Tag: NFC Wild Card Weekend

Breaking down the biggest weakness for each NFC Wild Card team

We’re looking at the biggest weakness for every NFC Wild Card team ahead of the opening round of the NFL playoffs

The NFL playoff bracket is set, with the AFC schedules set to begin on Saturday afternoon when the Browns (7) travel to Houston to face the Texans (2) on NBC.

Philadelphia will close out the opening weekend with a return trip to Tampa Bay, where they face the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium for the second time this season.

Green Bay will travel to Dallas on Sunday afternoon, while Matthew Stafford will return to Detroit as a leader of the Rams to face Jared Goff and the No. 3 seeded Lions.

With the NFL postseason set to begin, we’re previewing the biggest weakness or concern for each NFC Wild Card team.

6 key offensive adjustments the Eagles have to make entering the NFC Divisional Round

6 key offensive adjustments the Eagles have to make entering the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs

The NFL regular season is a wrap and Philadelphia is the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC after a 22-16 win over the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 18.

The bye week is a reward for regular season success that allows the No. 1 overall seed to regroup, while also getting much-needed rest and rehabilitation for key starters on both sides of the football.

The postseason is also about conforming, and we’re looking at six key adjustments Philadelphia must make entering the divisional round.

 

Eagles vs. Bucs: Tampa activates 3 key players for wild card matchup

#Eagles vs. #Bucs: #TampaBay activates 3 key players including Leonard #Fournette for #SuperWildCard matchup against #Philadelphia

With the NFC wild-card matchups set and both teams beginning preparation, the Buccaneers just activated three key players, including bruising running back Leonard Fournette.

Tampa Bay designated inside linebacker Lavonte David and running backs Leonard Fournette and Giovani Bernard to return from injured reserve.

Bernard has been on I.R. since December 14, while David and Fournette were added to the list on December 23. All three have missed at least the minimum of three games necessary before being eligible to return from injured reserve.

Bernard logged eight carries for 58 yards and 23 catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season. David had 97 tackles, five tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, four quarterback hits, three passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery before exiting a Week 15 loss to the Saints.

Fournette played in the first 14 games and led the team with 812 yards and eight touchdowns on 180 carries. A much-improved pass catcher, Fournette also logged 69 receptions for 454 yards and two more scores.

The three-week window started for those players, but the expectation is that they’ll start on Sunday against Philadelphia.

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Howie Roseman says he’s still ‘sick’ over Jadeveon’s Clowney’s huge hit on Carson Wentz

Howie Roseman still ‘sick’ over Jadeveon Clowney’s hit on Carson Wentz in Eagles playoff loss

Howie Roseman is just trying not to get fined, so it was with that thought that the Eagles GM took the high road when discussing Jadevon Clowney.

On Wednesday morning, while a guest on the 94 WIP Morning Show, Roseman addressed the Clowney hit after the host Angelo Cataldi, told Howie that Eagles fans can’t truly have closure on the season until someone from the Eagles addressed the hit that knocked Carson Wentz out of his first playoff game.

“We thought that was a foul. We’re sick to our stomach about the way our season ended for our team and Carson in particular, but we’re not in a position to lose draft picks, dude. I can’t do that. I can’t do that. So you’re going to get me in a situation where I’m going to say something and I’m going to lose draft picks, we’re going to lose money, we’re going to get fined, I can’t do that. That doesn’t make sense either. Because it doesn’t put us back in time. I don’t have that Back to the Future time machine where I can go back in time and change it.”

After starting all 16 regular-season games, Wentz started his first career playoff game, after missing opportunities the previous two seasons because of injuries.

The Eagles fell to the Seahawks 17-9 when Josh McCown had to finish the game on one leg.

Carson Wentz has heartfelt message for Eagles fans after leaving Wild Card game with concussion

Carson Wentz wants Eagles fans to know that he’s fine and healthy

Carson Wentz is a strong man, and this latest bout of adversity will only strengthen him as a quarterback.

The Eagles signal-caller left Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks with a concussion after taking a questionable hit from Jadeveon Clowney.

With pundits and analysts again attempting to question his toughness, Wentz sent out this heartfelt message to Eagles fans via his Instagram account.

The message was simple, Wentz is fine and thankful.

Eagles vs. Seahawks: NFL experts make Wild Card Round picks

Eagles vs. Seahawks: NFL experts make Wild Card Round picks

The Philadelphia Eagles are playing during the first weekend in January and that means Carson Wentz will start his first playoff game as a professional.

The Eagles and Seahawks will meet in the opening round of the playoffs at Lincoln Financial Field, with Seattle having just traveled 3,000 miles after their deflating loss to the 49ers at home in the season finale.

With the Birds just hours away from their showdown with Russell Wilson and company, experts from around the league have weighed-in, and it looks like the majority of the field is picking the visitors on the road.

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ESPN — Seahawks

Tim McManus — Seahawks

NFL.com — Seahawks

CBS Sports — Eagles

Pro Football Talk — Seahawks

Bleacher Report — Eagles

The Athletic — Eagles

The Inquirer — Eagles

NBC Sports Philly — Eagles

NJ.com — Eagles

The Sporting News — Seahawks

Eagles open as slight home underdogs to the Seahawks in the first-round

Eagles 1.5-point home underdogs to the Seahawks in the Wild Card round

The playoffs started three weeks ago for the Philadelphia Eagles, and the games will continue after the Eagles clinched the NFC East title with a 34-17 win over the New York Giants at Met Life Stadium.

The Birds will get a rematch with the Seattle Seahawks their Week 12 opponents, who slid out of Lincoln Financial Field with a 17-9 victory. In that game, Carson Wentz had a handful of turnovers and the Eagles were considered too banged up to make a playoff run

Things have changed and thanks to a division title, the Eagles will host Seattle in the Wild Card round, even though the Seahawks have a better record.

With injuries and struggles with depth, oddsmakers like the Birds.

According to  to odds from BetMGMthe Eagles are early 1.5-point home favorites over the Seahawks.

The Seahawks will travel to Philly next Sunday to take on the Eagles at 4:40 p.m. EST.

{Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.}

Wild Card Weekend Schedule: Eagles to host Seahawks on Sunday January 5

Eagles to host Seahawks on Sunday at 4:40 p.m.

The NFL playoffs are set and in the NFC, the Eagles will get a rematch of their 17-9 loss to the Seahawks, as Seattle will travel to Philadelphia as the No. 5 seed.

With the Seahawks having to travel cross country, the NFL didn’t want Seattle to have to play Philadelphia, on a Saturday night, coming off a short week.

The No. 1 seeded 49ers would then face the lowest seed to advance, so if the Eagles were to upset the Seahawks then Philadelphia would travel to San Francisco, while the Saints or Vikings will travel to Green Bay.

Eagles potential Wild Card opponent to meet with Marshawn Lynch after losing both RB’s to injury

Seahawks could sign Marshawn Lynch for the playoff run

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The Seattle Seahawks will meet the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday night, with the NFC West title on the line. The Seahawks could find themselves as the No. 5 seed and that would mean a trip east to play either the Philadelphia Eagles or Dallas Cowboys.

If the Eagles defeat the Giants or the Cowboys lose to the Redskins, Philadelphia will be NFC East champs.

Whoever meets Seattle will find the Seahawks a bit banged up after tailback Chris Carson, who departed with a hip injury in the second quarter was deemed out for the season. Seattle also lost backup C.J. Prosise for the season with a broken arm.

With only rookie Travis Homer at tailback, the Seahawks are set to meet with Marshawn Lynch per ESPN.com.

Lynch, 33, rushed for 376 yards and three touchdowns in six games with the Raiders last season.

Seattle is already missing four starters, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (core), cornerback Shaquill Griffin (hamstring), free safety Quandre Diggs (ankle) and left tackle Duane Brown (knee/biceps) have all been out.