Packers vs Eagles Final Thoughts: It Starts Up Front

Photo Credit: Evan Siegle, packers.com

The theme for tonight’s Packers-Eagles matchup on Monday Night Football? It starts up front. The Packers’ offensive line is going to be the difference-maker in a game that will show whether this team is a contender or a pretender.

It’s a week-to-week league, we all know that, but the Packers have a real chance to knock off the defending champs in primetime at Lambeau Field. Despite their recent struggles, they still have a better shot than you might think.

For starters, the Packers’ defense has been solid all season, aside from their lone stinker against the Cowboys. They’ve held opponents to low scores and have often been put in tough positions because of the offense’s mistakes late in games. Their run defense, besides last week, has been much better than most expected coming into the year.

The difference-maker in this one against the Eagles could be Devonte Wyatt. With Eagles starting center Cam Jurgens out, Wyatt and the rest of the Packers’ front have a chance not only to stop the run but also to put pressure on Jalen Hurts all night long. This is an Eagles offense that, last season, prided itself on running the football. If the Packers’ defense can contain that and bring consistent pressure, they’ll give themselves the best chance to win.

Last game, Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary were basically nonexistent. I know for a fact those guys have been itching to get back on the field after an underwhelming showing against the Panthers (even though they still held them to 16 points).

The Packers’ offense has a big task ahead. The loss of Tucker Kraft and injuries to receivers and offensive linemen are far from ideal in a game of this magnitude. Still, I believe this team has a chance. The Eagles’ defense has been mediocre, to say the least, this season. Their pass rush isn’t as dominant as it was a year ago, and their corners have struggled.

The deciding factor for the Packers’ offense in this game is the offensive line. Zach Tom is questionable going in, and Aaron Banks has yet to finish a game this season. When protected, the Packers’ passing attack has been nothing short of efficient, but when under pressure, it’s a different story.

The Packers’ rushing attack has also been inconsistent this season. This group needs to find its rhythm and maybe, just maybe, they have. Josh Jacobs averaged 5.1 yards per carry last week, giving a glimmer of hope that the ground game is coming back to life.

You can think what you want about Jordan Love, but aside from three silly interceptions, he’s been great so far this season. Matt LaFleur needs to trust his guy and give him the keys to the offense tonight. You can’t pay a quarterback $200-plus million and not let him loose in games like this.

The Packers’ offense is thin on weapons right now, no doubt, but this is a next-man-up league. Despite possibly losing Matthew Golden tonight along with Savion Williams, the offense gets the return of Dontayvion Wicks after missing two games. We’ll see how involved Luke Musgrave is in his first game without Tucker Kraft, but the Packers need their veteran wide receivers to step up.

The offense has been able to move the ball but has struggled to finish drives. The red-zone issues are one thing, but the penalties have been egregious. It all comes back to the offensive line, and their performance will determine whether or not the Packers win this game.

To be honest, I think this game will define what we see from this team for the rest of the season. If they come out flat and lose, I’m not sure they’ll be able to recover. But if they come out firing and play with tempo, this could be the start of something special.

A lot of people in the media have called out the Packers for being frauds and not living up to expectations after the way they started the season. It’s a fair criticism, considering how much they gave up to get Micah Parsons.

Still, I believe in this Packers football team. They have the talent and have won games they weren’t supposed to in the past. The leaders on this team know they have the talent and what it takes to compete for a Super Bowl, and tonight, they have a chance to prove it.

Real Packer Fans Know🧀