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The New Orleans Saints have the luxury of sitting back and watching the first round of playoff football to wait and see which team will be coming to the Dome for the divisional round. As it stands now, there are only three options: the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Seattle Seahawks. Which of those would you prefer the Saints face for their first playoff game of 2019?
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Philadelphia Eagles
As the #6 seed in the NFC, if the Philadelphia Eagles are able to upset the #3 seed Chicago Bears, it won’t matter what happens in the earlier game - the Eagles will be coming to New Orleans.
Philadelphia is one of two options that has already faced the Saints in 2018, and the only one of those two teams that the Saints have previously beaten. Not only did the Saints beat the defending Super Bowl champs, but the Saints absolutely destroyed them, 48-7.
But the Eagles are a different team with Nick Foles at the helm, it would be Foles, not Carson Wentz, under center for the Eagles this time.
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Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are the other team the Saints have already played, but the Cowboys got the better of the Saints in their matchup: 13-10. The Cowboys won in a low-scoring game, with Ezekiel Elliott going for 135 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. In the game, the Saints sacked Dak Prescott a whopping seven times, but it wasn’t enough.
Their first meeting, when the Cowboys snapped the Saints’ 10-game winning streak, took place in Jerry’s World. A next meeting would happen in New Orleans, so maybe the Saints would have different luck this time. Or maybe not.
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Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks are the one possible option that the Saints haven’t faced this year, and they represent the highest-scoring offense of the three. The Seahawks are the sixth-highest scoring offense, averaging 26.8 points per game (Philadelphia averages 22.9 and Dallas 21.4 for reference).
Most of the Seahawks offense comes in the ground game, though, with Seattle leading the league in total rushing yards, and that could match up well against the Saints #1 ranked rush defense. Correspondingly, the Seahawks have the worse-ranked passing offense of the three options to face off against the Saints 27th ranked pass defense.
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So there you have it! Philadelphia, the team the Saints have already beaten. Dallas, the team the Saints would have a chip on their shoulder to avenge a previous loss. Or Seattle, the team with the offense that matches up best against the Saints defense. Who would you prefer the Saints face in the divisional round? Vote in the poll. Explain in the comments. Send me presents.
Poll
Would you prefer the Saints face in the divisional round in the playoffs?
This poll is closed
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42%
Dallas Cowboys
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40%
Philadelphia Eagles
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16%
Seattle Seahawks