Philadelphia went 1-5 down the stretch, but Nick Sirianni’s team advanced to the postseason for the third year in a row, finishing with an 11-6 record.
Despite the embarrassing conclusion to the regular season, the Eagles finished seventh in points per game. Still, they maintain the NFL’s top offensive line and a dynamic duo at the wide receiver position.
They face a familiar foe on the road when they travel to Tampa to face the 9-8 Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
The Bucs and Eagles have a storied playoff history, having met five previous times, including Tampa Bay’s NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia in 2002 to close out Veteran’s Stadium. The most recent postseason meeting came just two years ago in 2021 in Jalen Hurts’ first road playoff start, Tampa won, 31-15.
This year’s playoff matchup is a rematch of a Week 3 meeting at Raymond James Stadium that Philadelphia won 25-11.
With on-field preparation set to begin at the NovaCare Complex, we’re looking at seven things about the Eagles Wild Card opponent.
Buccaneers have their own dynamic duo
Mike Evans (1,255) and Chris Godwin (1,024) each surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 2023, marking the fifth time in franchise history that multiple Buccaneers surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in the same season (2014, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023).
Evans and Godwin have accomplished the feat four times since 2019.
Evans and Godwin are 1-of-3 sets of teammates to go over 1,000 yards each in both 2022 and 2023 and the only duo to do so in each of the past three seasons (2021-23).
Rachaad White is a true dual-threat
White was one of six players with 1,500+ scrimmage yards and 9+ touchdowns (also, Breece Hall, Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Amon-Ra St. Brown).
This season, White finished seventh among all players, and fourth among running backs, in yards from scrimmage (1,539).
Buccaneers rookie pass rushers
Buccaneers rookies Yaya Diaby and Calijah Kancey are two names to remember this week, and the everimproving duo has combined for 22 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, 11.5 sacks
and 59 pressures this season.
Antoine Winfield Jr can do it all
Antoine Winfield Jr. went eight picks before Jalen Hurts in the 2020 NFL draft, but if Howie Roseman could do it all over again, he’d probably take the Swiss army knife at No. 20 overall instead of Jalen Reagor.
Tampa Bay has no issues at safety thanks to the to son of a former Ohio State legend.
Winfield Jr. is 1-of-4 players since 2000 with 5.0+ sacks, 5+ takeaways (interceptions + fumble
recoveries) and 5+ forced fumbles in a single season, joining T.J. Watt (2019), Justin Tuck (2010) and Terrell Suggs (2003).
Winfield Jr. is the first defensive back since data became available in 1999 with 5.0+ sacks and 5+ forced fumbles in a single season.
Winfield Jr. owns a share of the league lead in both forced fumbles (six) and opponent fumble recoveries this season (four) joining Haason Reddick (2022) as the only players since data became
available in 2000 to hold at least a share of the league lead in both categories in the same season.
Lavonte David still productive
This season, the Bucs 12-year veteran was the only player in the NFL with 100+ tackles, 15+ tackles for loss and 3.0+ sacks.
Tristan Wirfs is a star
Wirfs made the switch from right tackle to left tackle this offseason, and finished as the fifth-highest graded pass-blocking tackle by Pro Football Focus (among players with at least 500
blocking snaps).
NFC South dominance
Dating back to Week 4 of the 2021 season, the Bucs have held at least a share of the NFC South lead in 43 of the last 51 weeks, winning three consecutive NFC South division titles in that span (2021-23).
Tampa Bay is the only NFC team to reach the playoffs in each of the past four seasons (2021-23).
