Look for Packers, Eagles to bring their ‘A’ games

By GERY WOELFEL

The Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles have a lot in common.

They are both talented teams, with quality quarterbacks, productive running backs and defenses that have a bushel basket of gifted players.

The Packers and Eagles also have this similarity: They are two of the most enigmatic teams in the NFL. They can look like certifiable Super Bowl contenders and they can look like run-of-the-mill outfits.

Take the Matt LaFleur’s Packers, who are 5-2-1. They smoked the highly touted Lions in the season opener 27-13 but then stubbed their toes against the lowly Browns and Panthers – although both of those games were by a mere field goal..

Now take the Nick Sirianni’s Eagles, who are 6-2 and share the best record in the NFC with the Buccaneers and Seahawks.

The reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles registered impressive victories over the Chiefs and Buccaneers, but also got trounced by the Giants, the 2-7 Giants, 34-17 just three weeks ago.

So, which Packers and Eagles team will show up Monday night in a nationally-televised game at Lambeau Field?

I expect their best versions of themselves. After all, much is at stake – even though it’s just the midway point of the season.

Neither team will likely come into the encounter overconfident, like the Eagles were against the Giants and the Packers were against the Browns and Panthers.

The Eagles obviously want to garner the top seed in for the NFC playoffs; the Packers want to maintain their top spot in the highly competitive North Division.

No, this won’t just be another game. This game is meaningful, very meaningful, and both teams realize it.

WHAT THE ODDSMAKERS ARE SAYING: The Packers are favorites by 1 point.

GW’S PREDICTION:  Packers 27, Eagles 24.