The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a well-timed bye week, which coincidentally lined up with the trade deadline. Yet before we get into this week’s matchup, it’s worth mentioning the moves made by Howie Roseman.
Roseman made three deals before the deadline, and all three were low-risk moves for the future of this Eagles’ team. Jaire Alexander and Michael Carter II are now cornerback depth, and it only cost them late-round pick swaps. They also sent John Metchie to the New York Jets in the Carter trade. Both could make an impact at cornerback, but Carter could also play safety, as Roseman mentioned in his interview this week.
The big move for the Philadelphia Eagles was acquiring Jaelan Phillips, the edge rusher from the Miami Dolphins, who had his best year of his career with current Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Phillips had 6.5 sacks in just eight games in his lone year with Fangio. So, the familiarity and production are there. It only cost the Eagles a third-round pick to finalize the deal. In my opinion, that is fair for both sides, especially because Miami is taking on most of the salary this season. Most of Phillips’s remaining salary was converted by Miami to a signing bonus, meaning the Eagles only have to pay Phillips $1.5 million for the remainder of the year.
And then, in the future, Phillips can either recoup a compensatory pick or be re-signed and be part of the team’s long-term plans. So it is hard to see how the Eagles lose this trade. These additions also come at the right time, before a huge matchup against the Green Bay Packers, who are coming off a tough loss to the Carolina Panthers. This matchup could go a long way in determining the one seed in the NFC, so let’s dive into the keys of the game.
Philadelphia Eagles Keys to the Game
Limiting Green Bay’s Offense
The Green Bay Packers lost one of their best players this past week in Tucker Kraft to a torn ACL. That is a massive hit to their offense in more ways than one. Kraft was their number two option in the passing game, as he was second on the team in targets only behind Romeo Doubs. However, watching the Packers, he was a critical piece of their offense, and one could argue that he was their most important player. The team loses their primary redzone target, as he led the team with 12. Now, they must figure out a new offensive game plan against one of the league’s top defenses.
As for the Eagles, one of their new additions, whether from the offseason or the trade deadline, will have to do some heavy lifting. Tucker Kraft commanded an 18-percent target share, and most of that will be going to the wide receivers. Luke Musgrave had a successful rookie year, but likely won’t command the attention that Kraft did. Romeo Doubs or Christian Watson will look to challenge whoever is lined up at the second cornerback spot for Philadelphia.
Neutralize Micah Parsons
The Philadelphia Eagles will see a very familiar face on defense. Micah Parsons will go head-to-head for the seventh time with Lane Johnson across from him. The Packers are currently 12th in quarterback hurries with 23 total, and Parsons leads the Pack with seven. The Eagles and Jalen Hurts are first in pocket time.
Something has to give in this matchup, and it might be getting Johnson getting the best of Parsons yet again. The Eagles’ offensive line has been quietly good in pass protection. They have been facing a lot of blitzes, and have held up well. However, with the addition of Parsons, the Packers have not done much of that, being in the bottom five in blitzes so far this season. It will be interesting to see how much Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley utilizes the blitz. This game will be a big test for the offensive line on Monday Night Football.
Get Saquon Going
Saquon Barkley had his best showing of 2025 against his former team two weeks ago with 150 rushing yards and two total touchdowns. Now, he will get a tough challenge against a run defense.
The Packers are allowing the fourth-least rushing yards in the league. However, they are middle of the pack in estimated points added against the run at 15th in the NFL. The Eagles have been passing the ball a ton lately, but getting Saquon to build off that great showing is important. Barkley is key for Philadelphia in this contest.
Final Thoughts
This game is the second time this season that the Eagles are underdogs. The last time was in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs, where they secured a road win. The top of the NFC is crowded, with five teams at six wins and four teams at five wins. Three of those five-win teams are from the NFC North, so this game will go a long way come January.
Even with the Eagles’ two bad losses, they are still in the thick of the race for the No. 1 seed. The team still has games against the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, and Buffalo Bills. There is a lot of season left, but that does not make this game any less important. And in primetime on Monday Night Football, it should deliver in a big way with two of the league’s best teams.
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