Eagles Opponent Profile: Packers Bring Road Struggles To Philly For Monday Night Football
By Kevin McGuire
Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers are fighting for their playoff lives as the two longtime foes prepare for Monday Night Football in Philadelphia. The Packers have been frustrating on defense, while the Eagles have had fans pulling their hair out over the offense. Something has to give, right?
Here is a look at this week's opponent for the Eagles: The Green Bay Packers.
Packers Season Record: 4-6
The Packers are on a bit of a slide right now with four straight losses, and have fallen to 4-6. Green Bay lost on the road on Sunday night at Washington as things fell off the rails in the fourth quarter. Green Bay is just 1-4 on the road this season and their only win away from Lambeau Field came in the season opener at Jacksonville by a 27-23 decision. The Eagles are undefeated at home in Lincoln Financial Field this season.
The Packers lead the all-time series against the Eagles with a 26-14 advantage in head-to-head matchups, including a pair of wins the last two times the Packers visited Philadelphia in 2010 and 2011. The Eagles have lost four of the last five meetings against Green Bay, dating back to the 2007 season.
Packers on Offense
Aaron Rodgers continues to put up big numbers through the air, though his supporting cast and a possible downward trajectory for his career have led to a lack of consistency. Rodgers sometimes lacks the ability to make a big play late in the game when needed.
The QB has been picked off seven times and has thrown for 2,761 yards, with Davante Adams leading the team with 663 receiving yards. The Packers should find room to throw against the Eagles secondary, which has lacked the ability to tackle this season. Green Bay's running game is average, with Eddie Lacy on the injured reserve list. Rodgers is actually the leading rusher on the team (not counting Lacy's 360 yards in five games) with 259 yards and all three rushing touchdowns by the Packers this season.
Packers on Defense
The Packers have done well against the run this season, holding opponents to 91.1 rushing yards per game to rank in the top 10 in the NFL this season. That said, the Packers' opponents have taken to the air with little reason to feel threatened. Green Bay has given up an average of 265.6 yards per game to opposing passing attacks, ranking them 23rd in the league heading into the week. The Packers do have seven interceptions this season, and they should be capable of putting pressure on Carson Wentz—GB has 24.0 sacks on the season, with linebacker Nick Perry leading the pack with seven.
Packers Players to Watch
Randall Cobb, Wide Receiver: The veteran receiver continues to be a fixture on Green Bay's offense, but his production tends to have ups and downs. Two of his three best games for receiving have come against NFC East opponents New York and Washington. Against the Eagles, he could keep that trend going.
Damarious Randall, Cornerback: Randall has missed six of the last seven games due to a groin injury, but the Packers hope there is a chance he can return to the starting lineup on Monday night after undergoing surgery a month ago.
Outlook
The Eagles may be a young team looking to overcome talent deficiencies at key positions like wide receiver, but the Packers are also wounded coming into this matchup. Green Bay has looked horrible on the road this season, while the Eagles have yet to lose a game in The Linc this season.
The trends would appear to be in Philadelphia's favor, although that could flip the other way if Rodgers can get in a rhythm with his receivers and get any support from the running game without resorting to doing it himself. The Eagles are due for a rebound though, and this Green Bay defense may allow that to happen. As bad as the Packers have been on defense, the Eagles' passing game may be worse. This one could be a rough game to watch from start to finish.
