2023 NFC Wildcard Preview: #5 Philadelphia Eagles at #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We have finally made it to some playoff football. A time of year we all know and love in which anything can happen. Continuing on with these playoff previews, we make our way to one of three NFC wildcard games between the No. 4-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers and No. 5-seeded Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles, who were once 11-1, look to right the ship after an abysmal end to the season, while the NFC South champions Bucs look to find a little late-season magic.
How the Buccaneers can win:
Take advantage of home field
This one isn’t really rocket science, and I feel it doesn’t need to be explained in too much detail. Even as the higher seed, you are still the underdog and overall less talented of a team. But what you will have is almost 70,000 fans rowdy and ready to see their team pull off an upset. It may still be an uphill battle, but having the home-field advantage can make all the difference in these playoff games. Feed off the energy given by the fans and use it.
Expose the Eagles’ weak secondary
It hasn’t been a secret that the Eagles’ defense has been horrible. The unit can’t seem to stop a nosebleed, and it’s become hard to watch. This should work out well for a high-powered Bucs offense that likes to push the ball down the field. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin should be lined up for good games, and as long as Baker can stay protected, he should be able to pick apart this weak defense. Baker Mayfield loves to air it out downfield, and as of now, the Eagles have shown no ability to stop that. So expect to see a lot of that come Monday night.
Dont beat yourself
We see this all the time with underdogs who aren’t able to pull off the big upset. They simply shoot themselves in the foot way too many times. Whether it’s through penalties, turnovers or even bad coaching decisions, when you are the underdog, you have to be perfect if you even want a chance. So the Bucs have to make sure they make protecting the football a top priority and not giving the Eagles offense any extra possessions. The strength of your team is its offense, so try and keep it on the field for as long as you possibly can.
How the Eagles can win:
Completely change everything about themselves
I know this seems a little vague and maybe even a little panicky, but this Eagles team has looked BAD since its 11-1 start. I don’t just mean not great and up to the standard they set the past couple of years; I mean like BAD BAD to the point where I’m not confident picking my birds against any team in the playoffs. The Eagles are clearly struggling with their identity right now, and it’s clear that whatever they were doing those last few weeks wasn’t working and needs to be completely changed. Have a team meeting or go on some spiritual retreat–this team needs a reset, and it needs it now. There is simply too much elite talent for this team to look this bad.
Run the Ball
It’s the thing Eagles fans always seem to want more of. To be fair, it’s never usually a bad request and is usually something every NFL could benefit from. One of the biggest issues for the Eagles recently has been finding a consistent offense. They just look out of sync right now and, frankly, don’t look like an NFL offense. So, what’s the best way to get your offense slowly back into rhythm? Running the ball and dominating at the line of scrimmage. The Eagles still have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Put it to use and let D’Andre Swift feast and help get your offense back on track.
Force Brian Johnson to actually come up with a gameplan
You know, for my third reason, I was simply going to put fire on both of Philly’s coordinators. But sadly, that’s not an option anymore, meaning the Eagles are forced to go into battle with Brian Johnson at the helm calling plays, who seemingly went to the Matt Canada School of play calling and design.
It looks like he is recycling through the same five plays, with QB draw and WR screen being the bulk of those, yet he continues to field interviews to be a head coach. The offense has no sort of creativity and has somehow turned an elite roster into a middling offensive unit.
I can only pray that Johnson is trying to come up with a game plan that will actually work. But if this season has shown me anything, it’s that 3rd-and-7 will be met with a QB draw that picks up three years. God, can we not just fire him right now and like let the city pick plays? Honestly think that would be better.
Prediction:
This one was a tough one for me, not just because of the biases I hold towards the Eagles. They are the more talented team in terms of strictly the rosters. But we know that isn’t what wins playoff games, and right now, the Eagles don’t look like a team capable of winning a playoff game. Despite that, I still believe the Eagles are the better team and will prove that come Monday. The Bucs will likely keep it close, but the Eagle’s sheer talent will end up being too much for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. Eagles win 24-17
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