It’s not often a 3-7-1 team finds itself still in the playoff race, but the 2020 Philadelphia Eagles are very much alive in an abysmal NFC East. Meanwhile, the 8-3 Packers hold a three-game lead in the division and look to distance themselves further on Sunday. Here are six things to look for heading into the 3:25 p.m. kickoff: 

1. Fulgham Speed Ahead 

While Packers fans might remember Travis Fulgham’s name from his incredibly brief stint with Green Bay during training camp, he emerged as a primary receiver for the Eagles during the month of October. Fulgham hauled in a touchdown in each of his first three games with Philadelphia, securing the attention of NFL fans league-wide after his 10 reception, 152-yard performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5. 

He’s made seven starts for the Eagles and has amassed 467 yards on 33 receptions with four touchdowns. Both his 467 yards and four touchdowns lead the team. Philly’s receiving core has been hit hard by injuries this season with Alshon Jeffrey, Desean Jackson (on injured reserve), and rookie first-round pick Jalen Reagor all missing significant time due to injury. The tight end unit wasn’t much better with Zach Ertz just elevated off injured reserve this week and Dallas Goedert missing four games. (I would be remiss here to not mention Richard Rodgers and the fact that he’s second on the team in yards with 345 and that he hauled in the second hail mary of his career on Monday Night Football against Seattle). 

Ertz will likely garner the most attention should he return to action on Sunday, but Fulgham remains a reliable option for Wentz and is a starting wide receiver on the depth chart. 

2. Carson’s Productivity Came and Wentz

Carson Wentz hasn’t lived up to his billing so far in 2020, despite the Eagles still being very much alive in the NFC East. He’s been sacked 46 times through 11 games, which is the most in the NFL. He’s thrown 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions (also most in the NFL), and his 10 fumbles rank second in the league. 

Now, part of that could be due to the patchwork offensive line Wentz is playing behind, but the challenge won’t get any easier on Sunday. Edge rusher Za’Darius Smith fifth in the NFL with nine sacks, and he’s already forced three fumbles this season. He also leads the Packers by a wide margin with 20 quarterback hits. His counterpart Preston Smith emerged against Chicago where he returned a forced fumble for a touchdown and tallied a sack of his own, bringing his total to 2.5. 

Beyond the Super Smith Bros, Kenny Clark puts up some of his best numbers in December, as last season he notched 4.5 of his six sacks in the final month. There’s also second-year edge rusher Rashan Gary, who’s tied for second on the team with Preston in total pressures with 11.

Wentz is completing only 58.1% of his passes in 2020, so if the front seven isn’t forcing turnovers, Green Bay’s secondary should have their opportunities, too. 

3. It Runyans in the Family

These titles are so bad this week I’m so sorry. Corey Linsley’s MCL injury is expected to keep him sidelined for three to six weeks, which means we can expect second-year superhero Elgton Jenkins to fill in at center for the foreseeable future. If Jenkins slides over one spot, all signs seem to indicate that sixth-round draft pick Jon Runyan Jr. will get his first NFL start at left guard on Sunday.

Runyan Jr.’s dad, Jon Runyan, was a fourth-round draft pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. While he was drafted by the Houston Oilers, he played nine seasons with the Eagles, starting all 144 games and making a Pro Bowl in 2002. It will be a special moment for the Runyan family should Jon Jr. get to make his first career start against his dad’s former team.  

4. LaFleur Boasts Spotless December Record

The Packers went 5-0 in December last season winning three games on the road and two at home. Green Bay also scored 20-plus points in each contest. 

This Sunday’s game at Lambeau will be the first of three home games for the Packers in December, with their final road games against two division rivals. Green Bay ranks first in the NFL in points for with an average of 31.7 points per game, and they’re coming off a 41-point outing against the Chicago Bears. 

On the flip side, the Eagles are 16th in points against giving up an average 25.2 points per game. Dominant defensive tackle Fletcher Cox has yet to practice this week and if he’s unable to play Sunday, that would be a significant blow to the Eagles defense, similar to the loss of Akiem Hicks for Chicago last week.  

5. 400 TDs for Rodgers

It seems like every week this season the now-37 year old is on the cusp of some personal record. We saw Rodgers eclipse 50,000 career yards in style on Sunday Night Football throwing his fourth touchdown of the night to Robert Tonyan, and he might reach another milestone against Philadelphia. 

Rodgers currently sits at 397 touchdowns and 88 interceptions. If he throws three TDs on Sunday, something he’s already done eight times this season, he’ll be the seventh quarterback to reach 400 touchdowns, and the first in NFL history to do so before throwing 100 interceptions. 

6. Austin’s Opportunity for Immediate Impact 

Whether or not he suits up on Sunday (which seems likely with Tyler Ervin still on the injury report as a limited participant in practice), newly-acquired Tavon Austin is a dynamic playmaker that’s well-suited for Matt LaFleur’s offense. The former eighth overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft has spent time with Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, and LaFleur himself during the 2017 Rams season when LaFleur was the offensive coordinator. 

In his introductory presser, Austin called himself both a wide receiver and a running back, but more so an athlete above all else, joking that if he no longer runs a 4.2 40-yard dash he can still run a 4.3. 

He was a member of the 2013 All-Rookie Team and should make an immediate impact on special teams, even if he doesn’t contribute much on offense. In his career, Austin has 5,263 all-purpose yards and 28 touchdowns, returning 185 punts for 1,466 yards and three touchdowns.