Tonight a great Week 12 matchup will feature an interesting post Thanksgiving game for the NFL’s Monday Night Football.
The matchup is between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles who both have dismal records and have disappointed fans with an unexpectedly poor season. Green Bay will visit Philly and will want to try to salvage what they can of their season, but the win column has been elusive.
They’ve lost four-straight games and to aggravate the situation they’re 1-5 on the road this year.
The QB for the Packers, Aaron Rodgers took a lot of heat and criticism this year and has been blamed for his squad’s weak performance. So if he wants to win he’s has to exploit the Eagles’ cornerbacks in the game. He has the skills and weapons to do it. Jordy Nelson will need to help his quarterback out by making smart plays himself.
Philadelphia has had two losses, the latest to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11, but before that they were undefeated (4-0) at home. When on home turf, at Lincoln Financial Field, they looked like a Super Bowl challenger, but on the road they couldn’t find their mojo.
QB for the Eagles, and 2016 first-round pick, Carson Wentz played very well this year despite not being very offensive. The Eagles will want to him to be on his game and have their defense raise their level, if they’re going to get a necessary win this Week.
Losing badly against the Redskins last week, the Packers will try hard to rebound against Philadelphia. Rodgers and his offense have to square off against one of the NFL’s best home defenses. And despite some rare flashes of offense last week, Green Bay will definitely be in a tough spot going into this game.
In the last four games, the Packers defense was dismal id not totally horrendous. They gave up 33 points to the Falcons, 31 to the Colts, 47 to the Titans and 42 to Kirk Cousins and the Redskins last week.
The Eagles will come into this game after Seattle dominated them last week so they need this win if they will have any chance in the NFC Wild Card race. The Eagles are behind the Giants, Redskins, Vikings and Buccaneers who are all in the NFC Wild Card race. A loss puts them at 5-6 and drastically and might put their playoff chances out of reach.
The Packers don’t have a lot of breathing room, the Eagles do, so a loss for them puts them at 4-7 and basically out of the NFC playoff race.
Rodgers will have fun throwing far against the Eagles cornerbacks, Wentz will try to do the same against the Packers’ poor secondary. Green Bay is not playing well at all on the road, and the Eagles haven’t lost at home. So that’s why it’s going to be closer than most think, so look for the Eagles to squeeze out a win tonight and move to 6-5.
On paper, the Eagles look like they will win this matchup too. They’ve got a more balanced team, they’re at home and they are not desperate as the Packers are. With Rodgers facing them though, not many will be surprised if he steals the game and get a win that they so desperately need to win.
