Who is PSR Staff Predicting to Win Eagles-Packers’ Wild Card Game?

Today is the day! Game day!

The Eagles and Packers kick off from Lincoln Financial Field at 4:30 today. Who is the Philly Sports Reports staff picking to win the game?

Here are our official predictions:

Benjamin Goldstein: Eagles 27, Packers 24

The score is close, but it will not indicate the dominance the Eagles will have over the Packers Sunday afternoon. I do think the offense will start sluggish, especially with Jalen Hurts who has not played since Week 16, and a banged-up A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but Saquon Barkley and this Eagles defense will come through huge against the Packers. If Barkley is being held in check, Brown will become the x-factor against an injured Packers secondary. Josh Jacobs will keep it close, as the Eagles have had their troubles against the run recently, but a dominant final drive from the Eagles’ offense will seal it in the end at Lincoln Financial Field. All of these Eagles-Packers playoff games come down to the end. No difference Sunday evening.

Sam Heine: Eagles 28, Packers 20

When a football team finishes the season 14-3 they are usually rewarded with a bye week in the first round of the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Eagles they not only don’t get a bye, they have to play an 11-win Packers team in the first round. The Packers are a very good opponent as they finished as the number 5 ranked defense and offense this season. They have very good playmakers in Josh Jacobs and Jayden Reed, and a Quarterback who can make special plays at times. But, with all that said, I still think the Eagles are the better team. I expect the offense to start out slow, but in the second half get humming and eventually wear the Packers down. I think in the end the Eagles offensive line and Saquon Barkley will eventually break a big run that will be the difference.

Matt Brown: Eagles 34, Packers 16

I don’t understand why people think this game will be close. Yes, Jalen Hurts hasn’t had game action in three weeks, but I don’t believe that will fully matter. This Eagles team is probably the most talented team I’ve seen in my lifetime, one of the best defenses in my lifetime, and probably the best group of offensive weapons in the team’s history. I have the defense going crazy once again proving to people that Jordan Love is not as great as people think he is. I think the Eagles ride Saquon Barkley like they have all season long, get Hurts back into the swing of things, and get ready for whoever they’ll host next weekend. Eagles win by at least two scores.

Bo Lynett: Eagles 28, Packers 20

This is not the same Eagles team we saw face the Packers in Week 1 in Brazil. The defense has gone from a bunch of young guys who’ve barely/ never played together (or in the NFL) to the best defense in the league. This game’s score will be similar to the 34-29 score we saw in their first matchup, but slightly lower for two reasons. First the Eagles this will be Jalen Hurts’ first game back since the first quarter of Week 16, so there may be a bit of rust to shake off to start the game. For the Packers, the combination of losing Christian Watson and the elite play from this Vic Fangio defense will make it hard for them to score. Expect a big game from A.J. Brown, who had 119 yards receiving against the Packers’ best cornerback in Jaire Alexander, who will not play in tomorrow’s game.

Evan Hartenstein: Eagles 27, Packers 14

Philadelphia takes on Green Bay in a rematch from week one of the season and things don’t look much different. Both Hurts and Love are healthy and playing in this game after recent injuries and the teams are overall in good standing health-wise. That being said, the Eagles are simply just the better team. It will be difficult for the Packers to keep up with the tempo that the Eagles offense plays at. It is hard to believe that the Green Bay defense will have any chance of stopping Saquon, A.J., or Smitty and those mismatches alone should be enough to move on to the divisional round.

Ethan Whitney: Eagles 34, Packers 20

When it comes down to it this is a matchup between two different tiers of team. You don’t need me to tell you how the Eagles have proven themselves to be amongst the best of the best this season. Even before this team really hit its stride we still beat the Packers way back in São Paulo. It’s been a weird season for the Pack, where they haven’t taken that next step many thought they would. The team’s “statement win” was over a 1-4 Rams team. The Packers’ time will come, but they’ll have to wait at least another year.

Roman Furchi: Eagles 28, Packers 20

This is heavily weighted on how Jalen Hurts plays off his concussion. On the season as a whole, the Eagles are a better team in both points scored and points against. The roster makeup also leans in the Eagles’ favor. Saquan Barkley is arguably having one of the best RB seasons of all time based on his efficiency per carry. Also, the health of Green Bay is very questionable at best, especially with the recent news of their top WR Christian Watson being out for the playoffs and Jordan Love having a lingering shoulder injury. And while I feel the game will end up close I predict that the Packers will score most points in garbage time.