PHILADELPHIA _ The fans who filed out of their Lincoln Financial Field seats early, deflated and disappointed, Monday night might be able to start considering January plans, because the Eagles' hopes for a postseason bid became bleaker after a 27-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
The Eagles fell to 5-6 and spoiled an opportunity to generate momentum for the final month of the season. They lost to a team that came to Philadelphia with a losing record and a four-game losing streak, but Green Bay looked superior to the Eagles on Monday. It helped that the Packers have future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who dissected a defense that had previously dominated opposing passers who visited Philadelphia.
And the Eagles did not have enough firepower from quarterback Carson Wentz to match Rodgers, mustering only 13 points against a defense that had allowed more than 30 points in each of the last four games and more than 40 points in each of the last two games.
Coach Doug Pederson did not play wide receiver Nelson Agholor, who sat Monday after a crisis of confidence came to a head last week against Seattle. The Eagles' receivers looked even worse without Agholor _ and it didn't help that Jordan Matthews exited early in the third quarter with an ankle injury. The Eagles were left with Dorial Green-Beckham, Bryce Treggs, and Paul Turner on the depth chart. That's no way to support a rookie quarterback. If you didn't notice Treggs or Turner on the field, it's because they combined for one catch.
Green-Beckham led all receivers with six catches for 82 yards. Wentz finished 23 of 35 for 240 yards, with one interception, 33 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown. Rookie Wendell Smallwood was the Eagles' leading rusher with 37 yards.
Rodgers went 30 of 39 for 313 yards and two touchdowns. He was not sacked, a revealing statistic that contributed to the Eagles' first home loss of the season.
Any discussion of Rodgers' down year was quieted on the first drive, when he looked every part of a two-time MVP. He led the Packers on a 10-play, 75-yard march, completing 5 of 6 passes for 47 yards and a 12-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams. He also rushed twice for 25 yards.
Wentz responded with his finest drive in weeks. He brought the Eagles 81 yards on 11 plays, completing all six of his passes for 70 yards and rushing for a 1-yard score. Wentz's top target was Green-Beckham, who caught four passes of the drive and showed what Wentz could do when his wide receivers get open _ and catch the ball.
Not to be outdone by a rookie, Rodgers finished a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Adams that likely impressed even the staunchest of Eagles supporters. Rodgers fit the ball into the space of a drive-through window to take the 14-7 lead, and it appeared for a moment that it could a shootout between the quarterbacks.
Then the scoring quieted. The two teams traded punts, proving that the punters did, in fact, have a role in the game. The Eagles entered halftime with a four-point deficit after they drove downfield for a 48-yard goal late in the second quarter. Wentz converting two third downs on the drive, including a 17-yard scramble.
Wentz's big mistake came to start the third quarter. With the Eagles driving into Green Bay territory, Wentz overthrew tight end Zach Ertz down the middle of the field. He was under pressure on the play, but he lofted the throw _ a problem since the summer _ and it was the type of risky pass that the Eagles could not afford in a close game. The Packers were able to turn the turnover into a field goal and a 17-10 lead.
The teams traded field goals at that point, because the Eagles brought it right back to a four-point game when Wentz converted two third downs in a no-huddle offense to set up Caleb Sturgis' 50-yard field goal.
The Eagles needed a big defensive stop in a one-possession game. They were in position to force a three-and-out, but Fletcher Cox was flagged for a roughing the passer after stopping Green Bay on a third-and-4 play from the Packers' 34-yard line. It was a devastating setback for the Eagles, and one that's too common for Cox. He was twice flagged with similar penalties earlier this season to lead to points, and the Packers made the Eagles pay. Rodgers took the extra life and drove the Packers to the 1-yard line, where fullback Aaron Ripkowski rushed for a one-yard score and a 24-13 lead.
Coach Doug Pederson didn't help his reputation on the drive, either, burning his final challenge to nullify a 2-yard gain on first down. He won the challenge, but it seemed a curious situation to throw the flag.
However, Pederson didn't need that final challenge in the fourth quarter. The Eagles were down by two scores, and they couldn't even get one. Penalties continued to haunt Pederson's team, including an offensive pass interference on Dorial Green-Beckham taking a 41-yard gain off the board, and a neutral zone infraction on Brandon Graham giving the Packers a first down when they were backed up for a third-and-5 on their own 13-yard line.
If this were the only week that these costly penalties came up, then they could be excused as a bad night. But by this point of the season, they're just the sign of an undisciplined team. But prevailing problems against the Packers was not a lack of discipline, but rather a lack of talent. They weren't good enough to beat Green Bay. With a losing record and five games remaining, they might not be good enough to make the playoffs, either.
