Eagles-Packers Film Preview: Reasons for optimism and reasons for concern

I’m not the largest fan of sport previews, primarily as a result of I don’t have the time to observe much more movie through the season. Nevertheless it’s the playoffs! Let’s get into the Inexperienced Bay Packers, beginning with the offense.

Full disclosure: I battle with previews as a result of there’s merely an excessive amount of to speak about. I might go on endlessly. So, I received’t break this down into strengths and weaknesses. I’m simply going to present a bunch of ideas in regards to the Packers after watching as a lot movie as doable and looking out on the stats. I take advantage of a bunch of stats on this one, and credit score goes to Crew Rankings, PFF, and Sports activities Information Options. Additionally, I spoke to @RichjMadrid and @DustyEvely about some areas to deal with, so shout out to these two.

Packers Offense

This can be a run-first offense. And it’s a very good offense. The Packers do a very good job marrying the run sport to the cross sport and can often have bottom bubble screens connected to their working performs to make it robust on opposing linebackers. Anticipate to see plenty of movement and shifts to create misdirection within the run sport, too.

The Eagles are usually not the one workforce with a celebrity at working again. I believe Josh Jacobs is excellent. I went again and watched all the Packers’ explosive runs from this yr, and his skill to interrupt tackles and create is an enormous purpose why the working sport has been so good this yr.

The working sport isn’t predictable, both. You will note many zone and hole scheme ideas. Outdoors zone is run so much, however the Packers love to tug a guard to create angles within the working sport, too. I noticed fairly a number of 2-back units, which is one thing the Eagles haven’t handled a lot this yr both.

Keep watch over Jayden Reed on jet sweeps. He had an enormous run towards the Eagles in week 1, and they’ll use him to create a horizontal stretch so much. He runs plenty of jet movement, however you must respect it as a result of he might hold it, and he could make folks miss within the open area!

I nonetheless see outdoors zone because the Packers’ staple run sport, but it surely’s extra diversified than I assumed. I anticipate them to problem the Eagles with some outdoors zone early on.

The Packers run plenty of display screen passes, and so they use them to arrange performs down the sector, too. This was certainly one of my favourite ones I noticed on movie. Pretend the display screen to each side earlier than throwing it to the tight finish, who releases it into the center of the sector. You’ll have to be actually disciplined as a protection to cease this.

The passing sport is a blended bag. Jordan Love is a superb younger quarterback who might be excellent on his day however can also be susceptible to errors and might drive the ball a bit. Love is an elite expertise, however he’s not performed as much as his potential this yr. Nonetheless, if he performs as much as his potential, he might trigger the Eagles’ protection many issues.

The Packers’ receiving group doesn’t scare me with out Christian Watson. Jayden Reed is their greatest receiver however has struggled on the catch level this yr. He has had 10 drops this yr, and Dontayvion Wicks has had 8. It’s a really inconsistent passing sport because of the considerably erratic play of Jordan Love and the receiving group.

Nonetheless, Jayden Reed is an absolute freak down the sector. I noticed these numbers and nearly couldn’t consider them. Reed has been targetted 15 occasions this yr on deep throws (20+ yards) and has 12 receptions for 478 yards. That’s insane. He’s 7/8 on deep throws to the surface left for 272 yards. That’s one of the vital absurd stats I’ve ever seen. Jordan Love averages 8.2 YPA, which ranks 4th within the league. Christian Watson is an enormous purpose why this quantity is so excessive, so he will likely be missed, however Jayden Reed is a large issue.

As I said above, they love these deep over pictures! These routes are simpler towards man protection, so they might battle to hit these pictures towards the Eagles’ zone match.

Some last fast factors…

The Packers have a very good offensive line in each cross safety and the run sport.
Jayden Reed performs 75% of his snaps within the slot. I anticipate Cooper DeJean to get bodily with him on the line of scrimmage and disrupt the timing.
The Eagles might wish to get Quinyon Mitchell urgent on the line of scrimmage as a result of the Packers’ receivers can battle to get off the road.

General

I believe the Packers’ offense is a bit hit and miss. They may miss Christian Watson, because the depth at vast receiver isn’t nice. They’ve prime 5 potential, however they’ve been too erratic this yr which has led to them working the ball so much. I believe the Eagles’ protection matches up very well with this offense, and I believe the protection ought to go into this one feeling assured. Nonetheless, Jordan Love is a little bit of an enigma who can do loopy issues. If he has a type of video games the place he turns it on, the Packers could possibly be robust to cease.

Protection

This will likely be a bit faster, as I spent most of my time on the offense!

I don’t assume this protection is super-talented, however it’s well-coached. Though it doesn’t have many ‘large names,’ it ranks extremely in a number of classes. It seems like it’s coached above its expertise degree by utilizing plenty of post-snap rotation, disguised protection, and stopping the run on early downs. It’s an aggressive protection that can attempt to take the soccer away.

The Vikings had some success taking place the sector towards this protection, and so they focused rookie security Javon Bullard. As I mentioned above, they do attempt to disguise their coverages and use numerous post-safety rotation, which makes it fairly a tough protection for a rookie security. The Eagles may attempt to goal him down the sector on this one.

The place the protection shines is its run protection. They don’t stack the field and normally cease the run out of a 4-man entrance and a lightweight field, which is spectacular. It helps when you have got Rashan Gary, among the finest EDGE rushers towards the run within the NFL. I’d be working away from him or attempting to get Landon Dickerson or Mekhi Becton to tug into him.

Some fast last ideas…

The cross rush is fairly inconsistent. I’d anticipate this Eagles’ offensive line to present Jalen Hurts plenty of time within the pocket.
The Lions killed them with deep in breaking routes over the center of the sector. This isn’t a power of Jalen Hurts or this offense, however they’ve proven they’re keen to do that extra this yr.
Xavier McKinney is superb on the again finish. They play some Tampa 2 and use him to fly downhill as a hook defender. It’s straightforward for this protection to seem like cowl 3, and it’s essential watch out to not throw it proper at him.

General

This can be a good protection, however the Eagles are extra gifted on offense. If the Eagles’ offense performs nicely, they need to be capable of rating on this protection. This can be a sport the place you come out throwing, put on down the Packers, after which run it within the second half. Saquon Barkley, within the second half this yr, has 186 rushes for 1245 yards. That’s 6.7 yards per rush. The Packers’ run protection is superb, however can it cease Barkley?

Conclusion

These often is the most elementary stats you may view, however they inform a narrative: it is a good Packers workforce.

I believe the Eagles are the higher workforce, and so they match up nicely with this Packers workforce, which makes me optimistic. Nonetheless, I’m nervous about this one. I didn’t wish to play the Packers as a result of I vastly respect the offensive teaching employees, Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs, and Jayden Reed. I anticipate it to be shut, however I’m optimistic that this Eagles workforce will get it carried out.

If you would like much more on the Packers, I broke down a bunch extra stats on this week’s podcast!

If you would like extra, I’ll be posting every day ideas on Discord, which is connected to my Patreon. You’ll find the hyperlink right here, in addition to extra of my work and podcast right here.