For the fourth time in the 2022 postseason, two divisional rivals will square off. For the second time in these playoffs, one team has an opportunity to defeat another team three times in the same season.
The Philadelphia Eagles last took the field in Week 18. It was against a New York Giants’ team that had Davis Webb behind center. There were other starters resting because the club was already locked into its playoff position.
Nonetheless, Nick Sirianni’s club took two from Big Blue this season. The Eagles rolled to a 48-22 victory at MetLife Stadium in Week 14. That was followed by a 22-26 triumph over Webb and the Giants in the aforementioned season finale.
Good Things Come In Threes
This will mark the fourth time in three postseasons that a team had an opportunity to pull off the three-game sweep. In 2020, the eventual Super Bowl LV champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers were swept by the Saints during the regular season. However, Tom Brady and company emerged with a 30-20 victory at the Superdome in the NFC Divisional Playoffs.
A year ago, the San Francisco 49ers came away with 31-10 Monday night victory at home over the Rams. Eight weeks later defeated Los Angeles, 27-24, in overtime at SoFi Stadium. However, Sean McVay’s club rallied to beat the Niners in the NFC title game, 20-17, on its way to winning Super Bowl LVI.
Of course, the 49ers were at it again this season. This time, they got the job done in completing a three-game sweep of the Seahawks. Now the Eagles will try to do the same to the rival Giants. That sports cliché of “it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season” that has been making the rounds for years is factually inaccurate.
The Numbers
Again, since 1970, there have been 24 instances in which a team swept another team during the regular season and then met that club in the playoffs. On 15 occasions, the club that won the first two games also won in the postseason. All told, the much-improved Giants have a tall order in front of them.
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