PHILADELPHIA — Throughout the first half of Sunday’s 22-10 wild-card playoff win over the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles’ offense packed all the punch of a water pistol. The unassuming Birds, polite as a boy meeting his prom date’s parents, punted four times, converting just 1-of-6 third downs while gaining a modest 101 yards. But it didn’t matter, because the Eagles’ defense was far less accommodating to the visitors from Cheese Land. The Eagles ‘D’ shut out Green Bay for nearly three quarters, picked off Jordan Love three times and held the league’s fifth-best offense to a single touchdown, even if Jalen Hurts & Co. were a little sluggish on their side of the ball. “That’s what we’re here for,” said cornerback Darius Slay, who had the first Eagles interception. “There have been times he’s picked us up before. That’s what a team is. … I know everybody’s probably thinking it wasn’t pretty, but it was pretty enough for us to get the dub.” “We’re a team, man,” he said. “We play together, definitely, as a defense. … We just feed off each other, man. One quote that Coach (Nick Sirianni) always says is, ‘You can’t be great without the greatness of others.’ When everybody’s doing their job at a high level, everybody looks great. This group has been amazing, and I just love attacking the field with them. “To advance into the next week of the playoffs, it’s a blessing.” Green Bay started in a 7-0 hole after the Eagles forced and recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff, leading to a Hurts touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson. When the Packers eventually got their hands on the ball on offense, they punted on two consecutive possessions. On their third series, Slay picked off Love on a deep attempt to Dontayvion Wicks down the right sideline. Slay got inside positioning, and the ball fell right into his bread-basket. Two possessions later, after North Penn High and Temple product Brandon McManus missed a 37-yard Packers field goal, Eagles linebacker Zack Baun, fresh off his first All-Pro selection, made a leaping interception over the middle and returned it 15 yards to the sideline before taking a bow in the end zone. “I turned around, I didn’t know what to do for a celebration, typical me,” Baun said. “I saw Chauncey (C.J. Gardner-Johnson) do it, so I did it. On the interception, I was just trusting my coverage responsibility and kind of playing free within the system to steal a backside dig (an in-cutting route intended to find room behind much of the defense). “I have a list of dream interceptions I want to make, and that was one of them … just the situation and the coverage and the play that it was against.” All the Birds’ offense needed to do was not screw up, and it didn’t. The Eagles took care of the ball and finished plus-four in turnover margin. A late interception by rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, the first of his pro career, on a Love toss to the end zone was a fitting ending. “It felt good,” Mitchell said. “All night I was just competing. I had a couple balls caught on me, I had a P.I. (pass interference call). But I just tried stay the course and keep competing. … It means a lot. I’m just trying to help the team win.” The veteran Slay, who has mentored Mitchell and fellow rookie Cooper DeJean, was overjoyed. “I was so happy for him, I went over and hugged him,” Slay said. “I was the happiest dude in the world. I almost shed a tear. … To see him get his first pick, and in the playoffs too, in a big-time game and a big-time moment, that showed how ready he is for this league.” And the Eagles defense showed it was ready for the postseason. —— Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.