PREDICT NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: COMMANDERS @ EAGLES - Fried Eagles in Philly...the NFCCG!

[PeterMP]

I think you can give up yards to Barkley and still win the game. I'm not selling out against the run, especially (as was the case with the Rams) if you do and he breaks through, he can easily go all of the way. I don't think we have anybody on defense that is running Barkley down.

One key is to limit the big plays.

If your offense is working, we can give Barkley lots of yards and still win the game. The first game, he had 146 yards, but they only scored 26 points. We had 8 possessions where we didn't score (5 punts, 1 interception, 1 on downs, and one with a very little bit of time at the end of the 1st half), so it isn't even like they limited our possessions despite running the ball well. We only scored on 3 out of 11 possessions that game. They have a really good defense, but that can't happen if you are going to win on Sunday. If we score on half our possessions, we can give up 146 yards to Barkley and win the game.

(Also, Hurts has the 6th highest sack rate this year. He doesn't turn the ball over much, but he will hold the ball and is taking sacks. We need to get some sacks on Sunday. That's one way you can give up yards to Barkley and still get stops.)

[Warhead36]

I think you can give up yards to Barkley and still win the game. I'm not selling out against the run, especially (as was the case with the Rams) if you do and he breaks through, he can easily go all of the way. I don't think we have anybody on defense that is running Barkley down.

One key is to limit the big plays.

If your offense is working, we can give Barkley lots of yards and still win the game. The first game, he had 146 yards, but they only scored 26 points. We had 8 possessions where we didn't score (5 punts, 1 interception, 1 on downs, and one with a very little bit of time at the end of the 1st half), so it isn't even like they limited our possessions despite running the ball well. We only scored on 3 out of 11 possessions that game. They have a really good defense, but that can't happen if you are going to win on Sunday. If we score on half our possessions, we can give up 146 yards to Barkley and win the game.

(Also, Hurts has the 6th highest sack rate this year. He doesn't turn the ball over much, but he will hold the ball and is taking sacks. We need to get some sacks on Sunday. That's one way you can give up yards to Barkley and still get stops.)

I think that's been our general defensive strat this year: "we'll let you run on us, knowing that all it takes is one 1st down run of less than 3 yards to derail you, and knowing that eventually we're gonna score and force you to throw, and that's when we can really capitalize." It worked against Detroit with all the takeaways. We'll see if it works again.

[Simmsy]

Pure speculation here, but word on the street is that Hurts has a mild MCL tear in his knee. If that is true, he won't be running much and if he does, we'll make him pay. He doesn't want to get hurt again and I don't expect him to try our defense, seeing as to what happened to him last time. If that is the case, we can basically do what we did last game and win...like everyone else already has said...

Of course, the game will go easier than last time without 5 turnovers, but I feel good. Doesn't mean we're going to win, but we no longer have any reason to go into any game with a fear of losing. Doesn't matter who when play, when or where, this team can compete.

[Warhead36]

Pure speculation here, but word on the street is that Hurts has a mild MCL tear in his knee. If that is true, he won't be running much and if he does, we'll make him pay. He doesn't want to get hurt again and I don't expect him to try our defense, seeing as to what happened to him last time. If that is the case, we can basically do what we did last game and win...like everyone else already has said...

Of course, the game will go easier than last time without 5 turnovers, but I feel good. Doesn't mean we're going to win, but we no longer have any reason to go into any game with a fear of losing. Doesn't matter who when play, when or where, this team can compete.

The practice reports will be telling. He did not like he could move very much if at all at the end of the game, and the Eagles were fortunate the Rams fumbled the game away (literally).

I'm treating them like as if Pickett was playing either way. Stack the hell out of the box and put our CBs on an island and dare them to beat us passing. I am not letting Barkley run for 150+ if their passing game isn't a legitimate threat.

[Tress Is The Way]

I think you can give up yards to Barkley and still win the game. I'm not selling out against the run, especially (as was the case with the Rams) if you do and he breaks through, he can easily go all of the way. I don't think we have anybody on defense that is running Barkley down.

One key is to limit the big plays.

If your offense is working, we can give Barkley lots of yards and still win the game. The first game, he had 146 yards, but they only scored 26 points. We had 8 possessions where we didn't score (5 punts, 1 interception, 1 on downs, and one with a very little bit of time at the end of the 1st half), so it isn't even like they limited our possessions despite running the ball well. We only scored on 3 out of 11 possessions that game. They have a really good defense, but that can't happen if you are going to win on Sunday. If we score on half our possessions, we can give up 146 yards to Barkley and win the game.

(Also, Hurts has the 6th highest sack rate this year. He doesn't turn the ball over much, but he will hold the ball and is taking sacks. We need to get some sacks on Sunday. That's one way you can give up yards to Barkley and still get stops.)

The big thing with that second game is we adjusted to stop Barkley and the run in the second half. Hurts is hurt, stop the run, and hit the QB. That's all our D needs to do, and then let Jayden go to work imo.

[HTTR]

Whatever coverage adjustment we made vs them in the second half of last game (I believe it was a switch to zone per some informed members here) worked so I hope we can recreate that.

Extent of Hurts injury is a mystery, but I do not believe he has been setting the world on fire in the playoffs with passing yards. Stopping Barkley is a huge proposition but I feel like we at least have the game plan.

I believe in our guys.

Commanders: 38
E-L-G-S-E-S!: 35

[SWIM]

Well guys; it’s officially over. Florio gave us the kiss of death by picking us to win…

Commander at Eagles (-6)

The Eagles are the better team. The Commanders, however, have been playing better recently.

Will it be easy at Philadelphia? No. Was it easy in Detroit last week? The Commanders still pulled it off.

The key will be, for the Eagles, the health of quarterback Jalen Hurts. If the Commanders can keep running back Saquon Barkley closer to 100 yards than 200, Hurts will have to make some plays. Can he run as well as he usually does, given his re-injured left knee? Can he get the ball out to his pass-catchers? Can Washington cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who was acquired at the trade deadline for his moment, disrupt and frustrate A.J. Brown?

For the Commanders, can quarterback Jayden Daniels continue to stay calm at all times, poised in the face of all looks? Five rookie quarterbacks have led their teams to the brink of the Super Bowl in past years. None have punched through to the title game. Daniels, who might already be the best quarterback in the NFC, has proven time and again that the moment isn’t too big for him. No matter how big the moment gets.

Florio: Commanders, 27-23.

Simms: Eagles, 28-17.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hate to say it, but I think a lot of this comes down to Hurts and his knee and how effective their pass game can be. If he's banged up and can't throw it well and Lattimore and Mikey can contain their receivers, we can stack the box against Barkley.

I'm not afraid of their defense. Jayden gets it done.

[88Commanders00]

It’s 24-20, Commanders with 4:15 to go. Eagles have a 2 minute drive, capped by a Barkley TD run and it’s 27-24, Eagles . We get the ball back with 2:09 to go. Jayden leads us to a TD, with him running it in with :15 to go. 31-27, Commanders.

[Warhead36]

Well guys; it’s officially over. Florio gave us the kiss of death by picking us to win…

Commander at Eagles (-6)

The Eagles are the better team. The Commanders, however, have been playing better recently.

Will it be easy at Philadelphia? No. Was it easy in Detroit last week? The Commanders still pulled it off.

The key will be, for the Eagles, the health of quarterback Jalen Hurts. If the Commanders can keep running back Saquon Barkley closer to 100 yards than 200, Hurts will have to make some plays. Can he run as well as he usually does, given his re-injured left knee? Can he get the ball out to his pass-catchers? Can Washington cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who was acquired at the trade deadline for his moment, disrupt and frustrate A.J. Brown?

For the Commanders, can quarterback Jayden Daniels continue to stay calm at all times, poised in the face of all looks? Five rookie quarterbacks have led their teams to the brink of the Super Bowl in past years. None have punched through to the title game. Daniels, who might already be the best quarterback in the NFC, has proven time and again that the moment isn’t too big for him. No matter how big the moment gets.

Florio: Commanders, 27-23.

Simms: Eagles, 28-17.

Florio has actually been kinda high on us all year.

I'm surprised Simms picked against us. He's been pro Daniels since day 1 and has always been anti Hurts.