The New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles go head to head in the second NFL 2014 Playoff game on Saturday. This Wild Card game should be a super intriguing affair, with both teams have clear strengths and weaknesses. It's a hard one to call, but with Philadelphia having home field advantage they could hold the slight edge.
The game is scheduled to start at 8.10 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on the NBC network. Alternatively the game will also be shown online through live stream – free for NBC subscribers – via the link provided below.
The Saints have not protected Drew Brees as much as they should have this season. They have allowed a career high 37 sacks against Brees, and that could be a major problem today if the Eagles can apply pressure.
One good sign for the Saints is that they ended the regular season looking slightly stronger, and with the improved showing of rookie Terron Armstead, they only allowed one sack in their final game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The extra protection allowed Brees to pass for four touchdowns and finish with a season best 157.4 passer rating.
If the Saints can give him time today he could pick off the Eagles defense and win the game for New Orleans. However, oppositely if they go back to their loose protection of Brees as shown earlier in the season, then the Phillies may be able to keep Brees off the field for extended periods and ultimately take the match up.
The Saints must not – at all costs – allow repeats of their games against the St Louis Rams and the Carolina Panthers, where Brees was sacked 10 times.
The Eagles were only ranked 20<sup>th in the league in sacking opposition quarterbacks. However, at their best they did sack the quarterback five times in three separate games. If they can repeat that form they might get to Brees and win the game.
The New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles will play from 8.10 p.m. ET and can be watched online through free live stream by clicking here.
