The second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles match up with the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round this upcoming weekend, and there's the potential for a very good game to be had. We've seen this Packers-Eagles matchup before this season, though it feels like ages ago. Philly and Green Bay went down to Sao Paulo, Brazil, in early September to kick off the 2024 NFL season.
That was a close and exciting game, but one that the Eagles ultimately won, 34-29. It was Saquon Barkley's first game with the Eagles after spending years with the New York Giants, and he went off for 132 total yards and three touchdowns (which included 109 yards and two touchdowns on the ground).
The big news coming out of that game for Green Bay was an MCL injury suffered by quarterback Jordan Love, which kept him out for the next two games. Backup quarterback Malik Willis kept the Packers afloat over those two weeks with a 2-0 record and the Packers went on to finish with an 11-6 season, good enough for the seventh seed.
Meanwhile, the Eagles went on a tear to finish at 14-3. There has been a bit of consideration here at the end of the season as Jalen Hurts has missed time with a concussion, but he's working his way out of concussion protocol, and it appears as if he's preparing to start this matchup with the Packers.
Whether it's Hurts or backup Kenny Pickett, you can expect the Eagles to rely heavily on Barkley. He finished the season with 345 carries for 2,005 yards and came incredibly close to Eric Dickerson's rushing record and may have even broken it if the Eagles didn't rest the starters in Week 18.
The first matchup to keep an eye on in this one is all about Barkley.

Saquon Barkley versus the Packers' run defense
Barkley has been unstoppable in 2024. His rushing numbers are incredible, but that's not even considering how he's been involved in the Eagles' passing offense. He also caught 33-of-43 targets for 278 yards and two touchdowns this season for the Eagles.
The Packers and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will probably be okay with giving Barkley whatever he can get through the air, but they will, without a doubt, do everything they can to stop his rushing attack.
The problem for Green Bay is that Barkley is averaging 5.8 yards per carry. While on the surface, that makes the Packers' four years per carry given up per run look good, it's not as if Green Bay has been gangbusters against the run. They did have success at times in 2024, and they finished the regular season with the seventh-best run defense in the league in yards given up per game at 99.4, but deeper dives into the numbers show that the Packers were susceptible to big-time running backs in 2024, which Barkley is.
He rushed for 109 yards and two scores on them in Week 1. Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 103 yards against the Packers, and Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams put up 102 yards and a score. Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers.
If Barkley can go for 100-plus rushing yards again on the Packers, the Eagles will likely pull this one out.
Eagles' defense versus Josh Jacobs and Matt LaFleur
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has fallen in love with feeding his Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs, and there's a good reason for that. For as good as Barkley has been this season, Jacobs has been right there as well. Jacobs finished the season with 301 carries for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns. He notched at least one rushing touchdown in eight straight games to finish the regular season.
Everything the Packers want to do right now on offense starts with Jacobs, but meanwhile, the Eagles' defense led the league in yards given up per game with just 278.4, and they were 10th in rushing defense, giving up 104.2 yards per game on the ground.
Love and Green Bay's passing game can be a threat, but LaFleur is running everything through Jacobs at the moment. If the Eagles can shut him down and keep him away from his 78-yard-per-game rushing average, it could end up being a long day for Green Bay's offense.
Conversely, if Jacobs continues to roll, the Packers absolutely have a chance at the upset.

Jordan Love versus Eagles' passing defense
Love can sling the football, and we know he's not afraid of going on the road and beating a better team in the playoffs. Last season, he went into Dallas and beat the Cowboys while completing 16-of-21 passes for 272 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Packer's offense can be explosive when LaFleur lets Love get after it, but will LaFleur's conservative nature come into play going up against an Eagles defense that led the league in passing yards given up per game with just 174.2?
The Packers won't have Christian Watson, but the trio of Tucker Kraft, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed can be explosive. It does feel like a backfield consistent of Quinyon Mitchell, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, Darius Slay Jr., and Cooper DeJean could completely lock that trio up, however.
If the Packers can get Love and his pass-catchers cooking, they'll win this game. If the Eagles' defense once again clamps up another passing attack, though, it's going to be a long day for Green Bay.