Eagles-Packers: Playoff Preview With Players To Watch, Final Score Prediction

PHILADELPHIA – These are two different teams the last time they met four months ago. That point has been made over and over by coaches and players all week long.

It sure was fun, though, when the Eagles and Packers hooked up in Brazil. on Sept. 6 in the season opener. There were seven lead changes with the Eagles taking the final one to win, 34-29. Soon, we will see what round 2 has in store when they meet again on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field (4:30 p.m./FOX).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jake Elliott. The kicker has struggled most of the season. In a game that could be close, a make or miss by him could determine the outcome.

Jalen Hurts. We haven’t seen the Eagles’ quarterback since Dec. 22 when he left after 11 snaps with a concussion against the Commanders. Neither have his receivers. Will that impact their timing together?

Saquon Barkley. The Packers haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher since Week 7 when Cincinnati’s Joe Mixon had 125. They’ve only let that happen three times previous to that – Los Angeles’ Kyren Williams had 102 in Week 5, Indy’s Jonathan Taylor had 101 in Week 2, and Barkley had 109 in Week 1. It will be a challenge, but the Eagles will try to run. This could be a 30-carry game for the Eagles’ superstar back.

Josh Jacobs. Think the Packers running back has a little chip on his shoulder after being overshadowed all season by Barkley and Derrick Henry? He ran for the sixth-most yards in the league with 1,329 and second in touchdowns with 15 rushing. Jacobs makes the Packers’ offense tick, and the Eagles are going to have to deal with him first and foremost.

Lane Johnson. The Eagles’ right tackle was snubbed for All-Pro first team honors in favor of the Lions’ Penei Sewell, and if you don’t think he was, there was a photo of the two players’ stats that clearly showed Johnson had the better season. That could provide some added motivation as he tries to prevent Green Bay’s Rashan Gary from doing any damage.

A.J. Brown. The second-team All-Pro talked about how his knee is banged up but will play anyway. Despite missing four games, he has five games of 100-plus receiving yards, which is tied for most in the NFL. The Packers’ best cornerback, Jaire Alexander, is out, so Brown should see plenty of targets.

Zack Baun. The first-team All-Pro linebacker was third in the league in tackles this season with 150. Fifteen of those came against the Packers in Week 1.

THINGS TO KNOW

-DeVonta Smith is a playoff performer. The Eagles receiver is a postseason performer. His 86.3 yards per game in the playoffs since 2022 are the second-most in the league behind the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce (87.4) in a minimum of four games.

-The Eagles have the third-most playoff berths in the NFL since 2000 with 17 and, since 2002, they have won the fourth-most division titles in the league behind New England (14), Green Bay (12), and Kansas City (12).

-The Eagles are 0-3 at home in wildcard games since their last win, when Jeff Garcia and Brian Westbrook dispatched Eli Manning and the Giants in 2006.

PREDICTION

Statistically speaking, these two teams are very evenly matched. The Eagles, though, aren’t coming into this game with the self-doubt that had to creep in after the Packers lost last week at home to a Bears team that had lost 10 in a row. Green Bay has underachieved all season and is not the same team that went into Dallas and stunned the Cowboys in the wildcard round last year.

Eagles 28, Packers 20

Regular season record: 10-7

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