Photo Courtesy: All-Pro Reels
By DaVince “Dino” Wright
How Good is your Offensive Line?
This game will be an awesome playoff game to watch this weekend. So, what if your starting quarterback is listed as questionable and could miss this game? The next best option is your running back to move the ball. How well can your running back carry the ball and your team to victory? The key to that will be the offensive line. Pass protection for a backup quarterback and opening holes for your running game will be the x-factor for a win this weekend for the Packers and the Eagles. Packers starting quarterback Jordan Love will start which is a huge relief for Green Bay. Backup quarterback Malik Willis is a proven veteran than can win it for the team. The Eagles starter Jalen Hurts is still in concussion protocol (at the time of this article). The Eagles have a decent back up in Kenny Pickett who’s also in limbo for this game which means the Eagles could possibly start Tanner McKee. Here’s the meat and potatoes to both teams and their quarterback issues … RUN THE BALL!
Injury Report
Both teams have players listed as questionable or on the IR. The Packers have 4 players listed as questionable and 1 on the IR-R while the Eagles have 5 players listed as questionable. Packers: S Javon Bullard, LB Edgerrin Cooper, DT T.J. Slaton, QB Malik Willis and RB MarShawn Lloyd. Eagles: RB Will Shipley, G Trevor Keegan, QB Kenny Pickett, WR A.J. Brown and QB Jalen Hurts.
Game Info
Green Bay Packers vs Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday – January 12 – 3:30 p.m.
TV: FOX
Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia, PA
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Green Bay Packers (11-6, 5-3 Away)
The Packers ended the regular season with a pair of close losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. This could be a problem for the Packers if starting quarterback Jordan Love doesn’t come out red hot to the start game. Confidence plays such an integral part of the game. I believe this is when running back Josh Jacobs will need to take over. This season, Jacobs has 1329 rushing yards on 301 carries and 15 touchdowns. He’s excellent with pass protection and catching passes from the backfield. He will be the key for the Packers offense. Players to watch: WR Jayden Reed, TE Tucker Kraft and S Xavier McKinney.
Philadelphia Eagles (14-3, 8-1 Home)
The Eagles will have a simple game plan coming into this game. Everyone knows it. Wait for it… they will unleash running back Saquon Barkley. They will establish the run first and foremost. Barkley has 2005 rushing yards on 345 carries with 13 touchdowns averaging 5.8 yards a carry during the regular season. He will carry the ball at least 20 times during this game. The Eagles offensive line will be the x-factor for the team this week. Players to watch: RB Kenneth Gainwell, WR DeVonta Smith, TE Dallas Goedert and PK Jake Elliott.
Prediction
ESPN has the Eagles with a 51.2% chance of winning this game at home. The crazy part about this game is that at the start of the week, both starting quarterbacks were listed as questionable for this game. Jordan Love is definitely starting. We’re still waiting to get information on Jalen Hurts who is still in concussion protocol. I think Hurts will be back and that’s why I’m taking Philadelphia by 6.
Final Score
Eagles – 27
Packers – 21
