Packers at Eagles: Game preview, odds, prediction

After being savaged on the road in Seattle last week, the Eagles return to the Linc in South Philly for a prime-time matchup Monday night with the Green Bay Packers.

Rodgers and Nelson also improvise well, several Eagles said, which allows them to make plays when Rodgers escapes from the pocket.

Green Bay has shown that they can’t even stop average receivers, let alone guys that are above average. They lost a Pro Bowl starter and have ticked right along. “He’s done that his whole career – stretch the ball, get that ball in there, get a short pass, a shallow cross, and score with it”.

And the disappointment has been growing incrementally as the last two weeks have been plus-40 outings for the opposition as Marcus Mariota and Tennessee rung up 47 on November 13 and a week later, it was Kirk Cousins and Washington piling up 42. Most of the offenses on that list are among the NFL’s worst and really only the Seahawks could potentially pile up a 40 spot. “That’s football. But I’m playing faster and faster”. He has really developed. “Still, to be 5-5 and to be in the thick of it is a credit to him and the rest of the team and how well they’ve played”. McCarthy announced earlier in the week that Shields and No. 1 running back Eddie Lacy were both done for the year. With 360 yards on 71 carries, he remains their leading rusher by far.

“I think we all see that when he touches the football, you see the explosiveness”, Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich said. There will be a plan for how much they play going into the game but it might change based on how they perform.

Packers: Injuries have decimated their defense. Given the Eagles’ stinginess in points allowed, ranking fourth at 18.6, third-down and red-zone success will be vital for Green Bay.

Another sluggish first quarter underscored a pair of flaws that have hindered the Packers in each of their last three losses, all of which, it can be argued, came against teams with inferior talent – Washington, Tennessee and Indianapolis. With six games left in the regular season, the Packers are likely to miss the playoffs and have their worst record since 2008 unless they completely turn it around. The Packers could get through a game with Ryan and Thomas at inside linebacker without moving Matthews inside, though they would only be an injury away from making the move. “That’s why most teams try to go get that quarterback”. But we all know. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Michael, who was inactive last week, will get his first chance with the Packers when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. Right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (sprained knee) and running back Ryan Mathews (sprained knee) will miss the game.

However it plays out, rookie Wendell Smallwood is ready for an increased workload. If the Packers defense gives up more than 30 points it’s unlikely the offense has enough firepower to keep up in a shootout, especially considering how slowly the offense has gotten going the past couple weeks. “So I don’t think their record necessarily reflects what they’re doing offensively”. That’s all it is.

The offense in those games has had slow starts, too. “We get one under our belts, things might start rolling for us and we can run the table”.

It is a full slate of 16 National Football League games in Week 12.

In the meantime, Sproles is ready.

“There’s the old saying, ‘They love you win or tie.’ Well, they love you win”, Trgovac said. “If you can deal with it, you’re fine”. I know that you’re thinking, and you’re right – the Packers aren’t a healthy team right now. He really is. He’s said that but I really see that to be true in the meeting rooms and on the field.