The Philadelphia Eagles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look like two ships headed in opposite directions going into their NFC wild-card matchup Monday night.
The Eagles (11-6), the reigning NFC champions, have lost five of their past six games, while the Buccaneers (9-8) have won five of their past six.
It’s a completely different vibe since they met nearly four months ago in Week 3 in Tampa. The Philadelphia Eagles manhandled the Tampa Bay Bucs, 25-11, in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated because Philadelphia outgained Tampa Bay by nearly 300 yards.
After that, the No. 5 seed Eagles went on to win 10 of their first 11 games before they began to unravel after losing to the San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, the No. 4 seed Bucs started 4-7 before they turned things around behind the play of quarterback Baker Mayfield.
With the rematch be anything like the first game, or the outcome reflect how they’ve each played in recent weeks? Here are our four bold predictions for the Philadelphia Eagles-Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC wild-card matchup.
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Baker Mayfield will throw for more than 300 yards
Mayfield has successfully revived his career, finding a home with the Bucs, his fourth team in three seasons. After a slow start, he finished among the top 12 in passing yards and QB rating. In his first meeting against the Eagles, he threw for only 146 yards with one TD pass and one interception.
But he will double his passing yardage output the second time around, even though he’s only throw for more than 300 yards in a game three times this season. That’s more of a statement about the Eagles’ pass defense, which has declined significantly and ranks 31st in the NFL.
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The Eagles will score two “Tush Push” TDs
The Eagles will be missing leading receiver, A.J. Brown, and will need to pick up in the slack in the passing game with DeVonta Smith and on the ground with DeAndre Swift, who ran for 130 yards in the first game against Tampa Bay.
Philadelphia will get to the goal line on two occasions, and with their stellar offensive line — led by All-Pro center Jason Kelce — and use the “Tush Push” to get Hurts into the end zone for a pair of touchdowns. But that will be their only advantage over the Bucs.
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Mike Evans will have at least 150 yards receiving and 2 TDs
Evans is among the most unsung wide receivers in recent history. Over the past 10 seasons, Evans leads all receivers in passing yards and is second in touchdowns, and this season he has a NFL-high 13 TD catches.
On Monday night, the five-time Pro Bowl receiver should torch the Eagles’ defense, which is giving up more than 30 points and 247 passing yards per game over the last six games. Evans caught a TD pass against the Eagles in Week 3, but this time he’ll be unstoppable.
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Jalen Hurts-led comeback will fall short
Earlier this season, the Eagles won five games in come-from-behind fashion, with four coming on consecutive weeks. Jalen Hurts engineered each one of those comebacks and was considered a favorite for the NFL MVP award around midseason. But then the Eagles started losing, and those victories now seem like a distant memory.
The Eagles will try to revive that feeling in the fourth quarter against Tampa Bay, but in the end the Bucs’ defense will thwart Hurts’ efforts in what would be a fitting ending to the Philadelphia’s frustrating season.
PREDICTION: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28, Philadelphia Eagles 21