Throughout the 2024 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers were subjects of constant headlines. Injuries, rivalries, and chasing records seemed to be constant talking points, for better or worse.
The two teams met back in Week 1 in Brazil, but with the regular season now in the rearview mirror and their Wild Card matchup on the horizon — Sunday, Jan. 12 at 4:30 p.m. in Philadelphia — both teams have some questions that still need answering.
Will Jalen Hurts Play?
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts left in the first quarter of the Dec. 22 game against the Washington Commanders after being diagnosed with a concussion. He finally practiced for the first time since on Jan. 8 in a limited capacity.
In the two games Hurts missed to end the regular season, the Eagles won both, with backup quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee each getting a start. Pickett left the Week 17 game against the Cowboys with a rib injury.
To be cleared for Sunday, Hurts has to progress through the NFL’s five-stop concussion protocol, with the last step being evaluated by an independent neurologist. Hurts’ up-in-the-air status has clearly been a cause for concern, with ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday saying the Eagles “could be eliminated Week 1 of the payoffs” if he doesn’t play.
“A massive deal. … This team could be eliminated week one of the playoffs.” 😯
—@SaturdayJeff on the Eagles if Jalen Hurts doesn’t clear concussion protocol pic.twitter.com/LA8w8mw3Cj
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 7, 2025
In his 15 games this season, Hurts led the Eagles to a 12-3 record, an NFC East title, and the No. 2 seed in the NFC. He completed just under 69 percent of his passes for 2,903 yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also added 630 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
Packers Injuries
The Packers’ offense has seemingly dealt with injuries all season, starting with quarterback Jordan Love. Back in Week 1, in the NFL’s inaugural Brazil game, Love suffered a sprained MCL on the second-to-last play. Initially expected to miss the next three to six weeks, Love came back in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings. Love is now dealing with a hand injury, but head coach Matt LaFleur said the quarterback is “going to be okay.”
The Packers went 9-6 in Love’s starts, good enough for third in the NFC North and the No. 7 seed in the NFC. The team went 2-0 without him, albeit against the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. In his 15 games started, Love completed just over 63 percent of his passes for 3,389 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
One of Love’s favorite targets, Christian Watson, has had a season to forget. He technically played in 15 games, but he left the Week 18 game against the Chicago Bears early with a torn ACL, ending his season. When he did play, he was wildly inconsistent in the box score, bringing in just 29 catches on the season. On those 29 catches, he totaled 620 yards and just two touchdowns.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said Jan. 6 that without Watson, he doesn’t think the Packers “have enough vertical speed to really push the ball down the field” against the Eagles.
Without Christian Watson, @danorlovsky7 doesn’t think the Packers “have enough vertical speed to really push the ball down the field” against the Eagles’ secondary 😳 pic.twitter.com/LzrfnqLGnk
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 6, 2025
On the defensive side, cornerback Jaire Alexander was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 4 after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Alexander, an unquestioned leader of the defense, played in just seven games this season, but his presence will surely be missed against the potent duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Which Packers Team Will Show Up?
The Packers are an interesting team to dissect. They can beat anybody, but this season, they have had issues beating top teams. Out of their 11 wins, only three came against teams with a winning record — the Rams, Seahawks, and Texans. They had just a 3-5 record against winning teams, even going winless against the two top teams in their own division, the Lions and Vikings.
Luckily for them — if that’s what you can call it — the Eagles aren’t in their division. The bad news? They have to travel to Philadelphia on Sunday and play in a very hostile environment.
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