Eagles vs. Buccaneers predictions: Can banged-up Jalen Hurts save season, coaches' jobs?
PHILADELPHIA − That sound you hear is everybody jumping off the Eagles' bandwagon.
Was it really just seven weeks ago when the Eagles were 10-1 and in line for the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs? Really, it seems like two different seasons as the Eagles closed the regular season 1-5, including last week's embarrassment against the Giants.
Now they're a wild-card team, facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, with two more of their star players hurting in quarterback Jalen Hurts (finger) and Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee).
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It sure seems like an offseason of change, perhaps starting at head coach, awaits as soon as Tuesday.
But what if this is the week the Eagles turn it around? After all, they did beat the Bucs 25-11 on Sept. 25, and that was long before defensive coordinator Sean Desai no longer knew what he was doing and was replaced by Matt Patricia.
The Bucs, meanwhile, won the NFC South, and thus made the playoffs, with an unimpressive 9-0 win over the Carolina Panthers, who finished 2-15.
In other words, the Eagles could be facing a team filled with issues, too. And someone has to win.
Here's how we see it:
Our prognosticators are Martin Frank (Eagles beat writer/columnist, Delawareonline.com), Greg Giesen (sports strategist, Delawareonline.com), Tom McGurk (sports editor, Courierpostonline.com), Tom Moore (sports columnist, Phillyburbs.com), Bob Jordan (Sports editor, app.com), Bert Bainbridge (Sports betting analyst & columnist, Northjersey.com), Tom Haines (Pennsylvania state planning), Brad Myers (high school sports writer, Delawareonline.com), Melissa Hanejko (High School Sports Content & Social Media, Phillyburbs.com), Kevin Tresolini, (college sports reporter, Delawareonline.com), Michelle Ganassi (audience director & die-hard Steelers fan, Delawareonline.com).
Martin Frank
Bucs coach Todd Bowles already knows to blitz Hurts at every turn. Tampa Bay provided that blueprint in the playoffs two years ago (the Eagles trailed 31-0 in their 31-15 loss). But the Eagles had answers in the first meeting this season, putting up 472 yards of offense. Here's thinking they can figure it out this time, too. Or at least figure it out enough.
The pick: Eagles 28, Buccaneers 20
Greg Giesen
Turn out the lights, the party's over. Honestly, we should be happy it's over. The Iggles seemed to do just enough to win early and then folded late in the season − the mark of a football team going nowhere. The season will end in Tampa. Thankfully, spring training starts Feb. 12. Ring the bell!
The Pick: Buccaneers 24, Eagles 17
Tom McGurk
Have the Birds looked anything like a playoff team for the last six weeks? Can they just flip the switch back on for the postseason? The answer to both questions is no. Get ready for a long offseason with plenty of changes ahead.
The pick: Buccaneers 23, Eagles 19
Tom Moore
While the Eagles face the least impressive NFL playoff team with a home game, they were just blown out by the Giants.
The pick: Buccaneers 20, Eagles 19
Bert Bainbridge
I was shocked when I saw the Eagles are still a three-point favorite on the road in this one. Philly has not inspired an ounce of confidence heading into the postseason over the last six weeks of the regular season. I think this has a chance to be one of the highest-scoring games of the wild-card round, as the Buccaneers take care of business and defeat the Birds at home in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
The pick: Buccaneers 27, Eagles 21
Bob Jordan
The same Eagles who have been stumbling for the last couple of months are giving points on the road? Yes, I'll have some of that.
The pick: Buccaneers 28, Eagles 13
Michelle Ganassi
In 2006, the Steelers went on the road in pretty ugly fashion and made their way to a Super Bowl. On paper, they should have lost. But they rallied around Jerome Bettis and were determined to get him to Detroit and get him a ring. I see a lot of similarities between that Steelers team playing for "The Bus" who everyone thought was going to retire, but came back for one more season, and the Eagles knowing that this is likely Jason Kelce's last ride. They will win for their beloved center.
The pick: Eagles 23, Buccaneers 20
Kevin Tresolini
Every week we think there's no way the Eagles can look as bad this week as they did the previous game and they'll regain their early-season flair, evident in a way-back-when win over the Bucs. Hasn't happened yet, maybe it will in this return to Tampa Bay.
The pick: Eagles 24, Buccaneers 19
Tom Haines
How are the left-for-dead Eagles 3-point favorites on the road? Banking on them proving the oddsmakers right.
The pick: Eagles 24, Buccaneers 20
Brad Myers
The Eagles are better than the Buccaneers. They have a better record. They won easily at Tampa Bay in September. But they were better than the Cardinals and Giants − until the games started. It’s hard to believe they could just flip a switch in the playoffs and put it all together again.
The pick: Buccaneers 26, Eagles 24.
Melissa Hanejko
A.J. Brown might still have confidence in his team, but does anyone else? The Eagles haven't shown any signs of life in weeks, and while the Bucs aren't anything special, they have shown more than the Birds. After consulting Baker Mayfield's No. 1 fan (my nephew), who predicted a 275-yard, three-touchdown performance, I'm foreseeing an "upset."
The pick: Buccaneers 24, Eagles 20
Overall records
13-4: Hanejko, Bainbridge
12-5: Haines, Moore, Myers
11-6: Tresolini, McGurk, Frank, Jordan
11-4: Ganassi
9-8: Giesen
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Eagles vs. Buccaneers predictions: Can injured Jalen Hurts save season?
