Saints vs. Eagles: What to Watch For

The Saints have to win on Sunday to keep their postseason aspirations alive, but it won't come easy against a very tough Eagles team.

Author:
John Hendrix
Publish date:
Dec 29, 2022 3:10 PM EST

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

The Saints need to keep the victories going after putting together back-to-back wins for the first time all season when they beat the Browns last weekend. However, it won’t be easy. New Orleans hasn’t had a good track record recently facing off against the Eagles in Philly. Sunday marks the third consecutive season that they play Philadelphia, and New Orleans has lost the past two. Here's a few things we're watching for when these two meet.

GROUND AND POUND: New Orleans was able to get their ground attack going for the second straight game, and it helped fuel and sustain some of their drives. A heavy dose of Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill will be featured to try to find some success against a tough Eagles front, but they’re going to have to mix things up with Andy Dalton some too. Getting back Chris Olave (hamstring) would also go a long way, and we’ll have to see if Andrus Peat (ankle) returns.

HANG IN EARLY: The two losses against the Eagles were nearly carbon copies of each other, as each of them saw the Saints get down and out fairly early. They battled back after the half, but they somehow managed to self-destruct in both first halves in the previous two matchups.

Nov 21, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders (26) is stopped short of the goal line by New Orleans Saints free safety Marcus Williams (43), defensive tackle Josiah Bronson (91) and outside linebacker Demario Davis (56) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

DOWN TO FINAL STRIKE: It’s been a common theme after losing a grand opportunity to Tampa in the final seconds. However, the Saints can be eliminated from the playoffs if they lose. Another couple scenarios would be if Tampa and Washington both win, or a much more complicated three-way win from Tampa, Detroit, and Green Bay. This is for the season, and New Orleans is going to have to rally to see what they can muster.

DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE: Give the Saints defense some credit, but they haven’t allowed over 20 points in six straight games. It’s an elephant in the room that many aren’t talking about, but they’ve certainly played well enough for New Orleans to win. Jalen Hurts returning to practice certainly doesn’t bode well for the Saints, as the dual-threat quarterback has been a big opportunity for the team. Philadelphia imposed their will on the ground in the previous two meetings, and this will be no different and a large key to success for New Orleans.