And that’s exactly what the Eagles are this season: Saquon Barkley. The running back is near unstoppable, as he became just the eighth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards, and in his playoff debut with the Eagles he picked up another 119 yards on the ground. This offensive line is the perfect complement to his game and it’s going to be hard for the Rams to keep him quiet. He’s the heartbeat of the team.

However, LA's divisional-round display was impressive to say the least. Their defence made life hell for Sam Darnold and kept Aaron Jones below 50 yards. Matthew Stafford continues to be clutch in the playoffs – and he holds the record for average passing yards per game in the postseason.

But the Eagles defence has been next level. They finished the season with the second fewest points allowed per game, and the fewest yards allowed per play in the entire league. Jordan Love had gone seven games without an interception, then posted a three-pick game against the Eagles’ secondary. They have allowed 13 points or fewer in three straight games – the last time they went four games in a row was during their 2017 Super Bowl-winning season.

In terms of specific players to look out for, Dallas Goedert is in a plus spot. He’s struggled with injury this season, but last week he hauled in four passes for 47 yards and a highlight-reel touchdown with a couple of fearsome stiff arms. On the season the Rams have been exposed by tight ends, surrendering 106 passes (second most), 1,101 yards (fourth) and seven touchdowns (eighth) to the position.

Vikings tight end TJ Hockenson was one of the lone bright spots for Minnesota, with five catches for 64 yards and a score. He’s handsomely priced for a touchdown, and his yardage total is set at just 37.5 which I expect him to clear.

Sean McVay is one of the best coaches in the entire league, and it’s a scary prospect when having to face him twice in a season – giving him time to alter his gameplan. But when comparing these rosters, the Eagles are the overwhelming favourite. They come out top in near enough every position group, with the key battles being across the offensive and defensive lines, where they come out convincingly on top.

Jalen Hurts has still shown some rust as he returned from his concussion, but he may not need to do much in this game. The Eagles will allow their defence to strangle the Rams, and let Saquon lead the way.

CLICK HERE to back Eagles -6 with Sky Bet

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Washington Commanders @ Detroit Lions

Kick-off time: Sunday 01:00 GMT
TV: Sky Sports NFL
Spread: Commanders + 9.5 @ 10/11
Total: Over 55.0 @ 10/11

The Washington Commanders and rookie phenom Jayden Daniels continue to shock the NFL. They posted a 13-5 regular season record, then made their way through the first round of the playoffs with a dogged win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their reward? Travelling to the number one seed Detroit Lions.

The Lions offence is the cream of the crop with a whopping 33.2 points scored per game, and they come in rested after securing the first-round bye. Hot head coaching candidate Ben Johnson has shown more than ever this season with his bag of tricks, so what will he have up his sleeve for the playoffs?

However, their defence has been marred by injury all season long, and while they did manage to hold Sam Darnold’s Vikings to just nine points in their Week 18 clash, in the previous four weeks the Detroit defence surrendered an average of 32.5 points per game.

Washington’s offence has been stellar, with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury resurrecting his career. They average a fifth-best 28.5 points per game, and a lot of that is thanks to Daniels. He’s led five game-winning drives this season and this could be a plus spot against the Lions.

Daniels is one of the best quarterbacks in the league against the blitz – with a 90.3 QBR when facing extra pressure, ranking third overall. Plus, his scrambling ability goes next level, jumping from 7.2 to 10.7 when facing the blitz. The Lions defence played arguably their best game of the season in Week 18, but they blitzed on 56% of Minnesota’s drop backs and a similar approach here will almost certainly backfire.

But there are concerns for Washington. Their rushing attack could not get into gear against Tampa at all. Plus, on the season they rank as one of the worst rushing defences in the league, and although they did hold the Bucs to 101 rushing yards, the Lions are another challenge.

Detroit have David Montgomery expected to return, who missed the last three games. Guard Kevin Zeitler and corner Terrion Arnold were injured in Week 18, but Dan Campbell has said their injuries look much better than expected, so expect them to go.

The big name is that of Montgomery, allowing the Lions to return to their Sonic and Knuckles approach. For as great as Jahmyr Gibbs has been, we’ve seen him struggle to punch it in on the goal line. The duo combines for an absurd 32 touchdowns – and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them both in the end zone again this weekend.

The 9.5 line feels too big for Washington – you need to go all the way back to Week One for when they last lost a game by above this margin. The Commanders can find holes in the Lions defence and keep this one within a touchdown. The over is also worth backing in this matchup, with these two offences set for a shootout.

CLICK HERE to back Gibbs & Montgomery TDs with Sky Bet

Posted at 1020 GMT on 18/01/25

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