Packers to face off with Eagles in
rematch of playoff game from last season
[November 07, 2025]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers’ playoff loss to the
Philadelphia Eagles last season offered a stark reminder of how far
they must go to catch up with the NFL’s top teams.
Ten months later, the Packers will get an indication of how far
they’ve come since.
Green Bay hosts Philadelphia on Monday night after losing to the
eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles twice last season. The Packers
opened their 2024 campaign with a 34-29 loss to the Eagles in Brazil
before falling to them 22-10 at Philadelphia in an NFC wild-card
playoff game
“Obviously, two losses against them last year, so it’s going to be a
test,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “We know that.”
Both teams are on pace to return to the playoffs.
The Packers (5-2-1) gained star power since that postseason loss by
acquiring defensive end Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys
shortly before the season. Green Bay leads the NFC North but has
endured surprising losses to the Cleveland Browns and Carolina
Panthers.
“I think they play hard,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “They
play with good fundamentals. They have good schemes with good,
talented players. A lot of respect. A lot of good players throughout
every layer of their defense, a lot of good players through every
layer of their offense and special teams.”
Philadelphia (6-2) owns a commanding lead in the NFC East and shares
the conference’s best record with Tampa Bay, Seattle and the Los
Angeles Rams.
With such a crowd of teams at the top of the NFC standings, this
game could help determine playoff positioning. For the Packers, it’s
also a measuring stick.
“That’s exactly what it is,” Packers defensive lineman Colby Wooden
said. “It’s a new opp. That’s all you can ask for is an opportunity.
They’re the defending champs.”
Eagles’ new faces
The Eagles were busy around the trade deadline and added some key
pieces, including edge rusher Jaelan Phillips from Miami.
They also landed two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander from
Baltimore. Alexander played seven years with the Packers before his
stint with the Ravens this season.
The trio of bye-week trades started with the acquisition of nickel
cornerback Michael Carter II from the New York Jets.
Brandon Graham also returned to the Eagles after the 37-year-old
defensive end concluded his brief retirement. Graham has 76 1/2
career sacks to rank third in team history.
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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws a pass against
the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL football game
Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Tush push drama
Green Bay was the team that proposed a ban on the tush push that the
Eagles have used so effectively in short-yardage situations for
years.
A ban on offensive players pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping or
encircling a runner was supported by a 22-10 vote — two votes short
of the three-quarters majority required under league bylaws.
“The key to defending it (is) don’t let them get third-and-short,
obviously,” Wooden said.
Losing Kraft
The Packers will be playing their first full game since losing star
tight end Tucker Kraft to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Kraft
had 32 catches for a team-high 489 receiving yards and six
touchdowns.
Luke Musgrave is likely to take over as the first-string tight end.
The Packers took Musgrave in the second round and Kraft in the third
round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Count on Brown
A.J. Brown is still an Eagle after rumors swirled around the trade
deadline that the franchise was open to trading the wide receiver.
Brown missed the Giants game with a hamstring injury and has been
vocal — both in the locker room and on social media — about his
unhappiness over his decreased production this season. Brown has 29
catches for 395 yards.
Brown has twice this season had less than 10 yards receiving in a
game, and the five-time 1,000-yard receiver is well off that pace.
“I think that when you’re trying to be a great team, it’s hard to
trade great players, and A.J. Brown’s a great player,” general
manager Howie Roseman said. “He wears the ‘C’ for a reason. He’s an
important part of this team, of this organization.”
Packers’ kicking issues
Green Bay's Brandon McManus has gone 4 of 7 on field-goal attempts
since returning from a quadriceps injury that sidelined him for two
games.
The Packers still have kicker Lucas Havrisik on their active roster.
Havrisik booted a franchise-record 61-yard field goal while McManus
was sidelined.
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AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this
report.
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