Philadelphia Eagles: 5 questions about the Green Bay Packers heading into Week 4

The Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Green Bay Packers during NFL Week 4 of the 2019 season Thursday night.

After suffering two tough losses in a row, the Philadelphia Eagles will head to Wisconsin for Week 4 in what should be a very difficult battle against the undefeated Green Bay Packers.

Even though it’s only been three weeks, the Packers have made an early case for being one of the top contenders in the NFC, and while Aaron Rodgers normally receives most of the attention for the team’s success, it’s the defense that has stepped up big in 2019.

Playing on a shorter week is never easy for any team in the NFL, but with Philadelphia on the verge of desperation mode heading into October, it will be interesting to see how this team looks playing in a hostile environment at Lambeau Field.

To help prepare for Thursday’s contest, Section 215 decided to team up with the folks at Dairyland Express to answer some questions for the Week 4 meeting.

So without wasting anymore time, let’s jump into some questions related to the Packers, and for those interested on the Eagles side of it all, be sure to check it out here!

1. How confident are Packers feeling in being able to finish on top of the NFC North after three games?

Honestly, at this point I’m feeling pretty good about their chances but I’m also aware that this is going to be a very difficult division as the Packers, Bears, Vikings, and Lions are a combined 9-2-1 after three weeks.

With that said, I am optimistic for two primary reasons, the first being that this Packers’ defense is legit. They are forcing turnovers, getting after the quarterback and have led this team to victory in each of the first three weeks.

Meanwhile, the offense has had their issues but it is still early as they are trying to learn this new system. If they can get better at making in-game adjustments and playing off-script, this could be a very dangerous team.

For the first time in a very long time, the Packers don’t need Rodgers to be Super Man in order for them to win.

The second reason is that two of their wins have come against the Bears and Vikings, which gives them a huge advantage early on in the divisional race. Green Bay sits at 2-0 in the NFC North, while Chicago and Minnesota are both 0-1, and Detroit is yet to play anyone in the division.

As far as any tie-breakers go, the Packers already have a leg up on everyone else.

2. Which player on the Packers will give the Eagles the most trouble?

I’m going to cheat a little on this question and give you two players, edge-rushers Za’Darius Smith, and Preston Smith. Talk about some offseason signings, these two have been huge upgrades for this Packers’ defense.

According to Pro Football Focus, through three weeks they’ve combined for 36 total pressures, 7 of which have been sacks, and a forced fumble. For some context, Clay Matthews and Nick Perry had 43 combined pressures all of 2018. The Smiths are going to be a handful for just about every team they face this season.

3. Are there any players on Green Bay you’re worried about having to play on a shorter week?

Running back Aaron Jones has had some injury issues over his first two seasons in the NFL that has led to him missing some time and after Sunday’s game against Denver, he made this week’s injury report.

Tom Silverstein said on Monday that at that time, Jones was “tentatively expected to suit up.” Jones is a dynamic part of this offense and establishing the running game is key for Matt LaFleur‘s offense. If Jones is out or even limited, it will have a major impact on this game.

4. Which player will be the biggest x-factor for the Packers to help defeat the Eagles?

I have to go with Rodgers. As I mentioned above, this defense has been phenomenal and I expect that level of play to continue this week.

However, the offense has struggled after the first quarter and part of the problem has been Rodgers’ play. He’s missed some throws that you expect him to make and at times the offense just looks completely out of sync.

While it isn’t solely Rodgers’ fault by any means, he is the quarterback and this offense runs through him. Over the last two games, he has been fantastic in the first quarter and if he can carry that play over to the rest of the game, it’s going to be tough for Philly to win this game.

5. What is your prediction for the game?

On short weeks like this one, historically the home team has a huge advantage. That coupled with a beat-up Eagles team, this Packers’ defense and an offense that is slowly coming along, I expect the Packers to win this game. Green Bay 31 – Philadelphia 17.