The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t played well over the last three weeks and yet they sit at a very prominent 9-1 as we near the home stretch of the NFL season. Of course, while the team has enjoyed excellent success early this season, it’s pretty clear that they can’t rest on their laurels.
The Minnesota Vikings sit a game and a half back of the top seed in the NFC playoffs, while the Cowboys sit just two games behind them for the division title. Every game means something more now as we get closer to December.
Sunday’s opponent for Philly isn’t a walk in the park either. The Green Bay Packers may be struggling to pull out wins this season, but they still have a ton of talent including a future hall-of-fame quarterback. If the Eagles want to remain on top of the NFC, finding ways to win these difficult matchups will be key.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Green Bay Packers.
Green Bay Packers (4-7)
Last Game: 27-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans
Offensive Ranking: 15th
Defensive Ranking: 14th
Head-to-Head Matchup: Green Bay leads the series 28-17
Green Bay Packers Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Matt LaFleur
Offensive Coordinator: Adam Stenavich
Defensive Coordinator: Joe Barry
Special Teams Coordinator: Rich Bisaccia
Offense
The Packers gave the richest per-year contract in NFL history to Aaron Rodgers in the offseason and, because of that, had to give up Davante Adams to fit under the cap. Green Bay still has plenty of weapons though even if they aren’t the same offense. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon are two of the best 1-2 punches in football and can make a poor tackling team like the Eagles pay dearly.
It’s a massive issue that will need to be solved. On the outside, the Eagles’ secondary is better than the Packers’ receiving core but that all depends on what Jonathan Gannon does in coverage. If he has Darius Slay playing off, a deep threat like Christian Watson will feast all day underneath. Pressure will be a major key.
Defense
Green Bay’s defense may not be the top unit it was over the last few seasons, but they are still good enough to win games if offenses aren’t careful. The Dallas Cowboys learned that the hard way just a few weeks ago. The Packers are a top-five unit against the pass but just 25th against the rush.
For an Eagles team that runs the ball better than most teams in the NFL, it’s clear what the game plan is. The only concern will be if the offensive coaches try to deviate from the obvious. Jalen Hurts has played mistake-free football all season even with the Eagles offense as a whole turning the ball over six times in the last two games. That can’t happen or else Green Bay will pull off the upset.
Injuries
Questionable: David Bakhtiari, Shemar Jean-Charles
Doubtful: De’Vondre Campbell
X-Factor: Aaron Rodgers
Which Aaron Rodgers are we going to see on Sunday night? That’s the question that will be the focus of almost every major fan and analyst going into the game. Rodgers was excellent against Dallas but was completely overwhelmed against Tennessee. For Philadelphia, the key is simple: keep Rodgers in the pocket and put consistent pressure on him.
Aaron Rodgers is unique in comparison to a quarterback like Tom Brady who struggles with interior pressure. That doesn’t mean he is impossible to defend. Disguised coverages by the Eagles defense, and an increase in physicality will most certainly put the Packers’ offense on their heels.
Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire
