The Green Bay Packers will kick off their 2024 season on Friday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The game will take place at Arena Corinthians in São Paolo, Brazil, and will mark the first time an NFL game has been held in South America.
It is a heavily anticipated matchup against two talented teams with big goals for the upcoming season. Both are led by two young, gifted quarterbacks buoyed by tremendous supporting casts. Friday night’s contest will be a great first test for both teams.
Here are three key matchups to watch out for:
CB Eric Stokes vs Eagles WRs
Stokes’ first healthy start since Week 9 of the 2022 season won’t be easy. The 2021 first-round pick will be thrown into the fire against one of the most talented receiving groups in the league. The Eagles are led by wide receivers AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, two lethal pass-catchers coming off 1,000-yard seasons. Stokes is healthy for the first time in over a year after battling multiple hamstring injuries that stemmed from a foot injury that required surgery. Green Bay hopes Stokes can return to his rookie form in which he showed a ton of promise right out of the gate, being named to the Sports Info Solutions’ 2021 All-rookie team. The 25-year-old corner has a lot to prove this season after getting off to a rocky start in his second season and playing just 110 snaps in 2023. Have the injuries impacted Stokes’ speed? Can he be relied on as the starter opposite of Jaire Alexander? Is he deserving of a second contract? These are questions Stokes must face in 2024 and it all starts on Friday.
Packers Interior OL vs Eagles DTs
Philadelphia can no longer rely on defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who retired after 12 productive seasons. The Eagles aren’t expected to have much trouble replacing the future Hall of Famer with two former top-15 picks, Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, waiting to take on larger roles. That means Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, and whoever starts right guard for the Packers –likely Sean Rhyan—will have their hands full. A two-time Pro Bowler, there isn’t much need to worry about Jenkins. However, the same can’t be said for Myers and Rhyan, who have a lot uncertainty surrounding them entering the new season. Myers needs to take the next step in his development and prove he can be the team’s long-term starter at center. Meanwhile, Rhyan might just be a placeholder for rookie Jordan Morgan until he is ready to take over. It all starts in the trenches, where Green Bay must have an answer for Philadelphia’s stud defensive tackles.
Packers Pass Rush vs Eagles OL
The last time we saw Hurts, he was nearly blitzed to death in the Wild Card Round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to Next Gen Stats, Hurts was under pressure in less than 2.5 seconds 13 times in that game. Knowing changes were needed, the Eagles parted ways with offensive coordinator Brian Johnson in the offseason. Kellen Moore was called on to be his replacement, but it remains to be seen if he has his players better equipped to handle pressure. Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said he plans to “let it rip” in his first game as a play-caller. That could mean any number of things, but if it means dialing up a ton of pressure against Hurts, he will have plenty of talent at his disposal. Led by a deep group of pass rushers, the Packers hope to lean on them to disrupt the quarterback throughout the season.
