The 2025 NFL season has sparked intense debate about which NFC team can challenge the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The Green Bay Packers have emerged as a serious contender thanks to their revamped defense and coaching approach, and ESPN analyst Peter Schrager recently named them as the biggest threat to the Eagles in the NFC.
“I believe they are. I believe they are because they have an elite NFL defense that can stop Philadelphia’s elite offense. … Last night in Green Bay, there was no better defense in the NFL than what we saw in green, and it’s not just Micah [Parsons], who’s just getting started and played only 29 snaps. This is a team that had nine tackles for a loss, four sacks. They held the [Detroit] Lions, which was the most explosive offense in football, to 2.1 yards per carry. … The only way to beat Philadelphia and that rushing game is to have the big bodies that can go up there, and I think Green Bay does,” Schrager said.
The biggest threat to the Eagles in the NFC?
I’d be awfully concerned about the @packers and the D we saw yesterday. From today’s @FirstTake : pic.twitter.com/NAerirlGOQ
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) September 8, 2025
Green Bay’s defense delivered an emphatic statement in its Week 1 matchup against Detroit.
The Packers defeated the Lions 27-13, neutralizing what many considered one of the league’s most dynamic offenses.
Parsons made an immediate impact despite playing limited snaps after his trade from the Dallas Cowboys.
He applied constant pressure, recorded a sack, and created several turnover opportunities.
His presence seemed to elevate the entire defense.
Under coordinator Jeff Hafley, the Packers have maintained their aggressive approach from last season, when they ranked in the top five in takeaways.
Early signs suggest this year’s group might be even stronger with Parsons, Quay Walker and Lukas Van Ness anchoring the front seven.
For Philadelphia, facing Green Bay’s defensive front will demand both tactical adjustments and physical execution when the teams meet in Week 10.
