This coming Sunday kicks off the NFL playoffs with two teams coming out of the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cowboys secured the number three spot facing the 49ers in the Wild Card round and according to insidethestar.com, the 49ers are favored to win the game. The 49ers offense has many key players such as Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk, along with their running game being ranked 5th in the league. According to Keiana Martin, journalist and broadcaster for the 49ers, they have won six of their last nine games on the road, therefore the winning streak could give San Francisco the edge on the upcoming game. 

With that being said, the Cowboys’ defense is something that the 49ers will have to plan for. The Cowboys’ defense is solid across the board having all-around players such as Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence and Trevon Diggs, who leads the NFL in interceptions. In addition to their strong defense, their offensive weapons such as Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Ezekiel Elliot and Dak Prescott dominate defenses with the number one ranked offense. Prescott’s focus is securing the teams’ aspirations of a football run one game at a time. He realizes the regular season is now behind them, and the experience was great, but now it’s time to focus on the tough game ahead. 

“You’ve got to turn the page,” Prescott said following their final regular season game against Arizona last Sunday. “You can’t hang your hat on the regular season or 12 wins or winning the division, because none of it matters.” Two teams with great balance among the offense and defense going head-to-head for a chance to win the Super Bowl will be an exciting match.

On the other side of the NFC East, the Philadelphia Eagles will fly out to Tampa Bay facing off the Buccaneers. Head coach Nick Sirianni believes that they have a great chance of winning Sunday’s game with preparation and film study, according to The Philly Inquirer. 

“We’re very excited for the opportunity our team has to go out there and to be one of the few teams that get in the playoffs and to be able to play for everyone’s goal,” Sirianni told the Inq. “We’re going to prepare like crazy for this game. … We’re going to stay the same way. That’s my philosophy, that’s how I was raised in this business, and I think that’s what good coaching is.” 

Sirianni believes his methods and strategies will persevere through the game on Sunday. In the past few games, staying on the ground allowed them to obtain more scrimmage yards, and open the passing game when needed. Yet, the Buccaneers’ front four on the defensive line are hard to get by so the dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts will need to protect himself from huge hits that can possibly lead to injury. In addition, running back Miles Sanders will need to use his awareness and elusiveness to continue the run game. Knowing the Buccaneers are the defending Super Bowl champions, and striving for another big win, the Eagles are determined to be a different team from week six. 

The NFC East has a shot for making a name for itself again with short seasons in past years. Both teams will need to eliminate mistakes regardless of some injured players who are key to the success of the teams. In addition, mental lapses must be minimal in order to come out with a victory and move forward in the playoffs.