Saquon Barkley shines in Eagles debut victory over Packers in Brazil

SÃO PAULO — The Inexperienced Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles flew all the way in which to Brazil to open their 2024 seasons.

It was an evening of firsts: The NFL’s first sport within the Southern Hemisphere, the primary opening-week sport on a Friday since 1970 and the primary time operating again Saquon Barkley performed for the Eagles.

After a gradual begin to the sport, the groups went blow for blow within the second quarter, with two Barkley touchdowns and a pair from Inexperienced Bay receiver Jayden Reed.

The second half went backwards and forwards earlier than the Eagles pulled away and sealed the 34-29 Week 1 victory, which ended with Packers quarterback Jordan Love on the sideline with an obvious leg harm.

Listed here are a very powerful issues to know from Friday night time for each groups:

Philadelphia Eagles

It was the Saquon Barkley present, for all of the world to see.

Making his debut for the Philadelphia Eagles, Barkley dazzled in entrance of the capability crowd at Enviornment Corinthians, speeding for greater than 100 yards and scoring three whole touchdowns to push the Eagles previous the Inexperienced Bay Packers.

It is simply what the Eagles’ brass hoped for once they signed him to a three-year, $37.75 million contract this spring. He was a pressure on the bottom and within the air, highlighted by his 18-yard TD reception alongside the left sideline within the second quarter. They anticipated him to be revitalized — taking part in behind a greater offensive line than he had with the New York Giants and alongside a plethora of playmakers, comparable to receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — and the 27-year outdated appeared it.

Barkley is the second Eagles participant in franchise historical past to attain three touchdowns in his staff debut, becoming a member of Terrell Owens in 2004.

There’s a lengthy option to go — Barkley must show he can keep wholesome over the course of a 17-game season and past — however he is off to a sensational begin.

QB breakdown: Jalen Hurts had an uneven efficiency. He threw a pair of interceptions and was charged with a misplaced fumble. He may have value his staff the sport along with his choose in the long run zone early within the fourth quarter. However he led a game-sealing drive within the closing moments to assist ship the Eagles again to Philadelphia with a victory.

Eye-popping stat: The Eagles’ 35 yards within the first quarter marked their fewest in a gap quarter since Week 17 in 2022 versus the Saints when a Gardner Minshew-led staff had simply 2 yards. They had been held scoreless within the first quarter solely twice final season and misplaced each video games (Week 14 vs. the Dallas Cowboys and Week 18 vs. the New York Giants).

Troubling development: A protection that struggled badly in 2023 was leaky for a very good a part of the sport, serving as a reminder that new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is not going to repair this factor in a single day. The Eagles had various missed tackles and explosive performs that bit them, as illustrated by Reed’s 70-yard catch-and-run within the second quarter. The excellent news: The Packers had been held to only one landing in 4 crimson zone journeys.

Subsequent sport: vs. Atlanta Falcons (8:15 p.m. ET, Monday, Sept. 16)

Inexperienced Bay Packers

It may have been anticipated that the Packers’ protection could be a piece in progress and that they may encounter points within the kicking sport. In spite of everything, this was the debut of latest coordinator Jeff Hafley’s protection and rookie kicker Brayden Narveson.

However Jordan Love and the offense had been supposed to select up the place they left off final season — as one of the vital potent models within the league. Besides Inexperienced Bay could not sustain with the Eagles, and Love could not end the sport. He needed to be helped off on the third-to-last play with an obvious decrease left leg harm in his first sport since signing a four-year, $220 million contract extension this summer time.

On a slippery subject on which Love misplaced his footing and appeared to battle calf points, he accomplished simply 17 of 34 passes. And although he threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, it wasn’t sufficient to beat Barkley slicing up Hafley’s D and a late missed subject aim.

Promising development: Reed’s 10-touchdown (eight receiving, two operating) rookie season was no fluke. Whereas it stays to be seen whether or not he’ll ultimately develop into the Packers’ No. 1 receiver in Yr 2, his knack for giant performs seems to be actual. With a 33-yard speeding landing on an end-around and a 70-yard receiving landing, Reed turned the third participant previously 40 years to have a 70-yard receiving rating and a 30-yard speeding rating in the identical sport.

Troubling development: It wasn’t one of the best of debuts for Narveson. After making brief subject targets of 31 and 23 yards plus his first two further factors, the rookie, who was claimed off waivers final week, hit the fitting upright and missed a 43-yard subject aim late within the third quarter. He bounced again and made his subsequent one, a 26-yarder within the fourth quarter. Narveson turned the sixth kicker on the Packers’ roster because the finish of final season and was GM Brian Gutekunst’s alternative after a coaching camp competitors between Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph failed to provide a clear-cut alternative.

Troubling development II: Perhaps it was simply an opening-game concern, however penalties damage the Packers all through. They dedicated crimson zone holding penalties on their two first-quarter drives and needed to accept subject targets. Within the third quarter, that they had two unlawful shift penalties on the identical drive and needed to punt. After they wanted a cease to get the ball again on the finish, defensive sort out Kenny Clark was known as for a defensive maintain on a third-down play. In all, that they had 10 accepted penalties for 71 yards.

Pivotal play: There’s by no means a very good time for an interception, however the one Love threw within the third quarter was as premature as might be for the Packers. Clinging to a 26-24 lead and backed up in Eagles territory, Love floated a go over the center towards tight finish Luke Musgrave that security Reed Blankenship stepped into and picked off. It led to a different Barkley landing to place the Eagles forward 31-26.

Subsequent sport: vs. Indianapolis Colts (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 15)