Eagles advance to Super Bowl LVII

 

The Philadelphia Eagles are headed to Super Bowl LVII after dismantling the San Francisco 49ers, 31-7. This is their 4th trip to the Super Bowl, and their first since 2017. Jalen Hurts didn't do his best passing, but the Eagles used their running game to tear the 49ers defense apart. The Eagles opponent will be former Philly coach Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs. It will be the first time in history to feature two brothers playing each other in the Super Bowl (Philadelphia's Jason Kelce and Kansas City's Travis Kelce). 

Jalen Hurts said post-game, "My first year here, [people] probably didn't even want [me drafted] here. It was probably one of those things. But it always handles itself. It was a big surprise to many." He had an incredible season, and now he has a chance to prove himself as MVP-level.

The Eagles were up against the hottest team in the NFL, but they weren't scared. They scored 31 points on the Niners top-ranked defense, and knocked out their rookie star quarterback Brock Purdy. San Francisco was so highly praised, but Hurts, along with Miles Sanders, ran for 3 combined touchdowns. DeVonta Smith had an outstanding catch on 4th down during the Eagles' first drive.  

Can the Eagles continue their success in the Super Bowl? We'll see.

Eagles clinch No.1 seed in the NFC

 

The Philadelphia Eagles clinched the No.1 seed in the NFC on Jan. 8, beating the New York Giants at home 22-16. They finished with a record of 14-3, which is the most wins in franchise history. This was star quarterback Jalen Hurts' first game back after spraining his shoulder in Week 15. And he may not have looked outstanding, but he did enough. This game was irrelevant to New York, who had already locked up a playoff berth and the No. 6 seed. They had all of their backups playing. But they still gave the Eagles everything they could. Giants QB Davis Webb had a nice game, with 23/40 completion percentage, 168 passing yards, and a touchdown. 

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said that Hurts had been "hurting bad". "For him to play through what he fought through to get back...There was no more risk, but he was hurting. He was hurting bad. But that's just the kind of competitor, the kind of leader he is." 

This is big for the Eagles, getting the #1 seed while also making sure Hurts gets his rest. But they should have had it sooner. Hurts' injury was tough, and watching Gardner Minshew play against the Saints wasn't pleasant to watch. But they got it, and that's all that matters. 

Conference Championship predictions

 

The NFL Conference Championship games are here. Here are my predictions for both games.

49ers vs. Eagles: Eagles win 31-28

As high-powered as the San Francisco offense is, I think the Eagles defense has the talent to stop them, and they proved that by holding the Giants to just 7 points.

Bengals vs. Chiefs: Bengals win 28-24

I think Patrick Mahomes' ankle injury will slow him down. Even if it doesn't, the Bengals have dominated him for 2 years, and I actually have faith in them to do so. 

I'm predicting Super Bowl LVII in 2 weeks, so stay tuned.

Divisional Round predictions

We are now in the NFL's Divisional Round. Here are my picks.

Jaguars vs. Chiefs: Chiefs win 34-28

The Jaguars pulled off a miraculous comeback to beat the Chargers in the Wild Card, while the Chiefs had a first-round bye. I don't see any way the Jags can get any pressure on Patrick Mahomes.

Giants vs. Eagles: Eagles win 30-24

The Eagles got a bye, while the Giants were in Minnesota to beat the Vikings. As an Eagles fan, I really hope they can get the job done.

Bengals vs. Bills: Bengals win 38-35

Both teams struggled against teams they should've dominated last week. I'm not saying anything bad about this matchup, however. I actually think it will be a classic. Two of the best young quarterbacks in the game.

Cowboys vs. 49ers: 49ers win 34-31

The Cowboys easily defeated the Buccaneers last week, but they had some major kicking issues. Brett Maher missed a lot of kicks. And I think that will be the difference. 

NFL Playoffs

 The NFL Playoffs are upon us. Here are my quick predictions for each Wild Card Game.

Seahawks vs. 49ers: 49ers win 21-10

The Seahawks don't have a good enough defense to stop the Niners on their 9-game winning streak.

Chargers vs. Jaguars: Chargers win 20-17

This could be a classic. Two of the best young QBs in the game in Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence. But I see Herbert winning the battle.

Dolphins vs. Bills: Bills win 38-16

I'm sorry, but without Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins' offense is horrible. 

Giants vs. Vikings: Giants win 34-28

This might be a hot take, but the Vikings just looked very unimpressive to finish the year. They were dominated by contenders and could barely beat incompetent teams.

Ravens vs. Bengals: Bengals win 31-9

The Ravens are in the exact same spot as the Dolphins: missing their star quarterback and won't be able to do much. I don't see how we won't finally get a chance at a full Bengals-Bills game.

Cowboys vs. Buccaneers: Cowboys win 27-24 

This might be the most intriguing game of the weekend. The Bucs may have lucked into a playoff spot because they were in the worst division, but they have Tom Brady, and you should be very careful with picking against him.