We have football this weekend, the start of the playoffs! Several weeks ago it looked like the Eagles would not be involved after a Super Bowl season. 69% of Super Bowl champs make the playoffs the following season. After the Birds lost in Dallas, all hope seemed to be gone. At one point, the Eagles only had a 5% chance of making the post-season.
Then Carson Wentz got hurt, a stress fracture in his back, and the magical Nick Foles took over again at quarterback. Instantly, the team showed new life, beating the powerful Rams in Los Angeles, the tough Texans at the Linc, and finally the division-rival Redskins in Washington.
Finishing 9-7, they still needed help- a Chicago win at Minnesota. It happened, and here we are with a Wild Card game this Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field- Eagles vs. Bears.
The Bears are good, going from worst to first in one season. But they have a first-year coach, with a second-year QB playing in his first playoff game. Soldier Field will be rocking with raucous Bear fans. The weather is supposed to be mild- hopefully no wind, fog or ice.
Another concern is the referee, Tony Corrente, chief nemesis of the Eagles, the same guy who stuck it to the birds last season on a Sunday night game in Seattle. He seems to favor the home team, no matter what the circumstance.
I like the Eagles because they are experienced. They know what it takes to win big games. Foles is calm and cool, and right now, playing hot football, just like last season's magical run. He completed 25 passes in a row at one point last Sunday at Washington, tying a league record. If he didn't get shaken from Super bowl LII why should he fall apart in Chicago?
As always, turnovers and penalties will be key. Getting off to a fast start, making the bears abandon their potent running game, making Mitchell Tribisky throw the ball will be huge. Getting a consistent pass rush from the defensive line and forcing Tribisky into mistakes is a must.
Defense should rule the day. I expect a low-scoring contest, tough, hard-nosed Monsters of the Midway, January football against an equally resilient world champion, Eagle green squad.
Foles has so many weapons now on offense, and he takes what defenses give him. He doesn't try to be the action. A key will be getting the Philly ground game going early. Controlling the clock and sustaining long drives, similar to last week in Washington , will be big.
Don't discount special teams being a factor on Sunday. Eagle kicker Jake Elliot can be shaky at times but he generally makes the key kicks when it counts. Chicago kicker Cody Parke, the ex-Eagle, has been shaky all season. If it comes down to a game-winning field goal in the last seconds I would put my money on Elliot.
I can't understand why Philadelphia is the biggest underdog this weekend, currently by 5 1/2 points. Didn't Vegas learn anything from last year? It's not like the bears are this great juggernaut team ( they do play well at home) and the birds are these turkeys coming into Soldier Field to be massacred. .
But that's OK. The Eagles love the underdog role. It worked for them in 2018. As the No.6 seed, needing to play the rest of their games on the road, I'm sure Philly will continue to be underdogs all the way to Atlanta and Super Bowl LIII.
Exciting to still have Eagles' football this week. The magic continues at least one more week into New Orleans. Eagles 23 Bears 20
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