Subscribe
Follow Us
On paper, the Philadelphia Eagles are facing off against an above-average defense in the Wild Card Round of the 2025 NFL playoffs.
Despite ranking finishing in the NFC North at 11-6, the Packers have found a way to get things done in all facets of the defensive side of the ball, ranking 13th in passing defense, seventh in rushing defense, and, most crucially, third in interceptions at 17, in no small part due to Xavier McKenney's All-Pro team-landing nine interceptions.
And most crucially of all, Green Bay is the top team in limiting explosive passing plays despite ranking first in explosive plays on offense.
Asked how the Eagles plan to take on a team seemingly built the very same way they are during a Week 19 media session, Nick Sirianni put over the Packers for being a top-tier team, even if he believes Philadelphia will be ready for it on Sunday.
“First and foremost, again, I can't tell you how much I think of [Packers Head] Coach [Matt] LeFleur and his offensive staff and his offensive mind, putting the guys in positions to succeed. I've just watched him have success year in, year out. He's done it with different players. I just have a lot of respect for him and all the things that he's done in this league. And then you see they're able to run the football to be able to do some different things that come off that,” Sirianni told reporters.
“They've got good players. Again, they have good schemes. It's good on good. It's good on good in everything we talk about. It's going to be good on good in the explosive play differential. At the end of the day, when you take offense and defense the way we number it up, we're No. 1; They're No. 3, 4, 5, somewhere in there. Then in turnover differential, I know we are very close there as well. I went over that with the team today. It's good on good in the things we really stress. Obviously, you can see when you watch their tape, they stress the same things. When you're talking about giving up big plays on defense, it always starts with being on the same page.
“We've got to work our butts off in our meetings and in our walk-through and in our practice today to make sure we're on the same page for the different problems that they create. Tackling, so if they check the ball down, you get it carried down. That's a challenge against these guys. They have really good guys that are dangerous with the ball in their hands as far as the pass game goes. And so, again, it always comes down to that. Being in the right positions, being on the same page, tackling, and effort to the football.”
On paper, the Packers and Eagles are pretty similar teams; both have elite running backs, interesting options under center, and a defense built largely through the draft with a few key free agents added at important positions. While the Packers will certainly give Philadelphia a game in Week 19, as they already did earlier this season, Sirianni and Vic Fangio should at least know the enemy they are preparing for, which, in the NFL playoffs, is half the battle.
