Packers vs. Eagles: Preview, Prediction

The Green Bay Packers (11-6) and Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) meet Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in the NFC Wild Card Round. The Packers, last year’s first-ever No. 7 seed to win a playoff game, aim to repeat the feat against the second-seeded NFC East champion Eagles.

The Packers dropped their final two regular-season games, while the Eagles closed strong, winning 12 of their last 13. The teams previously faced off in Week 1 in Brazil, where the Eagles prevailed 34-29 in a back-and-forth contest.

Both teams have evolved since that opener. Packers rookies Edgerrin Cooper and Evan Williams, who played sparingly in Brazil, are now defensive cornerstones, while injuries have sidelined key players like Christian Watson and Jaire Alexander. The Eagles, fully healthy, bolstered their defense with standout rookie Cooper DeJean.

Quarterback play looms large. Packers QB Jordan Love is recovering from an elbow injury and has struggled of late, while Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, returning from a concussion, hasn’t played a full game since mid-December. 

Turnovers could decide the game. Green Bay ranked fourth in takeaways (31) and was 9-1 when winning the turnover battle. The Eagles, sixth in takeaways (26), were 8-0 in such games. Love has avoided turnovers since November, and Hurts threw just three interceptions in his last 14 games. Still, turnovers are often the key to playoff upsets, as the Packers proved in last year’s postseason.

The Packers have the talent to beat anyone, including the Eagles, with a playmaking quarterback, a strong run game and a turnover-driven defense. However, their season has been plagued by costly mistakes, especially in big moments on the road. To win, they’ll need flawless execution, while one self-inflicted error could once again prove their undoing.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Packers 24

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