The performances of the four quarterbacks could decide which two teams advance from this weekend's Divisional Round matchups to the NFC Championship Game.
Daniel Jones was a stud in the New York Giants' upset of the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday, but can he replicate it when faced by a fearsome Philadelphia Eagles defensive front?
And can Brock Purdy continue to play with composure beyond his experience when the San Francisco 49ers host a Dallas Cowboys team seeking revenge for last year's playoff elimination?
Jones holds the key
| What | New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles |
| Where | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| When | 8.15 p.m. ET/5.15 p.m. PT Saturday, January 21st, 2023 |
| How to watch | Fox, Streaming via FuboTV |
| Odds | NY Giants +280, PHI Eagles -360 |
Jones threw for more than 300 yards and two touchdowns while adding more than 70 yards with his legs in Minneapolis last weekend, but the Eagles present a much tougher test.
Philadelphia successfully stifled Big Blue's offense in both of the regular season meetings between the NFC East rivals, although the Giants rested most of their starters in the Week 18 one.
Jalen Hurts will be back under center for the home team and they should be fully rested up after their bye week.
Right tackle Lane Johnson is reportedly ready to play, which will help the Eagles protect Hurts from a dangerous Giants pass rush and enable some play-action opportunities to develop.
On the other side of the ball, the Eagles' defense should be the key to victory as they match up well to an inconsistent Giants' offensive line and a receiving corps that may be without Isaiah Hodgins.
New York's breakout star tallied eight catches for 105 yards on his playoff debut despite injuring his ankle during Saturday's walkthrough but is questionable to play in Philly.
Running game could help Giants
The Giants might be able to run the ball against the Eagles, with Saquon Barkley showing he had plenty of juice left last week.
But they will need to pass eventually and that is when Jones is going to have to come up big once more.
Although the Eagles should win, the Giants are worth taking to cover the +7.5 point Spread in this spot at -110.
Brian Daboll's team have covered in 14 of their 18 games this year and keep on surprising the handicappers.
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All eyes on Purdy
| What | Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers |
| Where | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California |
| When | 6.30 p.m. ET/3.30 p.m PT Sunday, January 22nd, 202 |
| How to watch | CBS, Streaming via Paramount+, FuboTV |
| Odds | DAL Cowboys +170 SF 49ers -200 |
The San Francisco 49ers' defense was made to look a little ordinary for a time by the Seattle Seahawks in last Saturday's Wild Card weekend clash, but after a tight first half, Kyle Shanahan's team scored 25 unanswered points to pull away to a 41-23 victory.
Rookie QB Brock Purdy appeared to show some big-stage nerves for the first time in his young career. But he turned it around too, going 9-of-11 for 185 yards with two passing touchdowns and a rushing score after the interval.
After thriving under the pressure that the Arizona Cardinals brought in Week 18, Purdy again coped with what the Seahawks dialed up and was sacked only once at Levi's Stadium.
It even led Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll to liken Purdy to legendary Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton after the game.
The Cowboys found a nice offensive rhythm in beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road last Monday, with triggerman Dak Prescott making all the throws he needed to.
Travelling to the other end of the country on a short week will be a challenge - as will the Niners' top-ranked defense.
But the Dallas offense should be able to move the ball behind Tony Pollard, who has been working through a thigh injury in the past few weeks.
It will probably come down to how Purdy handles the Dallas pressure and the wrinkles that Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn can create to confuse him.
49ers defense requires improvement
This will be the best defense the rookie has faced in his short pro career, but betting against him has been pretty futile during the Niners' current 11-game winning streak.
The 46.5 point Total has scope to go Over at -110 as San Francisco's defense has begun to leak a few more touchdowns than usual in recent games - 11 in their last four.
The Niners have hit the Over in more than 50% of their games and it exceeds 60% in the weeks following a victory.
