Sunday in New Orleans proved that the Kansas City Chiefs are not invincible. In fact, their efforts looked pretty damn futile for much of the contest against the Philadelphia Eagles.
There was an aura around the Chiefs as they attempted a three-peat this season. As Kansas City rolled through the AFC in the postseason, many started to wonder if anyone in the NFC could take down the big, bad Chiefs if the likes of Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills could not. The same was said last season when Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens whiffed on their home field against KC.
Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts was sensational against Kansas City, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any poll with him listed as a top-three or even top-five NFL quarterback. The Eagles showed a complete roster can trump all. It’s a blueprint the Packers would be wise to follow.
Let’s start with the draft.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has had his fair share of home-run draft picks. After just one year, it appears he and the rest of the brain trust in Green Bay have struck gold with linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safety Evan Williams. Go back to 2023 and see tight end Tucker Kraft and seventh-round selection Carrington Valentine as a couple more examples of players who evolved into essential pieces for Green Bay.
One thing all four have in common? None were first-round picks.
Striking in the middle and late rounds of the draft is crucial. However, you must also find success on Day 1, which the Eagles have done.
Defensive lineman Jalen Carter is showing at just age 23 that he can cause as many headaches for an opposing offense as Joel Embiid can for the Philadelphia 76ers’ team doctor.
As a rookie, cornerback Quinyon Mitchell displayed all the makings of a premier corner. Patrick Mahomes shied away from testing Mitchell on the game’s biggest stage.
If that isn’t enough proof in the pudding, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman double-dipped in the secondary last April, taking Mitchell in Round 1 and cornerback/safety hybrid Cooper DeJean out of Iowa in Round 2. Mitchell and DeJean appear to be stars in the making.
As good as Brian Gutekunst has been at identifying talent in the meat-and-potatoes portion of the draft, Green Bay has not fared well with first-round picks recently.
Starting in 2021, Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes had a great rookie season before injuries derailed what looked like a promising career.
In 2022, the Packers had two first-round picks and selected linebacker Quay Walker and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, two more Georgia Bulldogs. The former struggled his first couple of seasons but started coming on late in 2024. The latter has shown flashes but nothing close to the level of what the Eagles have seen with the big fellas they drafted early.
In 2023, the Packers returned to the defensive front and selected edge rusher Lukas Van Ness. Through two seasons, he’s been more invisible than the line for Dallas Mavericks season-ticket renewals after the Luka Dončić trade.
In April, Gutekunst selected offensive lineman Jordan Morgan, who can be labeled with a big “to be determined” after missing much of the season with a shoulder injury.
Roseman and the Eagles have hit on cornerstone pieces early in the draft. The Packers have not. While some level of luck is involved with any draft process, hitting even occasionally on first-round picks is essential.
For the next important component of the blueprint, look to the trenches.
Philadelphia was one sack of Mahomes away from the Super Bowl record of seven. They got pressure rushing just four, an amazing accomplishment considering they did not blitz on any of Mahomes’ 42 dropbacks.
Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley brings an aggressive mindset in many categories, but blitzing is not one of them. The Packers were 31st in blitz percentage in 2024 at 17.3%. Philadelphia was slightly higher at No. 28 overall (19.1%).
An overwhelming difference between the groups, which are similar in that they do not blitz much, is the number of guys who can win one-on-one battles.
Philadelphia has a few, including Carter, and outside linebackers Nolan Smith and Josh Sweat.
Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary has never reached the level many thought he would. Despite playing in every game, interior defensive lineman Kenny Clark had a grand total of one sack in 2024 after getting a hefty contract extension.
Van Ness has severely underwhelmed. Preston Smith wasn’t a fit in Hafley’s defense, and they traded him mid-season.
Green Bay’s defensive front has players who can win a one-on-one matchup on a given Sunday afternoon. The Packers do not have anyone yet who can do it consistently. It’s one big reason many are linking them to marquee names like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t have to get too cute this year. He rushed four, and they got home a lot. Even when they didn’t notch a sack, they applied enough pressure to force the opposing quarterback into silly mistakes that yielded fruitful results for Philadelphia’s defense.
Green Bay needs a game-wrecker on the defensive front. The Packers forced turnovers early in the season, but that dipped off severely when they couldn’t consistently pressure the quarterback.
It feels close, though. The Packers aren’t a bunch of pieces away. Don’t forget that their defense had a four-series stretch in their own playoff game against the Eagles, where Philadelphia only gained nine total yards.
The Eagles have laid out a blueprint that will be tough to replicate but can be done. Gutekunst and the Packers must have more success drafting premier talent early (easier said than done) and continue molding their defensive front to fit Hafley’s plan.
For a general manager who never speaks in absolutes, one quote that stuck out from Gutekunst’s presser at the end of the year is worth noting.
We’ve got a bunch of good guys in that locker room, we’ve got a bunch of talented guys in that locker room, and I think it’s time we started competing for championships, right? I think they’re ready.
There’s a great group in place. Philadelphia’s blueprint shows that, above all else, you can win with a complete roster, even if you don’t have a Mahomes or an Allen or a Jackson. Green Bay just needs to follow it this offseason.