Packers vs Eagles Wild Card Predictions | NFL Playoff Picks Today, Best Bets
Grant White
Host · Writer
The Philadelphia Eagles enter the postseason as a top threat in the NFC and a dark horse candidate to claim their first championship since 2017. Their path to the Super Bowl starts with a first-round matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers were lost in a competitive NFC North field. Nevertheless, they operate efficiently on both sides of the football. Green Bay must be operating at peak efficiency if it hopes to pull off a Super Wild Card Weekend upset and send the Eagles to another unceremonious playoff exit.
Where to Watch Packers vs Eagles
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
- Time: Sunday, January 12, 4:30 p.m. ET | Where to Watch: Fox
- Spread: Eagles -4.5 | Moneyline: Eagles -240 | Total: 45.5
Packers vs Eagles Wild Card Best Bet ATS: Packers +4.5
After winning five of six from Week 11 to Week 16, the Packers dropped their final two games of the regular season. While it’s an unfortunate end to an otherwise superb regular season, there are a couple of positives from both performances. The combined deficit of the losses was just four points, and one came on the road against the 14-2 Minnesota Vikings. Including those two defeats, Green Bay still went 5-2 against the spread to end the campaign. Philadephia was one of the most proficient teams covering the number this season. Still, they also have an unfortunate track record of being tragically eliminated in the playoffs. In three of their past four playoff trips, they’ve lost in the Wild Card round. After opening as -3.5 chalk, this line has been bought up to -4.5 as we approach the weekend. That’s just past a key number. We like the Packers’ chances of keeping this within +4.5, if not pulling off the outright upset.
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Packers vs Eagles Wild Card Best Bet Total: Under 45.5
An injury to Jordan Love could profoundly impact the Packers’ chances on Sunday. However, the Eagles are also dealing with the lingering concussion issues impacting Jalen Hurts’s availability in the Wild Card round. Hurts returned to practice on Wednesday, a promising update for Philadelphia. While Love was limited in Wednesday’s session, he’s optimistic he’ll be available at Lincoln Financial Field. Having both starting quarterbacks under center is a promising outlook, but effectiveness could be an issue as Love and Hurts work through their respective issues. As such, the winner of this NFC wild-card showdown could come down to which team performs best on defense. In that regard, we’re expecting both units to be operating efficiently. That should lead to a low-scoring game, with this one falling below 45.5 points.
Packers vs Eagles Wild Card Best Player Props
Saquon Barkley Under 101.5 Rushing Yards
In his first season in the City of Brotherly Love, Saquon Barkley became the face of the Eagles franchise. The three-time Pro Bowler came within 100 yards of the all-time single-season rushing record. However, he came up short after sitting out the regular season finale. While he’ll be well-rested for this pivotal clash versus the Packers, we still see Barkley coming up short of his rushing prop at home. His limited postseason experience, Hurts’s anticipated return, and Green Bay’s vaunted run defense put this high total just out of reach. Barkley has just two playoff games under his belt, and he didn’t surpass 61 rushing yards in either of those contests. The more inhibiting factor is the Packers’ fierce defensive front. Green Bay ranked seventh in rushing yards allowed this season, limiting opponents to 99.4 per game. Moreover, that average dropped to a paltry 73.0 over the season’s final three games. Hurts return bolsters the Eagles’ chances but also has the unintended consequence of limiting Barkley’s ceiling. Philadelphia can rely on its passing attack, amplifying A.J. Brown’s outlook, but Hurts also has a knack for taking off in the run game. As a result, there are too many factors working against Barkley. We forecast the Eagles’ running back falling below 101.5 rushing yards against the Packers.
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