Featured Discussion Saints vs Eagles Playoff Game Day Thread

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton dismisses the premise that the Philadelphia Eagles could derive extra motivation from the widespread perception that New Orleans ran up the score on them when they met in November.

"My question would be: We're all playing hard in these divisional playoff games, right?" Payton began, referring to Sunday's rematch in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. "Are you going to play harder" because of a perceived slight?



Still, Payton expects a more competitive affair than the Saints' 48-7 blowout of the Eagles on Nov. 18, which gave Philadelphia the dubious distinction of becoming the first reigning Super Bowl champion to lose by that wide a margin in the following regular season.

So here we are. Eagles-Saints, Round Deux.

Here's all the info you need to know before Sunday's divisional round affair at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.



THE GAME
-- Who: Philadelphia Eagles (10-7) vs. New Orleans Saints (13-3)

-- When: 3:40 p.m.

-- Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

HOW TO WATCH
-- WVUE-TV (FOX 8) in New Orleans

-- WGMB-TV (FOX 44) in Baton Rouge


STREAMING
-- Via NFL Game Pass

RADIO
-- WWL 870 AM/105.3 FM (New Orleans)

-- WDGL 98.1 FM (Baton Rouge)

-- KMDL 97.3 FM (Lafayette)


MATCHUPS
When the Saints pass | Advantage: Saints

The Eagles are playing better, but they’ve still faced issues in the secondary all season long.

When the Saints run | Advantage: Saints

The Saints didn’t have many issues running against the Eagles in the first meeting, and that shouldn’t change this time around.

When the Eagles pass | Advantage: Saints

Nick Foles has done a good job, but New Orleans had no issue against Carson Wentz in the first meeting.

When the Eagles run | Advantage: Saints

Philadelphia had one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL this season. The Saints had one of the best run defenses in the NFL.

Special teams | Advantage: Saints

New Orleans has some of the best special teams units in the NFL. Those units should show up on Sunday.

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Live Chat Is Here

[SmashMouth]

Zero Precipitation for today's game.

Kickoff

Dome

Partly Cloudy

Temperature: 53f.

Feels Like: 53f.

Wind: 11mi North - NorthWest

Humidity: 65%

Visibility: 10mi

Barometer: 1024"

Dew Point: 41f.

Cloud Cover: 25%

Precipitation Prob: 0%

Q2

Dome

Partly Cloudy

Temperature: 53f.

Feels Like: 53f.

Wind: 11mi North - NorthWest

Humidity: 64%

Visibility: 10mi

Barometer: 1024"

Dew Point: 41f.

Cloud Cover: 28%

Precipitation Prob: 0%

Q3

Dome

Partly Cloudy

Temperature: 52f.

Feels Like: 52f.

Wind: 11mi North - NorthWest

Humidity: 66%

Visibility: 10mi

Barometer: 1024"

Dew Point: 41f.

Cloud Cover: 27%

Precipitation Prob: 0%

Q4

Dome

Partly Cloudy

Temperature: 53f.

Feels Like: 53f.

Wind: 11mi North - NorthWest

Humidity: 65%

Visibility: 10mi

Barometer: 1024"

Dew Point: 41f.

Cloud Cover: 25%

Precipitation Prob: 0%

[SmashMouth]

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[SmashMouth]

The New Orleans Saints promoted tight end Garrett Griffin from the practice squad and placed wideout Simmie Cobbs on injured reserve, The Associated Press reported Saturday (Jan. 12).

Cobbs did not participate in practice Friday because of a knee injury and had been ruled out for the game. The Saints signed Cobbs off the Washington practice squad Dec. 14 and had him on the 53-man roster but he did not play in a regular season game.

Griffin has spent the better part of three seasons on the Saints practice squad. He played three late-season games in 2017. Griffin first joined the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Air Force in 2016.

Also Saturday, quarterback J.T. Barrett returned to the practice squad.


Aside from Cobbs, the Saints listed no other player with an injury designation, an indictor of good health for a team coming off a first-round playoff bye and with home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs.

Saints promote tight end Garrett Griffin, put Simmie Cobbs on IR

[The Dude]

Smoking 6 Briskets today. Firing up the smoker now at 4:50am. I knew I would feel like a kid on Christmas and wake up early so figured I would make the best of it. Maybe they will be done by half time. Nobody gets me up this early so these boys need to come out and dominate.

[Garry42]

I wish I could be at the Dome today!

[SmashMouth]

Twitter

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[SmashMouth]

Fans’ unrivaled passion makes Saints near-unbeatable at home in playoffs



Could Saints receiver Tre’Quan Smith have another big game vs. Eagles?


The thing that has made the Saints so tough to defend, especially when they get close to the goal line, is their ability to hurt a defense in multiple ways.

THIRD DOWN

Saints offense: 82-184 (44.6 percent)

Eagles defense: 71-201 (35.3 percent)

Key stat: Sixty of Brees’ 81 third-down pass completions went for first downs.

Brees often is at his best when the stakes are highest (his 103.8 passer rating on third down ranked No. 3 among qualifying NFL quarterbacks), and he frequently turns to his top options in these scenarios.

RED ZONE

Saints offense: 48-69 (69.6 percent)

Eagles defense: 25-56 (44.6 percent)

Key stat: Opposing quarterbacks completed 40.6 percent of their passes inside the Eagles’ 20-yard line.

Over and over again, the Eagles defense made life rough on opposing quarterbacks when its back was against its own goal line.

GOAL TO GO

Saints offense: 33-39 (84.6 percent)

Eagles defense: 14-26 (53.9 percent)

Key stat: The Saints allowed zero sacks and did not turn over the ball once in goal-to-go situations.

Saints offense, Eagles defense among the NFL’s best in clutch situations

How Mike Westhoff Turned Taysom Hill into the Saints' Do-Everything Guy

[spkb25]

Colts won 10 of last 11 before playing KC. Best team in league. The real deal. Uhoh, met a well rested KC. Dallas was on a roll. They were serious. Uhoh. Rested Rams.

Keep an eye on AK tonight. Something babout those well rested legs that will cut into OT.

Eagles might be pumped for tonight. I don't think our team is taking them lightly. I think we are chomping at the bit and want to prove the first time was no fluke

[SmashMouth]

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