The Green Bay Packers are back on the field this week to take on the Philadelphia Eagles.
The game will not take place on American soil, as both teams are traveling to Brazil to play as part of the NFL’s international series.
The Packers are entering the season as potential Super Bowl contenders after a strong finish to their 2023 season.
They won a playoff game in Dallas before bowing out to the San Francisco 49ers, a familiar playoff nemesis, in the Divisional Round.
The Philadelphia Eagles also likely view themselves as contenders to get back to the Super Bowl.
The Eagles made the playoffs last year, but struggled mightily down the stretch, before getting embarrassed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Monday night game of Super Wild Card Weekend.
Here are our keys to the Packers coming out on top in an early season showdown.
1. New-Look Defense vs Saquon Barkley
The Green Bay Packers can change the coordinators. They can change personnel.
One thing has remained the same during Matt LaFleur’s tenure as Head Coach.
They stink against opposing run games.
The running back they’re facing in Jeff Hafley’s debut as defensive coordinator?
Some guy named Saquon Barkley. Barkley has been one of the better backs in football since entering the league, and defected from New York to Philadelphia this offseason, as famously seen on Hard Knocks.
Barkley’s ability to affect the game in both phases of offense likely is what drew Howie Roseman and Philadelphia’s front office to him this offseason.
Green Bay’s defense was not good enough last season under Joe Barry prompting the change to former Boston College Head Coach, Jeff Hafley.
Hafley has drawn rave reviews early in his tenure, but everything is for real now. A defense cannot survive on vibes and energy alone. At some point, there needs to be substance behind the words that are spoken.
Green Bay’s defense has done a lot of talking over the years, but rarely backed it up on the field.
Friday’s game against the Eagles gives them a chance t to make an early statement against one of the league’s best offensive playmakers.
2. Linebackers vs Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts’ career was jumpstarted by the Green Bay Packers in a way.
During the 2020 NFL season, the Packers were punishing Carson Wentz to the point where then Eagles’ coach Doug Pederson decided he’d seen enough of Wentz.
He went to Jalen Hurts, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Hurts never relinquished the job, and has thrived ever since.
He was an MVP candidate for the majority of the 2023 season before the entire team faltered down the stretch.
His last game against the Packers nearly won him the 2022 league MVP award.
Hurts and the Eagles’ rushing attack piled up more than 300 yards against Green Bay’s woeful defense.
The only reason the game was close was because Green Bay’s offense was able to match Philadelphia’s score-for-score.
The Packers have rebuilt their linebacker room since that cold November night in Philadelphia.
Quay Walker was just a rookie. He’s entering a season where the Packers are hoping to see more consistency from the third-round linebacker.
His highs are incredibly high. For example, the interception he returned for a touchdown last season in Chicago.
The lows can also be aggravating. Missed tackles, missed assignments, and inconsistency have marred Walker’s career thus far.
That’s not something that is going to play well against Kellen More and his offense with Hurts at the helm.
The linebackers next to Walker are a question mark as well.
Isaiah McDuffie looks to be a full-time starter, something he’s never been since entering the NFL three years ago.
Next to him was Eric Wilson, a career special teams’ player.
The Packers drafted two linebackers in the top-100 of this year’s draft, but training camp was not kind to either player.
Edgerrin Cooper missed a bulk of the time with a lower-body injury that hampered his ability to get into the starting lineup.
Ty’Ron Hopper had some nice moments, but as soon as he gained any momentum, he was sidelined with an ankle injury.
The athleticism from both Cooper and Hopper could play better against Hurts’ and his running ability.
When it comes to quarterbacks in the run game, there may be no player other than Lamar Jackson more dangerous with the ball in his hands than Hurts.
One other note to watch is whether the Eagles will still employ the famed “brotherly shove” as Jason Kelce retired.
3. Passing game vs Eagles Young Secondary
This might be Green Bay’s biggest advantage coming into Friday night’s game. The Packers’ passing game is entering its second full season together.
Jordan Love is established as the quarterback of the future, and all of his weapons are back around him.
They should be locked and loaded for a big run.
The same cannot be said for the Eagles’ defensive backfield. Darius Slay returned, but is starting to show signs of age.
Around him, the Eagles have some question marks.
Through the draft process, Quinyon Mitchell was a highly thought of player, but will be playing in his first NFL game. He was not consistently starting during the preseason either.
Cooper DeJean was a Packers’ favorite during the draft process and could play safety in Philadelphia, or be that interchangeable piece that saw him sought after by so many teams during the pre-draft process.
Isaiah Rodgers, Mitchell, and Kelee Ringo, are all possibilities for who could be the starting cornerback across from Slay.
