The Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) won another season opener, defeating the Green Bay Packers (0-1) 34-29 at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday night.
Philadelphia improved to 4-0 in season openers under the direction of head coach Nick Sirianni.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Philly’s ‘Big 3’ and their outstanding performances on Friday night:
-In his Eagles debut, RB Saquon Barkley was who we thought he could be. He rushed for 109 yards, scored two touchdowns on 24 carries, and added a 23-yard touchdown reception. If Barkley can stay healthy behind this offensive line, he could win league MVP.
-WR A.J. Brown got the job done as he had five receptions for 119 yards and a 67-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage in the second half. Brown is a game-breaker and a game-changer, and he showed that on Friday night.
-Also, in his Eagles debut, LB Zack Baun was all over the field against the Packers. He had 11 solo tackles, including two sacks—the final sack was when he tracked down Packers QB Malik Willis on the game’s final play.
Honorable mention:
-Despite the three turnovers, which included two bad interceptions, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was solid. He finished 20/34 for 278 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
-Devonta Smith had seven receptions for 84 yards, including two big receptions that led to first downs on Philly’s final drive, which put the game away.
-Reed Blankenship intercepted QB Jordan Love in the third quarter and set up the Eagles’ offense at the GB 24. Blankenship also logged his first career INT against the Packers on 11/27/22.
End of the Day:
The Eagles secured a significant win against a formidable opponent. Looking ahead, Hurts needs to minimize the turnovers, and defensively, Philadelphia must improve their run-stopping abilities, having allowed 163 yards rushing. At this stage, they appear to be a team with elite offensive capabilities and average defensive capabilities, which could be sufficient for them to make a deep playoff run and potentially win a title.
Sidenote: The field was terrible in Brazil, and the atmosphere was a little dull, but I guess it was a success.
Another sidenote: Packers QB Jordan Love left late in the game with a lower leg injury. Hopefully, it’s not an injury that will keep him out for an extended period.
Next up:
The Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons next Monday night.
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