bled list Saturday. He has been sidelined with right shoulder soreness. He played catch Tuesday and is expected to throw off the

PHILADELPHIA — The top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles will compete in their first playoff game in four years when they host the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC divisional round Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles lost MVP candidate Will Grier Jersey , quarterback Carson Wentz, down the stretch but still managed to finish 13-3 and earn the No. 1 seed with backup Nick Foles. Ironically, Foles was the quarterback in 2013 when the Eagles fell to the New Orleans Saints 26-24.

The Falcons received the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC, then promptly traveled to the West Coast and defeated the Los Angeles Rams 26-13 in the wild-card round.

Philadelphia became the first No. 1 seed to open as an underdog in the playoffs. In the last two regular-season games, the offense sputtered under Foles with a 19-10 win over the Oakland Raiders and a 6-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Foles did sit out the majority of the regular season finale against the Cowboys.

“Yeah, there’s going to be wonder,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said when asked how his team will respond in the postseason. “But I’m going to tell you, ‘Listen, these guys are football players.’ I think sometimes the outside, whether it be the media, the fans http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-christian-miller-jersey , can make it bigger than it really is. When you boil it down, it’s football at the end of the day. It’s football at the end of the day. Just go do your job.

“Do what you’ve been coached to do all week long and give it your best effort on Saturday. If it’s good enough, great. If it’s not, then we focus on next season.”

Foles was 4 of 11 for 39 yards and an interception against the Cowboys and struggled to throw the ball downfield. Third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld was 19 of 23 for 134 yards, but the Eagles have repeatedly made it clear that Foles is the starter.

“As much as we and everybody else wants to run the football, you have to be able to stay aggressive in the pass game and get the ball down the field,” Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich said. “Nick has proven that over the length and entirety of his career. He not only can get the ball downfield, he can do so very well. He wants to throw the ball downfield. He’s aggressive in his mindset, as aggressive a guy as I’ve been around. He’s looking to throw it down the field. Some guys are the dink-and-dunk kind of guys. That’s not Nick. Nick is aggressive.

“So we need to be good in the run game and be able to mix in our play-action, take our shots down the field, keep the defense off guard and keep them guessing and that starts with good production on first down Jordan Scarlett Jersey ,” Reich added.

The Falcons, who finished the regular season at 10-6, are preparing for their second road playoff game. Quarterback Matt Ryan (personal reasons) and wide receiver Julio Jones (ankle, ribs) both missed practice Tuesday but are expected to start on Saturday.

Ryan was 21 of 30 for 218 yards and a touchdown in the 13-point win over the Rams. It was his first road playoff win in three starts.

“We’re not here just to get here,” Ryan told reporters. “We want to make noise while we’re here. This is what it’s all about. It’s about giving yourself the opportunity this time of the year to compete and play in games like this, and to win games like this.”

Ryan led Atlanta to the Super Bowl last season in what wound up being a heartbreaking overtime loss to the New England Patriots. He was able to guide the Falcons back to the postseason once again.

“He’s a hell of a competitor, and those of you that know him know the nice guy you see through the media, but in between those white lines, he is a wolf,” Atlanta coach Dan Quinn told ESPN.com. “I love what he stands for as a competitor, and his teammates know that Jonah Williams Jersey , too. I thought there’s all sorts of examples, getting hit and bouncing back up, getting ready for the next one. He really showed that kind of toughness to his teammates.”

Ryan, who was raised in nearby Exton, Pa., and attended Penn Charter High School — is 1-3 all-time against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

The Falcons forced a pair of huge fumbles and turned them into 10 points against the Rams. Kicker Matt Bryant also booted four field goals.

“We know that they’re a good team, and we know that they beat us last year,” Atlanta free safety Ricardo Allen told ESPN.com of the Eagles. “We know we’re going to have to go there and fight.”

Two of the National League’s most promising second-year pitchers square off Wednesday when the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves play for the final time this season.

The Reds will send Luis Castillo (5-8. 5.70 ERA) against the Braves’ Sean Newcomb (8-2, 2.59) in the rubber match of the three-game series in Atlanta. The Braves won 5-4 in 11 innings Monday and the Reds prevailed 5-3 on Tuesday. The season series is even at 3-3.

The Reds have won eight of their last nine games overall and improved to 30-31 since Jim Riggleman took over as manager April 19.

“We are a young team trying to find our identity and who we are,” Riggleman said. “As the season progresses, we would like to see some results in a positive direction http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-drew-sample-jersey , and I think we have that going. Hopefully we can take it into the All-Star break and hopefully pick it back up after.”

The same pitchers met Aug. 20 as rookies last year, with the Braves winning 8-1. Newcomb pitched five scoreless innings and worked around five hits and five walks to earn the win. Castillo allowed two runs in four innings, striking out eight.

Castillo, 25, will make his 17th start of the season and his second career appearance against the Braves. He pitched well in his last start, a win over the Chicago Cubs that saw him give up three runs in 5 2/3 innings, with five strikeouts.

The promising right-hander is trying to survive a rocky June, which has seen him go 1-3 with a 6.33 ERA in four starts. He was 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA in six May starts.

Newcomb is 6-0 in starts following an Atlanta loss. He has allowed one run over 13 innings in his last two outings. He gave up one run in seven innings against Baltimore on Friday but did not receive a decision.

Newcomb has made two career starts against the Reds, going 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA. In an April 26 start against Cincinnati this season, Newcomb gave up four runs in six innings and did not get a decision in the Braves’ 7-4 win.

Atlanta is awaiting to learn the condition of Anibal Sanchez, who has been the team’s surprising addition to the rotation. The veteran left Tuesday’s game after 4 2/3 innings with cramps in his right calf.

“Cramping in his calf Germaine Pratt Jersey ,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “Once it starts like that, it’s going to take all night. It was his landing leg. He wasn’t going to be able to go. But he should be fine.”

The Braves said they expect to get closer Arodys Vizcaino back from the disabled list Saturday. He has been sidelined with right shoulder soreness. He played catch Tuesday and is expected to throw off the mound Friday.

“I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be ready when his time is up,” Snitker said.

After an open date Thursday, Atlanta begins a difficult road trip that takes the Braves to play the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers.

The Reds continue their road trip with a four-game series against the Brewers that begins Thursday.