Our Eagles Vs. Packers Predictions for Week 12 of the NFL Season

Our Eagles vs. Packers predictions for Week 12 of the NFL season originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Eagles (9-1) will play host to the Packers (4-7) on Sunday Night Football.

To the predictions:

Reuben Frank (8-2)

The Packers are a tough team to figure out, losers of six of their last seven with the lone win since Week 5 coming against the red-hot Cowboys. They’ve got a Hall of Fame quarterback, but they don’t score many points – just 17.7 per game on offense (and only 12.2 on the road). They’re ranked in the top 10 defensively in interceptions, third down and passing yards. But they’ve allowed 27 or more points in five of their last seven games. One thing the Packers have had is one of the NFL’s toughest schedules. Eight of their 11 opponents have had winning records, and they’re 2-6 in those games. Only the Lions have faced more winning teams. They're 4-7 but by no means a team the Eagles can afford to take lightly. Bottom line: They’re dangerous but they usually lose. I don’t think this will be easy, but at home on a Sunday night, I think the Eagles find their way to 10-1.

Eagles 27, Packers 19

Dave Zangaro (9-1)

These are no longer the 13-win Packers teams we’ve seen in recent seasons and Aaron Rodgers certainly hasn’t looked like the back-to-back MVP this year. But he’s still capable of pulling out some spectacular plays so you can never completely count him out. That said, the Packers have really missed Davante Adams this season and even with the recent growth of rookie Christian Watson, that passing attack isn’t all that scary. Although, I’m very curious to see Jonathan Gannon’s game plan for this game against an elite QB. The bigger problem might be the Packers’ run game with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. The Eagles did a nice job against Jonathan Taylor last week but can they keep it up in this one?

As much as the Packers have missed Adams on offense, they’ve really missed Za’Darius Smith on defense after he left as a free agent. The Packers have some good players on defense but no one who really scares you. The Eagles should be able to run against them unless the Packers really sell out to stop the run. If that happens, I still like their chances if Jalen Hurts needs to throw for 300+ on Sunday night.

Eagles 31, Packers 23

Barrett Brooks (8-2)

The Packers will be in town Sunday night as an underdog. That's an Aaron Rodgers led Packers team. The Birds’ defense will have their hands full against A-Rod and the run game of the Packers. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillion are the sparks the Packers needed to get things going. The run game has opened up the passing game for A-Rod. He has not been protected well in drop back passing situations. With play action, Rodgers can push the ball down the field to Allen Lazard and rookie WR Christian Watson. Watson has started to build good chemistry with Rodgers. He posted 3 TDs against Dallas and 2 TDs last week against Tennessee. Defensively, the Eagles will have to stop the run and have great production on stopping successful plays by the Packers on first down. Keep the Packers in 3rd-and-long situations.

Offensively, OC Shane Steichen will have to get back to that happy medium of run-to-pass ratio to help Jalen Hurts. I realize running Hurts may put him in harm's way, but Hurts has been very smart in his decision making to slide to avoid the hits. Hurts' intangibles makes him one of the best weapons in the league. Defenses must allocate resources to account for him in the scheme. I'm hoping Hurts gets back to being the dual threat QB that pushed him into the MVP conversation.

Eagles 27, Packers 21

Mike Mulhern (9-1)

The Eagles are 9-1 with an MVP candidate at quarterback, but if you listened to any sports talk radio recently, you wouldn’t know it. The offense has been figured out. Jalen Hurts runs too much. The defensive coordinator should be fired. Suffice it to say, there is a new standard against which this team is measured week in and week out when the expectation across the Delaware Valley becomes Super Bowl or bust.

Surely there are some actual concerns, despite their successes. Dallas Godert is a huge (albeit temporary) loss and they’ve stopped taking care of the ball, but that kind of measured commentary will get a caller put on hold in perpetuity.

The bar will continue to be set extremely high on Sunday night. Especially against a Packers team that has lost 6 of their last 7 games and amidst the revelation that Aaron Rodgers has been playing through a broken thumb on his throwing hand. A win is the absolute baseline. I’ll hang up and listen to hear how this one gets picked apart.

Eagles 27, Packers 20

Adam Hermann (9-1)

It feels odd to consider a 4-7 team a threat to a 9-1 team, but Aaron Rodgers will always be Aaron Rodgers and I just don’t feel safe writing him off entirely no matter how bad Green Bay has been this season — and particularly as of late, losing six of seven.

With no real passing threats to speak of outside of a two-game Christian Watson explosion, the Eagles’ secondary should be able to hold the Packers’ anemic passing game in check. 

I’m frankly more intrigued by how they handle the two-headed monster of A.J. Dillon and Aaron Jones on the ground. They’re both RB1-capable backs and despite the revamped front seven’s strong showing against Jonathan Taylor, I need to see more from Jonathan Gannon’s run defense before I feel comfortable. In two career games against the Eagles, Jones has averaged 5.4 yards per attempt and tallied a pair of touchdowns on the ground.

Luckily the Packers have been allowing 27.6 points per game to opponents since Week 4, which ideally gives the Eagles’ offense a runway to return to form after two underwhelming showings against the Commanders and Colts. I’d love to see a commanding performance from Jalen Hurts, who I think has still been playing well despite the offense’s recent slowing.

I think the Eagles get a win, but it might not be an easy one.

Eagles 28, Packers 20

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