by PHILADELPHIA – Talk in regards to the stars aligning.
On the fifth-year anniversary of an emphatic 38-7 NFC Championship Game win over Minnesota, the Eagles replicated the identical form of dominance by dismissing the New York Giants by the exact same rating within the divisional spherical of the playoffs.
Philadelphia will now host the NFC Championship Game in opposition to the winner of San Francisco and Dallas on Sunday.
The Eagles scored on the sport’s first offensive possession and by no means appeared again as Jalen Hurts accomplished all 5 of his passes, together with a 16-yard landing move to Dallas Goedert.
Much just like the Vikings 5 years in the past, the Giants performed highway apple from there, shedding to the Eagles for the third time this season.
THE BULLS
Jalen Hurts – It’s win or go residence within the playoffs and that meant if Hurts was one hundred pc or not, the Eagles’ full plate was put in on offense, and the QB1 delivered regardless of being restricted for the ultimate month of the season with an SC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder.
On the primary drive of the sport, Hurts accomplished all 5 of his passes to 3 totally different receivers, together with the 16-yard scoring throw, and in addition ran it twice making issues much more sophisticated for New York defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
The Giants ought to have waived the white flag proper there.
Coaching – Most of the hype coming in was on the job Brian Daboll and his teaching workers had carried out and getting the talent-deficient Giants so far. The Philadelphia workers, although, placed on a clinic with Shane Steichen having the New York protection on its heels for your complete first half and Jonathan Gannon making Daniel Jones’ life depressing.
30 Minutes to Zero – That was the story for the Giants who would have had problem attempting to play a worse half of soccer. The rating was 28-0 at intermission with the Eagles outgaining the Giants 258 to 64, together with a 140 to twenty benefit on the bottom. The first-down distinction was 18 to 3 within the Eagles’ favor and New York transformed only one third down.
Penn State bragging rights – Miles Sanders performed caddie to Saquon Barkley with the Nittany Lions and continues to take action from a pedigree and repute standpoint but it surely was Sanders who was the higher operating again on Saturday night time, operating for 90 yards on 17 carries. Barkley, the lynchpin of the Giants’ offense, was at seven yards on 4 carries when it mattered. All his injury was carried out in prolonged rubbish time.
Lane Johnson – Playing via a torn adductor muscle in his groin the All-Pro appeared like his All-Pro self, serving to Philadelphia run up 268 dashing yards and holding Hurts clear whereas within the pocket.
Boston Scott trolling – Wink Martindale claimed Boston Scott is not a Giants killer and that is about all of the New York defensive coordinator acquired proper. Scott did not have quite a lot of visitors, carrying it six instances for 32 yards however one was a three-yard TD. Scott has now scored TDs in all 9 video games he is performed in opposition to the Giants and 11 of his 18 profession scores have come in opposition to New York. The Eagles like tweaking NY with Scott.
Clete Blakeman – The Eagles at the moment are 14-1 when Blakeman is the referee of their video games.
THE BEARS
Tropes – “It’s robust to beat a group thrice in a season.”
The precise reverse is true as a result of the group that sweeps a home-and-home sequence is often higher and taking part in Round 3 at residence. That was the case right here and if this have been a boxing match, it will have been waived off early. Teams taking pictures for the three-game sweep as the house group at the moment are 14-6 in such conditions in the course of the Super Bowl period.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles protection for SI.com’s Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can hearken to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald each morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming reside on YouTube. John can be the host of his personal present “Football 24/7 and a each day contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can attain him at [email protected] or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
