The Philadelphia Eagles are playing in a different mode moving forward, as it is win or the season is over, as they face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card.
There are the usual suspects that can define a football game, including Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, and many, many more. Eagles fans know the players who must play well, from the main stars to the ones who ensure they advance to the Divisional Round.
What about the players who get overlooked players who don't get as much attention? Could those Eagles be the real keys to winning a game they desperately need? There are four who match that description who could absolutely make or break this matchup.
Tank Bigsby, RB
Bigsby has been incredible all season, but he just doesn't get used as much in the offense as he should be. He's averaging a staggering 5.9 yards per carry this season off of just 58 carries. If Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo were smart, he would get Bigsby involved more often than some Eagles fans would think, as he can help Barkley open up the running game.
Marcus Epps, S
All the attention in the secondary is on Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, but Epps has been playing great football of late since replacing the injured Andrew Mukuba. With 21 tackles and one tackle for loss to his stat line, Epps isn't always looked at first, but his Super Bowl experience with the Eagles is a major asset for a young defense going into the playoffs.
Darius Cooper, WR
The undrafted rookie has been a fan favorite and is still growing as a player, but he has been picking up some playing time as of late. With Jahan Dotson basically being non-existent in this offense, Cooper could be able to maybe make a play or two on offense while helping out on special teams. Don't sleep on the Tarleton State product from doing something in this game.
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Byron Young, DT
Jalen Carter might be back, but Byron Young has earned playing time in this Eagles defense. He's got 37 tackles, four quarterback hits, and 2.5 sacks this season, with most coming while Carter was recovering from his shoulders injury. With more attention on Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo, Young might be a sneaky pick to make a play or two in this game.