January 12, 2025   6 MIN READ

Sent ‘Em Packing!

Defense Fuels Birds Playoff Win Over Packers

by

PHILADELPHIA – The crowd leapt to its feet as the Rocky theme emanated through the Lincoln Financial Field PA system, furiously swirling white rally towels.

The stage was set, as the postseason would momentarily be underway.

Oren Burks provided the spark, trudging down the field and dislodging the ball from the hands of Packers returner Keisean Nixon. Rookie linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was quick to pounce, giving the offense the ball at the 28-yard line.

Following a pair of Saquon Barkley runs, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts made good on his first attempt of the game, delivering an 11-yard touchdown strike to seldom-used wide receiver Jahan Dotson in the back of the end zone to give the Eagles the early lead.

The play set the tone for what would be a 22-10 Eagles win, cemented by rookie Quinyon Mitchell’s first interception of the season on Green Bay’s last pass late in the fourth quarter.

The No. 2 seed Eagles advanced to the NFC Divisional round next weekend. They will face either the No. 3 seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams or No. 5 Minnesota Vikings.

Despite the inconsistencies plaguing the offense, quarterback Jalen Hurts added another touchdown pass to his stat line in the third quarter, completing a short toss to tight end Dallas Goedert, who issued a stiff arm and rumbled his way down the sideline for a 16-3 lead.

The Packers countered, leaning on running back Josh Jacobs, who carved his way through the teeth of the Eagles’ defense for a 31-yard run and then capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to cut into the lead, but it wasn’t enough to upend the Eagles in their own home.

Hurts in his return from a Week 16 concussion completed 13 of 21 pass attempts for 131 yards and two touchdowns, while adding another 37 yards on the ground.

Goedert reeled in all four targets for 55 yards and a touchdown. Running back Saquon Barkley rolled up 98 yards on 23 carries.

Defensively, safety Reed Blankenship led the Eagles in tackles (9), adding a forced fumble. Veteran cornerback Darius Slay tallied an interception of Jordan Love and edge rusher Nolan Smith logged the team’s two sacks.

Eagles Packers wild card

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles WR Jahan Dotson (83) celebrates his first TD this season with TE Dallas Goedert (88) and RB Saquon Barkley.

Let’s get to the observations.

* Eagles inactives: QB Tanner McKee (3rd QB), CB Eli Ricks, S Lewis Cine, OL Nick Gates, OL Darian Kinnard, OL Trevor Keegan and WR Ainias Smith. OL Brett Toth, signed to the 53 off the practice squad on Friday, was active. The practice squad elevations this week were FB Khari Blasingame and WR Parris Campbell. Campbell, dressed in place of Smith, giving the Eagles veteran depth.

* Eagles set the tone early, with LB Oren Burks forcing a fumble on Packers returner Keisean Nixon on the opening kickoff. Rookie LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recovered at the Packers’ 28. Three plays later, on the first pass attempt of the game, QB Jalen Hurts delivered a strike in the back of the end zone to WR Jahan Dotson for an early lead.

This was Dotson’s first touchdown as an Eagle, but the sequence that led to the early possession warrants acknowledgement. Burks doesn’t get much fanfare, and typically occupies a relatively anonymous role, but the former Packers/49ers LB has come up big down the stretch. Valuable third linebacker and core special teamer.

* Eagles FB Khari Blasingame, elevated from the practice squad, saw the field on the Eagles’ opening possession. Over his three regular season elevations, Blasingame logged just two offensive snaps. His early involvement set the tone for the running game.

* Big-time showing from second-year EDGE Nolan Smith, who in the first quarter dropped QB Jordan Love on a 3rd-and-3 for a 16-yard loss. Smith delivered pressure on multiple Love drop-backs, further reinforcing how drastic his development has been this season. On a team with limited pass-rush optionality, Smith has been a bright spot.

* Going into the matchup, I’d noted how Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks aligned to the right and would see a lot of Eagles cornerback Darius Slay, who I believed would be heavily targeted. With that, I also forecasted a Slay interception, and on the first play of the second quarter, Slay picked off Love. Slay would soon leave the game with an elbow injury, however, and was replaced by Isaiah Rodgers.

* Slow, clunky start for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense. For perspective, Hurts in the second quarter went 0-for-4 and compiled a 39.6 rating. But let’s not let OC Kellen Moore off the hook, as his offense lacked punch and innovation, as it really has all season. It’s just amplified when RB Saquon Barkley doesn’t get going.

* Never a good sign when a player is carted off and immediately ruled out with a knee injury, but that was the case with Eagles LB Nakobe Dean. We’ll have to wait and hear the severity of the injury, but it’s tough to put into words how crucial Dean is to the defense’s overall functionality, in terms of setting the tone, communicating and leadership.

Burks took over, and it’s important to remember not every team has the luxury of having a third linebacker like Burks, who has played in over 100 games and started in a Super Bowl.

* While the offense didn’t exactly hold up its end of the bargain, the Eagles’ defense played fast, physical and inspired football. For starters, DC Vic Fangio’s bunch pitched a shutout until 5:46 remained in the third. The absence of Dean was especially critical on the Packers’ lengthy 12-play, 62-yard drive which resulted in a 28-yard Brandon McManus field goal.

* TE Dallas Goedert’s 24-yard third quarter touchdown served as a reminder of the added dimension he provides when healthy. A safety valve for Hurts, Goedert fielded the short toss, issued a stiff arm and rumbled his way down the left sideline for the Eagles’ second touchdown, extending the lead to 16-3. For those short dump-offs to work, a player with the physicality and ability to head upfield is critical. Goedert (4) is now second among Eagles in postseason receiving touchdowns, trailing only Hall Of Fame receiver Harold Carmichael (6).

*The Eagles struggled mightily on third down, converting only 2-of-11 (18%). Comparatively, the Packers converted 6-of-12 (50%).

* The Eagles noticeably lost some tenacity and punch without Dean, which surfaced on a 31-yard Josh Jacobs downhill run through the teeth of the defense. The Pro Bowl running back shook off a half-dozen tackle attempts to bring the Packers to the goal line. He’d punch it in on the ensuing play.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.

About The Author

Comments are closed here.