The Green Bay Packers improved to 7-3 and moved into a first-place tie in the NFC North with a 55-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lambeau Field, marking the first time in Packers history the team scored 50-plus points in back-to-back games.
The Packers’ defense relentlessly harassed Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez, who made his second start for the injured Nick Foles, getting three sacks, including one each from defensive end Letroy Guion and linebackers Mike Neal and Clay Matthews, who continued to spend a lot of time at inside linebacker shoring up a weak Packers’ run defense.
“I think we’re getting better each and every week on defense,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “Defensively you’re just seeing a unit that’s playing faster. The personnel groups that we’re getting in and out of, it’s happening seamlessly.”
The Eagles (7-3) were held to a pair of field goals by Cody Parkey in the second half.
In the second half, Sanchez managed to avoid sacks but threw a pair on interceptions — by Tramon Williams in the fourth quarter and another in the third quarter that was returned 52 yards by linebacker Julius Peppers for a touchdown that put the Packers up 39-6.
The Packers’ defense also recovered two fumbles. Nick Perry came up with one to stop the Eagles’ first drive of the second half, and Casey Hayward scooped up a bad snap to Sanchez and returned it 49 yards for a score that put the Packers up 53-6.
Offensively, the Packers continued to look unstoppable, rolling up a 30-6 halftime lead. Rodgers threw touchdowns to Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson, who also set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Eddie Lacy by drawing a pass interference call in the end zone in the second quarter.
Asked if everything was coming easy for him following two blowout wins, Rodgers shot that idea down. “This is not easy. This is a tough job,” he said. “A lot of preparation goes into it, a lot of guys working together.”
Rodgers finished 22 of 36 for 341 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 120.3.
“I think he’s playing as good as anybody in the league,” Philadelphia coach Chip Kelly said. “You look at some of the balls he throws: extremely accurate, on target.”
In the second half, Lacy took a screen pass from Rodgers and bowling through Eagles defenders for a 32-yard score. Lacy finished with 10 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown, and had three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown.
Randall Cobb caught 10 passes for 129 yards. Nelson had four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Packers kicker Mason Crosby got the scoring going in both halves: a 27-yard field goal to cap the Packers’ first drive of the game and a 33-yard field goal on the Packers’ first possession of the second half. Crosby also missed a 50-yard field goal try in the second half.
Micah Hyde scored on a 75-yard punt return against the Eagles’ highly touted special teams in the first quarter, but the second half included special teams miscues by the Packers, who missed two extra point tries and had a punt blocked.
Sanchez found receivers Jordan Matthews and Jeremy Maclin for scores in the second half, and finished 26 of 44 for 346 yards and a 80.3 passer rating. Maclin was his favorite target with nine catches for 93 yards. LeSean McCoy led the Eagles in rushing with 23 carries for 88 yards.
The Packers’ win put them in a tie for first place in the NFC North with the Detroit Lions (7-3), who lost to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
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