The Packers signed Edge Arron Mosby and TE Josh Whyle to the 53-man roster to replace TE Tucker Kraft, who was placed on injured reserve.  The Packers also signed TE McCallan Castles, TE Drqake Dabney, and WR Michael Woods to the practice squad.  They released OC Lecitus Smith from the practice squad.  The Packers 53-man roster and practice squad are now full. 

The Packers elevated LB Kristian Welch from the PS.  DE Lucas Van Ness (foot), and WR Matthew Golden, and CB Nate Hobbs were inactive due to injury.  OL Donovan Jennings, OL Jacob Monk, and Kicker Lucas Havrisik were healthy scratches.  QB Malik Willis was active but did not play.

Center Elgton Jenkins left the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter and did not return.  Early indications are that Jenkins has a fractured leg.  He will probably go on IR.  Sean Ryan replaced Jenkins at center and the Packers will make Monk active on game days in future. Romeo Doubs left the game in the fourth quarter with a chest injury and also did not return.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN:

I wrote on Bleeding Green Nation that this game would be about weakness facing weakness. The stats suggest that Philly is bad defending against the run and that the Packers are a bad run-blocking team. Would LaFleur coach the team that he wishes he had or the team he actually possesses?   

The Packers' running backs gained 76 yards on 22 carries for a paltry 3.45-yard average, with 1 rushing TD and a long of 11.  Love added 28 yards on 5 carries with a long of 12, propping the average up to 3.85-yards per carry.  The line had a lot of trouble creating a crease for their running backs, much less getting downfield to block anyone on the second level.  I recall a toss to the right (with a good seal by a wide receiver and a good block by TE Whyle) and another nice toss to the left, which prompted a comment to keep running this play until Philadelphia stops it, but otherwise there were no explosive runs.  There was a nice run off right guard.  Pro Football Focus indicated that the Packers had 3 runs or 10 or more yards, good for a total of 34 rushing yards.  PFF liked Rasheed Walker (70 grade) and Jenkins (69 initial grade).

The Packers allowed 8 quarterback hits and 3 sacks.  The problem was there was no pocket for Love in the first half.  It collapsed before a pocket could form.  All 3 sacks occurred in the first half.  Banks in particular had trouble with delayed rushes and stunts.  Rasheed Walker had his usual complete whiff (though it was on a running play), but otherwise he was fine in pass pro.  That is why Love was 6 of 10 for a measly 39 yards and 3 sacks in the first half.  Since the running game was subpar, that meant there was no offense in the first half. 

The Packers made an adjustment during halftime that provided pretty good pass protection for Love in the second half.  It would have been nice if the offensive line coach could have fixed the protections during the first or second quarter, but better late than never.   The Packers lost the time of possession battle 17:12 to 12:48 in the first half, but split the time of possession very evenly in the second half. 

PFF indicated that the Packers allowed 23 pressures. That is a lot.  Rasheed Walker allowed 1 pressure, Jordan Morgan allowed 3 hurries, Sean Rhyan allowed 2 hurries, Tom allowed 3 hurries, Aaron Banks allowed 5 pressures (3 hurries and 2 QB hits).  I suspect that PFF put the blame for the 3 sacks on Jordan Love.    

There has been a lot of muttering over the play calling, as well.  There are reports that the Eagles called out the exact running play the Packers called on 4th and 1, but Love felt the inside zone run was the right play because the Eagles had a light box.  As someone pointed out, it doesn't matter if it is a "light box" if they know the play AND the line can't block anybody AND your running back fumbles it and you were lined up illegally. 

RUNNING BACKS:

Josh Jacobs finished with 74 yards on 21 carries for a 3.45-yard average and 1 touchdown.  Jacobs caught 5 of his 6 targets for 33 yards, a 6.60-yard average per reception.  He had a bad fumble and a drop.  I saw a back that runs hard, and has to run hard to get any yards.  Emanuel Wilson carried the ball 1 times for 2 yards, and caught 1 of his 2 targets for 2 yards.  

QUARTERBACKS:

Love completed 20 of 36 (55.55%) for 176 yards (5.33 yards/attempt), with no interceptions or touchdowns.  He fumbled twice, losing one when the Packers were in scoring position.    He had a passer rating of 68.8.  Love had no big-time throws and at least 2 turnover-worthy throws.  He had 2 passes batted down, 2 throwaways, 1 spike, and 3 passes were dropped.  He gained 28 yards on 5 carries, 2 of which were designed runs.  Love did not cover himself in glory but he got precious little help from his teammates (or coaches).  PFF gave him an initial grade of 70.1.        

TIGHT ENDS:

Musgrave caught all 3 of his targets for 23 yards and he drew a pass interference penalty.  I might not think Musgrave could have skied to bring that high pass in, but the referees gave the benefit of the doubt to Philly when they called Evan Williams for pass interference on what looked like an uncatchable pass.  That is a lot of routes for 23 yards.  Fitzpatrick and Whyle had no targets but Whyle threw a couple of nice blocks.

That is only 1.01 tight ends per play, way down from the Packers norm.  The Packers used 12 personnel very little in the absence of Kraft.         

WIDE RECEIVERS:

Watson caught 2 of his 4 targets for 45 yards with a long of 25.  He had a 22-yard pass reception erased by an illegal formation penalty.  Doubs caught 1of his 4 targets for 5 yards.  Love tried to force some passes to Doubs even though he was well covered.  I wrote last week that with Kraft likely out for the foreseeable future, the Packers need some receivers who can help move the chains.  That did not happen.  Wicks came closest to moving the chains by catching 4 of 8 targets for 38 yards with a long of 20.  Melton caught 2 of his 5 passes for 28 yards, including a terrible drop of a 4th down pass.  Heath (14 routes, 15 blocking snaps) and Doubs (23 routes, 19 snaps blocking) did a lot of the dirty work.  Golden was inactive due to injury.  Savion Williams caught both of his targets for just 2 yards.  I am not a fan of Savion.  I don't think much of his kickoff returns, either.  His presence on the field telegraphs the play.  He should be getting a complete redshirt year, like Vernon Scott.  

Green Bay has too many receivers who would make really nice WR #3.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES:

Wyatt had 3 solo tackles and a tackle for loss.  Wooden had 5 tackles (3 solo) with a tackle for loss.  Brooks had 3 tackles (2 solo).  Brinson and Stackhouse had no official statistics, but PFF listed Stackhouse with the only pressure for a DT.  Wyatt had 3 stops and Wooden had 2 stops.  PFF gave Wooden an 83 initial grade.  The Packers limited the Eagles' running backs to 2.90 yards per carry.  That is a good day for the defensive tackles.  

DEFENSIVE ENDS:

Parsons had 2 tackles (1 solo). PFF listed him with 7 hurries in 27 pass rushing snaps, a 25.9% success rate.  PFF gave him an 89.8 grade.  Gary had 4 tackles (1 solo) and 4 hurries on 19 pass rushes, a 21% success rate.  He had 1 stop.  Enagbare had 3 tackles (1 solo) and 2 stops.  He had no hurries on 11 pass rushes.  Sorrell had 2 assisted tackles, 2 stops, and no hurries.  Sorrell only got 1 pass rushing snap.  

PFF listed Hurts as taking 3.53 seconds to pass, on average.  [For context, they listed Love at 2.93 seconds.]  That would be an eternity, to the point where I wonder if it is a misprint.  That time for Love seems way too long.

LINEBACKERS:

Walker had 6 tackles (5 solo) and 2 tackles for loss.  Cooper had 6 tackles (2 solo) and a forced fumble that led to a turnover and saved points.  McDuffie had 4 tackles (2 solo) and 2 more assisted tackles on special teams.  Hopper and Welch each had an assisted tackle on special teams.  PFF listed Walker with 5 stops and Cooper with 2 stops.  The Eagles played a lot of snaps with an extra lineman or 2 tight ends, and the Packers countered by playing McDuffie a lot.

DEFENSIVE BACKS:

Mckinney had 7 tackles (4 solo) and 2 stops.  Evan Williams had 6 tackles (4 solo) and 2 tackles for loss.  He had pretty good coverage but he gave up a touchdown when he was one on one with Devonta Smith, and he also was called for pass interference.  Nixon had 4 tackles (2 solo), a pass defensed, and a fumble recovery.  He also infuriated me by giving an enormous cushion on 3rd and 12, which allowed an easy pitch and catch for 16 yards late in the fourth quarter.  That was a gotta-have-it moment.  Valentine had 1 solo tackle.  Saquon Barkley juked him out of his shoes on a one on one in the open field, with Barkley having a full head of steam.  Barkley makes a lot of people miss when he has a two-way go and a full head of steam, but that is also the knock on Valentine.  It was a big play followed by another big play for the Eagles only touchdown.  Bullard had 3 solo tackles and a stop.    

Photo courtesy of Mark Hoffman of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network.

Statistics coutesy of NFLgsis and PFF.

OL: 5.06

RB: 1.03

TE: 1.01

WR: 2.85

DT: 1.95

DE: 2.08

LB: 2.33

DB: 4.67