NFL WILD CARD PLAY-OFF GAME PLAY

** NEW ORLEANS   +2.5   at    PHILADELPHIA

The Saints have never won a road play-off game in their history of a franchise and Drew Brees has never won one in his career as an NFL Quarterback.  Well, there is a first time for everything, and it's not like this team and QB are not capable of doing so. The last road play-off game, at the 49ers two years ago, the Saints started off slow and had one of their top RB's, Pierre Thomas, knocked out of the game early.  Drew Brees and the Saints got it going in the second half, and were up very late in the fourth quarter, but just couldn't make a key stop in the end.  Three years ago they went to Seattle, one of the toughest places to play, hobbling and playing with their sixth RB, and playing their third game in 11 days.  They were in that game till the very end as well, and we all know what happened late to end that one.  The earliest one was Payon's first year, in the NFC Championship game in '06, when they got blown out by the Bears, but they had no business even being in that game.  I think they really are due to win just one.  This year they are playing a team that probably shouldn't even be in the play-offs, because if they didn't play in their terrible division, they would probably be 8-8, or maybe even worse.  They only beat one good team this year, and that was the Cardinals at home, who missed the play-offs.  So, they have beaten no play-off teams, and were just average at home, finishing with a 4-4 record.  Let's not forget that the Saints have struggled on the road against teams that had stout D lines, such as the Jets, Rams, Seahawks, and Panthers, because their offensive line couldn't hold up.  They allowed 6 sacks at Carolina and could have and should have still won.  The Eagles do not have a stout defensive line and I do see the Saints being able to get pressure on Nick Foles, as well.  Plus, Philly has holes in their defense, especially the secondary, and I think Sean Payton will have no trouble at all finding ways to exploit them.

PREDICTED SCORE : SAINTS 31  EAGLES  23