Tale of the Playoff Tape: Eagles at Saints

Passing Game:

Philadelphia: It's been a magical ride. Who would have thought six weeks ago that a Detroit and Cleveland castoff could lead the Eagles to six straight victories and a stop in the Divisional Playoffs. It's what dreams are made of. Garcia's biggest plus has been his decision making, throwing just two interceptions over the six-game stretch. The playcalling of offensive coordinator Marty Morninwheg -- more a balance of run and pass -- has taken the pressure off of Garica and given more responsibility to what may be the best offensive line in football. Reggie Brown is a solid underneath receiver, while Dante Stallworth has turned into a legitimate deep threat. L.J. Smith against the Saints' linebackers could be a solid matchup for the Eagles, so look for Garcia to look the Rutgers product's way early and often.

New Orleans: Drew Brees is as efficient as they come. The reason for Brees' success is two fold. One, the playcalling of head coach Sean Payton has been extraordinary, just ask Mike Karney. Also, Brees is brilliant at delivering the ball on time...and in a hurry. He rarely takes a five-step drop, relying on a quick release and an assortment of quick and legal "pick" routes to find open receivers. He not only was the best quarterback in the league, but rarely beats himself. He was sacked just 18 times during the regular season because of his smarts. If nothing is open, he throws the ball into the cheap seats. If the long game is covered, he dumps it down to Reggie Bush. Bush is then used as a decoy to set up Devery Henderson's downfield speed. Interestingly enough, Henderson likes to work deep routes in the middle of the field instead of along the outer parameters. If he runs one to the Lito Sheppard-less side with Sean Considine, an early big play could be in store.

Edge: New Orleans. Brees has had an outstanding season and has more options than Garcia. The 37-year-old veteran's magic ride has provided some amazing moments, and we aren't saying that he'll have a bad game, but the highest-rated passing offense against a beat-up secondary is too hard to ignore.

Running Game:

Philadelphia: The Eagles have recommitted to the running game, and Brian Westbrook has come into his own. The Villanova product's 49-yard TD run against the Giants was a thing of beauty -- a combination of speed, field presence and patience. If Thomas Tapeh can't play, Correl Buckhalter will play some fullback. I suggest the Eagles use a Saints-like, two-back offense frequently to exploit matchups on screen and swing passes to either back.

New Orleans: People said Payton couldn't make a cluttered backfield work. Instead, both Bush and Deuce McAllister have flourished this season. Bush was held in check during the Week 6 showdown with the Eagles, but the rookie has adjusted to the NFL game and had seven touchdowns over the last five games. Deuce only ran 12 times against the Eagles, but averaged 5.4 yards a pop. Expect Payton to test Jeremiah Trotter in the middle with a heavy dose of McAllister early.

Edge: New Orleans. The one-two punch could prove deadly, especially with an extra week of rest and preparation. Westbrook will get his yards, but Bush's ability in the passing game coupled with McAllister's grind-it-out style will prove to be the difference.

Defense:

Philadelphia: Both defenses can be summed up rather easily. Philadelphia's defensive transformation over the last six weeks is due to a recommitment to stopping the run and a renewed effort at pressuring the quarterback. The defense wasn't great against the Giants last week, and the loss of Sheppard hurts.

New Orleans: 11th ranked defense out of the 12 teams that made the playoffs. Not horrible, but not overly-stout in any one area, the Saints defense will likely attempt to ride the crowd's emotion as extra juice. The 12th man will attempt to keep Stallworth in front of him and tackle Westbrook before he gets to the second level.

Edge: Philadelphia. The Eagles have better personnel and a more experienced, playoff-tested coordinator in Jim Johnson. However, the Saints have an emotional home crowd and an extra week of rest. It should be interesting.

Prediction: New Orleans 31, Philadelphia 17. The extra week gave Payton some time to counter Johnson's blitz packages and deploy Bush in ways not seen during the regular season. Expect some razzle dazzle or big-play possibilities from the Saints early. Philadelphia needs to score first and take the crowd down a few notches.