5 Things To Know Ahead Of Eagles Vs. Saints Playoff Game Sunday

The Eagles look to keep their playoff magic going as they head to New Orleans this weekend to battle one of the best teams in the NFL. Kickoff at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans is set for 4:40 p.m. on Sunday. The game will be televised on FOX.

Here's what to know ahead of Sunday's big game.

An unlikely run continues

Had the fingertips of Treyvon Hester not brushed Cody Parkey's field goal attempt last Sunday night, had Nick Foles not managed to connect with Golden Tate on 4th and goal just a few minutes before, had the Vikings managed to beat a dubiously motivated Bears team in the final week of the regular season, the Eagles would not be heading down to New Orleans this weekend, one of just eight teams left in the quest for the Super Bowl.

But Hester did block Parkey's kick. Foles did pull off another miracle, despite earlier mistakes. The Vikings did lose to the Bears in the final week of the season, helping the Birds into the playoffs. Fate has conspired against the underdogs at every turn, and at every turn they've emerged, an unlikelier presence each time.

Who are the Saints?

The Saints have been considered a Super Bowl favorite for much of the season. They're led by one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in Drew Brees. Finishing the season at 13-3 as NFC South Champs, the Saints earned the first seed in the NFC and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Behind Brees, the Saints boast one of the most potent offenses in the game. They scored an alarming 504 points during the regular season, trailing only the Rams and the Chiefs. Of those 504, 48 were scored against the Eagles during an embarassing drubbing back in November that cemented the Saints' status as favorites and seemingly buried the defending champion Eagles.

History

The Eagles lead the all-time series over the Saints, 17 wins to 14 losses, according to Football Database. However, the Saints have won six out of the last eight matchups between the two teams.

The Saints have also won two of three playoff matches: 26-24 in the Wild Card game in 2014, and 27-24 in the divisional round in 2007.

The Eagles won the 1983 Wild Card game against the Saints, 36-20.

The Next Round

If the Eagles win, they'll advance to the NFC Championship game next weekend against the winner of the Rams and Cowboys game.

In the case of an Eagles win, that game will be held in either Los Angeles or Dallas, as they are both higher seeds.

Over in the AFC, meanwhile, the Patriots are hosting the Chargers and the Chiefs are taking on the Colts. The Eagles and the Patriots are the only teams alive still from this round of the playoffs last year.

Odds, predictions, and more

The Saints are, of course, the heavy betting favorites, with OddsShark putting them at eight point favorites over the underdog Birds. They offered a predicted score of 25-19 in favor of the Saints.

ESPN's computer model gives the Saints an 80.9 percent chance at winning the game. Fox's model gives the Saints a 75 percent chance of winning, while predicting a final score of 29-18, Saints.

Meanwhile, over at NBC Sports Philadelphia, all eight analysts have predicted an Eagles win.

The Eagles cannot be counted out, however. They're undoubtedly a very different team than the one the Saints drubbed back in November. They have miracle worker and playoff hero Nick Foles at the helm, who hasn't lost a playoff game the past two years. They're also in the midst of a 6-1 run since that loss in November to the Saints, with their only loss since then coming in an overtime heartbreaker to the Cowboys.

See related:

• Eagles Victory Over Bears Already Becoming Stuff Of Legend
• WATCH: 9 Amazing Reactions To 'Double Doink', Shocking Eagles Win
• Eagles Win Wild, Back And Forth Nailbiter Over Bears
• Bizarre Play In The Eagles Vs. Bears Game Leaves Fans Dumbfounded

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