The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2nd seed) host the Philadelphia Eagles (7th seed) in this NFC Wild Card matchup. This is their second meeting this season, with Tampa Bay winning the first encounter.

The Eagles come into the playoffs with the NFL's #1 rushing attack, powered by their diverse ground game featuring both running backs and quarterback Jalen Hurts on read options. After resting starters including Hurts (replaced by Gardner Minshew) in Week 18's loss to Dallas, Philadelphia is fresh for this playoff push.

The Buccaneers, led by Tom Brady, boast the league's top passing attack. Despite losing Antonio Brown, they maintain numerous receiving weapons including Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski, who were key in their Week 18 victory over Carolina that secured the NFC's second seed.

Key Factors:

For Philadelphia:

• Must avoid three-and-outs to keep defense fresh
• Need effective rushing attack to control possession
• Hurts must deliver in key passing situations

For Tampa Bay:

• Stop the run on early downs
• Force Eagles into obvious passing situations
• Get Hurts into third-and-long scenarios

This matchup pits strength against strength - Philadelphia's elite rushing attack versus Tampa Bay's potent passing game. The winner likely comes down to which team can better execute their preferred style while disrupting their opponent's gameplan.

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