJGJ prepares the Eagles for a defensive slugfest. Gardner Minshew led the offense to 27 points (even despite turning the ball over 4 times); it’s hard to think Hurts with a healthy supporting cast can’t do the same.
These squads are evenly matched. I think games like this is where a sold out Linc will be the difference.
4 Seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Play
What an off year for Tampa. Seen as a favorite to escape the NFC in the preseason, the Bucs have since fallen off a cliff. The offense has been really bad without Bruce Arians. Tampa Bay has scored over 30 just once this season en route to getting blown out by the Chiefs. Tom Brady and company averaged only 18.4 points per game, which ranked bottom 10 in the league behind teams like the Bears and Patriots. While in division play is tough, when the division is the NFC South and this team has the greatest quarterback alive, they probably should have gone over .500. Instead, this team has nasty losses to the Desmond Ridder led Falcons, the PJ Walker/D’Onta Foreman led Panthers and the Jacoby Brissett led Browns.
The defense has kept this team afloat, they will not get that luxury against the NFC’s premiere talent. They first have a revenge game with Dallas, whose offense has improved mightily since dropping only 3 on them last time. Plus, injuries to players like Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean and Shaq Barrett may spell trouble in Tampa.
If they come to the Linc, the Eagles will handedly take care of business this time. I know alarm bells are ringing because we all remember how a banged-up Hurts played against Tampa last time, but this is a brand new team. His weapons will be overwhelming to Tampa’s defense. On the other side, James Bradberry is our very own Mike Evans stopper, and our interior pass rush should eat against their battered O-line.
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Jish Sokolsky is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Jish, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
