Packers 21, Eagles 16: Green Bay Picks Off Michael Vick To Stop Late Rally

While Akers will be the face of this loss, Bleeding Green Nation says no recap of this game would be complete without a mention of the team’s season-long goat...the defense.

On the other side of the ball, the Acme Packing Company is trying to figure out who was the MVP for the Pack. It certainly wasn’t the wide receivers:

The Philadelphia Eagles, a popular Super Bowl pick heading into the NFL playoffs, are one-and-done. The Eagles lost to the Green Bay Packers on their own home turf Sunday ending their season. The game ended for the Eagles with a Michael Vick interception but fans know there’s plenty of blame to go around in this one.

One person who have fingers pointed at him will be kicker David Akers, who missed two field goals. And, yeah, the Eagles lost by five points so you know those mattered. Here’s what Akers said after the game:

In the end, after one of the more complete games the Packers have played all year, the defense had to make a play to preserve Green Bay’s win over the Eagles.

And Tramon Williams did.

Michael Vick couldn’t quite bring the Eagles back this time. Neither could DeSean Jackson.

But it was Tramon Williams and the Packers’ defense that finished what Aaron Rodgers and the offense started.

If 2010 has taught us anything about the NFL, it’s that counting the Eagles out is a bad idea.

Michael Vick led the Eagles down the field late in the fourth quarter, and got into the end zone on a dive from the Packers 1, making the score 21-16 with a little more than four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles finally caught a break in Philly.

Actually, make it two, considering the fumble that Aaron Rodgers coughed up came after a James Jones drop that prevented a possible touchdown catch.

The Eagles finally got the big play they were looking for.

Michael Vick found a wide open Jeremy Maclin over the middle on the first play after DeSean Jackson’s return to the game, and Maclin raced up the sideline for 44 yards, giving the Eagles a possession in Packers territory.

At this rate, it may not matter if DeSean Jackson can get back into the game for the Eagles. Unless ... can he play defense? (He just returned to the field for the Eagles, and while he didn’t make a play, Jeremy Maclin was able to make a catch and run for a 44-yard gain.)

The Packers just finished their second drive of more than 10 plays and 50 yards — this one covered 57 yards in 12 plays — and completed it with a nine-yard throw from a scrambling Aaron Rodgers to James Jones. With the extra point, the Packers are now up 14-0 at Lincoln Financial Field.

When you hear that DeSean Jackson has left the field for the Eagles with a possible leg or ankle injury, you probably envision a cramp or a turned ankle. Instead, Jackson got rolled up underneath a teammate, producing a fairly grisly shot.

That’s not what you want to see your playmaking wide receiver go down with, and it briefly looked like Jackson, who left the game and then the field, heading to the locker room for further examination or treatment, might be done for the day. (And, consequently, that the Eagles might be done for the playoffs.)

The Packers took a little while to get untracked early against the Eagles. But they’ve been able to get it going, and with the Eagles failing to do much on offense, that means the Packers will lead heading into the second quarter.

Aaron Rodgers capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tom Crabtree, and the Packers lead 7-0 heading into the second quarter.

The Eagles haven’t exactly started today’s Wild Card Weekend game against the Packers with a bang. And their most explosive player leaving the field with an apparent injury will not help matters.

DeSean Jackson got caught while blocking for LeSean McCoy, and had his legs rolled underneath him, likely incurring a leg or ankle injury. He hobbled to the sideline and has not returned to the game.

Green Bay then did its best to copy Philly’s offensive struggles, going three and out themselves and punting back to the Eagles.

So, early mistakes for both teams and at about the halfway point of the first quarter, the game is scoreless.

The 2011 NFL playoffs are only a couple of days away and we’re taking a look at the NFL playoff odds for each of the games including the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers matchup this weekend. The Eagles are favored to win the game by 2.5 points, depending on where you look, and our prediction falls in line with that.

The Eagles started off the season winning seven of their first 10 games and have since finished winning just three of their final six games, including currently a two-game losing streak. The Packers have won just three of their final six games but they’ve also won two in a row so, if momentum is a factor, it’s on the Packers side.

The Philadelphia Eagles will host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday evening in the final game of wildcard weekend in the NFL playoffs. The Eagles are favored to win this game and, if Michael Vick plays well, that should be the case.

I said it’s hard to pick against the Eagles here because of the way Vick and Co. have played at times. On that same note, Vick has also struggled lately. He completed only 58 percent of his passes for one touchdown and one interception in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings two weeks ago and then took Week 17 off with a slight injury.