Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: How to watch NFC wild card game
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts return to the site of their first NFL playoff game together, limping into the wild card game in Tampa with plenty of questions and even more doubt from the fan base.
The Eagles began the season 10-1 but lost five of their final six games to finish 11-6 and second in the NFC East. The Birds were embarrassed by the lowly New York Giants last weekend, a game where star A.J. Brown and Hurts were injured.
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Here's what you need to know before Monday night's NFC wild-card playoff game.
How to watch Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Eagles and Buccaneers wild-card round matchup will air on ESPN Monday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
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What happened in the last Eagles-Buccaneers game?
It wasn't too long ago these two teams went toe-to-toe in Tampa. The Eagles beat the Bucs, 25-11, on Monday Night Football back in Week 3 after big games from running back D'Andre Swift and wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Swift ran for 130 yards on 16 carries and added eight more yards on a catch - it was the backend of a two-game stretch in which the St. Joe's Prep product ran for 305 yards on 44 carries.
Brown caught nine of 14 targets for 131 yards.
Another St. Joe's Prep alum, Olamide Zaccheaus, added a 34-yard touchdown reception in the win.
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Playoff history between the Birds and the Bucs
The Birds and the Bucs are no strangers in the playoffs, as Monday's game will be the sixth postseason meeting between the two teams - Tampa has the edge, with a 3-2 record vs. the Eagles in the playoffs.
The Eagles and Bucs last met in the 2022 wild-card round, Sirianni's first season as Philadelphia's head coach. It did not go well.
Philadelphia was trounced 31-15 by Tampa, and Hurts struggled mightily in his first taste of the playoffs, with two turnovers.
Tom Brady was Tampa's quarterback then, and Baker Mayfield is no Tom Brady. Still, Tampa poses a challenge for the Birds, who are limping into the postseason.
Hurts has struggled against the blitz this season - 74.1 QB rating vs. the blitz, 28th in NFL - and the Buccaneers' defense blitz at the third-highest rate in the NFL.
Here is how the Eagles-Bucs playoff history has played out.
- 1979: Buccaneers beat Eagles, 24-17, in NFC divisional round
- 2000: Eagles beat Buccaneers, 21-3, in NFC wild card round
- 2002: Eagles beat Buccaneers, 31-9, in NFC wild card round
- 2003: Buccaneers beat Birds, 27-10, in NFC championship game
- 2022: Buccaneers beat Birds, 31-15, in NFC wild card round
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