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Greg Auman
NFC South Reporter
Ralph Vacchiano
NFC East Reporter
The Philadelphia Eagles were rolling at the start of December, looking like they were peaking at exactly the right time. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked like they were barely clinging to their postseason lives.
Six weeks later, these teams have completely reversed roles as they head into their wild-card showdown on Monday night. The Buccaneers (9-8) are up. The Eagles (11-6) are down. The Eagles have lost five of their last six. The Bucs have won five of their last six.
And anyone who saw either of these teams six weeks ago wouldn’t even recognize them now.
So what can be expected when the fifth-seeded Eagles take on the fourth-seeded Bucs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa? FOX Sports NFC South writer Greg Auman and NFC East writer Ralph Vacchiano break it all down:
Vacchiano: Greg, if you had told me a month ago about this matchup I would’ve told you the Eagles would win by 30. I probably wouldn’t have believed you if you told me the Eagles would be on the road either. I always knew the Eagles had flaws, but I still thought they were part of the NFL’s elite.
That’s not the case anymore.
If I were an Eagles fan, I’d be very worried right now, because they have the look of a one-and-done team. But I’m still not convinced that they’re not the better team in this matchup. I see the Bucs offense and defense rank in the bottom 10 of the NFL. I still have trouble believing in journeyman quarterback Baker Mayfield. And I’ve never been a big believer in Todd Bowles, though that probably stems from when I covered him coaching the New York Jets.
So I guess my first question for you is this: Why am I wrong about the Bucs? I know the Eagles are a really vulnerable team, but why is this Bucs team that was 4-7 not that long ago a team that can actually beat them?
Auman: If the right Bucs team shows up Monday, they can…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/buccaneers-eagles-preview-tale-two-teams-heading-in-opposite-directions
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Publish date : 2024-01-12 16:58:48
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