The Green Bay Packers will be underdogs when they travel to Philadelphia to face the 14-3 Eagles in the NFC Wild Card round on Sunday.
Considering the Eagles have won 12 of their last 13 games and the Packers are 0-5 against the Eagles, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, Matt LaFleur’s team will need to play their best game of the season to advance to the NFC playoffs.
The Packers lost to the Eagles 34-29 in the season opener in Brazil.
Everyone knows that Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs, Rashan Gary and Xavier McKinney need to be at their best for the Packers to win on Sunday. Stars win games. But the Packers will need a lot of lend a hand from others to topple the Eagles.
Here are some players who need to play their best game on Sunday in Philadelphia:
LT Rasheed Walker: In the first game against the Eagles, he gave up four tackles and committed two fouls while holding penalties. Can he stop the Eagles forwards from destroying the pocket and play the game without penalties? Walker has committed just three penalties and given up just one sack in his last 10 games.
WR Romeo Doubs: The absence of Christian Watson means the Packers will be without their best vertical threat and man-buster. On Sunday, Doubs needs to take the crown and be the primary target, especially in obvious passing situations. Can he beat the range and create some great plays? Doubs had a GREAT postseason run last January (10 catches, 234 yards).
LB Edgerrin Cooper: He only played 11 snaps in the first game against the Eagles. In the final four games of the 2024 season, Cooper was one of the NFL’s best defenders. Can he create negative plays and lend a hand contain Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts? Cooper and Quay Walker need to be busy from side to side on Sunday.
DL Devonte Wyatt: Consistently beating the Eagles’ offensive duo on the edge will be a tough task. However, the Eagles’ midfield isn’t as dominant, and Wyatt has the strength and speed to fend off the ball. The Packers need to consistently win with a four-man front, and Wyatt is likely to be a disruptive factor on Sunday.
K. Brandon McManus: The Packers cannot afford to lose points on Sunday. Brayden Narveson’s miss in Game 1 was huge, but McManus has been near perfect since taking over as kicker midseason. Can the veteran give it his all on Sunday during a major outdoor event at Lincoln Financial Field? McManus started 55th in freezing temperatures in the final at Lambeau.
TE Luke Musgrave: Don’t be surprised if the Packers utilize more two-tight end sets to counter the Eagles’ preferred nickel defense, especially in the absence of Christian Watson. Musgrave has the size and speed to replace some of what Watson brought to the passing game. Having Musgrave and Tucker Kraft on the pitch together can lend a hand run the game and create some play-action passing opportunities.
WR Dontayvion Wicks: It looks like his hair loss problem is a thing of the past. So can Wicks be a consistent separator for Jordan Love on third down and in the red zone? The Eagles challenge the Packers to go 1-on-1 in the passing game. Wicks is a tour winner and will be on the field a lot in Watson’s absence.
CB Keisean Nixon: He will either play outside and see a lot of AJ Brown, or he will play inside and see a lot of Devonta Smith. Either way, the Packers need Nixon – currently the de facto No. 1 cornerback – to play his best game of the season. The Eagles aren’t a hard-hitting team, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they like the outside matchups and try to take advantage of them on Sunday.
DL Kenny Clark: His 2024 season was shockingly absent, despite playing in all 17 games. Will Clark finally come alive in the postseason? The Packers need him to close the pockets around Jalen Hurts, especially if the Packers keep their offense contained. He will also need to have a lot of durability to prevent Saquon Barkley from consistently reaching the second level.
