Preview Eagles vs. the game Packers: Five questions and answers with the enemy

The Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) and Green Bay Packers (3-0) are expected to play at Lambeau Field on Thursday night. For an overview of this game of the week 4, I contacted our associates at Acme Packing Company. The jolly Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) kindly took the time to answer my questions about the upcoming game. Let's look at his answers! (Also do not forget to check my side of the Q & A exchange at APC.)

1 – We talked a lot about the improvement of the Packers' defense. What went into this?

The improvement in the Packers' defense stems from a concerted effort to improve the talent on this side of the ball this season, as well as the decision to retain defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. General Manager Brian Gutekunst has invested heavily in late season passes by hiring free agents Za'Darius Black-smith and Preston Smith lucrative multi-year offers and writing Rashan Gary in the first round. Gutekunst also stabilized secondary education by adding Adrian Amos and recruit Darnell Savage. Each of these players made an impact for three weeks by combining 8 sacks, 8 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

But the new talent would not have made such a difference if it had not been deployed strategically, and Pettine deserves considerable credit for the way he coordinated the defense. He found ways to use all his new weapons simultaneously while covering areas where the defense lacks talent for the field (linebacker). Although the unit has weaknesses – mainly against running – Pettine's ability to handle pressure through stunts, defensive blitzes and linebacker looks has made life difficult for opposing quarters.

2 – What about the Packers' injury situation?

The Packers entered the season with deep problems in the linebackers. Behind the starter Blake Martinez, Oren Burks remains absent with a pectoral injury, exciting rookie Curtis Bolton suffered an injury at the end of the season and hybrid safety linebacker Raven Greene landed in the reserve with an ankle injury. Combined with the recent injuries of defensive linemen Montravius ​​Adams, the defense of the race took a noticeable blow.

In attack, the only major injury occurred in the guard. Starter Lane Taylor suffered a bicep injury last week in a workout that will require surgery and could end her season. Still, Green Bay had started running Taylor with a second-round pick Elgton Jenkins, signaling their intention to make a change. The injury has probably sped up the process for a week or so, and Jenkins has played remarkably since he's been working with offense # 1.

3 – If you built a game plan for the Packers, how would you attack them in attack? On the defense?

Because the Packers did not play well against the race, I tried to exploit them in the running. the Broncos did well last Sunday in the first period, before the score forced them to pass more often, and the Eagles could do it as well with Miles Sanders open the way. I would also try to force the Packers to have more basic staff when they would want to go on to create clashes between linebackers. B.J. Goodson and my tight ends and slot receivers.

On the other side of the ball, stopping the Packers races outside the zone and in separate zones will force them to become one-dimensional and limit the damage caused by Aaron Rodgers. Both Bear and Broncos did it well, and for some reason, it limited how much the head coach of the play team, Matt LaFleur, felt comfortable with. call.

4 – If you could choose an Eagles player to add to the Packers list, who would it be? And why?

Although defensive tackle Fletcher Cox Would make even more intimidating an already formidable defensive front, the Packers would make the most of the addition of the slave Zach Ertz. LaFleur's offensive system uses tight ends a lot, and the list currently does not include anyone who can handle all the roles requested for the job. Ertz would give Rodgers a reliable target for crossers and backtracking, adding an important dimension to the offensive.

5 – Who wins this game and why? Prediction score? And what are your expectations for the rest of the Packers season?

The Packers catch the Eagles at the right time. The wounds exhausted Philly's depth and took away some of the best players on the team. Meanwhile, Green Bay starts the week relatively healthy and has an edge on his court. I never predict the scores, but I expect the Packers to accept this one.

Regarding the season, the Packers have already exceeded my expectations and have prepared to play in the playoffs. The most difficult part of their program comes later (six of their last nine games taking place outside Lambeau Field), but they could have enough accumulated victories to survive that period.

Whatever the case, for the Packers to reach their full potential, the new offense will have to find its rhythm. This has not happened yet for a full match, and we do not know why. Perhaps the quality of the opponents has played a role (each of the three defenses played by Green Bay is ranked among the top 5 of the DVOA last season) or perhaps the lack of time play during the preseason continues to affect the unit. But until the offense occurs at a consistently high level, this remains a major issue for the upcoming team.