EAGLES @ PACKERS
Tom Douglas
On Sunday afternoon the Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers (6-3), a match up that features two of the in form teams in the competition at the moment.
Last time these two sides met was at Lambeau Field where the Eagles got the points (27-13), but it was completely different circumstances to this year. Aaron Rodgers was still injured, and Nick Foles threw 3 touchdowns. This time around Rodgers is back, and coincidentally Foles is injured. Although his replacement Mark Sanchez was very impressive in his first start for the team last week, throwing for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns against a poor Carolina outfit. Rodgers also had a day out last week, throwing 6 touchdowns to half time before resting up for the remainder of the game against the Bears (55-14).
Green Bay are in second place in the NFC North, but are playing as well as any team in the NFL at the moment. The offense is averaging 30.8 points per game (5th), with Aaron Rodgers who has thrown 25 touchdowns to only 3 interceptions. The two key playmakers are Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. Nelson has been a monster, with almost 900 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns to match. Cobb hasn’t been as big on yardage (650), but is leading all wide receivers for touchdowns this season (10).
The Packers defense has been modest
this year allowing 22.8 points and 371 yards per game. Despite this they are plus 10 for turnovers, and with Linebacker Clay Matthews moving inside (11 tackles and 1 sack last week), their defense looks threatening once again.
As for Philadelphia, their offense is unstoppable at the moment, scoring 31 points and over 400 yards per game. Many thought (including myself) that Sanchez would struggle in this offense, but he clearly is flourishing. The Packers have been poor against the run this year, and expect Lesean McCoy to take advantage of that after a poor game last week (17 yards total).
Their defense only concedes 22 points per game, but they are minus 5 in the turnover ratio. Last week they came alive against the Panthers, forcing 4 turnovers and sacking Newton whopping 9 times. Connor Barwin had 4 of those sacks last week, and he is the man that the Green Bay front must stop if they are to protect Rodgers.
This will be a very high scoring affair, and a tough game to call. But with the home ground advantage and the form that Aaron Rodgers is in, I simply cannot go past the Green Bay offense here.
GREEN BAY by 7.