5 mistakes the Packers can't afford to make if they want to beat the Eagles

Head coach Matt LaFleur takes his team to Philadelphia this weekend in arguably the most intriguing matchup of the playoffs' opening weekend. The Packers will be underdogs but everyone in Green Bay believes they have the talent to head to the East Coast and pull off the upset.

Avoiding key mistakes will be a priority for LaFleur and his coaching staff. They don't need to play a perfect game to knock off the Eagles but they cannot afford to beat themselves. It's crucial that Green Bay avoids the big mistake on Sunday if they want to emerge victorious.

Packers fans who want to learn about their team's blueprint for victory need to read on to understand the things the team cannot do in their first playoff game of the year.

Packers mistake to avoid No. 1: Jordan Love cannot turn the ball over

Jordan Love is the one Packer who can power his team to victory by himself. He thrives when he's given the chance to push the ball down the field with borderline reckless abandon. Love must produce explosive plays against Philadelphia's defense for his team to win.

The flipside to his affection for the deep ball is that Love is occasionally guilty of taking too many chances with the football. Opponents understand that can be his largest weakness. Expect the Eagles to try to bait him into mistakes down the field with a variety of coverages on Sunday.

Love struggled with interceptions early in the season, but he managed to correct those errors down the stretch. He must continue that trend if his team is going to win this tough game. Turning the ball over more than once might cost Green Bay any chance they have of advancing another round in the postseason.

Packers mistake to avoid No. 2: The offense cannot lean too heavy on the run

The Packers offense has been reasonably dynamic this season during most of the team's wins. Plenty of their losses can be attributed to LaFleur's conservative playcalling. Overreliance on the run game in the first quarter has arguably been the head coach's greatest offensive sin.

The Packers cannot afford to get behind early if they want to pull off the upset. A fast start would really boost the team's chances for victory. The best way Green Bay can achieve that goal is by keeping the Eagles' defense off balance. If they come out and try to feed Josh Jacobs against loaded fronts it will end poorly. LaFleur needs to mix in the pass during the first quarter to make sure his team can grab an early lead.

Packers mistake to avoid No. 3: Losing rush lane integrity against Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts has gotten himself out of concussion protocol and returned to practice for Philadelphia on Tuesday. That means the Packers' defense needs to prepare for his mobility as a part of their game plan.

Coordinator Jeff Hafley's unit has struggled with mobile quarterbacks this season. Part of that is because their defensive line struggles to create pressure without blitzing. Another factor is the reality that Green Bay's linemen do not do a good job of staying in their rush lanes.

It's imperative they correct that mistake against Hurts. The Eagles would love to lessen the dependence on their quarterback's arm by helping him rack up some rushing yards. The Packers need to find a balance between pressure and containment if they want to keep Philadelphia's offense in check.

Packers mistake to avoid No. 4: They cannot forget about the tight end

Christian Watson is out for an extended period of time after suffering a torn ACL against the Bears in the team's regular season finale. That robs Love of one of his favorite deep threats. The offense will need to get creative to make sure they can push the ball down the field effectively in Watson's absence.

Tight end Tucker Kraft could be the perfect weapon to help the passing game thrive without Watson. He's got sneaky athleticism that helps him torment opposing linebackers and safeties assigned to handle him in single coverage. His target share has waxed and waned throughout the year but he needs to be a big part of the game plan on Sunday to help this offense click.

Packers mistake to avoid No. 5: Jayden Reed has to get rushing touches

Green Bay loves to feed Josh Jacobs a high volume of carries from the running back position. He can be a force but he's more of a blunt instrument than a big play threat. Slot receiver Jayden Reed is much more dynamic with the ball in his hands.

The Packers typically get Reed a handful of running opportunities per game but they have failed to do that during a couple of key games on the year. This cannot be a matchup where Reed doesn't get his share of touches. They need to make sure the Eagles' defense are forced to keep track of him every time he's on the field.

Reed has star potential and the Packers coaching staff needs to treat him like that in the postseason. Getting him the ball requires some creativity but it's well within coordinator Adam Stenavich's skillset. It's easy to envision a scenario where Reed is the guy who can power his team on a long playoff run. That has to start with him producing an explosive play or two against the Eagles.