Packers vs. matchup preview Eagles Wild Card

Every now and then we get a fantastic Wild Card matchup between two teams, each with Super Bowl hopes.

This year, the clash will take place between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers. The Packers’ offense is one of the best units in the game, combining an explosive passing game with a running game that ranks among the best in the sport. They’re going up against an Eagles team that more or less does one thing offensively, but it does that one thing much better than everyone else.

Can the Packers offense overcome a formidable defensive challenge? Or will it be too difficult for them to focus on the runs in Philadelphia? Let’s break it down.

The story of the tape: The Eagles won their only game this season in a 34-29 shootout in Week 1.

Eagles Attack: The Eagles do more or less one thing, but they do it INCREDIBLY well. Philly loves to run the football; they have the second-most yards and touchdowns of any team in the NFL and rank fifth in yards per carry. Running back Saquon Barkley was truly outstanding, gaining 2,005 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, and quarterback Jalen Hurts added another 630 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. Both Phillies have dynamic forwards that keep defenses on their toes and make them extremely difficult to stop.

And that’s good, because the Eagles’ passing leaves much to be desired. They rank 29th in passing yards (ahead of only the Bears, Panthers and Patriots) and 12th in passing touchdowns. This isn’t for lack of talent; wingers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are legitimate stars who can open games.

The problem for the Eagles is that Hurts often has trouble establishing contact with his wingers; when they click, you get plays like his 270-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15. When that doesn’t happen, you have Week 14 against the Carolina Panthers, when the Eagles threw for just 83 yards in the game victory.

Eagles Defense: The Eagles went from one of the NFL’s worst defenses last season to one of the best in 2024. They rank second in scoring and first in yards allowed. Philly’s pass defense is particularly stingy; they allowed the fewest yards in the NFL and just 22 passing touchdowns on the year. What’s even more impressive is that they’re middle of the pack in the rankings, so they basically eliminate teams.

The Eagles are slightly worse in the run game, ranking 12th in yards allowed, but have allowed just nine rushing touchdowns and rank fifth in red zone touchdown percentage. Basically, the Eagles want to shut you down and then run you over, and they are INCREDIBLY good at doing both.

Path to victory: Run it early, run it often and make some deep passes. Get up early and force the Packers to rush to your defense. Control this game early and the Eagles will be in good shape.

Packers’ crime: Want to see an attack that is one of the most balanced in all of football? Then Green Bay Packers football is for you! The Packers rank eighth in scoring and fifth in total yards this season, but unlike Philly, their running and passing have been excellent. They rank 12th in passing yards and 10th in touchdowns, while also ranking fifth in both rushing yards and touchdowns.

Point guard Jordan Love distributes the ball frequently; four pass catchers have at least 600 receiving yards, including wide receivers Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Christian Watson, as well as Tight End Tucker Kraft. After suffering, Watson was done for the year season-ending knee injury in Week 18, eliminating a major threat to Green Bay.

But Pack isn’t just a one-trick pony; Running back Josh Jacobs has been an absolute star this season, rushing for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground, while Emmanuel Wilson had a 500-yard rushing game of his own. It’s an offense without many flaws that can score on almost anyone.

Packers Defense: Green Bay ranks sixth in scoring defense and fifth in total yards allowed. Much like the offense, there isn’t much difference between the pass defense (13th in yards, 10th in TDs allowed) and the run defense (seventh in yards, 13th in TDs allowed). They can defend patiently (they rank second to last in the NFL in rushing offense, throwing more than four teams on just 17.3% of snaps) while relying on the secondary to help them rack up 45 sacks a year. That second-place finish also helped them toss 17 interceptions on the year, third-most in the NFL.

If Green Bay has a weakness, it’s probably its red zone defense; they rank just 20th in red zone touchdown percentage.

Path to victory: The defense needs to play much better than they did against the Eagles earlier in the season, and their best way to win this game is to take the lead. Philly’s offense is so run-oriented that they’ll have a hard time catching up if they have to throw, and Green Bay has the offensive firepower to help them if it ends in a shootout.

Verdict: A heavyweight fight can be expected in this fight. Both teams have ideas for a deep playoff and have the talent to make it happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Packers win this fight, but I think the Eagles will ultimately come out on top.