The Packers open their season on Friday night in São Paulo, Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are no joke. They are a very talented team. Green Bay will need to play a solid game with minimal mistakes. The key to victory for Green Bay will be the play of their offensive and defensive lines. If the Packers can pressure Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and hold up against the Eagles fierce pass rush, the game will be awfully winnable.
The Packers Offensive Line Can Control the Game
The Packers enter the Week 1 game with five familiar faces on the offensive line. Green Bay is expected to start Rasheed Walker at LT, Elgton Jenkins at LG, Josh Myers at C, and Zach Tom at RT. It sounds like Sean Rhyan will get the start at RG. LaFleur has mentioned the possibility of rotating in rookie first round pick Jordan Morgan at RG but the plan is unclear. The Packers ran a similar rotation at RG with Rhyan and John Runyon Jr. in 2023.
The Eagles bring an intimidating defensive line into São Paulo. The Philadelphia defensive line features the two former Georgia Bulldogs, Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Davis is bulldozer who is 6’6 and weighs 336 lbs. He is not easy to move. Lining up next to Davis is Jalen Carter. Carter was considered by many to be the first overall pick in 2023. Carter registered 6 sacks in his rookie season. The Eagles signed premier free agent pass rusher Bryce Huff. Huff is a pass rush specialist. He exploded onto the scene with 10 sacks for the New York Jets in 2023.
In the second half of 2023 when the Packers offense caught fire, the play action pass was a major component of the offense. In order for that to be effective, the running game needs to be cooking. Additionally, the Packers talented pass catching group cannot produce if Love does not have time to throw.
Green Bay will certainly prioritize time of possession to keep Hurts and the Eagles offense on the sideline. It all starts up front for Green Bay. Philadelphia will not have LB Devin White and CB James Bradberry which means if the Packers can neutralize the Eagles front, they can attack the second and third levels of the Eagles defense.
The Packers Defensive Line Can Win the Game
Green Bay enters the 2024 season with arguably its most exciting defensive front in a long time. The Packers defensive line will feature Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, and Colby Wooden. On the edge, the Packers have Rashon Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox Jr., and Arron Mosby. Green Bay believes this front is extremely deep. With Haley’s aggressive downhill scheme, the expectations for this unit are high.
The Eagles might have the best offensive tackle duo in the NFL with Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. LG Landon Dickerson is a two pro bowler as well. However, the long time Eagle center Jason Kelce has retired and Cam Jurgens is set to take over. Philadelphia plans to move former Jet tackle Mekhi Becton inside to RG. Although the Eagles offensive line consist of three pro bowlers, Jurgens and Becton are question marks. Expect Green Bay to exploit Jurgens and Becton on Friday night.
Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, and T.J. Slaton will be the tone setters in this game. If these three can cause disruption up the middle, it will make things difficult for Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts. Giving Hurts time to throw is not a recipe for success. The Eagles pass catching group is too good. It is one of the best in the NFL. Hurts will find A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert if he has the time. The pressure from the Packers defensive front will be the biggest difference maker down in São Paulo.
