Eagles-Packers matchups to watch in Week 10
Eagles-Packers matchups to watch in Week 10 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Eagles (6-2) are back from their bye week and traveling to Green Bay to face the Packers (5-2-1) on Monday Night Football.
Here are some key matchups to watch:
Jordan Mailata, Lane Johnson vs. Micah Parsons, Rashan Gary
The NFL world was shocked when the Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay just before the start of the 2025 season. That meant the Eagles didn't have to play Parsons in the opener or twice per season anymore. But they will have to deal with him on Monday night. And the 26-year-old former first-round pick is unsurprisingly playing very well. In eight games with his new team, Parsons already has 6 1/2 sacks and 14 QB hits. According to NextGen Stats, Parsons is second in the NFL with 44 pressures and has a pressure rate of 18%. He's still an absolute monster and both Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson will have to be ready for him.
But they also have to be ready for Rashan Gary, who is very good too. Gary actually leads the Packers with 7 1/2 sacks, which ranks fifth in the NFL. Parsons and Gary have a combined 14 sacks this season; the Eagles have 16 sacks as a team. Both Parsons and Gary play on both sides, although Gary has lined up more on the left and Parsons more on the right. That means Johnson will likely see more of Gary and Mailata will see more of Parsons. This is a fun matchup because it's good on good. One of the best tackle duos in the league vs. one of the best edge rusher duos.
Saquon Barkley vs. Packers linebackers
While Saquon Barkley's 2025 season hasn't been nearly as impressive as his 2,000-yard performance a year ago, he did eclipse the 100-yard mark in a game for the first time this season in Week 8 before the bye week. And if the offensive line is healthier after the bye week, perhaps the Eagles can get their run game going. Barkley had success against the Packers in the wild-card round in the playoffs last year with 119 yards on 25 carries. And it's going to be cold in Green Bay on Monday night, with real-feel temperatures dipping into the teens. Could be a good time to run the ball.
The Packers' run defense this season ranks fifth in the NFL, allowing just 89.4 yards per game. The Packers' defense has good players at every level, including linebacker with Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker. But that run defense was gashed in the Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers, who had 163 yards on the ground. Rico Dowdle had 25 carries for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns against Green Bay.
Jalen Hurts vs. Xavier McKinney
The stud in the back end of the Packers' defense is veteran safety Xavier McKinney, who was an All-Pro last season with a career-high eight interceptions. Through eight games, McKinney has two this season and picked up that second one in the Week 9 loss. There are just two players in the NFL who have picked off Jalen Hurts three times: Trevon Diggs and McKinney.
So this is a game where Hurts will have to be aware of where McKinney is at all times. While Hurts hasn't thrown for a ton of yards this season, he has been incredibly efficient with 15 touchdowns and just 1 interception that came in that first loss to the New York Giants to cornerback Cor'Dale Flott. Of the 40 career interceptions that Hurts has thrown, 13 have been to safeties. In a game that could be close, Hurts needs to protect the football.
Eagles red zone offense vs. Packers red zone defense
The Eagles have been incredible in the red zone this entire season. Even when the rest of the offense wasn't performing well, they were always successful in the red zone with unique and inventive play designs. Through eight games, the Eagles have scored touchdowns on 17 of 20 trips inside the 20. That 85% makes them the best red zone offense in the NFL.
The Packers' red zone defense? Not great. They have allowed touchdowns on 14 of 22 occasions (63.6%), which ranks 23rd in the NFL. If this game is close, it could very well come down to this matchup.
Eagles secondary vs. Jordan Love
The Packers will enter this game without their stud tight end Tucker Kraft, who was lost for the season after suffering an ACL tear against the Panthers. That's an absolutely brutal blow. Kraft was the Packers' leading receiver this season with 489 yards and 6 touchdowns. In addition to that injury, rookie receiver Matthew Golden suffered a shoulder injury and is day-to-day. And WR Jayden Reed has been on IR since Week 2 after needing foot surgery and isn't ready to return yet. That leaves Love without a ton of weapons. The good news for Green Bay is that Christian Watson is back in the lineup and he has been helping, along with Romeo Doubs, who has the most catches and yards of their receiver group this season.
Green Bay doesn't turn the ball over very much. Through eight games, they have coughed up the football just five times. That's the second-fewest turnovers in the NFL behind ... the Eagles, who have just three giveaways in eight games. But the Packers did turn the ball over twice for the first time this season in their loss to the Panthers last week. And if you think back to that wild-card round, the Eagles picked off Love three times. It was just his third-career game with three interceptions. Zack Baun, Quinyon Mitchell and Darius Slay got him in that one.
Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean vs. Josh Jacobs
While the Packers have the No. 8 passing offense in the NFL, they are middle of the pack (16th) in rushing. Josh Jacobs is their lead back with 534 yards on 141 carries and 10 touchdowns. His yards-per-carry average is down from 4.4 last season to 3.8 this season. It's important to bring him down, though, because Jacobs is 12th in the NFL in yards after contact with 439. While Barkley's 2025 season hasn't gone to plan, the same can be said for Jacobs, who was a Pro Bowler last season with over 1,300 yards. He hasn't yet hit 100 yards in a game this season.
The Eagles now have three viable options at linebacker with Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean and Jihaad Campbell. While Baun simply isn't going to leave the field, there will likely be a rotation between Dean and Campbell the rest of the way. But on early downs, Dean is probably the Eagles' best option because of his ability against the run. That physicality will be needed in this game. The Eagles began this season giving up 100+ rushing yards in each of their first six games. But in the two games since Dean returned to the defense they have given up 89 yards to the Vikings and just 68 to the Giants. It's not all about the addition of Dean to the defense, but he has certainly helped.
Eagles DTs vs. backup left guard?
The Packers have a pretty good offensive line and have gotten solid tackle play from Zach Tom on the ride side and Rasheed Walker on the left. If you're looking for a weakness on the line it could be at left guard, where starter Aaron Banks is dealing with a stinger that forced him out of action against the Panthers. Banks was replaced in that game by Sean Rhyan, who struggled. So that's definitely an area to watch.
The Eagles fortified their edge rusher group in the last couple weeks. They brought Brandon Graham out of retirement, traded for Jaelan Phillips and then activated the practice window for Nolan Smith, who could make his return on Monday night. All of that will help. But the biggest boost the defense might get in the second half is a better Jalen Carter. It hasn't been a great season so far for the stud defensive tackle between missing two games, dealing with a shoulder injury and working his way back into better shape. But before the bye week, Carter started showing signs of being that dominant force we have come to expect. With those additions on the edge and with Carter, Moro Ojomo and Jordan Davis on the inside, this defensive line has the makings of a really good group.