Getty Gallery: 2/5
Seahawks Cover +1.5 Point Spread Over Cowboys
This is a rematch of a Week 3 matchup where the Seahawks were victorious. Two big differences for the Seahawks this time around. They won't have the Seattle crowd behind them, and Earl Thomas was lost for the season just a few weeks after his dominant performance against the Cowboys. Dallas also has Amari Cooper now who has played a big role in the Cowboys offensive turnaround.
Fans should expect a close game, but this is a better matchup for Seattle than it would have been if they had to travel to Chicago. How can the Seahawks pull of the season sweep?
Seattle has a defense that can slow down the Cowboys offense, while having multiple running backs that can find success against Dallas. Pete Carroll believes the earlier meeting between the two teams provided a blueprint for how the Seahawks wanted to play the rest of the season.
“You know, we didn’t really kill it that day," Carroll told The News Tribune. "We had a hard game against those guys. I think Chris rushed for 32 times in that game...That wasn’t what became a little more standard, what we were shooting for later in the season. But it was a step in the right direction. The commitment came through.”
For as much as the Cowboys offense has looked better since acquiring Cooper, I still have questions about how they will perform against a high-level defense. Just a few weeks ago they laid an egg against the Colts.
Both teams have their deficiencies, but I trust the Seahawks a little more in what should be one of the most evenly matched contests of the weekend.
Eagles Cover +6 Spread Against the Bears
The Eagles are going to do their best to make this an ugly playoff game. With the way the Bears defense is playing, there is a good chance the Eagles have success making this happen in what could be a low-scoring affair. While I believe the Bears end up advancing, the Eagles should cover the six-point spread.
Philadelphia lost Carson Wentz, but the offense has looked good with Nick Foles behind center. Over the last three weeks, the Eagles have wins over the Texans and Rams. Philly has won five of their last six matchups. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson spoke about how the team plans to attack the vaunted Bears defense.
“Obviously the more guys you can get out on the route a little bit better, sometimes the ball out fast can sort of nullify a rush, which you saw early in the Rams game,” Pederson told NBC Sports. “So there's a fine line. You just have to mix it up. You're not always going to be in a position to chip guys like that. You're going to have to get guys out on the route just based on the situation of the game and the play call. Again, we don't go out of our way to necessarily design formations or different protections or anything like that, but we just have to be aware of where he is.”
Ultimately, the Eagles are going to have a difficult time scoring enough points to win the game. The Bears have enough big play guys to give them the edge in the matchup, but the Eagles experience should allow them to keep this close. Look for the Bears to win the game, but the Eagles to cover the sizable spread.