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NFL Monday Night Football Preview

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GREEN BAY – (Wire Service Report) – A matchup that could prove a pivotal turning point in the battle for home-field advantage in the NFC closes out the Week 10 slate, with the Philadelphia Eagles facing the hometown Packers on Monday night.

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The Eagles (6-2) are comfortably leading the NFC East, while the Packers (5-2-1) are only a half-game ahead of Detroit and Chicago in the NFC North. Just as important, however, is that both are trying to keep pace with the 7-2 Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the conference.

ODDS & TRENDS
Philadelphia is a consensus 1.0-point favor, with the spread sitting at 1.5 points at several sportsbooks Monday afternoon. BetRivers reported the Eagles being backed by 61% of the spread-line money at -1.0, while their -110 moneyline had drawn 73% of the money.

Green Bay has failed to cover the spread in five of its past six games, while Philadelphia has a seven-game winning streak against opponents with winning records.

The 45.0 total points line has seen heavy action on the Over, which has been backed by 85% of the money. Each of Philadelphia’s past five games against NFC teams have gone Over the total points line.

PROP PICKS
–Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Anytime TD (-107 at BetRivers): Hurts has scored five rushing touchdowns this season and enters with a streak of reaching the end zone at least once in seven consecutive Monday night games.

–Packers WR Christian Watson 40+ Receiving Yards (-156 at DraftKings): This has been the most popular player prop at the book, with the fourth-year receiver pulling in 85 and 58 yards worth of passes in his first two games back from a torn ACL. The concern with this prop is the unpredictable nature of who quarterback Jordan Love will target heavily in any given game, and Watson’s four targets in each of his first two games back hardly screams WR1 just yet.

INSIDE EDGE
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has averaged just 2.1 yards from scrimmage per touch in the fourth quarter this season, which is tied for worst in the NFL among 36 qualified running backs, according to Inside Edge’s Remarkable engine. Philadelphia’s running backs are also third worst in the NFL, having been stuffed on 26% of all rushing attempts this season.

THE NEWS
Philadelphia has won four of its last five games against Green Bay, including a 22-10 victory last season in an NFC wild-card game, when the Eagles intercepted Love three times. The Eagles also beat the Packers in the opener last season, 34-29, in the first NFL game played in Brazil.

Hurts threw four touchdown passes in Philadelphia’s Week 8 victory over the Giants, and Barkley ran for 150 yards, including a 65-yard TD, before leaving with a groin injury. Barkley practiced in full on Thursday.

Green Bay has been inconsistent since opening with dominant home victories over the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders. The Packers let a 10-point lead slip away late in a 13-10 loss at Cleveland in Week 3, then salvaged a 40-40 tie at Dallas with a field goal on the final play of overtime the next weekend.

The Packers subsequently won three straight after a bye, but twice they had to rally in the second half.

Green Bay moved the ball against the Carolina Panthers but turned the ball over twice, missed a field-goal attempt and converted just 1 of 5 red-zone opportunities into a touchdown.

DEFENSE SPENDING
The Eagles bolstered their defense at the trade deadline, acquiring outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins, cornerback Michael Carter II from the New York Jets and cornerback Jaire Alexander from the Baltimore Ravens.

“Talented guys that have played a bunch of good football in the NFL,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Thursday. “Each one of them bringing a different thing and bringing depth to our positions.”

Alexander, a former Pro-Bowl cornerback for the Packers, will not suit up against his former team as he continues to regain his form following a January knee injury.

INJURY REPORT
The Packers endured a crucial loss when tight end Tucker Kraft, who has a team-high six touchdowns among his 32 catches, sustained a season-ending knee injury against Carolina.

“Everybody has to pull a little bit more and do a little bit more,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I would say that’s just not going to go on one position group. I mean, we need it from everybody from the guys up front to our runners, receivers, and our quarterbacks. So it’ll have to be a collective effort.”

Kicker Brandon McManus has struggled since missing two games with a quad injury. McManus, who made 20 of 21 field-goal attempts last season, is just 11 of 16 this season and 4 of 7 since returning, including 3 of 8 beyond 40 yards.

When McManus was out, free agent signee Lucas Havrisik hit all four field-goal attempts in two games, including a franchise-record 61-yarder. Havrisik is still on the roster, creating some uncertainty.

“We’ll kind of see where Brandon’s at in terms of his health and whatnot and go with who we feel like gives us the best opportunity to go out there and compete and win,” LaFleur said Thursday.

Eagles center Cam Jurgens (knee) will also miss the “Monday Night Football” contest. Cornerback Jakorian Bennett (pectoral), guard Willie Lampkin (knee/ankle) and linebacker Nolan Smith (triceps) have questionable tags.

Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee) and defensive lineman Luke Van Ness (foot) are listed as out against Philadelphia. Offensive lineman Zach Tom (back) and receivers Matthew Golden (shoulder), Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Savion Williams (foot) are questionable.

PREDICTION
Winter football is here, with temperatures expected to be in the low 30s and dipping into the 20s during the game. Look for both offenses to rely heavily on their ground games. The Eagles are starting to get Barkley untracked, which is bad news for the rest of the league, and Philadelphia has routinely risen to the level of its competition in marquee matchups such as this one. –Eagles 27, Packers 23

–Field Level Media

Lions Beat Packers with Buzzer FG

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DETROIT – (Staff and Wire Service Report0 – Detroit placekicker Jake Bates kicked a 35-yard field goal on the final play of the game and the host Lions extended their franchise-record winning streak to 11 games with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.

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Jared Goff passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns (two to Tim Patrick) for the Lions (12-1). David Montgomery had 84 combined yards rushing and receiving and scored a touchdown.

Josh Jacobs scored three rushing touchdowns for Green Bay. Jordan Love, who was held to 31 yards passing in the first half, finished with 206 passing yards and a touchdown.

The Packers (9-4) are 7-2 over their last nine games with both losses coming against Detroit.

The Lions held a 17-7 halftime lead.

Detroit scored on its first possession of the game, with Montgomery finishing off the 11-play, 70-yard march with a 3-yard scoring run.

Love’s second completion of the game was fumbled by Christian Watson on the first play of the second quarter. The Lions recovered the ball at their own 46-yard line and turned the giveaway into three points, as Bates kicked a 43-yard field goal.

NFL Thanksgiving Night Preview

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GREEN BAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love played interception-free football for the first time this season during a home rout of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

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The Packers’ Thanksgiving night home clash with the Miami Dolphins offers a chance to be equally efficient. Just don’t expect Love to scale back his approach in the meeting of playoff contenders.

“I definitely am a guy who always wants those big plays, want to put that pressure on the defense and take some of those shots,” Love said.

Love threw for a season-low 163 yards on 13-of-23 passing to go with two touchdowns against the 49ers. Still, with Josh Jacobs (26 carries, 106 yards, three touchdowns) wreaking havoc in the running game, Love found opportunities to strike a balance.

“Those are the lessons that I had to learn last year and I’ll continue to learn: just when the right time (is) to take those shots,” he said. “If guys get a step or we’re in the right coverage versus just finding those completions. Because these check-downs and just finding those completions turn into big plays, as well, sometimes.”

Green Bay (8-3) is third in the rugged NFC North but holds a two-game lead in the loss column for the No. 6 seed in the conference playoff race.

Winners of three straight, the Dolphins (5-6) are 1 1/2 games behind the Denver Broncos for the seventh seed in the AFC.

“I think this is an awesome opportunity,” Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. “Being able to play Thursday night football, prime time on Thanksgiving.”

Tagovailoa continues to surge since returning from injured reserve in Week 8. With four touchdown passes during a 34-15 home win against the New England Patriots on Sunday, he has 11 TDs through the air against just one interception in his five games back.

Tagovailoa dismissed the notion that chilly temperatures in Green Bay on Thursday could be enough to cool him. The Hawaiian-born signal-caller is 0-7 when the temperature is 40 degrees or lower.

“To me, it’s just a mindset,” he said. “That’s really all there is.”

Added Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver: “I’ve never lost a game and thought, ‘Guys, it was too cold outside.’”

Miami boasts a versatile set of playmakers for Green Bay to defend. Running back De’Von Achane also is active in the passing game, as he made two touchdown receptions against New England.

Among the Dolphins’ receivers, wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and tight end Jonnu Smith each have at least 41 receptions and 535 yards. The three have combined for nine TDs.

Green Bay is hoping for another jolt from second-year linebacker Lukas Van Ness, whose strip-sack against the 49ers was the big play he said he needed for his confidence. It led to Jacobs’ third TD.

“I told myself I’m going to get off the ball, use my God-given abilities and just get in the backfield and make a play,” Van Ness said. “So I think that’s what I’ve wanted to do all year. I just need to continue that.”

Miami leads the all-time series 10-6, but Green Bay has won five of the past six matchups. The teams’ most recent meeting also came on a holiday, with the visiting Packers prevailing 26-20 on Christmas Day 2022.

Green Bay won each of its previous November home games against Miami, in 2002 and 2018.

–Field Level Media

Green Bay: All You Need is Love

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GREEN BAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Green Bay Packers downgraded quarterback Jordan Love from questionable to doubtful on Saturday for their home opener Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

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Love suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee in Green Bay’s Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil and did not practice this week. Yet on Friday, he was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game despite not being medically cleared to play, according to coach Matt LaFleur.

The Packers haven’t ruled Love out nor have they placed him onthe team’s injured reserve, which would require he miss at least four games.

LaFleur had previously said the Packers would not place Love on injured reserve as they went “day to day” with his evaluation.

Love, 25, was helped off the field with six seconds left in the 34-29 loss to the Eagles Sept. 6. He went 17-for-34 passing for 260 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Malik Willis was elevated to the starting role until Love’s return. Willis, 25, was acquired from the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 26 for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick and was the No. 2 quarterback behind Love entering Week 1.

Green Bay elevated quarterback Sean Clifford from the practice squad on Saturday to be Willis’ backup if Love is ruled out.

–Field Level Media

Niners Turn Back the Pack

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – SF 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey rushed for two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 1:07 left, and San Francisco held on to beat the Green Bay Packers 24-21 in an NFC divisional round playoff matchup on Saturday night in California.

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SF QB Brock Purdy completed 23 of 39 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers, who advanced to the NFC Championship for the third consecutive season. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw picked off two passes, including one in the final minute to seal the win.

San Francisco will host the winner of Sunday’s showdown between the host Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the opportunity to advance to the Super Bowl.

Jordan Love completed 21 of 34 passes for 194 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Green Bay. Aaron Jones had 18 carries for 108 yards.
The high-stakes contest featured three lead changes in the third quarter.

The Packers grabbed a 13-7 lead on a 19-yard pass from Love to Bo Melton with 9:27 to go in the quarter.

Less than two minutes later, the 49ers answered to grab a 14-13 lead. McCaffrey took a handoff, evaded a would-be tackler and sprinted up the middle of the field for a 39-yard touchdown.

The back-and-forth battle continued as the Packers scored on the next possession. Eric Wilson recovered a fumble on a 73-yard kickoff return by Keisan Nixon, setting the Packers up at the Niners’ 20.

Four plays later, Love found Tucker Kraft open near the front right pylon for a 2-yard touchdown. Love then connected with Jones for a two-point conversion for a 21-14 Packers lead with 5:23 left in the third.

The 49ers pulled within 21-17 on a 52-yard field goal by Jake Moody with 14:56 remaining in the game.

The Packers tried to grab a seven-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but Anders Carlson missed a 41-yard field goal attempt with 6:18 to go.

Green Bay had the only score of the first quarter with a 29-yard field goal by Carlson.

The 49ers grabbed a 7-3 lead with 8:42 remaining in the second when Purdy connected with George Kittle for a 32-yard touchdown.
Carlson hit again from 29 yards to pull Green Bay within 7-6 before halftime.

San Francisco star wideout Deebo Samuel exited in the first half because of a shoulder injury and was later ruled out. Samuel, who finished with two catches for 24 yards, was evaluated after a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first half.

–Field Level Media

NFL Desk: Pack Hopes Offense a Go

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GREEN BAY – (Staff and Wire Service/Field Level Media Report) – Stopping a five-game losing streak by any means possible beats the alternative.

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Still, the Green Bay Packers felt they might also have relocated their groove, to boot, after snapping a lengthy midseason skid with a 31-28 overtime victory against Dallas last week.

Will rookie wide receiver Christian Watson remain the revelation he was in catching three touchdown passes against the Cowboys? The Packers are eager to find out whether or not their offense can keep rolling when they host the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night.

Green Bay has won two of the past three meetings in the series, including a 40-14 home romp over Tennessee during Week 16 of the 2020 season.

The winning team has scored 40 points or more in four of the past five meetings, a run that dates back to 2004.

Maintaining the trend Thursday might take some doing. Tennessee (6-3) has scored no more than 24 points in a game this season, while 31 points is the high-water mark for Green Bay (4-6).

The Packers, though, are confident they found a spark last week. Trailing 28-14 in the fourth quarter, Green Bay responded with two scoring passes from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to Watson before Rodgers steered the game-winning drive in overtime that culminated with Mason Crosby’s 28-yard field goal.

With Aaron Jones (24 carries, 138 yards, one touchdown) leading the way, the Packers topped 200 yards rushing for the third time in 2022. Green Bay started the same offensive line in consecutive games for the first time this season.

“That’s going to be an important part of our success moving forward if we can keep those guys healthy,” Rodgers said. “We’ve protected well. We’ve communicated really well, and we gave just little gaps for those backs, and man they had a big day.”

Tennessee is averaging 18.4 points per game. The Titans, who lead the AFC South by two games, are aiming to be unconventional, as only two teams of the 140 since 2002 to average 18.4 points or fewer have made the playoffs.

The Titans rebounded from an overtime loss at Kansas City in Week 9 with a 17-10 victory against Denver last week. With the Broncos geared toward stopping running back Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill connected with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on a pair of scores after missing the previous two games with a sprained ankle.

Henry rushed for 53 yards on 19 carries to end a streak of five straight games with 100 yards or more on the ground. But that was against a Broncos ‘D’ that has allowed the ninth-fewest rushing yards (1,044) in the NFL.

As the second-leading rusher in the league, Henry hopes to come untracked against the Packers, who allow 4.8 yards per carry, tied for 28th in the league.

“I think the more carries you get him in a drive, the stronger he gets, and so that’s why it’s even more important that we pick up those third downs (when) we have the opportunity to, and get him (more) opportunities within the drive,” Tennessee offensive coordinator Todd Downing said. “Obviously that’s the mission, that’s the goal. We just didn’t do that well enough in the last game.”

–Field Level Media

Giants Defeat Packers 27-22 in London

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LONDON – (Staff and Wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Saquon Barkley rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 6:08 to play in the fourth quarter as the visiting New York Giants rallied to a 27-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in London.

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The Giants (4-1), who trailed 20-10 at the half, went in front 27-20 after Barkley took a direct snap and went over right end. Barkley set up the score, turning a short swing pass into a 41-yard gain to Packers’ 19-yard line.

Green Bay (3-2) drove to the Giants’ 6-yard line, but Aaron Rodgers‘ fourth-down pass attempt was batted at the line with just over a minute remaining. The Giants took a safety with 11 seconds left after punter Jamie Gillan ran out of the end zone. Rodgers was sacked and fumbled on the Packers’ final play before he could get off an attempted Hail Mary pass.

The Giants tied the game at 20-20 with 10:08 to play following a 15-play, 91-yard drive, capped by Gary Brightwell’s 2-yard touchdown run. Graham Gano’s 37-yard field goal on the opening possession of the third quarter brought New York within 20-13.

Barkley, who entered Sunday’s game with an NFL-best 463 yards rushing, finished with 70 yards on 13 carries. NY quarterback Daniel Jones, limited all week in practice with a sprained ankle, completed 21 of 27 passes for 217 yards. He added 37 yards on the ground on 10 attempts.

Rodgers completed 18 of 24 passes for 147 yards in the first half with two touchdowns, but finished 25 of 39 for 222 yards.

Rodgers capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Marcedes Lewis, putting the Packers up 17-3 midway through the second quarter. It was the first reception of the season for the 38-year-old Lewis and first touchdown catch since Nov. 29, 2020.

The Giants pulled within 17-10 when tight end Daniel Bellinger scored on a double reverse from 2 yards out with 1:15 left in the half. Barkley keyed the drive with a 40-yard run from a direct snap — the longest run allowed by the Packers this season.

Mason Crosby’s 48-yard field goal on the final play of the half put Green Bay up by 10.

Green Bay went in front 10-0 with a five-play, 60-yard drive late in the first quarter, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard.

–Field Level Media

Crosby, Hoyer, Zappe & Jones

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GREEN BAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report from Field Level Media) – Mason Crosby converted a 31-yard field goal as time expired in overtime Sunday, lifting the host Green Bay Packers to a 27-24 win over the New England Patriots.

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After both teams went three-and-out with their initial overtime possession, Green Bay (3-1) marched 77 yards in 12 plays, chewing up the final 6:47 of the game. The Packers converted a pair of third downs, including AJ Dillon’s 7-yard run inside the 2-minute warning that allowed them to run down the clock and tee up Crosby’s game-winner.

Green Bay forced overtime when Aaron Rodgers tossed his 500th career touchdown pass, a 13-yarder to Romeo Doubs with 6:14 left in regulation. But Doubs dropped a potential 40-yard game-winner in the end zone with 2:02 remaining.

Rodgers completed 21 of 35 passes for 251 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Aaron Jones rushed 16 times for 110 yards for the Packers and Allen Lazard caught six passes for 116 yards.

Brian Hoyer started at quarterback for New England (1-3), replacing the injured Mac Jones. But after leading the Patriots to a Nick Folk field goal on their opening drive, Hoyer sustained a head injury after being sacked by Rashan Gary.

Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe was forced into action and played reasonably well in his debut. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 99 yards and his first NFL touchdown, a 25-yard strike to DeVante Parker at the 4:52 mark of the third quarter.

With Zappe on the field, New England’s already conservative game plan leaned even heavier towards the run in an attempt to keep Rodgers and Green Bay’s offense off the field.

The Patriots’ defense did its part to help. After giving up a 15-yard touchdown run to rookie wide receiver Christian Watson two minutes into the second quarter, New England took a 10-7 lead into halftime when Jack Jones picked off Rodgers and loped 40 yards down the left sideline with 13 seconds remaining.

–Field Level Media

Hoyer Preparing for GB Packers

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FOXBORO – (Staff Report with Field Level Media Wire Services) – Reserve quarterback Brian Hoyer lined up under center with New England’s starters at Wednesday’s practice, but coach Bill Belichick is not ready to eliminate his starter Mac Jones from the Patriots’ game plan Sunday at Green Bay.

Belichick said Wednesday that Jones was a longshot to practice the next two days due to an ankle sprain suffered in the Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Belichick said he saw Jones before meeting the media at Noon ET on Wednesday and said the quarterback is “getting better” with noteworthy progress the past two days.

“We’ll take it day by day,” Belichick said.

Hoyer, 36, might take every practice rep this week and still not start against the Packers, Belichick said.

Perturbed by pressing questions about the nature of Jones’ injury and hypotheticals for the week, Belichick asked the room, “What do I look like, a doctor? An orthopedic surgeon? Do you want me to read the MRI?”

Quarterbacks coach Joe Judge said Hoyer prepares diligently and wouldn’t be surprised to be on the field this week for his 40th career start.

“He’s always ready to take that next snap when he’s called on,” Judge said.

Fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe would likely serve as the No. 2 quarterback if Hoyer is called upon.

Hoyer has appeared in 75 career games and started one game with the Patriots (2020). He is 16-23 as a starter and has thrown for 10,631 yards and 53 touchdowns with seven teams.

–Field Level Media