Wildcard Round: Packers @ Eagles - Sunday, Jan. 12th 3:30 PM

[HarveysWBs]

On 1/8/2025 at 12:55 PM, Fear The Chorizo said:

On paper, Philly is the best team in the NFC and it's not really that close

Eh, I don’t know about this. You could make the argument they’re the best (Barkley is great, Hurts has had a very good year with many weapons, Fangio has been around forever for a reason, stingy defense, etc) but it would be debatable, for sure. To wit:

- Their strength of schedule is very suspect (among the NFC playoff field, only Washington had an easier path to the playoffs this year). Their division was pretty trashy this year, offering no real resistance. Their marquee wins are a beat down of the Buccs in week 4 before they got going, a one-score win over Baltimore, and solid wins over LA and Pittsburgh when both of those opponents were really scuffling and losing to lesser teams.

-  By comparison, we complain about Green Bay’s inability to beat good teams, but Philly’s strength of victory was barely better (.424 vs .412), and way behind conference standouts like Detroit (.494 strength of victory).

- Their point differential is 62 points behind Detroit’s, and Detroit has had harder competition down the stretch than Philly has sniffed in over a month.

And I know you said on paper, but adding the intangibles:

- Hurts will play, but hasn’t seen the field in nearly a month. That’s an issue for a guy that always had kind of a suspect arm anyway. He’ll be a bit vulnerable, especially in the wildcard.

- Sirianni is feeling the pressure. He knows where he is and what the stakes are. Nobody in Green Bay is going down if they lose this game. But this Philly team flaming out in the wildcard round would lead to big changes, and that matters. Philly is going to be a little tight, especially early in the playoffs before they get on a little run.

Add that all up, and if I were to bet my own money on who wins the conference, give me Detroit, hands down.

[adambr2]

Detroit’s performance against Minnesota was enough to convince me that they are in fact the team to beat in the NFC. A little bit scary that all the injuries have not really even slowed them down at all.

With that being said, nothing in the NFC, including Detroit losing their first game, would utterly shock me. Maybe Washington going to the Super Bowl. That’s about it.

[OldHeidelberg]

We will be feeling pretty good about beating Detroit next week if we can get through this one. Are we really going to 0-6 against these 3 teams? I want to believe no but I didn’t think we would go 0-4 or 0-5 either. No turnovers, no lining up in neutral zone, etc and we should be there at the end today. Hopefully MLF got them past the last couple of losses.

[adambr2]

42 minutes ago, OldHeidelberg said:

We will be feeling pretty good about beating Detroit next week if we can get through this one. Are we really going to 0-6 against these 3 teams? I want to believe no but I didn’t think we would go 0-4 or 0-5 either. No turnovers, no lining up in neutral zone, etc and we should be there at the end today. Hopefully MLF got them past the last couple of losses.

If we play really well, and Philly plays really well and we lose a close game, I can live with that.

If we come out flat again, get down 17-0 before halftime and then put a “make it look closer than it really was” rally together in the 4th quarter to lose 27-20,  I’m going to go into the offseason with serious questions about whether MLF is ever really going to be the guy to put this team over the top.

[HarryDoyle]

1 hour ago, OldHeidelberg said:

We will be feeling pretty good about beating Detroit next week if we can get through this one. Are we really going to 0-6 against these 3 teams? I want to believe no but I didn’t think we would go 0-4 or 0-5 either. No turnovers, no lining up in neutral zone, etc and we should be there at the end today. Hopefully MLF got them past the last couple of losses.

But can he get himself past the last couple losses?

[Brian]

Packers sign QB Sean Clifford to active roster

Green Bay announces roster move ahead of Sunday's NFC Wild Card matchup vs. Eagles.

[OldHeidelberg]

17 minutes ago, Brian said:

Packers sign QB Sean Clifford to active roster

Green Bay announces roster move ahead of Sunday's NFC Wild Card matchup vs. Eagles.

I think adding the 3rd qb is normal for the playoffs. It’s one thing to run out of QB,s in the regular season, another to get caught short there in single elimination.

[HarryDoyle]

49 minutes ago, OldHeidelberg said:

I think adding the 3rd qb is normal for the playoffs. It’s one thing to run out of QB,s in the regular season, another to get caught short there in single elimination.

Just ask San Francisco.

[OldHeidelberg]

2 hours ago, HarryDoyle said:

But can he get himself past the last couple losses?

Like adambr2 said above it is certainly something I am watching today. If they can't pick themselves up and compete today it reflects badly on him. The players know he screwed up that game last week, just like having faith in your QB to win games for you the players need to know the coach at least won't lose them for you. There is enough talent on this roster to win this game but I could see them getting blown out if they get down a couple of scores early.    

[OldHeidelberg]

Williams, Quay, Slaton, and Cox all active. Pretty much full strength other that Watson and Jaire.

[HarryDoyle]

Should I just shut off the game now?

[yourout]

That was not a hit on the ball.

[yourout]

Should be Packers.

[CheezWizHed]

"Clean hit"... thanks Tom.  Helmet to helmet.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Atrocious. Nixon had that ball. And again I say, why even have instant replay if you're not overturning that.  

[HarveysWBs]

Well that was stupid. Love to get an explanation on that review decision.

[CheezWizHed]

Lovely start... 😤

[yourout]

I'm sure that will get an apologie from the office next week.

[OldHeidelberg]

What a joke of a start. We are going to get rolled.

[82brewcrew82]

This is going to get ugly quick.  Just can't play as stupid and lackadaisical as the Packers do and expect to beat really good teams.  They have crapped the bed in multiple ways in less than 2 minutes.

[CheezWizHed]

2 minutes ago, HarveysWBs said:

Well that was stupid. Love to get an explanation on that review decision.

The only thing I can think of would be:

1. They didn't have the overhead view
2. They thought it was moving around too much for him to have "possession"

[yourout]

1 minute ago, CheezWizHed said:

Lovely start... 😤

Get it over early so I can get some work done yet tonight.

[bjkrautk]

That’s about as bad a start as possible.

[adambr2]

Lol. This team is an absolute joke in big games, and this pass rush is a joke in any game.

[OldHeidelberg]

I don't know that it was 100% on replay that Nixon totally had it. 90% but that shouldn't be the standard. Don't drop it in the first place.