On Sunday, January 12, the Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Green Bay Packers during the Wild Card round of the 2025 NFL playoffs.
The Eagles won the NFC East with a 14-3 record, securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff bracket, while the Packers finished 11-6 to capture the final NFC Wild Card spot and are seeded seventh. This game is a rematch of their opening-week matchup, which took place in Brazil back in September, where the Eagles won 34-29. This will be the fourth time these franchises have met in the postseason. Packers quarterback Jordan Love has been limited in practice this week due to an elbow injury, while Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is still working through concussion protocol.

Why the Eagles Can Cover in This Matchup Against the Packers

Philadelphia missed out on a chance to win home-field advantage and a bye due to a loss to the Commanders in Week 16, but they still won the NFC East comfortably, thanks to a stellar defense and a dominant rushing attack by Saquon Barkley. Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in his first season with the Eagles, winning the rushing title, and will have fresh legs after being rested in Week 18. The Eagles’ defense ranked second in the NFL in points allowed and first in yards allowed. An improved secondary contributed significantly to this, with additions like Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson helping the Eagles improve from 31st in pass defense to first in 2024.

Why the Packers Can Cover in This Matchup Against the Eagles

Green Bay also made a key free-agent addition at running back to overhaul its ground game. The Packers finished fifth in the NFL in rushing, thanks to Josh Jacobs, who ran for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns. His balance in the offense helped Green Bay’s passing attack rank third in the league in net adjusted yards per pass attempt (which accounts for sacks). The Packers’ defense was also stellar throughout the year, ranking sixth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed. Five of Green Bay’s six losses came against teams that finished 14-3 or better this season, meaning the Packers are among the most battle-tested teams in the conference after playing in the tough NFC North.

X-Factor

The Packers rely on an explosive passing game. They recorded 59 pass plays of at least 20 yards, ranking fourth in the NFL, and tied for the league lead with 14 plays of 40 or more yards. However, this might be more difficult without Christian Watson, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 18. The key for the Packers could be Jayden Reed, who was second to Watson on the team in yards per reception. Reed has been quiet for weeks, with just 19 catches for 237 yards over Green Bay’s past eight games, including six games with 34 yards or fewer. The Packers will need Reed to step up and make plays in this matchup.

How the Packers Can Win

Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry received most of the attention as top running backs who changed teams in the offseason, but Josh Jacobs has been equally impactful for the Packers. Jacobs has rushed for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns, including a rushing touchdown in eight consecutive games. The Eagles’ defense wasn’t vulnerable against the run or pass this season, but it would help Green Bay if they could have some success on the ground early. It could also be a huge advantage if Jordan Love’s elbow injury, which knocked him out of last weekend’s game, still affects his play. If the Packers’ passing attack is less effective without deep threat Christian Watson, they will need to rely on the ground game to keep the Eagles’ defense honest.

How the Eagles Can Win

The big question for the Eagles is whether Jalen Hurts will be healthy and effective. Hurts missed two straight games after suffering a concussion and was still in protocol at the start of the week before returning to practice on Wednesday. He is expected to be ready for Sunday’s game, but it’s not ideal to miss almost three full games due to a concussion and then return for a playoff start. The Eagles will need Hurts to be effective, but perhaps more importantly, they need to take pressure off him with Saquon Barkley chewing up yards in the run game. The defense, which has been stellar all season, will also need to play at a high level. Hurts doesn’t need to carry the team alone, but he must be productive when called upon.

What to Expect from the Eagles vs. Packers in the Wild Card Weekend of the NFL Playoffs

The Eagles have been playing excellent football for months, going 12-1 since the end of September. They won by a combined score of 61-20 in the last two weeks, despite starting their second-string and third-string quarterbacks. Philadelphia has stars on both offense and defense, with a defense that led the NFL in yards allowed and ranked second in points allowed. The Packers are a good team, but there are questions about their ability to beat top-tier teams. Green Bay played the Lions, Vikings, and Eagles five times this season and went 0-5 in those matchups. Assuming Jalen Hurts is at his normal level, the Eagles are the superior team.

Expect a slow start to the game, but the Eagles will eventually gain momentum. They will be trailing until the fourth quarter, but will come back to score at the last moment. The final score will be Eagles 24, Packers 17.

Fans can catch this Wild Card matchup on Fox, Fox Sports, Fox Deportes, Fubo, and YouTube TV. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 PM.