What Matt LaFleur and the Packers are saying about the Eagles
Matt LaFleur, Kingsley Enagbare, and Rashan Gary talk about the Eagles ahead of their wild-card game on Sunday
The Eagles (14-3) will face off against the Green Bay Packers (11-6) for the second time this season in a wild-card matchup at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
The Eagles are coming off a 20-13 win over the New York Giants in a game that saw them rest most of their starters in preparation for the postseason. Meanwhile, the No. 7-seeded Packers are coming off of two consecutive losses as they aim to upset the No. 2 seed in a similar fashion as last year’s wild-card win over the Dallas Cowboys.
In their last meeting, the Eagles defeated the Packers 34-29 in Brazil. Will something similar happen on Sunday on U.S. soil? Or will the Packers end Philly’s chances at another Super Bowl? As both teams prepare, here’s what the Packers are saying about the Eagles…
Different field conditions
Green Bay’s head coach Matt LaFleur is familiar with playing in Philly from his time coaching in Washington. The coach is looking forward to the opportunity to defeat the Eagles at home.
“It’s a great challenge,” LaFleur told reporters. “It’s one of those where it’s only you, it’s only us, I should say. Our football team, everybody, I can’t tell you how many times we’ve gone in there and you’re riding in there on the bus and next thing you know your bus is splattered with eggs. It’s a unique experience but it makes it a lot more fun as well. It’s a great place to play. They got a very passionate fanbase, a very angry fanbase but it just heightens the excitement behind the game.”
The Linc’s field conditions will surely be better than the slick field at Corinthians Arena that is normally a soccer stadium. When asked if this week’s field conditions will help the Packers compared to Week 1, Packers defensive end Kingsley Enagbare responded immediately “Definitely.”
“But ultimately I guess we both were on the field so it really didn’t matter too much,” Enagbare told reporters. “I guess we both were affected by it. I guess that was a factor but it really shouldn’t be a factor this week.”
‘A guy that can do it all’
Despite a 34-29 victory in the Eagles’ first meeting with Green Bay, the Birds struggled defensively — allowing 414 yards and 7.8 yards per carry. But one player who didn’t struggle was linebacker Zack Baun.
Baun finished with a season-high 15 tackles, two of which were sacks. This was just a small preview of what Baun would do in the rest of season — earning an All-Pro honor. LaFleur praised Baun for his performance.
“A guy that can do it all,” LaFleur told reporters. “I mean, he’s a very disciplined player but he can rush, he can cover, he’s great in run support. Just watching his progression obviously from New Orleans where he didn’t play a ton until I think his last year there or whatever. To see what he’s done in Philly, it’s been pretty impressive. You can tell the guy is a pro and he’s earned those accolades.”
» READ MORE: Saquon Barkley, Zack Baun named first-team AP All-Pro while four Eagles get second-team honors
Slowing down Saquon
Another player that stood out in Week 1 was Saquon Barkley. In Barkley’s debut with Philly, the running back ran for for 109 rushing yards and found the end zone three times. In order to slow Barkley down, Packers defensive end Rashan Gary said they’ve studied Barkley enough to know what type of running back he is.
“We already know what type of scheme he likes to run and we know where he wants to hit the gaps and what side he likes to run to, things like that,” Gary told reporters. “But he’s a guy where you have to be in your gap, be where you’re supposed to be and if you’re not, he’s going to make you pay.”
The Eagles play in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs against the Green Bay Packers. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest story lines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.