Xavier McKinney named first-team All-Pro, who else received votes for Packers?

Xavier McKinney was voted a first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. Four of his Packers teammates also received votes.

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney was voted a first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press, and while none of his teammates were voted first- or second-team All-Pro, four different teammates received All-Pro votes.

Fifty voters from the Associated Press determine the All-Pro teams.

McKinney received 107 total votes, including 31 first-team votes (first-team votes count as three each, second-team count as one).

Other Packers receiving second-team votes:

— Elgton Jenkins received 10 votes at left guard.

— Zach Tom received three votes at right tackle.

— Rookie Edgerrin Cooper received one vote at linebacker.

— Keisean Nixon received one vote at cornerback.

— Keisean Nixon received seven votes at kick returner.

Jenkins finished fourth among left guards, trailing Joe Thuney, Quenton Nelson and Landon Dickerson, while Tom finished third at right tackle behind Penei Sewell and Lane Johnson. Nixon, a two-time All-Pro at kickoff returner, finished fifth this year.

Cooper played in only 14 games, made only four starts and was on the field for fewer than 500 total snaps, but he finished with 13 tackles for loss — second among off-ball linebackers — and was arguably the second-best defensive rookie in football behind Jared Verse. He was one of 24 off-ball linebackers to receive an All-Pro vote.

Running back Josh Jacobs did not receive a single vote. Only Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs received All-Pro votes at running back.

McKinney finished second in first-team votes at safety behind Kerby Joseph, who got 37. McKinney was the only Packers player to receive a first-team vote.

Packers S Xavier McKinney named first-team All-Pro in 2024

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney was named a first-team All-Pro for the 2024 NFL season by the Associated Press.

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney was named a first-team All-Pro for the 2024 NFL season by the Associated Press.

McKinney, a free-agent acquisition of the Packers, intercepted eight passes over 17 games, ranking second among all NFL players. He also recovered a fumble and had a third-down sack.

McKinney set a new career-high for interceptions and tied his career high with 11 passes defensed. According to Pro Football Focus, McKinney didn’t give up a touchdown pass in coverage and allowed an overall passer rating against his coverage of 56.4, the third-best mark among safeties. He also missed only five tackles and had the fifth-lowest missed tackle percentage among safeties (5.7 percent).

McKinney powered a revamped Packers defense that recorded 31 total takeaways and finished in the top 10 for scoring and yards allowed in the first season under defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.

McKinney was named a Pro Bowl starter in the NFC. Running back Josh Jacobs and edge rusher Rashan Gary were also Pro Bowlers for the Packers.

McKinney was the Packers’ only first-team All-Pro.

According to Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers’ official site, left guard Elgton Jenkins, right Zach Tom, cornerback/kick returner Keisean Nixon and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper also received All-Pro votes from the AP.

5 stats to know ahead of Packers vs. Eagles in NFC Wild Card Round

The Packers and Eagles are heading toward a big playoff showdown on Sunday. Here are five stats to know about the matchup.

The Green Bay Packers can secure a rematch with the Detroit Lions at Ford Field next week if Matt LaFleur’s team can go into Philadelphia and upset the NFC East champion Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday in the NFC Wild Card Round.

The seventh-seeded Packers will face one of the NFL’s most talented and most balanced teams in the Eagles, who finished 14-3 and won 12 of their last 13 games in 2024.

Here are five stats to know ahead of Sunday’s playoff showdown in Philadelphia:

Seven: After turning the ball over eight times in their first four games, including three times in the season opener against the Packers, the Eagles turned the ball over just seven times over the final 13 games, including nine games without a turnover. Jalen Hurts threw two picks against the Packers but finished with only five overall. Can the Packers, who finished with 31 takeaways in 2024, generate a game-changing turnover or two on Sunday? While Hurts only had five interceptions, he did finish with 16 turnover worthy plays, per PFF, and he lost five fumbles. It’s possible he’ll be dealing with some rust after not playing a full game since mid-December.

21.5 percent: The Eagles offensive line is an excellent group, but Jalen Hurts still took 38 sacks and had a pressure-to-sack ratio of 21.5 percent, which ranked 17th among quarterbacks despite his toughness as a runner. Hurts also led the NFL in average time to throw at 3.21 seconds. The Packers will likely rush to contain Hurts in the pocket and prevent scrambling opportunities. Can the defensive front win enough 1-on-1 reps (especially inside) and finish disruptive plays in the backfield? Hurts had a below average PFF grade against pressure in 2024. Pressure in big passing situations will be vital.

Seven: Another seven. Speaking of pressure, this seven is for the number of defensive players that produced at least 20 pressures for the Eagles this season, including two over 50 (Josh Sweat, Jalen Carter) and five over 30 (Milton Williams, Nolan Smith, Moro Ojomo). The Eagles are also getting Bryce Huff going as a rotational rusher, and both Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean can disrupt as blitzers. The Packers offensive line has a big test ahead. The Eagles are talented and deep enough up front to consistently rush with four and win. In the first meeting, Jordan Love was under pressure on 12 of 36 dropbacks.

2.0 vs. 0.6: Per Next Gen Stats, the Eagles averaged an NFL-best 2.0 yards before first contact on designed runs this season. The Packers, however, gave up only 0.6 yards before first contact against runs, the third best mark in the NFL. Containing Saquon Barkley presents a major test for the Packers, but they’ve been up to the challenge against the run this season. Can the Packers get into the backfield or create stalemates along the line of scrimmage against Barkley? Keeping the Eagles’ 2,000-yard rusher from taking over the game is a priority for the Packers.

95.2 percent vs. 77.8 percent: The Packers might actually have a big advantage at kicker in the rematch. Brayden Narveson missed a big field goal in the opener, but he’s since been replaced by Brandon McManus, who has connected on 20 of 21 kicks (95.2 percent) since joining the Packers, including a perfect mark on kicks over 50 yards (3-for-3). Eagles kicker Jake Elliott, however, finished his season at just 77.8 percent after missing eight total kicks, including six over 50 yards and one under 40. In a game with some razor thin margins, just one kick (or miss) can make a huge difference.

Packers vs. Eagles: 3 key matchups to watch in NFC Wild Card Round

Three key matchups to watch when the Packers take on the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round.

The stage is set.

This Sunday, the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers will travel to face the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round.

The Packers are limping into the playoffs on the heels of two consecutive losses with underwhelming performances from the offense. The Eagles, meanwhile, won 12 of the final 13 games during the regular season, including two without quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is still in concussion protocol.

Hurts practiced in a limited capacity on Thursday but still needs to be cleared before Sunday’s game. Green Bay hasn’t had the best injury luck this season and will be without its deep threat wide receiver Christian Watson and potentially star corner Jaire Alexander for the entire postseason.

Of course, injuries didn’t stop the Packers during their Super Bowl run in 2010, which started with a victory over the Eagles in Philadelphia.

If Green Bay hopes to have a similar result this year, they must come out on top of these key matchups.

Packers run defense vs Saquon Barkley

Let’s start with the obvious one. Barkley is coming off an incredible season in which he became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in 16 games. In the Week 1 matchup against the Packers, he rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Green Bay’s run defense went on to have a pretty good season, finishing seventh overall in rushing yards allowed per game (99.4). Despite an improved season against the run, the Packers’ defense has a difficult task this weekend in trying to limit Barkley, who runs behind an offensive line that looks to bully opposing fronts. If they can contain the best back in the league, it could lead to a win on Sunday.

Packers secondary vs WR AJ Brown, WR DeVonta Smith

Green Bay won’t face many wide receiver tandems better than Brown and Smith. The duo combined for 12 receptions for 203 yards and a touchdown in the season opener, and that was with a healthy Jaire Alexander. Now, the Packers will rely on corners Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine to do their best to defend the perimeter, while safety Xavier McKinney will have to pick and choose who he decides to help against. The Packers can’t afford to put too much focus into stopping Barkley, or it could lead to a huge game for the Eagles’ passing attack.

RB Josh Jacobs vs Eagles run defense

As much as Green Bay will have to worry about Barkley, Philadelphia must do the same with Jacobs. The Packers’ newcomer at running back had a strong first season with the team, rushing for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns on 301 attempts and also catching 36 passes for 342 yards and another score. Jacobs had a solid outing in the first meeting against the Eagles, picking up 84 yards on the ground while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Philadelphia finished with the 10th-ranked run defense in 2024 and will need another strong effort on Sunday. Even if the Eagles succeed in stopping the run early, Matt LaFleur can’t afford to abandon Jacobs. He’s been the motor for the offense basically all season.

5 keys to Packers beating Eagles in NFC Wild Card Round

Five keys to the Packers beating the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in the NFC Wild Card Round on Sunday.

The Green Bay Packers will attempt to pull off an upset as the No. 7 seed for the second consecutive season when Matt LaFleur’s team goes to Philadelphia to play the 14-3 Eagles on Sunday to open the postseason.

The Eagles have won 12 of the last 13 games, including seven straight at Lincoln Financial Field. Last year, the Cowboys were unbeaten at home before the Packers went scorched earth at AT&T Stadium in a 48-32 upset victory.

Repeating the feat on Sunday will be extremely difficult.

Here are five keys to the Packers beating the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round:

Get run game rolling early

The Packers have been at their best this season when Josh Jacobs sets the tone early. While the Packers struggled to get Jacobs going early in the first meeting in Week 1, Jacobs ended up rushing for 505 yards (best among the four quarters) and averaging 4.8 yards in the first quarter across all games in 2024. The offensive line must win battles up front early and ensure the Packers can play two-dimensional offense for four quarters. The Eagles are strong against the run and will be expecting the run-heavy Packers to get established on the ground, but landing a couple of early punches in the run game could get the Packers rolling. Last year in Dallas, Aaron Jones hit the Cowboys early and everything else opened up.

Early takeaway, win the ball overall

The Packers don’t have to replicate last year’s blueprint in Dallas, but getting an early takeaway would certainly help the cause. Jalen Hurts hasn’t played a full game in over a month and might be a little rusty or slow with the football, and the Packers must pounce if he provides an early takeaway opportunity. In Brazil, the Packers got a first-half pick from Xavier McKinney but turned it into only three points. In Dallas last January, Jaire Alexander’s interception of Dak Prescott set up a touchdown that gave the Packers a 14-0 lead. Even if the takeaway doesn’t arrive early, the Packers must win the ball. The Eagles turned the ball over three times in the opener and lost a few games in September when losing the turnover battle. Hurts threw only five picks, but he also lost five fumbles. Can the Packers get a big turnover or two, and can Jordan Love keep the ball out of harm’s way for four quarters?

Beat man coverage

The Eagles don’t play a ton of man coverage, but they are very effective when playing man, and it won’t be surprising if Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio plays more man coverage with Christian Watson out of the lineup. The Packers really struggled against man coverage without their top deep threat this season, including during a discouraging performance from the passing game in Week 17 in Minneapolis. Matt LaFleur and the Packers better have more man-beaters in the queue because there’s a good chance the Eagles will challenge the Packers to consistently beat man coverage in big passing situations. Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks can be separators. Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave both have winning attributes against man. And maybe Jordan Love can use his legs to create outside of structure if the Eagles are more man-heavy on Sunday. In a few big spots, the Packers must find answers in the passing game.

Win 1-on-1s inside

Beating left tackle Jordan Mailata and right tackle Lane Johnson will be tough business on the edges, so the Packers must find ways of creating disruption and pressure from the inside. Devonte Wyatt, Kenny Clark and Karl Brooks must all be game-wreckers on the interior. They also need to hold up against the run to prevent Saquon Barkley from getting free access to the second level, where he’s made a living this season. Wyatt, in particular, needs to be at his best. He has the speed and power to win battles, get in the backfield and create negative plays. With the Packers likely pass-rushing to contain Jalen Hurts in the pocket, collapsing the interior will be vital.

Survive second half Saquon

Incredibly, Saquon Barkley rushed for 1,245 yards and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt during the second half of games in 2024. While effective in the first half, he often wore out defenses and busted big plays with the Eagles holding leads in the third and fourth quarters. A similar script played out in Week 1, when Barkley erupted in the second half in Brazil. The Packers have been a good run defense in 2024, but it’s tough to keep Barkley contained for four quarters. Linebackers Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker will be in the spotlight, and Cooper’s playmaking ability could be the differentiating factor for the Packers. One thing can’t happen: the Packers can’t fall behind in the first half. In fact, the Packers probably need to have a lead in the second half to force the Eagles out of their typical way of engineering games.

Who could be an underrated difference maker in Packers vs. Eagles?

Picking an underrated difference maker for the Packers and Eagles ahead of Sunday’s playoff game.

The Green Bay Packers will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Kickoff from Philadelphia is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT. FOX will have the broadcast.

To help preview Packers-Eagles, we’ll be answering a question a day about the two teams until kickoff on Sunday.

The question today: Who could be an underrated difference maker for both teams on Sunday?

Star players need to play at their best in big games, but under-the-radar players help decide playoff games every January.

Here are the picks, from Packers Wire and Eagles Wire:

Packers DL Devonte Wyatt

Packers Wire: The Packers need defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt to be a game-wrecker. It’s going to be tough sledding on the edge against the Eagles’ dominant tackle duo, and the Packers will likely rush cautiously on the edge to contain Jalen Hurts in the pocket, so Wyatt has to consistently win 1-on-1 opportunities inside, especially in obvious passing situations. He’ll also need to survive against the Eagles’ big guards in the run game or Saquon Barkley will have easy access to the second level. Can Wyatt hold up on early downs and create a few disruptive plays as a pass-rusher? The 2022 first-round pick might be the best pure pass-rusher from a 4-3 alignment on the Packers defensive front, and he must be a game-changer against an elite Eagles offensive line on Sunday. He’s talented enough to create a breakout performance.

Eagles TE Dallas Goedert

Eagles Wire: He’s not necessarily an under-the-radar player, but Dallas Goedert has never had a 1,000-yard season and missed four or more games for the third straight season. Before Week 18, Goedert had been out since Week 13, when he posted this stat line: three receptions, 35 yards, and one touchdown. This season, Goedert hauled in 38 passes on 46 targets for 441 yards and two scores, averaging 49.0 yards per game. More importantly, Goedert has been dominant against man coverage. According to Doug Farrar, Goedert’s EPA per target of +1.12 is the highest for any target, regardless of position. That means with Green Bay likely to focus on Stopping Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, Goedert’s potential matchups with Xavier McKinney will be critical for both teams.

What helped make Packers and Eagles playoff teams in the NFC?

How the Packers and Eagles emerged as playoff teams in the NFC this season.

The Green Bay Packers will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Kickoff from Philadelphia is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT. FOX will have the broadcast.

To help preview Packers-Eagles, we’ll be answering a question a day about the two teams until kickoff on Sunday.

We start with a simple one: What made these two teams playoff worthy in 2024?

Both teams started 2-2. From there, the Packers won nine of the final 13 games, while the Eagles stormed into the playoffs winning 12 of their final 13. The Packers overcame injuries at quarterback and improved drastically on defense. The Eagles emerged as one of the best defenses in football.

Green Bay Packers (11-6, No. 7 seed)

Packers Wire: The Packers reinvented themselves with new additions, using Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs to help power a revamped and occasionally dominant run game and Pro Bowler Xavier McKinney and first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to create a drastic improvement defensively. For large stretches of the season, the Packers relied on explosive plays generated on offense and takeaways on defense to win games. Green Bay ranked among league leaders in explosive passing plays and rushing plays and finished fourth in takeaways with 31. Jordan Love battled knee and groin injuries and was too turnover-prone during the first half of the season, but he’s protected the ball better in the second half. For the most part, the Packers dominated the league’s middle and bottom tier of teams. The problem was five losses against the Eagles, Vikings and Lions — all teams with 14 or more wins in 2024. By most statistical measures, the Packers were one of the NFL’s elite or near elite teams this season. But they have one last opportunity to truly prove it on the field on Sunday in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Eagles (14-3, No. 2 seed)

Eagles Wire: A retooled approach on offense and defense played a major part in Philadelphia regrouping after last season’s late collapse. Howie Roseman read the room and invested major money in star running back Saquon Barkley. That signing took pressure off Jalen Hurts, and gave the Eagles a home run hitter and three-down back at the tailback position. Hiring Kellen Moore proved to be the right move for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles quarterback was more efficient with the football this season. On defense, Vic Fangio implemented a two deep safety scheme and inserted Zack Baun into the linebacker spot. Quinyon Mitchell was elite from Day 1, while Cooper DeJean’s insertion at the nickel cornerback spot helped Philadelphia improve after the bye week.

Jordan Love’s elbow still sore, but Packers QB hopeful to play vs. Eagles

Packers QB Jordan Love sounds optimistic he’ll play through an elbow injury against the Eagles on Sunday.

The numbness in his hand and fingers is gone, but Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is still dealing with soreness in his injured right elbow and was limited at practice on Wednesday.

Love injured a nerve in his elbow while falling to the ground in the second quarter against the Chicago Bears in the season finale. He lost feeling in his right hand and was unable to properly grip the football, so backup Malik Willis finished the final 2.5 quarters of the regular season.

Love said his hand felt better on Monday, and he’s optimistic of his chances of playing through any residual pain on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round.

“We’ll see, yeah, I’m hopeful,” Love said Wednesday.

Coach Matt LaFleur said Love was able to throw the ball at practice on Wednesday. It’s unclear if Love will end up being a full participant at any practice this week. The Packers will hold official practices on Thursday and Friday before issuing a final injury report and heading to Philadelphia.

Willis, the backup, is also dealing with an injury. He hurt his right thumb on a completion to Malik Heath in the fourth quarter and was limited at practice on Sunday. His status might be more precarious than Love’s considering Willis’ grip on the football has been affected by the injury.

The Packers have Sean Clifford available as the No. 3 quarterback on the practice squad if needed.

What to know from Packers’ first injury report of Wild Card Round vs. Eagles

Things to know from the Packers’ first injury report before playing the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round.

The Green Bay Packers released the team’s first injury report of Wild Card Weekend on Wednesday. The team will release two more injury reports, including a final injury report on Friday with official playing status designations before facing the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round on Sunday.

Here’s everything to know from the Packers’ first injury report:

— Both quarterbacks — Jordan Love and Malik Willis — were limited on Wednesday. Love has a right elbow injury, while Willis has a right thumb injury. Both are right-handed quarterbacks. Love said Wednesday that he was feeling better but still recovering. For the Eagles, Jalen Hurts was limited in his return to practice from a concussion.

— Linebacker Quay Walker (ankle) and safety Evan Williams (quad) both returned to practice in a limited capacity. They both missed the last three games.

— Defensive lineman TJ Slaton did not practice due to a new ankle injury. Coach Matt LaFleur said it’s possible Slaton could still play Sunday without any practice. The big run stuffer would be a loss against Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley.

— Defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. (foot), receiver Romeo Doubs (illness) and offensive tackle Andre Dillard (concussion) returned to practice. Doubs was a full participant.

— One thing to monitor this week: Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper was limited with a knee injury and an illness.

— Safety Zayne Anderson is still out while in concussion protocol.

— The Eagles listed 10 players on their injury report, but five were full participants and only one didn’t practice (guard Trevor Keegan, illness). A.J. Brown was limited with a knee injury, but he was also listed with a rest designation. The Eagles are a healthy football team.

Packers QB Jordan Love limited at practice with elbow injury to start week

Packers QB Jordan Love was limited at practice on Wednesday after suffering an elbow injury during Sunday’s season finale against the Chicago Bears. 

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love was limited at practice on Wednesday after suffering a right elbow injury during Sunday’s season finale against the Chicago Bears.

Coach Matt LaFleur said Love threw on a “limited basis” on Wednesday but provided no other details. The injury report — which comes out later Wednesday — will list Love as limited.

The Packers play the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Sunday’s NFC Wild Card Round.

Love was injured in the second quarter against the Bears while being taken to the ground. He hit the nerve in his right elbow and lost feeling in his hand and fingers, particularly his pinky finger.

Here was Love’s response to a question from Matt Schneidman of The Athletic on if he would play Sunday:

Love said he is no longer dealing with numbness but has soreness in his elbow.

The Packers aren’t the only team dealing with an injury at quarterback. Jalen Hurts, who suffered a concussion last month, hasn’t played since Week 16 but will practice Wednesday.

LaFleur said the Packers would “anticipate” Hurts playing Sunday but would also be ready if the Eagles have to start a backup at quarterback.