It's time to start thinking about tomorrow night's Philadelphia Eagles-New Orleans Saints NFC Divisional Playoff matchup. The Eagles enter the divisional round as the hottest team in the NFC having won six straight games including their first round win over the New York Giants. Can they keep flying high against the heavenly Saints down in the bayou? Jimmy Boyd is all over Saturday night's premier week two playoff matchup with his five Star NFC Divisional Playoff Best Bet.
It would make a great story wouldn't it? The lowly Saints rose up from the doldrums surrounding Hurricane Katrina and a dead end franchise to capture a division title and a Super Bowl breathing life back into a decimated community. Let's not count our chickens before they hatch. There's no doubt that the Saints have virtually crossed an ocean to get to this point, but are they ready to beat an Eagles team which has been to the big game?
The Saints have just one playoff win in their 40-year history coming at home back in 2000 against the St. Louis Rams, but it wasn't experience that got them to this point and I don't think experience will be the determining factor in this game. If it is, then we should chalk one up for Philly. In this game, the offenses will shine, as they have all season long for the top two offenses in the NFL.
Drew Brees led the NFL with 4,418 passing yards and finished second in the MVP voting to L.T. Three-time Pro Bowler Jeff Garcia has returned to Pro Bowl form after losing the starting job in Detroit. Both of these players have made all the big plays for their respective teams to get them to this point, but this game could come down to which team can mount the best ground attack.
New Orleans ranks just twenty-third in the league against the run allowing 128.9 yards per game. Brian Westbrook is coming off his best game ever in the playoffs rushing for 141 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps, Westbrook will be Philly's best opportunity to torch the Saints' defense.
Philly has shared much of the same fate against the run this season. The Eagles rank twenty-sixth in the league against the run and will have to deal with 1,000 yard rusher Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush this week. Perhaps, the Saints will try to establish the run to set up the pass and that will be their key to victory.
These teams last met earlier this season back in mid-October down in New Orleans with the Saints prevailing 27-24 on a John Carney field goal in the closing seconds. Both Philly and New Orleans are different teams now. That was when the Saints were unbeaten at home winning their first three games in New Orleans before losing four of their last five. That was when McNabb was still under center for the Eagles. It was Philly's first loss of a stretch where it would lose five of six games.
At that time, these teams were pretty evenly matched as the game on October fifteenth would indicate. Now, one team clearly has the edge over the other and it just might not be who you'd expect. Make sure you're on board with Jimmy Boyd for Saturday night's NFC Divisional Playoff Best Bet. If you're looking for that one big time winner this weekend, Jimmy Boyd has it.
Jimmy Boyd is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at [http://www.procappers.com/Jimmy_Boyd.htm]
