For the Green Bay Packers, the challenge from the Philadelphia Eagles isn’t just on the field; it’s also in the stands and on the drawing board. As the Packers prepare for their Monday night showdown with the defending Super Bowl champs, the Eagles, everything from ticket sales to game plans is under the microscope.

On Thursday, the Packers had to make a rare midweek announcement. A limited number of tickets have been made available for Monday’s game after the Eagles returned some of their allotment. This gives Cheeseheads one last opportunity to fill Lambeau for what promises to be one of the most eagerly awaited matchups of the season. 

Green Bay heads into this primetime battle with a solid 5-2-1 record, sitting proudly at the top of the NFC North, while Philadelphia rolls in at 6-2, tied for the best record in the conference. But beyond the playoff stakes, this matchup has a familiar twist. The Eagles’ infamous Tush Push, a short-yardage play that has sparked plenty of debate across the NFL.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t hold back when he spoke to reporters about the challenge ahead. “You can’t allow them in those short-yardage situations because you know exactly what they’re going to do,” LaFleur said, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

“And they’ve been pretty successful at it, obviously.”

The Tush Push, which sees multiple players pushing quarterback Jalen Hurts forward on sneaks, has converted an impressive 76.5 percent of its attempts this season. The Packers were at the forefront last offseason in trying to get the play banned. But their proposal fell just two votes short. Now, they’ll have to find a way to stop it the old-fashioned way.

“I’m not going to get into it,” LaFleur added. “It is what it is. The NFL made a decision, and we have to find a way to try to stop the play, and it’s a tough play to stop.”

The plan for LaFleur going forward is to try and find a way that will help stop the infamous tush push, while also acknowledging that it’s a tough one and may not be easy to stop.

While the HC has been effectively planning strategies to get a hang of this short-yardage trickery, he has already executed a successful defensive transformation.

Eagles brace for Micah Parsons’ challenge as Packers show defensive transformation

The Philadelphia Eagles know exactly what’s waiting for them on Monday. A familiar nightmare wearing green and gold. They will face one of the NFL’s most disruptive forces: Micah Parsons.

For the Eagles, it’s not just another rematch. Parsons, now a Packer after his trade from Dallas, has transformed Green Bay’s defense into one of the league’s most feared units.

“Some people have this feel for the game that’s like a sixth sense,” said Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata. “He’s got that sixth sense. He’s got the feel for it.”

That instinct has been on full display this season. Parsons leads a defense ranked second overall by Pro Football Focus and fifth in pass rush. His presence alone has elevated the Packers’ entire front. With the attention he commands, teammates like Rashan Gary, Quay Walker, and Lukas Van Ness have all thrived.

“Micah Parsons is a phenomenal football player that can hurt you in many different ways,” said Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni.

Sirianni also mentioned how he creates a lot of disruption, not just in the pass game but in the run game too.

“So you have to account for where he is, but it’s hard to account for where he is because he’s moving around so much,” he added.

“If you give too much attention to Micah, someone else will beat you,” Toth said. “If you don’t give him enough attention, he’s a game-wrecker,” center Brett Toth summed up the challenge.

The Eagles have seen Parsons at his best before, and now they’ll have to stop him at his most dangerous.