NFL playoffs: Eagles will face Buccaneers in wild card round

The game will be held on Monday, January 15 at 8 p.m. right here on 6abc.

By6abc Digital Staff WPVI logo

Monday, January 8, 2024

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) finished the season as the No. 5 seed and will play the No. 4 seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL's wild card playoff round.

The game will be held on Monday, January 15 at 8 p.m. right here on 6abc.

The Eagles fell to the New York Giants 27-10 Sunday in the regular season finale.

Philadelphia needed a win over New York and a Dallas Cowboys loss to the Washington Commanders to secure the division and a home playoff game. While the latter seemed like a long shot, the Eagles wanted to at least build positive momentum heading into the postseason after dropping four of five games entering the finale. But a defense that has struggled all season and failed to gain its footing under Eagles' new playcaller Matt Patricia yielded nearly 300 passing yards to QB Tyrod Taylor and the 6-11 Giants.

Meanwhile, AJ Brown exited late in the first quarter after his right leg was pinned awkwardly behind him while he was being tackled by cornerback Nick McCloud.

The New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles face off at the line of scrimmage during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J.
(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

QB Jalen Hurts took a trip to the medical tent in the second quarter after injuring his middle finger when his throwing hand collided with Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke's hand on a fourth-down pass attempt. He had the finger wrapped and stayed in the game, but the offense remained ineffective and he was pulled along with center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson for the last couple of series of the half.

The Eagles opted not to dress several key players, including receiver DeVonta Smith (knee), D'Andre Swift (illness) and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (rest). Still, coach Nick Sirianni said at the beginning of the week that the Eagles would "do whatever we need to do to win this game" in part because they wanted "to go into the playoffs not in a rut."