The Philadelphia Eagles sit one game away from notching another Super Bowl appearance. This is the Eagles’ eighth NFC Championship Game appearance since 2000.
This matchup comes against the Washington Commanders, who are the Eagles’ bitter rivals in the NFC East. Going into the Divisional Round, there were a lot of questions around the Eagles’ LB core. Nakobe Dean went down with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee in the win over the Green Bay Packers.
With Dean done for the rest of the season, many people believed that rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was going to step in. On Jan. 14, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said, “Trot has a good future and that future may be now.” Many people believed that Trotter Jr. would help fill in for Dean but instead, it was Oren Burks who stepped up.
In the win over the Rams, Burks had six total tackles, two TFLs, one QB hit, and one pass deflection. The 29-year-old made critical plays for the Eagles in the victory. In the fourth quarter with 4:54 left in the game, Burks made a pivotal pass deflection on third down, forcing them to punt.
On the next Eagles offensive possession, Saquon Barkley scored a 78-yard rushing touchdown, putting Philadelphia up 28-15.
He also excelled in coverage, allowing two catches for 17 yards per PFF. The Vanderbilt product also showcased his speed and play recognition in the open field to make a tackle on running back Kyren Williams.
Burks took advantage of the uptick in snaps and played some outstanding football. The 2018 third-round pick made it clear that he was the right person to be out there.
Although it was the plan for Trotter Jr. to get some snaps in the Divisional Round, Burks’s stellar play kept him on the sideline. Plans can change on the fly, and it played in the Eagles’ favor.
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