Quarterback - These two teams have two of the best quarterbacks in the game. Michael Vick is the most athletic player at his position, and he is able to make teams pay inside and out of the pocket with his great feet and lightning quick release. Rodgers is not quite as athletic, but is deceptively fast and can make plays on the run while maintaining his accuracy. Last season, their quarterback ratings were almost identical, with Rodgers posting a 101.2 rating and Vick with a 100.2 rating. This is a tough call, but because of Rodgers decision making ability and pinpoint accuracy (not to mention a Super Bowl MVP), the edge goes Rodgers.
Running Backs - Green Bay will look forward to the dilemma of finding a starting running back between the proven Ryan Grant and standout rookie James Starks. Grant went down with a season-ending ankle injury last year in week one, and the Packers struggled most of the year to find a suitable replacement. By the time the playoffs had rolled around, Starks exploded onto the scene with 123 rush yards versus the Eagles while only having 101 total yards during the regular season. The Eagles face a similar challenge, having two solid backs in LeSean McCoy and recent pickup Ronnie Brown. These two backs are different from Grant and Starks in the sense that they can make plays outside the backfield hauling in passes, one of the most valuable traits of a modern day tailback. McCoy averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season while hauling in nearly 600 yards receiving. Brown also has nice hands and will most definitely be a productive third down back. Advantage: Eagles
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends - Philly has one of the biggest downfield threats in the league with DeSean Jackson, and he is complimented nicely by the very young and talented Jeremy Maclin. After these two standouts, there is not much for Vick to work with. Jason Avant is a decent third option, and Brent Celek at tight end hauls in his share of passes, but their production is not nearly like that of the talent found in Green Bay. The Packers have the best top to bottom receiving corps in the NFL. Greg Jennings and Donald Driver are the cornerstones of this offense, and James Jones and Jordy Nelson at the three and four spots could be number one or number two starting options on any other team in the league. With Jermichael Finley coming off the injured reserve and the addition of the explosive Kentucky standout Randall Cobb, the Packers have a significant advantage on the offensive side of the ball.
Offensive Line - Both the Eagles and Packers are in a very similar scenario when it comes to the trenches, with both sides having a solid mix of proven veterans and young talent from the draft. If all goes to plan for Green Bay, the Pack will have two draft selections on the starting line including first round pick Derek Sherrod of Mississippi State. Sherrod played tackle throughout his collegiate career, but upon arriving in Green Bay the staff moved him to left guard given his athletic stature (6'5 321). Another player that experienced a move from tackle to guard is Philadelphia's first round pick Danny Watkins (6'3 310). Watkins is a bit undersized, but his raw talent and strength should make his move from tackle to guard a smooth one. Anytime you spend your first round pick on an offensive linemen, that guy is going to get some playing time at some point, regardless of what team you are. It will be interesting to see how these young guns contribute to their respective teams. Advantage: Push
Defensive Line - The Packers have been able to consistently stop the run the past few years due to a formidable defensive line that was spearheaded by the dominant play of Cullen Jenkins. With that talent now relocated in Philadelphia, the Eagles have harnessed a significant gain while the Packers have suffered a significant loss. Without Jenkins, the Packers still have skill along the front, with pro bowl caliber tackle BJ Raji leading the way. Howard Green and Ryan Pickett are also big bodies that will get plenty of reps during the regular season. The defensive end spot is a question mark with young guys like Mike Neal and Jarius Wynn trying to fill the void. Neal was thought to be a steal in last year's draft, but injury has held him back thus far. Bottom line, Green Bay has some spots to fill. The Eagles made improvements with the signing of Jenkins along with Jason Babin. Advantage: Eagles
Linebackers - The Eagles made strides this offseason to improve their defensive play by using five of their eleven draft picks on defensive players. Ernie Sims is the most recognizable returner at outside linebacker, but after that the talent is somewhat aloof. The Packers have proven starters with AJ Hawk and Desmond Bishop, and the play of Clay Matthews is head and shoulders above anyone in the National Football League. As long as the guy with the great hair is on the field for the green and gold, look out. Advantage: Packers
Secondary - For both teams, this is the position group with the most talent on the team. The Eagles made a big splash this offseason by acquiring the prize of the NFL free agency in Nnamdi Asomugha. Philly also traded for Antonio Rodgers-Cromartie, making a tandem only comparable to that of, well, the Packers. Green Bay has always prided itself on its cornerbacks playing smash mouth football and getting in the wide outs face right at the line of scrimmage. Having players like Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams make offensive coordinators sweat. These cornerback tandems talent wise are nearly equal. The kicker here is Philly's ace in the hole: Asante Samuel. Having a player of this caliber as your third defensive back, boasting four pro bowl appearances and two super bowl rings is a rarity. Green Bay does have other talent with pro bowler Nick Collins and the post season favorite Sam Shields, but both are vulnerable to getting beat deep. Teams are going to have some troubles throwing against Philly due to their recent acquisitions, and for that I give the advantage to the Eagles.
Special Teams - The Packers proved time and time again why they have some of the weakest special teams play in the league. Green Bay averaged a measly 20.1 yards per return, and the when the game was on the line it seemed as if the Pack always blew it with poor special teams play, such as week 12 versus the Atlanta Falcons. Rodgers had just put together a game tying drive after a strike was delivered to Jordy Nelson in the corner of the endzone. On the ensuing kickoff, the coverage team allowed a huge return which setup a late field goal for the Atlanta victory. Late game heroics are something that the Eagles are no stranger to, having the most dangerous return man in the game with DeSean Jackson. See week 15 versus the Giants for more information. Because of the sole fact that DeSean Jackson makes teams game plan around his ability, the edge here goes to the Eagles. There is no way to truly measure teams against each other on paper, that is why we play on Sundays. Last year, Green Bay took two from Philly in week one and in the first round of the playoffs (both in Philly). This year, the teams are not scheduled to play, unless of course they meet again in the playoffs. With all of this loaded talent, how could they not?
Are the Packers still World Champions? Yes
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