Can the Birds Pull Off the Upset?
Pulling off the Upset
This winter, the Philadelphia Eagles are heading south to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first Super Wild Card Weekend in NFL history. The game is scheduled to kick-off at 1 PM EST from Raymond James Stadium. The Eagles come into the game as heavy underdogs and are looking to re-create their 2017 underdog magic, this time on the road.
The Eagles are an unlikely playoff team. Nick Sirianni is the only first year coach in the NFL this year to make the playoffs. He did it with a young coaching staff and a young quarterback. The Eagles should be proud of their season, but they won’t be satisfied with a loss on Sunday.
The Offensive Line
There are many ways a team can pull off an upset. I believe the Eagles have the team to be able to do it. I also think they can win by playing their game and don’t need to do anything fancy to get it done. The number one way the Eagles will win this game is by trusting in the best unit on the football team – the offensive line.
The dominance of the run game has been well documented. The Eagle’s offensive line has been one of the best in football, and for how good they’ve been, I still believe they haven’t been talked about enough. Every time this Eagles team is talked about, the conversation should start with Kelce and that offensive line. Not only has it been dominant in the run game they have given up 26 sacks this year, the second-fewest in the NFL. Yes, you can attribute part of this to Hurts’ ability to scramble, but the O-Line has given him excellent protection all year. Leaning on the O-Line will give the Eagles the best chance to win this game.
Third Downs
Another key in this game will be third downs for the offense and defense. If the Eagles can stay ahead of the chains and make their 3rd downs manageable, it will give them a chance to stay in the game and put up points. Once Hurts becomes only a thrower the dynamic of the Eagles offense completely changes. By staying ahead of the chains, the Eagle’s offense can be as effective as possible.
The defense also needs to be stout on third down. We all know how efficient Tom Brady can be. The Eagles need to get off the field on third down if they have any shot in this game. If Tampa can execute at will, then the Eagles will be in trouble with the way Brady can pick apart a defense. I would love to see some more man-to-man out of the defense this week and bring pressure on top of that to make the Bucs offense as uncomfortable as possible.
Game Changing Plays
Playoff games often come down to one play, one moment, one second. If the Eagles want to win this game, they will need a game-changing play at some point. This could be something as obvious as a game-winning field goal or forcing a fumble late in the 4th quarter (this might have happened last time the Eagles played Brady in the playoffs). Regardless of what the play is, there will be a moment when the game is hanging in its balance and one huge play will make the difference.
You Have to Believe
If the Eagles want to win this game, they have to believe. All the outside noise will go away once game time comes around. There is no reason the Eagles shouldn’t believe that they can’t win this game. We all watched a 2-5 team that never ran the ball turn into the best running team in Eagles history. If that can happen, anything can happen. This Eagles team has the players and leaders to make this happen. I believe the Eagles can do it. Whether this game ends in a win or loss, I am proud of how the Eagles battled this year.
Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images
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Categorized:Eagles