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2019 NFL Wild Card weekend: Top 5 takeaways from Round 1 of playoffs

By Peter Panacy

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 05: Michael Gallup #13 of the Dallas Cowboys comes down with the touchdown reception against Shaquill Griffin #26 of the Seattle Seahawks in the second quarter during the Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium on January 05, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 05: Michael Gallup #13 of the Dallas Cowboys comes down with the touchdown reception against Shaquill Griffin #26 of the Seattle Seahawks in the second quarter during the Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium on January 05, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 06: Nick Foles #9 of the Philadelphia Eagles passes against the Chicago Bears in the third quarter of the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Soldier Field on January 06, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 06: Nick Foles #9 of the Philadelphia Eagles passes against the Chicago Bears in the third quarter of the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Soldier Field on January 06, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Playoff Eagles > Regular-Season Eagles

OK, feel bad for the Bears’ Cody Parkey. But that doesn’t change the fact that, for whatever the reasons, the playoff version of the Eagles are vastly different than anything witnessed in the regular season.

Same with quarterback Nick Foles, who again is taking over from Carson Wentz, and had to lead Philly to three straight wins to close out the regular season to get to 9-7 and scratch into the postseason.

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Oh, and two of those closeout regular-season wins came against playoff-bound teams, the Rams and Texans. And while Foles wasn’t great in Chicago, tossing two touchdowns against two interceptions, he didn’t have to be. All Foles does is win down the stretch, right?

The Eagles’ 16-15 win over the Bears in Chicago felt a lot like what they were doing en route to victory in Super Bowl LII. The Bears couldn’t get their offensive staple, the running game going, rushing to the tune of 65 yards and an average of 3.6 yards per carry. Philadelphia’s ability to stop Chicago tailbacks Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen forced quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to pass. And that’s not the Bears’ strength on that side of the ball.

Just like their playoff run a year ago, the Eagles simply wouldn’t let opposing offenses move the ball with any sort of regularity. Impressive, especially when one considers all the changes Philly went through within the secondary.

Next. 49ers' top 10 plays of the 2018 season. dark

Oh, and kudos to veteran Eagles tackle Jason Peters, who essentially kept Bears EDGE Khalil Mack from being a massive X-factor in the game.