Three Matchups To Watch Sunday
The first meeting between the Eagles and Buccaneers did not go the Eagles’ way. The Eagles lost to the Bucs 28-22 in week six, but both teams are very different now. The Eagles have finally stuck to the run and have run their way to a wildcard birth. The Bucs have lost two of their top three receivers, but still, have the GOAT at quarterback. There’s going to be a lot to look for on the field Sunday, but here are three matchups to watch for that could swing the game in favor of the Eagles.
1. Darius Slay vs Mike Evans
The first matchup is arguably the biggest on the field. Mike Evans has solidified himself as one of the top receivers in the game and has added another 1,000-yard season to his resume. Back in week six Evans was held to two catches for 27 yards. Slay will need to limit Evans again on Sunday. With Godwin done for the year with a torn ACL and Antonio Brown quitting in the middle of the game, a lot of attention is going to be put on Evans. The Eagles Pro Bowl corner against Tom Brady’s number one target is going to be a key matchup to watch for on Sunday. If Slay can force Brady to look towards more inexperienced targets then that could favor the Eagles in a big way.
2. Eagles Offensive Line vs Bucs Defensive Line
The Eagles have used dominant offensive line play to run all over teams during their winning streak. The Eagles will need to run the ball successfully again Sunday to dominate the clock and keep the ball out of Brady’s hands. That starts upfront with the offensive line. Led by All-Pros Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson, the Eagles have had one of the best offensive line plays this season. Miles Sanders had one carry in the first half the last time the Eagles played the Bucs, I can assure you that won’t happen again. The offensive line will need to dominate upfront to give the Eagles a shot at pulling off the upset. The Bucs are dealing with a lot of injuries on their defense and have been very susceptible to the run. The Eagles need to use the strength of the run to their advantage.
3. Jalen Hurts vs Tom Brady
While Hurts and Brady won’t be lining up against each other, the matchup itself is one of the more fascinating in the game. Hurts will be making his first playoff start. He will also be the youngest Eagles quarterback ever to start a playoff game. On the other side, this will be Brady’s 46th playoff game. The matchup of inexperience vs experience is going to be something to watch. Brady has been doing this for a while and has the ultimate experience. While Hurts has played in some very meaningful games, this will be his first shot at the NFL playoffs. With Hurts’ mentality, I don’t see this stage being too big for him. He has shown us all along that no stage is too big for him.
The Eagles are heavy underdogs Sunday. Nobody is expecting them to win. If there is one thing we have learned about this Eagles team this year is that they won’t back down from a fight. This team will come out hungry and ready Sunday and try to shock the world again.
Featured Image: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
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Categorized:Eagles