Eagles-Saints Preview

By The Associated Press

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Saints coach Sean Payton spent part of childhood in Philadelphia, started NFL coaching career as Eagles assistant in 1997 and is 2-0 against Philadelphia in playoffs since getting only head coaching job in New Orleans in 2006. … Eagles coach Doug Pederson played college football at Louisiana-Monroe, which was then known as Northeast Louisiana. … Philadelphia’s 16-15 win at Chicago was closest margin of victory in team’s postseason history. …

Pederson is 4-0 in playoffs. Only Andy Reid has more postseason wins (10) in team history. Pederson is 13-6 in December, January and February. … Eagles are 22-3 when scoring first under Pederson. … QB Nick Foles has led a winning drive in fourth quarter last two playoff games, including Super Bowl. … Foles has thrown multiple TDs in three consecutive playoff games. He is 38 of 46 (82.6 percent) for 431 yards, five TDs, one INT and 132.9 passer rating on third and fourth downs in last four games. …

WR Alshon Jeffery has 18 catches for 301 yards and three TDs in four playoff games. … Leading rusher Josh Adams only played one snap vs. Bears.

Darren Sproles and Wendell Smallwood combined for 21 carries and 40 yards. … DE Michael Bennett has sack in three straight playoff games. …

DT Fletcher Cox has three sacks, two forced fumbles and fumble recovery in past two games vs. Saints. … K Jake Elliott has made eight consecutive field-goal attempts in playoffs, including four from 40-plus yards. …

Foles, Sproles did not play in previous meeting. … TE Zach Ertz has 437 catches, most in NFL history during first six seasons of career. … Eagles’ 44 sacks tied for eighth in NFL. Saints’ 49 sacks tied for fifth. …

Saints are 5-0 at home in playoffs since Payton became coach in 2006, when he won first playoff game as head coach vs. Eagles. …

Saints QB Drew Brees had 74.4 completion percentage (364 of 489), highest single-season percentage in NFL history. Brees led league with 115.7 rating in 2018, ranks first in NFL history in career passing yards with 74,437, completions with 6,586, and ranks second in TD passes with 520. …

In five home playoff games, Brees is 116 for 171 (67.8 percent) for 1,529 yards (305.8 per game) and 12 TDs. … Game is Brees’ last before turning 40 on Tuesday. … RB Alvin Kamara ranked second in NFL with 18 scrimmage TDs (14 rushing, 4 receiving) and seventh with 1,592 scrimmage yards in 2018. He has touchdown in each of previous two career playoff games. …

RB Mark Ingram rushed for 97 yards, TD in only career postseason outing on Jan. 4, 2014. … Ingram played in 12 games after starting season on four-game suspension, rushed for 645 yards, six TDs this season. …

WR Michael Thomas led NFL with 125 catches and had franchise single-season record 1,405 yards receiving, surpassing Joe Horn’s 1,399 in 2004. Thomas has 15 receptions for 216 yards, two TDs in two career playoff games. …

DE Cameron Jordan had 12 sacks in 2018, his fourth career 10-plus sack season. He has 3½ sacks, two batted passes in past four postseason games. … LB Demario Davis led team with 110 tackles in first season with Saints. … DT Sheldon Rankins had career-high eight sacks this season.

PHILADELPHIA (10-7) at NEW ORLEANS (13-3)
Sunday, 4:40 p.m. ET, Fox
OPENING LINE — Saints by 10
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Philadelphia 6-9-1, New Orleans 10-6
SERIES RECORD — Eagles lead 17-14
LAST MEETING — Saints beat Eagles 48-7, Nov. 18, 2018
LAST WEEK — Eagles beat Bears, 16-15; Saints had bye, lost to Panthers 33-14 on Dec. 30.
AP PRO32 RANKING — Eagles No. 12, Saints No. 1
EAGLES OFFENSE — OVERALL (14), RUSH (28), PASS (7).
EAGLES DEFENSE — OVERALL (23), RUSH (7), PASS (30).
SAINTS OFFENSE — OVERALL (8), RUSH (6), PASS (12).
SAINTS DEFENSE — OVERALL (14), RUSH (2), PASS (29).

More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/tag/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL