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Green Bay (11-6) will face Philadelphia (14-3) this Sunday at 4:30 p.m. EST on Fox. The Eagles are favored by 4.5 points according to BetMGM. The Packers have had a record of 9-8 against the spread, while the Eagles are at 11-6. Historically, Green Bay leads the regular-season series with a 27-17 tally, but Philadelphia has triumphed in two out of three playoff encounters, all of which took place in Philadelphia. Their most recent meeting was a thrilling matchup on September 6, where the Eagles edged out the Packers 34-29 during the season opener held in São Paulo, Brazil.
In the last week of games, the Packers suffered a narrow defeat against the Bears, losing 24-22. Conversely, the Eagles secured a victory against the Giants with a score of 20-13, though they rested many of their starters, as the outcome did not affect their playoff position. Evaluating their defenses, the Packers rank fifth overall (fifth against the run, twelfth against the pass, and eighth in scoring). Meanwhile, Philadelphia boasts a top-ranked defense with a tenth place for run defense, first for pass defense, and second in scoring.
When it comes to turnovers, the Packers hold a plus-12 differential, slightly ahead of the Eagles with a plus-11. A significant player to monitor for the Packers is rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed. He stood out during the previous matchup against the Eagles, recording four receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown, along with a 33-yard touchdown run. Unfortunately, he has been less prominent since, particularly after a fumble in the recent game against the Bears. With fellow receiver Christian Watson sidelined due to a torn ACL, Reed plays a critical role in the Packers’ passing game.
On the Eagles’ side, running back Saquon Barkley is making his return after taking a rest in the last game. He finished the season just 101 yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s long-standing single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. In a standout performance against the Cowboys two weeks prior, Barkley managed to rush for 167 yards, becoming the ninth player in NFL history to achieve over 2,000 yards in a season.
A key area of focus will be the matchup between Green Bay’s defense and Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts. Assuming Hurts is cleared to play following his concussion sustained on December 22 against Washington, the Packers will aim to challenge him early in the game. Their best chance for success hinges on limiting his mobility and keeping him confined in the pocket.
On the injury front, Packers quarterback Jordan Love sustained an elbow injury during the game against Chicago and did not return. He was limited in practice on Wednesday but expressed an optimistic outlook for playing this Sunday. The Packers also face significant losses with cornerback Jaire Alexander recovering from knee surgery and defensive starters linebacker Quay Walker and safety Evan Williams missing the last three games.
For the Eagles, Hurts did not suit up against the Cowboys and exited early in the game against Washington due to a concussion. He practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday. Also limited were wideout A.J. Brown, who is dealing with a knee issue, along with quarterback Kenny Pickett and running back Will Shipley, both battling rib and ankle injuries, respectively.
In terms of historical context, Green Bay boasts a three-game winning streak on the road during the wild-card round, dating back to a pivotal victory over Philadelphia that sparked their 2010 Super Bowl run. This game marks the Packers’ 37th playoff appearance, which is a record for any franchise in the NFL, while their 37 playoff victories are second only to the San Francisco 49ers. The Packers have made the playoffs 16 times post-2002, a league high, with five of those occurring since Matt LaFleur became head coach in 2019, trailing only Buffalo and Kansas City who have achieved six each.
Noteworthy statistics indicate Jordan Love’s impressive 157.2 passer rating during last year’s wild-card victory at Dallas, tying for the highest rating ever in a quarterback’s first playoff start, and ranking first among all quarterbacks in road starts. This will be the second time the Packers have faced a team with 14 wins in the playoffs, having suffered a loss to the St. Louis Rams in 2001. Pro Bowl safety Xavier McKinney has four interceptions against the Eagles in five contests, while running back Josh Jacobs finished the season with eight consecutive games scoring rushing touchdowns, a record for the Packers. Additionally, the Packers allowed just 3.96 yards per carry, their best defensive mark since 2017, while Philadelphia set a single-season franchise record with 3,048 rushing yards, falling short of the 2022 record of 477 by just 15 points. Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson matched his career-best with six interceptions, while linebacker Josh Sweat led the Eagles in sacks with eight.
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