Eagles and Packers Gear Up for Primetime NFC Brawl

This upcoming Monday, November 10th, the Eagles are heading out to Green Bay to face NFC rivals, the Packers. The teams have met 49 times in history—four in the postseason—and the Packers lead the series 29-20 since 1933. The last time they met, however, Philadelphia dominated the Packers for a Wild Card win last January. The loss was followed by Packer’s president and CEO, Mark Murphy, leading the charge to ban the Eagles' signature play, the Tush-Push. Indeed, this is not something the Birds have forgotten, and this animosity could fuel a Monday Night brawl. Early in the season, the Packers were discussed as the NFC's team to beat, but now that Week Ten is here, how will they fare against the reigning Super Bowl Champions?

The Eagles will be fresh off a bye week come Monday, and during their time off, they have worked to heal and strengthen their defense. This matchup is expected to be Brandon Graham's first game back from retirement, while an injured Nolan Smith has been cleared to get some snaps in at practice. Before the trade deadline last Tuesday, Philadelphia bolstered their defense with corners Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. While Philadelphia has been healing and building, the Packers were hit with two major offensive injuries. Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden exited the game last week with a shoulder injury, and his status for Monday, as of now, is unknown. A more pressing concern for the offense is the status of breakout tight end Tucker Kraft, who is out for the season with an ACL tear. 

While dealing with injuries, the Packers are also searching for answers this week after losing to the Panthers in Week Nine, a team that they are well-suited to have beaten. Last week, Jordan Love had a 70% completion rate and threw for 273 yards. He did not have a single touchdown pass but was intercepted once. Green Bay went one for five in the red zone, with one rushing touchdown from Josh Jacobs. The RB finished with 87 yards over 17 carries, and the team averaged 4.2 yards per carry. The Eagles have limited running backs to that average this season, but are currently ranked 19th in rushing defense by yards allowed per game. As for the wide receivers, Romeo Doubs earned 91 yards over his seven catches, while Christian Watson caught half of his targets for 58 yards. Second-string tight end Luke Musgrave replaced Kraft shortly after halftime and finished with 34 yards over three targets. The Eagles' secondary has been vulnerable to moving the chains this season, but with possible upcoming shifts in defense, tighter coverage should be expected from the well-rested Eagles. 

Meanwhile, Philadelphia's offense has been inconsistent since Week One, but over their past two wins, both the passing and rushing games have had breakthroughs. In Week Seven, Jalen Hurts threw for 326 yards, his season high by a wide margin. Both AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith broke 100 receiving yards for the second time each this season, and Smith set a career record. In Week Eight against the Giants, Hurts only notched 176 yards, but had four touchdown passes. To supplement the passing attack, the Birds earned 276 yards on the ground—150 yards for Saquon Barkley and 104 yards for Tank Bigsby. However, this season, the Eagles have struggled to convert on third downs, while the Packers are ranked sixth in the league on third-down defense. Despite some offensive success, the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive line has not protected Hurts well—he is the fourth-most-sacked quarterback in the league this season. If the Packers can capitalize on the weakness in the trenches, stopping the run game and pressuring Hurts can be a deciding factor in Monday's game. 

Philadelphia will enter Week Ten well-rested and ready to push forward, while Green Bay will be fueled by lingering frustration over their playoff loss. The Eagles lead the league in success inside the 20 and have the fewest offensive turnovers of any team, but Green Bay's only loss at home came last week, which very well may give them the edge this week. The Eagles were forced into a bye week after finding the only offensive momentum fans have seen this season, and whether they can pick up where they left off is questionable. With two of the NFC's best going head-to-head in Week Ten, expect a defensive battle with few explosive plays that swing the fate of the game.