Opening the NFC side of the playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints hope to continue strong seasons when they meet in a Saturday night postseason showdown. With the Saints (11-5) looking to capture the franchises first road playoff victory, quarterback Drew Brees knows his offense will need to be on point at Lincoln Financial Field, especially since game-time temperatures are expected to fluctuate between 20 and 25-degrees. Noting that a positive mindset will be necessary if they're to improve New Orleans' career 0-5 road postseason mark, Brees is fully confident in his team's ability to win in Philly.
“All joking aside, we are certainly not sitting here overreacting,” Brees said regarding the Saints' history in playoff games away from the New Orleans Superdome. “At times, you know you do have to kind of change things up, so psychologically, you say it is going to be different this time around. I think our past history, if you look at our long-term history, it speaks for itself in regards to the road. Like I said, the last couple of outings have not been what we want, but we know we are about to break the seal. We have no other choice, heck, it's the playoffs.”
While Brees and the Saints prepare for the opening round contest, the Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) and rising quarterback Nick Foles hope to find a way to put up points against a Saints defense that ranks second in the league in opposing passing yards, surrendering just over 194 per game. Though they rely on the big play to set up scoring chances, Foles – who threw for 2,891 yards and 27 touchdowns during the regular season – understands that the multiple looks New Orleans will show on the defensive side could present a problem.
“They're going to mix it up with their coverages,” he said. “They're going to try to put pressure on you at times and they're going to try to get to you. I think the key to that is that we have to recognize as a team when they're trying to put pressure on. As the quarterback, I have to recognize which coverage they want to play and what pressure, and that's what this week of preparation is all about. We're trying to figure out what they're going to do, and I'm sure they'll have new things ready to go for us.”
The Saints and Eagles met last season in New Orleans with Brees and company getting the better of Philadelphia 28-13.
New Orleans Saints vs. Philadelphia Eagles: DATE, TIME & VIEWING INFO
DATE: Saturday, January 4
TIME: 8:30pm, ET
TV COVERAGE: NBC
LIVE STREAM: CLICK HERE
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