In many ways, the Eagles were terribly clumsy Friday night in their season opener in the first NFL game played in Brazil.
Luckily, the Green Bay Packers were more inept at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, allowing the Eagles to open their 2024 season with a 34-29 victory over Green Bay after seven lead changes.
On a first-half play that reflected the game, Green Bay scored a touchdown, which was negated when the Packers and Eagles each were flagged because they had 12 players on the field.
The Packers converted just 3 of 11 third downs and were one for four in the red zone, while being penalized 10 times for 71 yards.
The Eagles were not much better, converting 4 of 14 third downs, and turning the ball over three times—twice on their first two drives of the game. Jalen Hurts did what he was supposed to do—win, though he made some highly dubious choices, like throwing a fourth-quarter interception when he could have taken a sack or thrown the ball away and settled for a field goal. Still, Hurts did finish completing 20 of 34 for 278 yards, with two touchdowns.
The real star was Saquon Barkley. How often is it than a bonafide star free agent turns out to be better than expected? Barkley sure made an incredible first impression, rushing for a game-high 109 yards on 24 carries, and two touchdowns, and scoring the first Eagles’ touchdown of the season on a jumping catch in the end zone.
Defensively, the Eagles managed to corral Packers’ quarterback Jordan Love, who completed 17 of 34 for 260 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. The Eagles’ defense was leaky, though they may have finally found an impactful linebacker in Zack Baun, who had a game-high 15 tackles and had the Eagles’ only two sacks.
There was a lot of good, a mix of bad, and a pile of ugly, though the Eagles prevailed, 34-29, to start the season 1-0 by beating a team that they could possibly see later.
The Good
Saquon Barkley was everything and then some. He scored three touchdowns, rushed for a game-high 109 yards on 24 carries, and two touchdowns, with another TD receiving. He spun off a 34-yard run and he came up with a big fumble recovery with less than a minute to play that preserved the Eagles’ victory.
Hurts made some inexcusable mistakes, though overall, he played well. He completed 20 of 34 for 278 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while being sacks twice. Most importantly, with the game on the line, Hurts pulled the Eagles over the finish line.
Receiver DeVonta Smith on the Eagles’ last drive. He came up with two huge catches on second downs. On a second-and-13 at the Green Bay 35, Hurts found Smith for 16 yards, bringing the ball to the 19. Then, on second-and-eight at the 17, Hurts found Smith again slanting toward the middle for 11 yards to the Packers’ six and sealing the victory.
Safety Reed Blankenship’s interception at the Green Bay 24 with 6:08 left in the third quarter. It set up Barkley’s third touchdown of the game and a 31-26 Eagles lead with 4:26 left in the third quarter. It was the seventh lead change of the game. The Blankenship interception was made possible by Baun coming in underneath Packer receiver Dontayvion Wicks and forcing Love to overthrow into Blankenship’s hands. Blankenship later made a touchdown-saving tackle on Packers’ running back Josh Jacobs inside of two minutes left in the third quarter.
A.J. Brown’s 67-yard touchdown reception to begin the second half over Green Bay cornerback Jaire Alexander. It was a perfectly tossed pass by Hurts and landed in Brown’s hands in stride. It gave the Eagles a 24-19 lead with 14:09 left in the third quarter and was the fifth lead change of the game. Brown finished with a team-high 119 yards receiving.
Barkley’s jumping 18-yard touchdown catch from Hurts on a second-and-11 giving the Eagles’ their first lead of the season, 7-6, with 12:38 to play in the half. The score capped the Eagles’ third drive, with an 11-play, 70-yard series that chewed up 5:23. Barkley topped that later in the second quarter with an 11-yard touchdown run with 5:34 left in the half.
Great blocking by center Cam Jurgens and right guard Mekhi Becton making a gaping hole on the right side of the Eagles’ line for Barkley to go sprinting through for an 11-yard TD and a 14-12 Eagles’ lead. Jurgens and Becton jumped the Packers’ defensive tackle T.J. Slaton, who fell off balance. No one touched Barkley.
Rookie first-round cornerback Quinyon Mitchell did a nice job when attacked by the Packers on their first drive. On third-and-six at the Eagles’ 38, Mitchell stayed with the receiver Christian Watson. Mitchell may have gotten away with a hold, when his left hand grabbed Watson’s jersey. There was no flag. Mitchell played well.
The Eagles’ defense on the Packers’ first two drives. It looked like edge rusher Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Milton Williams created an early theme, pulling down Packers’ running back Josh Jacobs for a one-yard loss. The Eagles forced a Green Bay field goal after Hurts’ interception on the Eagles’ first possession. It turned out to be rare moment. The Eagles hardly put any pressure on Love and the Packers.
Baun was tremendous, coming up a game-high 15 tackles and making numerous tackles for no gain and picking up the Eagles’ first sack of the season, taking down Love for a five-yard loss on Green Bay’s second series at the Eagles’ 24. Of Baun’s 15 tackles, 11 were solo and he had the Eagles’ only two sacks—ending the game with a sack.
Defensive tackle Jordan Davis at the Eagles’ four on the Packers’ second drive. Jordan pushed back Packers’ left tackle Rasheed Walker into the backfield, enabling Nakobe Dean and Brandon Graham to swarm Jacobs for a one-yard loss at the Eagles’ 5.
The Bad
Right tackle Lane Johnson being called for an illegal formation that forced a second-and-two into a second-and-seven with 4:48 to play. It’s not the time to get flagged for something like that.
With 5:30 left, Hurts blowing a timeout when the Eagles were trying to whittle down the clock. Hurts lost track of the game time and Nick Sirianni was forced to call a timeout.
The Eagles lack of a pass rush. They had two sacks (both by Baun) and one hurry, allowing Love to pick them apart at times.
The Eagles’ false start penalty on Dallas Goedert with :31 left in the half at the Green Bay 20. It forced the Eagles back to the Green Bay 25. The Eagles had to settle for a Jake Elliott 38-yard field goal to close the half trailing 19-17.
Barkley falling on his face for a five-yard loss on his first carry as an Eagle. The
The Eagles’ first quarter. They were fortunate to be trailing 6-0. They turned the ball over twice, were called for two penalties, including an unnecessary roughness call, and one for 12 players on the field, which was offset because the Packers were just as inept having 12 players on the field at the same time.
The Ugly
Free safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson bouncing off and then failing to tackle Jacobs on his 32-yard run with 12:20 left in the game on a first-and-10 at the Green Bay 13. The Jacobs run came after Hurts threw an interception in the end zone and gave the Packers some breathing room out to the Green Bay 45.
With a chance at a two-score lead, Hurts did the unthinkable. He threw across his body with 12:53 to play to a waiting Jaire Alexander in the end zone. His costly decision came after A.J. Brown had slipped in the end zone and with Hurts looking exactly where he was going to throw—instead of eating it, taking the loss and settling for a field goal on a third-and-13. It was a major blunder in what was otherwise a strong game for Hurts.
Nickel corner Avonte Maddox getting flagged for interference against Wicks at the Eagles’ two on a third-and-nine at the Eagles’ 15. A stop could have forced a field goal. Instead, the call led to a Packers’ touchdown and a 26-24 Green Bay lead with 11:55 left in the third quarter.
Nakobe Dean completely losing Packers’ tight end Tucker Craft on a first-and-10 at the Eagles’ 45 with 13:25 left in the third quarter. Dean
Baun’s roughing the passer call with 13:29 left in the third quarter. It came on a third-and-one at the Packers’ 39 and pushed Green Bay to the Eagles’ 45.
The blown coverage on Jayden Reed on the 70-yard, second-quarter touchdown with 5:11 left in the first half. The score answered Barkley’s second TD and marked the fourth lead change of the game. It gave the Packers a 19-14 lead. Where was Gardner-Johnson? He turned his body right, as Reed ran right by him unchecked for an easy TD. The 70-yard TD toss was Love’s longest in his young NFL career.
The Eagles failure to stop Reed on his 33-yard, second-quarter touchdown run. It was a jet sweep in which the Eagles failed to protect the edge.
Jurgens needs work. He
The Eagles turning the ball over twice on the first two drives. Hurts’ first completion of the season went to the Packers’ Xavier McKinney on the Eagles’ first series. Hurts was not to blame for the second turnover. He was caught completely unaware when Jurgens snapped the ball.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter getting nailed for unnecessary roughness to the Eagles’ 12, after Baun’s five-yard sack at the Eagles’ 24. Carter’s retaliation was not the brightest move. It came right in front of an official. Carter later jumped offside on the Packers’ extra-point attempt after Reed’s 33-yard touchdown run with 10:16 left in the half. Carter had two of the Eagles’ four first-half penalties.
