USA Today
Five Storylines for Eagles-Packers Matchup
The Packers are a desperate team sitting at 4-7. That makes them dangerous when they play the Eagles (9-1) at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night.
HERE ARE FIVE POTENTIAL STORYLINES
MORE MILES SANDERS
The running back had “only” 47 yards rushing vs. the Colts last week and 54 against the Commanders two weeks ago.
With the Packers’ solid secondary and a defensive line that has some depth issues, this feels like a good game to get Sanders, who has 757 yards on the ground this season, back on track. He had 27 carries for 134 yards in Week 4 vs. the Jaguars, and this feels like a time to get him closer to 100 yards than 50.
Green Bay's run defense is ranked 24th in the league compared to fifth in the passing game.
WHEEL ROUTES
Perhaps one of the answers to an Eagles offense devoid of Dallas Goedert is to get the running backs more involved in the passing game.
The Eagles typically don’t use them in short throws out of the backfield, but why not match Sanders, Kenny Gainwell, or Boston Scott up on a linebacker and let him run by him?
We saw Sanders on a deep route against the Colts and LB Zaire Franklin was beaten so badly that he had no choice but to interfere with Sanders for a 39-yard penalty that was a key play in the Eagles’ game-winning TD drive.
FORCING FUMBLES
The Packers are one of five teams with eight lost fumbles, which is the highest number of lost fumbles in the league. The Eagles have forced a league-best 21 turnovers, with eight of those being fumbles forced and recovered.
Haason Reddick has shown a knack for it. He has three forced fumbles this year. His career high is six in a season, but he hasn’t had one since Week 4 when he forced two vs. Jacksonville. Maybe he’s due.
SHUTDOWN THE 1-2 PUNCH
The Packers have a formidable backfield tandem of Aaron Jones (778 yards, 5.4 yards per run) and AJ Dillon (467, 4.0). It was encouraging last week that the Eagles kept Jonathan Taylor and the Colts’ running game in check last week, allowing just 99 yards on the ground.
If the Eagles can do that against this duo, the chances of winning increase.
Of course, Aaron Rodgers has the ability to overcome a grounded run game but doing it would be more difficult for the 38-yard-old QB who hasn’t been the same player we've seen him be in previous years.
LINVAL AND NDAMUKONG
What will Joseph and Suh do for an encore after the two veterans combined for seven tackles and shared a sack, with Joseph playing 26 snaps and Suh 17 in Indy last week?
“I pride myself on always being able to add value,” said Suh. “It’s the same thing with Linval. We’ve both been talking pretty much since we got together. We just want to go out there and create havoc and add value. That’s most important at the end of the day, being able to not have any drop-off.”
Added Joseph: “My body came through fine. I'm used to playing 60, 70 snaps, so to play only 26 wasn't overly taxing. I'm comfortable in the defense and I'm looking forward to doing what I can to help this team win on Sunday night. That's what I'm here to do."
READ MORE: Countdown to Kickoff: Packers vs. Eagles - Sports Illustrated
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
