NFL Wild Card Weekend: Eagles/Saints Preview
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| Two High Powered Offenses Face off |
After beating a Romo-less Dallas Cowboys to clinch the NFC East and the #3 seed in the Conference, the Philadelphia Eagles were rewarded with a first-round match-up with one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the league. And did I mention that the Eagles' defense is terrible? They're ranked dead last in the NFL against the pass, while the New Orleans Saints' passing offense is ranked 2nd. The combination of having to match up against one of the most potent offenses in the NFL and having a poorest defense nearly lead me to picking the Saints; until I was reminded of one thing.
The game will be played in PHILADELPHIA. We're in the middle of winter and nearly half of America is covered in snow at the moment! Weather will be a game-changer for Philadelphia. The forecast for Saturday's Eagles-Saints game at Lincoln Financial Field is for temperatures in the low 30s with a 60 percent chance of rain and snow showers. This will allow the Eagles to stay competitive. Having the NFL's top-rated passer AND rusher will not hurt either.(Remember McCoy's 200+ rushing yard game in the snow earlier this year?)
Still not convinced? Let's look at the stats:
The New Orleans Saints are an indoor football team. The record speaks for itself. As a team, the New Orleans Saints are 8-0 at home and only 3-5 on the road. Now let's look at Brees' performance on the road this season. Of Drew Brees' 39 touchdowns, 27 of them were thrown at HOME. Of Drew Brees' 12 interceptions on the season, 9 of them were thrown on the road. Brees just is not himself when he's away from the comforts of home; he has NEVER won a playoff game on the road.
Look for the Philadelphia Eagles to sneak by the New Orleans Saints this weekend; TSR predicts a 31-27 victory for the Eagles.
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