Quarterback Mark Sanchez (above) now starts for the Eagles because Nick Foles broke his collarbone. Credit: Associated Press

Green Bay — Twelve months ago, the Philadelphia Eagles came to Lambeau Field and beat the Green Bay Packers without Aaron Rodgers.

On Sunday, the Eagles come calling again, but this time they're the ones without their starting quarterback.

Nick Foles, with a passer rating of 149.3 and 38 yards rushing, was sound as sound can be in the Eagles' 27-13 victory against a Packers squad quarterbacked by Seneca Wallace and Scott Tolzien. Now Foles is out for the year (collarbone) and former Jet Mark Sanchez will make his second start.

"Sanchez looks like a different guy in the Philadelphia offense right now," said an executive in personnel for an NFC team. "He's playing better than Foles was.

"Now Sanchez will be tested by different looks and the elements and against a team that can score points. We will get to see if he's back from the dead or a product of the system."

The scout forecast it for the Packers, 31-27. Another scout called it for Green Bay, 35-24, while two assistant coaches for recent Eagles' opponents tabbed Green Bay, 35-28 and 31-28.

"I'd like to play against him every week," a third assistant from a club that played Philly said of Sanchez. "I think if you put pressure on him he'll throw the ball to you.

"The Eagles are flawed at quarterback. They're not a real big team, either. I think they'll have trouble staying with some (top) teams in cold weather."

The Packers (6-3) are favored by 5 points over the Eagles (7-2), who are off to their best start in a decade.

"I'd take Green Bay the way (Aaron) Rodgers is going right now," an assistant coach on defense said. "That (expletive) is scary now. You watch the Chicago game...just ridiculous."

An NFC coach gave it to the Packers just because of home field.

"It will be fun to watch two of the hottest teams in the NFL," an AFC personnel man said. "I don't believe Mark Sanchez can sustain their high level of offensive production."

Added the NFC scout: "Green Bay's biggest concern will be the different looks and the way Philadelphia uses its defensive personnel to get favorable matchups. Will Green Bay's wide receivers have time to get open? If they do, they will expose that secondary."

OFFENSE

SCHEME

Former Browns head coach Pat Shurmur is the coordinator but coach Chip Kelly calls plays for his up-tempo, spread attack. The Eagles rank 31st in possession time (26:55) because they seldom huddle and usually snap it quickly. Kelly employs a zone running game, wide splits by WRs, multiple TEs, a diverse screen game and the read option. The Eagles struggle in the red zone (50%). They rank fourth in points (31.0), fifth in yards (404.3) and 31st in giveaways (21).

RECEIVERS

Jeremy Maclin (6-0, 198) plays 86% of the snaps compared to 85% for Riley Cooper (6-3 ½, 230) and 61% for rookie Jordan Matthews (6-3, 212), a second-round pick drafted 11 slots before Green Bay's Davante Adams. Maclin, the 19th pick in '09, is fast (mid-4.4s), smart (25 on the Wonderlic intelligence test), extremely sure-handed and athletic. He's A-OK 15 ½ months after reconstructive knee surgery. Cooper, a fifth-round pick in '10, is a power-possession type with massive hands (10 3/8 inches), deceptive speed and ruggedness as a blocker. Matthews, with a Wonderlic of 29, is a polished route runner who is meshing with Mark Sanchez. He's much taller than the typical slot. TE Brent Celek (6-4, 255) plays 70% compared to 52% for Zach Ertz (6-5, 250) and 15% for ex-Texan James Casey (6-3, 240). Celek, a 102-game starter, continues to play well. An effective blocker, he has fine hands and still can sneak down the seam. Ertz, a second-round pick in '13, isn't a blocker but is an appealing target because of his speed (4.70), route running and clutch hands.

OFFENSIVE LINE

LT Jason Peters (6-4 ½, 335), a six-time Pro Bowl pick, is as good as there is. He has phenomenal feet, cat-like reactions and a mean streak. Peters is the only O-lineman to play every game. LG Evan Mathis (6-5, 298) returned last week after missing seven games (knee). Kelly prefers athletic linemen, which Mathis is. A 10-year veteran, he also uses his great strength to get extraordinary movement for inside-zone runs. Back from a sports hernia, C Jason Kelce (6-2 ½, 295), a four-year starter, is very, very quick and very good. For his size, his strength is OK. RG Todd Herremans, a nine-year starter, suffered a season-ending biceps injury in Game 8 and has been replaced by Matt Tobin (6-6, 295). After not playing as a rookie free agent from Iowa, Tobin started five games for Mathis. He can be overpowered but does have exceptional speed. RT Lane Johnson (6-6, 317), the fourth pick in '13, also is a terrific athlete befitting his days as a QB-TE. Johnson has long arms (35 ¼) and a tough-guy disposition, but given his narrow base he's just an adequate player now.

QUARTERBACKS

Mark Sanchez (6-2, 225) was the fifth player drafted in '09. An immediate starter, he helped the Jets to the AFC Championship Game in each of his first two seasons. They lost to Indianapolis, 30-17, and Pittsburgh, 24-19. His highest passer rating (78.2) came the next year when the Jets were 8-8. He started again in '12 for a 6-10 team before a shoulder injury ruined his '13 season. In 119 snaps for the injured Nick Foles, Sanchez has a rating of 97.7. Accuracy (55.2%) will never be his thing. His passes tend to wobble but his arm strength is above average. He runs better, dodges the rush more readily and has had more success in the red zone than Foles. He's smart (Wonderlic of 28) and loves to pump-fake. He still makes awful throws and has a history of fumbling. Backup Matt Barkley (6-2 1/2, 227), a fourth-round pick in '13, can run the offense but lacks ability.

RUNNING BACKS

LeSean McCoy (5-10 1/2, 208), the NFL's rushing leader in '13, has seen his average plummet from 5.1 to 3.7. He needs to accept a short gain instead of trying to break everything. His speed, feet and receiving are elite. Darren Sproles (5-6, 190) is averaging 6.6 in 25% duty. He's a breakaway threat on every touch. Chris Polk (5-10 , 222), an impressive power back with 4.53 speed, has 41 snaps in the last three games. He finds holes and catches well.

DEFENSE

SCHEME

Coordinator Billy Davis, who held the same post in San Francisco (2005-'06) and Arizona (2009-'10), also was a defensive assistant in Green Bay (2000) and LB coach in Carolina (1995-'98) under Dom Capers. From a 3-4 base, Davis probably blitzes even more than Capers and definitely shows more exotic packages and positional deviation. The Eagles play more zone coverage from one-high safety looks. They rank tied for ninth in takeaways (16), tied for 12th in points (22.0) and 21st in yards (366.9).

DEFENSIVE LINE

The top six hasn't missed a game. RE Fletcher Cox (6-4, 300) leads with 77% playing time compared to 56% for LE Cedric Thornton (6-3, 309), 54% for NT Bennie Logan (6-2, 315), 34% for versatile nickel rusher Vinny Curry (6-3, 279) and 19% for backup NT Beau Allen (6-2½, 333) and backup DE Brandon Bair (6-6, 290). Cox, the 12th pick in '12, is an inside force with base strength and quickness. He has 4.8 speed, long arms (34 ½) and an aggressive temperament. Thornton, a free agent in '11 from Southern Arkansas, stacks the point with gusto but offers little as a one-dimensional bull rusher. Logan, a full-fledged starter for the first time, isn't big but has a plugger's mentality and long arms (34) to press blockers. The best pass rusher is Curry, who is fast out of his stance and capable of making guards look bad when he stays under control. Allen, the former Badger drafted in the seventh round this year, is huge and always goes great guns.

LINEBACKERS

Year 2 of the change from the 4-3 to the 3-4 finds the Eagles much better off at OLB. ROLB Trent Cole (6-2, 270), 32, is further along transitioning from DE, ex-DE Brandon Graham (6-1 ½, 265) no longer can be labeled a first-round bust and ex-Texans LOLB Connor Barwin (6-4, 264) is much improved as a second-year Eagle. The playing times are 86% for Barwin, 76% for Cole and 38% for Graham. Barwin, tied for second in sacks with 10½ (most ever by an Eagles LB), wins with speed (4.58), athleticism (40 1/2-inch vertical jump) and savvy. He blitzes off the edge, delay rushes inside in sub and is comfortable in coverage. Cole, a 10-year starter, charges hard outside or inside and wins with power or finesse. Graham, the 13th pick in '10, power rushes from outside but also has the bulk to mix it up inside. The tenaciousness that he showed at Michigan finally is showing up. The Eagles took a hit when SILB DeMeco Ryans blew out his Achilles in Game 8. He played every snap, filling the same role and at about the same level as Green Bay's A.J. Hawk. Casey Matthews (6-1, 245), 2½ years younger than brother Clay, now is splitting time at the signal-calling position with Emmanuel Acho (6-1 1/2, 240). Matthews isn't strong and has tiny hands (8½) but knows what he's doing and is OK against the run. Acho plays pass better than run. WILB Mychal Kendricks (5-11, 240), a second-round pick in '12, covers well, runs fast (4.46) and makes big plays. However, he is slow to diagnose and disengage.

SECONDARY

The playing time for a defined, injury-free unit are 100% for RC Cary Williams (6-1, 190) and S Malcolm Jenkins (6-0, 204), 97% for LC Bradley Fletcher (6-0, 200), 89% for S Nate Allen (6-0 ½, 210), 39% for nickel back Brandon Boykin (5-9 ½, 185) and 26% for dime back Nolan Carroll (5-11 ½, 205). Williams, a former Raven, and Fletcher, a former Ram, are good, not great. The same might be said for Boykin. Given $8.5 million in March to depart New Orleans, Jenkins has stabilized a void in the lineup. Allen, a five-year starter, has the same Wonderlic (23) as Jenkins and is just a tick below in overall efficiency. Carroll is a box-blitzer type.

SPECIAL TEAMS

They rank as the NFL's best. First-year K Cody Parkey has been a revelation. Left-footed P Donnie Jones, 34, is excellent inside the 20. PR Darren Sproles leads the league (17.0). Huff and Polk switch off for the No. 3-ranked KO return platoon. Distinguished kicking-game veterans dot the four-core lineups.

GAME-BREAKER

The Eagles took a chance March 28 by releasing WR DeSean Jackson, who was coming off his best season with 82 catches for 1,332 yards (16.2) and nine TDs. Jeremy Maclin, one of their starters from 2009-'12, sat out all '13 following reconstructive knee surgery. Maclin, however, has responded with perhaps his best season. He ranks tied for fourth in receiving TDs (eight), eighth in yards (828) and tied for 18th in receptions (48). In two games against the Packers, both in 2010, Maclin caught seven passes for 111 yards and one TD.

WEAKEST LINK

Nick Foles took every snap at quarterback before suffering a broken collarbone Nov. 2 at Houston. Mark Sanchez, his replacement, had been signed by the Eagles on March 28, four days after he was cut by the Jets. His one-year, $2.25 million contract contained $1.5 million in guarantees. In five seasons, Sanchez' regular-season passer rating of 71.7 included a career completion mark of just 55.1%. Of his 20 fumbles lost, 16 came in 2011-'12. His record as a starter was 33-29. Sanchez underwent labrum surgery in his right shoulder and missed all last season.

McGINN'S VIEW

When Chip Kelly left Oregon in January 2013 to coach the Eagles, he inherited special teams that ranked 28th in the annual Dallas Morning News' rankings.

For his new coordinator Kelly hired Dave Fipp, who had been assistant special teams coach in Miami (2011-'12) and San Francisco (2008-'10).

The Eagles improved to 18th last season. Through nine weeks this year, they were leading the league.

"Obviously, we've made great strides in special teams," Kelly said Tuesday. "It's been an emphasis for us since I got here. If you can make the field shorter for yourself, whether you make it a long field for them or a short field for yourself, that's extremely important."

In March, the Eagles traded a fifth-round draft choice to New Orleans for RB Darren Sproles. On Monday night against Carolina, Sproles had his second punt return for a touchdown of the season. RB Chris Polk has a 102-yard kickoff return, too.

Kelly made another trade for special-teams help Aug. 20, sending RB David Fluellen to the Colts for kicker Cody Parkey after deciding kicker Alex Henery couldn't do the job.

Parkey is off to a tremendous start, making 16 of 17 field-goal attempts. His 36-yard boot as time expired beat the Colts, 30-27, in Game 2.

The Eagles also blocked punts against San Francisco and St. Louis for TDs.

A special-teams coach for one of the Eagles' opponents said Philadelphia probably has five core players better than his best one.

"They went out and specifically signed those guys to come in and upgrade their special teams," the coach said. "That's the way everybody ought to do it."

The coach listed linebacker Bryan Braman, former Badgers safety Chris Maragos and tight ends Trey Burton and James Casey as top performers. Another has been CB Brandon Boykin.

On March 12, the second day of unrestricted free agency, Kelly signed Braman from Houston and Maragos from Seattle to contracts containing $1 million in guaranteed money.

"They get it," the opposing special teams coach said. "I don't understand why everybody in the league doesn't. It is amazing how few people there are, other than the (special-teams) coordinators themselves, that have no idea what special teams are all about.

"Most GMs don't, and a lot of head coaches don't. They don't understand how it makes the difference in winning and losing ball games for them."