Bold predictions for Eagles versus Buccaneers in Wild Card Round

Bold predictions for Eagles offense versus Buccaneers defense

Miles Sanders will start and rush for 100 yards, much of it on two chunk plays.

Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul returned to Bucs practice on Wednesday. That’s bad news for the Eagles’ offense, but here’s some reason for positivity.

Philadelphia expects to have the full complement of running backs. In other words, Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard should return to the lineup for Wild Card Weekend.

Sanders, after leaving Week 16’s game with an injury after only seven carries, missed Week 17 and Week 18’s game. Howard, after missing Week 12 and Week 13 with a knee injury, appeared in Philly’s games versus the Washington Football Team in Week 15 and Week 17 and the game versus the Giants those games sandwiched, but he was inactive for the regular-season finale.

We expect both to play. We think they’ll play a big role in delivering an upset win.

This time, the Eagles get the final possession, and Jake Elliott’s the hero.

Yes, you read the previous statement correctly. Call us homers. Call us crazy, but regardless of what the lines and the odds say, there’s no way we’re forecasting a win by Tampa Bay.

With that being said, we expect a game that is closer late than people are predicting. This time, the Birds complete the second-half rally. This time, they’ll have the ball last. Jake Elliott wins this one with a last-second field goal. Prediction: Philadelphia 27, Tampa Bay 24