The Eagles will host the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field in just a couple of days.
It’s a rematch from Week 1, with actual home-field advantage.
Playing in Brazil
Week 1 was our first taste of Eagles football, with Saquon Barkley added to the offense with 3 total touchdowns and 109 rushing yards. The season was only beginning.
With 410 total yards of offense, the Eagles defense had given up 414 total yards but only surrendered 29 points. The 3rd most the defensive unit had given up all season (most 36 @ WAS).
Now, with 18 regular season weeks over. With the defense ranked #1 across the league, the offense ranks in the top 8, with the #2 rushing unit. While they might not have clinched the 1st Seed in the NFC, the opportunity to play against the 7th seed might be the Eagles’ best path.
Getting Healthy For The Run
Being able to have a healthy roster can be beneficial for playoff runs.
Luckily, the Eagles could activate Dallas Goedert from IR ahead of their Week 18 game. He’s getting TE1 back on the roster for what will only be his 11th game of the season.
And it might have been the only talking point for the last few weeks, but choosing to rest Saquon and not play starters in Week 18’s meaningless matchup was the right decision.
While the Packers & Ravens still had seeding to play for in Week 18. Losing Flowers & Watson for the playoffs would be detrimental to any team, like when the Eagles lost A.J. Brown against the Giants before losing to the Buccaneers in last year’s Wildcard round.
Green Bays Injury Woes
Losing one of your Wide Receivers is one thing.
But with a potential injury to QB Jordan Love, limited in practice throughout the week. It is an even bigger problem for the Packers to overcome. Malik Willis would be the potential backup, who’s gone 2-0 in starts with the Packers this season.
Add in losing Jaire Alexander to a knee injury the last few weeks, and the Packers struggled into the postseason, losing three of their last five games—all to divisional opponents.
Path to New Orleans & Super Bowl 59
If the Eagles can get past the Packers on Sunday, they’d find out their opponent that night with a Tampa Bay win. And if Washington can get past Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers.
Then, the Eagles would play the winner of Monday’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams.
What are your predictions for the upcoming Wildcard Weekend? Who will make it to the Super Bowl?
And who’s packing the Cancun bags early?
PHOTO: Edge of Philly Sports/Facebook
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