Eagles-Packers: 5 Players To Watch, 5 Bold Predictions, Including Final Score

The Eagles season opener is here, so are 5 players to watch and 5 bold predictions, and my final score.

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

It’s being called an Eagles home game, which is a joke. Nobody plays home games 5,000 miles away. Still, here we are – Eagles-Packers Friday night at 8:15 from Sau Paolo, Brazil.

Head coach Nick Sirianni is used to opening seasons on the road. This is his fourth season at the helm of the Eagles, and all four games have been on the road, starting with Atlanta in 2021, followed by Detroit two years ago, and New England last season. He has won all three.

Can he do it again?

Here are five players I will be watching closely - excluding quarterback Jalen Hurts, because, of course, he will be watched closely:

Saquon Barkley. Nobody knows how big a role the running back will play in his Eagles debut. Earlier in the week, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said that Barkley “is obviously in a great position to just go for it here.” What that means, we’re about to find out.

Nakobe Dean. Unlike last year, when Dean was handed a starting job only to get hurt early, the linebacker had to go out and earn it this summer. An ankle injury to Devin White, which kept him off the flight to Brazil, took away any suspense as to whether or not he would start. The Packers will test him, but he will answer any questions you may have about him in his third season.

Jalen Carter. The matchup against whichever Packers guard starts – rookie Jordan Morgan or Sean Rhyan – should favor last year’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up.

Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Nolan Smith. The second first-round pick in last year’s draft at No. 30 – after the Eagles selected Carter at 9 – the outside linebacker/edge rusher could use a sack to some momentum heading into an important season for him.

Quinyon Mitchell. Will the rookie first-round pick provide instant impact, the way previous first-round pick DeVonta Smith did? Remember, Smith had an 18-yard TD catch in his rookie debut against the Falcons. Could we see an interception from Mitchell?

5 BOLD PREDICTIONS

-Hurts throws for 300-plus yards.

-Barkley runs for 100-plus yards.

-Dallas Goedert catches one touchdown pass.

-Carter gets at least one sack.

-Quinyon Mitchell notches first interception of career.

Final score: Eagles 27, Packers 23

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