Philadelphia Eagles: 3 Key players to beating Vikings in NFC Championship
2. Zach Ertz
Ertz was perhaps one of the best tight ends in the NFL in 2017. He was a favorite target of Carson Wentz and he really emerged as a bonafide playmaker. Measuring in at 6-5, 250 pounds, Ertz was a matchup nightmare for defenders. The fifth-year pro out of Stanford had a career-year in 2017, catching 74 passes for 824 yards and eight touchdowns.
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In what was a bit of a surprising development, Ertz had a relatively quiet game against the Falcons. He was second on the team in receiving for the game, snagging three passes for 32 yards. Although he may not have reached his usual amount of production, he still made his catches count. Averaging 10.7 yards per catch, he at the very least stretched the field
If the Eagles want to beat the Vikings on Sunday, getting Ertz more involved is a must. It is understood that Philadelphia may have to use him as a blocker in some situations. The Vikings ranked eighth in the NFL in total defense last year, proving they were no slouches in that department.
However, they gave up 403 yards per game and 308 yards per game through the air. Alshon Jeffery should receive a ton of attention from the Viking corners, allowing Ertz to find holes in the defense. Foles needs to feed Ertz the ball if the Eagles want to win this game.