NFL-best 9-1 Eagles host slumping Packers
Various Sources
GREEN BAY (4-7) at PHILADELPHIA (9-1)
DAY/TIME/TV: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC
SERIES RECORD: Packers lead 28-17.
LAST MEETING: Packers defeated Eagles 30-16 on Dec. 6, 2020, in Green Bay.
LAST WEEK: Packers lost to Titans on Thursday, Nov. 17. Eagles won at Indianapolis 17-16 on Sunday.
EAGLES OFFENSE: OVERALL (5), RUSH (6), PASS (12), SCORING (4).
EAGLES DEFENSE: OVERALL (2), RUSH (19), PASS (2), SCORING (7).
PACKERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (14), PASS (19), SCORING (26).
PACKERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (14), RUSH (24), PASS (5), SCORING (16).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Packers minus-4; Eagles plus-12.
The Eagles are trying to make Green Bay's playoff hopes fade to black.
Philadelphia is flying high as the best team in the NFL with a 9-1 record, a pretty good mark in any season, but one historically in franchise history that has steered the Eagles on a path toward greatness.
Led by MVP candidate Jalen Hurts, the Eagles joined the 1949, 1960, 1980, 2004 and 2017 teams as the only ones in team history that opened the season 9-1. That's some pretty heady company. Each of those teams reached a championship game.
The 1949 and 1960 teams won NFL championships and the 2017 team won the franchise's first Super Bowl. The Eagles lost the Super Bowl in the 1980 and 2004 seasons.
NEXT UP, A BLACKOUT
The Eagles are set to debut all-black helmets Sunday night when they host the Green Bay Packers (4-7).
The three-time defending NFC North champion Packers have lost six of seven games and might need to win each of their final six regular-season contests just to make the playoffs.
Philadelphia's black helmets will be paired with black jerseys and black pants for a unique look for a franchise synonymous with green.
For the rest of the NFL this season, green with envy.
And the Eagles know it. Coach Nick Sirianni went so far after last week's win over Indianapolis to dedicate the win to Frank Reich, the recently fired Colts coach who gave Sirianni his big break as offensive coordinator in Indy.
"They've added some pieces this year and it's really helped them," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. "And I think a lot of their great players are playing at a really great level. I mean, you look no further than they're led by Jalen Hurts, and I mean he's playing at an MVP-type level."
There's little dearth of motivation for the Eagles, and Sirianni has yet to feel like his team needs much more than his usual Saturday night pep talk in the team meeting. The Eagles are the toast of the town and DeVonta Smith, Miles Sanders and Darius Slay were among the members that received a roaring ovation when they attended a 76ers game this week.
It helps to enjoy the week when a player like Hurts at times makes wins look easy.
Hurts continued his MVP-level season when he capped Philadelphia's fourth-quarter comeback from a 10-point hole with a 7-yard TD run on a draw play with 1:20 remaining. Hurts rushed for a team-best 86 yards in addition to the touchdown to increase his season totals on the ground to 440 yards and eight TDs. Combined with his 2,407 yards passing, Hurts ranks fourth in the NFL in total yards (2,847) and he also is fourth in total TDs (23).
Contrast those numbers to those for Rodgers, who is still fourth in the NFL with 19 TD passes, and sixth in both passing yards (2,542) and completions (243). Rodgers, who will turn 39 on Dec. 2, has 13 TDs and four interceptions over the last seven games, six of which have been defeats.
The dropoff is steep in Green Bay after the Packers won 13 games in each of the first three seasons under fourth-year coach Matt LaFleur.
Rodgers has four MVP awards. Hurts wants to win his first and his offensive coordinator has stumped on his QB's behalf.
"Yeah, the way he's playing right now, absolutely," Shane Steichen said. "When we needed to come up with big plays, he did it for us, and that's what great players do. He's continuing to grow and getting better every single day, but we've got to keep grinding away. It's week by week, and we've got to continue to grow."
Keeping the Eagles as the team to beat in the NFL can only help Hurts' cause.
That includes winning the games at home a team like the Eagles are supposed to win - like Sunday against the Packers.
SURGING WATSON
After dealing with injuries for much of his rookie season, Packers receiver Christian Watson has come on strong lately.
The second-round pick out of North Dakota State had his first three career touchdown catches in a 31-28 overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys and followed that up with two touchdown receptions in a 27-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans. He is the first Packers rookie to catch multiple touchdown passes in back-to-back games since Max McGee in 1954.
FEASTING ON TURNOVERS
Philadelphia has the NFL's best record in part because of a plus-12 turnover margin that leads the NFL. The Eagles entered this week's action having picked off 13 passes to tie Buffalo for the NFL lead.
The Eagles essentially are succeeding with the same formula that helped Green Bay the last few years.
Green Bay's plus-32 turnover margin from 2019-21 led all teams during that stretch, but the Packers are at minus-4 this season. Only five NFL teams entered this week with a worse turnover margin.
RODGERS' THUMB
Rodgers hurt his right thumb in the final play of a 27-17 loss to the New York Giants on Oct. 9 and has been dealing with the injury ever since. Rodgers acknowledged Wednesday the thumb is broken.
The injury hasn't caused him to miss any games, but it has limited his practice time, and his play hasn't measured up to his MVP performances of the last two seasons. That Giants game started the Packers' current 1-6 tailspin.
FAMILIAR NAME
Packers guard Jon Runyan Jr.'s father played offensive tackle for Philadelphia from 2000-08 and made the Pro Bowl in 2002. Jon Runyan Sr. later served as a two-term Republican congressman from New Jersey and now is the NFL's vice president of policy and rules administration.
EAGLES PLAYER TO WATCH
QB Jalen Hurts continued his MVP-level season last week when he capped Philadelphia’s fourth-quarter comeback with a 7-yard TD run on a draw play with 1:20 remaining. The Eagles trailed by 10 points heading into the fourth quarter. Hurts rushed for a team-best 86 yards in addition to the touchdown to increase his season totals on the ground to 440 yards and eight TDs. Combined with his 2,407 yards passing, Hurts ranks fourth in the NFL in total yards (2,847) and also fourth in total TDs (23). The 2020 second-round pick has thrown 15 TDs with just three interceptions while accumulating a 106.5 rating.
PACKERS PLAYER TO WATCH
WR Christian Watson has caught five touchdowns in the past two games. The 23-year-old rookie out of North Dakota State is the first Packers first-year player with multiple touchdowns in consecutive games since Max McGee in 1954. Over those two games, he has 18 catches for 243 yards.
KEY MATCHUP
Green Bay’s defense against Hurts. Opponents have yet to solve Hurts this season. The Packers will need two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Kenny Clark to provide a push up front, shutdown corner Jaire Alexander to keep Hurts’ top playmaker, WR A.J. Brown, contained and rookie first-round pick LB Quay Walker to limit Philadelphia’s QB from scrambling to have any chance at an upset. Without injured tight end Dallas Goedert (shoulder), the Colts were able to keep the Eagles’ passing game relatively in check, limiting Hurts to 18 completions for 190 yards. Green Bay can use the Indianapolis blueprint to halt Hurts’ passing game, but the Packers will need a better answer than the Colts had to stop Hurts’ rushing. The Packers should be motivated after Titans QB Ryan Tannehill set season highs of 22 completions, 333 passing yards and a 127.3 rating last Thursday night.
INJURY REPORT (FRIDAY)
GREEN BAY: OUT: WR Romoe Doubs (ankle). DOUBTFUL: ILB De'Vondre Campbell (knee). QUESTIONABLE: OT David Bakhtiari (knee), CB Shemar Jean-Charles (ankle). PHILADELPHIA: No injuries reported.
SERIES NOTES
The Packers lead the series 28-17 and have won the past three meetings in Philadelphia and six of the past eight overall against the Eagles.
STATS AND STUFF
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is fourth in the NFL with 19 TD passes, and sixth in both passing yards (2,542) and completions (243). Rodgers, who will turn 39 on Dec. 2, has 13 TDs and four interceptions over the past seven games, six of which have been losses… Green Bay has a minus-41 in points differential, having scored 202 points and allowed 243… The Packers rank second in the NFL behind Kansas City with a 16-4 prime-time record since 2017. That includes an 8-2 mark on Sunday night… The three-time defending NFC North champion Packers are in danger of missing the playoffs and might need to win each of their final six regular-season games just to reach the postseason. They won 13 games in each of the first three seasons under fourth-year coach Matt LaFleur… Eagles CB C.J. Gardner-Johnson has an NFL-best six interceptions… The Eagles have started 9-1 for the sixth time in franchise history. On the previous occasions, they twice won an NFL title (1949 & 1960), once were victorious in the Super Bowl (2017) and twice lost in the Super Bowl (1980 & 2004)… Edge rusher Haason Reddick leads the Eagles with 7½ sacks, and his three strip-sacks are tied for the league lead… Philadelphia will induct former defensive linemen Trent Cole and Hugh Douglas into the club’s Hall of Fame at halftime… Including playoffs, Green Bay has won six of its last eight matchups against Philadelphia. Prior to that, the Packers had won just five of their previous 17 games against the Eagles… The Packers have already lost seven games this season after losing no more than four in any of their previous three campaigns. Green Bay's three more losses is the largest such increase from last season among all NFL teams (next-most Rams +2)… In his last two games, Christian Watson has caught five touchdowns. Watson became the first Packers rookie with five or more TD catches over a two-game span since Max McGee did so in the 1954 seasons… The Eagles defeated the Colts, 17-16, the seventh time this season Philadelphia has held an opponent to 17 or fewer points. That is tied with the Broncos and 49ers for most such games in 2022… Jalen Hurts has 15 passing touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns in his 10 games this season. He joins Kyler Murray (2020) and Tobin Rote (1956) as the only players in NFL history with 15+ TD passes and 8+ rushing TDs in his first 10 games of a season… The Packers have forced their opponents to go three-and-out 34 times this season, the most in the NFL. Last season, Green Bay's defense forced 33 three-and-outs for the entire season.
NFL WEEK 12 SCHEDULE
Thursday, November 24 (Thanksgiving)
Buffalo Bills 28, Detroit Lions 25
New York Giants 20, Dallas Cowboys 28
New England Patriots 26, Minnesota Vikings 33
Sunday, November 27
Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cleveland Browns, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Chicago Bears at New York Jets, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Cincinnati Bengals at Tennessee Titans, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Atlanta Falcons at Washington Commanders, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Los Angeles Chargers at Arizona Cardinals, 3:05 p.m., CBS
Las Vegas Raiders at Seattle Seahawks, 3:05 p.m., CBS
Los Angeles Rams at Kansas City Chiefs, 3:25 p.m., FOX
New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers, 3:25 p.m., FOX
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles, 7:20 p.m., NBC*
Monday, November 28
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts, 7:15 p.m., ESPN
