Live updates for Eagles vs. Bucs: Wildcard Weekend Finale
The moment Philadelphia Eagles fans have all been waiting for is finally here; it’s time for the team to avenge its Super Bowl loss from a season ago by winning its first playoff game of this postseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Philadelphia beat Tampa Bay back in Week 3 by a score of 25-11, but both of these teams are in very different places at this point in the season compared to where they were all those weeks ago.
Baker Mayfield and Jalen Hurts will fight to prove they have what it takes to lead their team to a victory and advance beyond NFL Wildcard Weekend. When this season started, the Eagles were red hot, looking like a team on a mission to prove they were ready to bounce back from a hard-fought loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. However, Philly has been abysmal down the stretch, going from being 10-1 to start the season to only winning one of its final six games. Meanwhile, the Bucs have won five out of the past six contests they played in to close out the NFL regular season.
To make matters even worse, the Eagles will enter this matchup without All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown, who is dealing with a knee injury, stripping quarterback Jalen Hurts of his top target. As for Tampa Bay, in the team’s first season since the Tom Brady era, Baker Mayfield has elevated himself into being a Comeback Player of the Year candidate with numbers eerily similar to Brady a season ago. Related: A.J. Brown Seen Looking Defeated at Boxing Match Before Playoffs Who wins this game could come down to the weather; with scattered thunderstorms in the area, rain should favor Philly so long as they feed Pro Bowl running back D’Andre Swift. As for the Bucs, veteran All-Pro receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin should be able to give the Eagles secondary fits if rain doesn’t interfere with Mayfield’s ability to toss the ball downfield.
On Wildcard Weekend, anything may happen, but only one team will move on to play the Detroit Lions the following week. Initially quarter