Matt Temple-Marsh previews the NFC Championship game where all eyes will be on that man Saquon Barkley once again.
NFL betting tips: NFC Championship game
3pts Washington Commanders (+6.5) at 4/5 (Sky Bet)
2pts Saquon Barkley to score a brace at 7/4 (Sky Bet)
2pts Jalen Carter to record a sack at 10/11 (bet365)
1pt Jalen Hurts under 180.5 passing yards at 10/11 (General)
Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles
- Kick-off time: Sunday 20:00 GMT
- TV: Sky Sports NFL
- Spread: Commanders +6.5 @ 4/5
- Total: Over 47.5 @ 10/11
We’ve reached the climax of the NFC, as the Washington Commanders travel to face their NFC East division rivals the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite the Eagles’ dominance, the Commanders are arguably the story of the playoffs, thanks to their superstar rookie, Jayden Daniels.
He’s led the Commanders to a 13-5 regular season record, and then wowed in the playoffs with wins against the Buccaneers and then shockingly trouncing the number one seed Lions. Daniels’ next touchdown pass will give him the NFL rookie record for post season TD passes – he’s on the verge of history.
For the Eagles, it’s all about SAQUON BARKLEY. The running back is near unstoppable, as he became the 8th player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards, and in the playoffs he’s already racked up a huge 324 rushing yards in just two games.
Saquon Barkley’s touchdown run with just crowd noise.
— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) January 20, 2025
Chills. pic.twitter.com/tIDfMkOn00
This offensive line is the perfect complement to his game, and it’s going to be hard for the Commanders to keep him quiet – in the two previous matchups between these sides earlier this season, Barkley rushed for 146 yards and then another 150 yards, alongside four total touchdowns.
But outside of Barkley’s dominance, it’s hard to take learnings from those games, where they split the series 1-1. In the first matchup, Jayden Daniels was playing through hurt ribs, and then in the second game JALEN HURTS had to exit early with concussion. They were 14-0 at that point, but with Kenny Pickett at the helm the game got away from them. Daniels went on to throw for a huge five touchdowns in a 36-33 win.
Hurts hasn’t quite been the same since that concussion. He’s missed plenty of game time, and since he’s returned the Eagles’ passing attack has been near non-existent. Last week they finished with 65 net passing yards – the lowest in a playoff victory in 14 years. WRs AJ Brown and Devonta Smith saw 11 targets but produced just 35 yards.
If Washington’s defence can focus on limiting Saquon, a huge question remains on whether the Eagles can beat them through the air. In Hurts’ four playoff victories, he has thrown for 131 yards, 121 yards, 154 yards and 128 yards. He needs to improve, or this could be a dangerously close game.
A spot where the Eagles can win though, is on the defensive line.
JALEN CARTER has been a menace all season long, and he sealed the victory last time out with his last-minute sack of Matthew Stafford. The Commanders will be without guard Sam Cosmi, leaving blocking duties to backup Trent Scott – who has only started one game this season. Carter posted two sacks last game and is in a great spot here to cause terror once more.
The Commanders are not meant to be here – they’re so far ahead of schedule. Comparing roster to roster, the Eagles come out well on top in terms of talent, but you just can’t say no to Jayden Daniels. The +6.5 handicap feels generous to say the least, with Commanders +6.5 landing in 15/19 games this year.
Hurts is who this game lies on. His return from concussion has been slow, and he suffered a knee injury against LA that seriously limited him. He’s been listed as a full participant in practice this week, but time will tell if he really is at 100%.
This game is going to come down to the very end, with whoever handles the ball best at the end.
One ray of hope for the winning team – the last four times there has been a divisional rematch in a conference title game, the winner has gone on to capture the Super Bowl.
Posted at 1635 GMT on 24/01/25
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