Eagles-Packers: Scouting report, matchups and prediction | Paul Domowitch

The Eagles, coming off a short week, will try to even their record to 2-2 when they play the 3-0 Green Bay Packers on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.

Here’s an in-depth look at the game (8:20 p.m., Fox29, NFL Network):

The Eagles are averaging only 3.6 yards per carry, but actually have run the ball pretty well in two of their three games (Redskins and Lions). Jordan Howard was effective on first down (7-28) and short-yardage (a 1-yard touchdown run) vs. the Lions. And while Miles Sanders fumbled twice, he also had his best NFL rushing performance, gaining 53 yards on 13 carries.

The Packers’ defensive weak link is their linebackers, which is why defensive coordinator Mike Pettine favors DB-heavy packages. The perfect way for the Eagles to attack that would be with “12’’ personnel. If TE Dallas Goedert (calf) is limited, Eagles might use OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai as a second TE, as they did on their second scoring drive Sunday.

Last year, the Eagles used “12’’ on 37.1 percent of their plays. With Goedert hurt, they’ve used it on just 18 of 141 snaps the last two weeks.

The Packers don’t have a great run defense. They’ve allowed 4.9 yards per carry in their first three games, though that is skewed by the 75-yard TD run they gave up to the Vikings’ Davin Cook in Week 2.

EDGE: Eagles

Eagles receivers had at least six drops in Sunday’s loss to the Lions. With Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson both out and Goedert playing just nine snaps, the Lions doubled TE Zach Ertz and made the Eagles’ other receivers beat them.

Now, Carson Wentz and Co. have to go against one of the league’s best pass defenses. The Packers, led by linebackers Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith, already have 12 sacks, including a combined 7 ½ by the Smiths. Pettine favors five-, six- and even seven-DB packages that put a lot of stress on a quarterback. His goal is to get teams in third-and-medium or third-and-long. In their first three games, the Eagles have been in third-and-6-or-more situations 30 times.

It’s going to be important for Wentz to get the ball out quickly against the Packers. He might have Jeffery back, which would help immensely. Without Jeffery and Jackson last week, he averaged a much-too-long 2.67 seconds from snap to release.

Look for the Eagles to continue to use Sanders as a pass-catching weapon after his 40- and 33-yard receptions vs. the Lions.

EDGE: Packers

Matt LaFleur’s offense is very different from former Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy’s. For starters, he’s much more committed to the run game than McCarthy was. While the Packers are tied for 26th in rush average (3.4), they still are averaging 26 rushing attempts per game as LaFleur tries to take some of the pressure off quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers have been rotating two backs: Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. Both are products of the 2017 draft. They got Williams in the fourth round and Jones in the fifth. The Packers have run the ball on 44 of 78 first-down plays. Jones has 29 of those 44 first-down carries (3.48 yards per carry). Williams is averaging 4.57 yards per carry on first down (14 carries).

The Eagles are second in the league in run defense (57.0 yards allowed per game) and second in opponent rush average (2.9). Aside from the 44-yard J.D. McKissic reverse last week, they’ve been next to impossible to run on. They’ve allowed just eight rushing first downs and three runs of 10 yards or more.

EDGE: Eagles

Rodgers might be in a new offense, but he’s the same quarterback he’s always been. He still has a propensity to hold onto the ball and look for big plays. But there haven’t been as many of them this season. Aside from Davante Adams, the rest of their receiving corps is just OK. TE Jimmy Graham has very little tread left on his tires.

The Packers have just nine pass plays of 20 yards or more. Nineteen teams have more. Rodgers isn’t taking the chances with the ball that he did earlier in his career. Because of the strength of the Packers’ defense (they’ve given up just 35 points in three games), Rodgers and the offense have adapted a live-to-fight-another-day approach. Rodgers has thrown just four touchdown passes and is averaging only 6.96 yards per attempt, but doesn’t have an interception in 93 attempts.

The Eagles have had trouble getting pressure on QBs, and the last thing you want to do is give Rodgers a lot of time to throw. They’ve got just two sacks in three games. But the Packers’ interior line is average at best.

EDGE: Packers

The Eagles had a major special-teams breakdown Sunday, giving up a 100-yard, first-quarter kickoff return to the Lions’ Jamal Agnew. They can’t afford anything like that happening Thursday in a game that figures to be low-scoring and could hinge on a big special-teams play.

The Eagles also blocked a 46-yard FG attempt against the Lions. PK Jake Elliott has made all four of his FG attempts this season. The Packers’ Mason Crosby is 3-for-4 with a 45-yard miss in Sunday’s win over the Broncos.

This game pits two of the league’s best punters. The Eagles’ Cam Johnston is second in gross average (50.7) and fourth in net (46.0). The Packers’ JK Scott is sixth in gross (48.6) and fifth in net (45.6). Scott has put nine of 21 attempts inside the 20, second most in the league. He’s an outstanding hang-time punter who already has forced seven fair catches, so Darren Sproles, who is averaging 9.3 yards per attempt, probably won’t get many opportunities.

The Packers traded their PR, Trevor Davis, to the Raiders and have replaced him with undrafted rookie Darrius Shepherd.

EDGE: Eagles

Having to go on the road for a Thursday night game makes a short week even shorter. But the road team has won two of the first three Thursday night games this season. Rodgers is extremely tough to beat at Lambeau. He has a 66-17-1 record as a starter at home (40-44-0 on the road). His passer rating at home is 107.7, compared to 98.6 on the road.

EDGE: Packers

Eagles 16, Packers 13

Eagles DT Fletcher Cox vs. Packers LG Elgton Jenkins and C Corey Linsley: Cox still is struggling to get back to where he was before his foot injury. But the Packers’ interior line is very exploitable. ADVANTAGE: Eagles

Eagles LT Jason Peters and RT Lane Johnson vs. Packers ERs Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith: The Packers added the Smiths in the offseason and they’re paying immediate dividends. They’ve combined for 7 ½ of GB’s 12 sacks in the first three games. Like the rest of the line, Peters and Johnson have been inconsistent in the first three games. ADVANTAGE: Packers

Eagles P Cam Johnston vs. Packers P JK Scott: Johnston and Scott are two of the league’s top punters. They’re both going to be important ingredients in a low-scoring game that could turn on field position. ADVANTAGE: Even

Win turnover battle. That’s a big ask vs. a Packers team that has a league-high 8 takeaways and a league-best plus-6 turnover differential. The Eagles are minus-2.

Stay out of third-and-longs. The bad news there is that 30 of the Eagles’ 48 third downs have been 6 yards or more. Only Arizona has more (31). The good news is that Wentz has a 127.7 overall third-down passer rating and a 99.9 rating on third-and-6 or more.

Exploit the Packers’ interior offensive line. Guards Jenkins and Billy Turner and center Linsley are average at best. If the Eagles are going to be able to get pressure on Rodgers, it’ll likely come from inside.