Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …
Roob’s Observations: Barkley electric in debut, Eagles escape Brazil with win over Packers – NBCSP5.
Jalen Hurts did some good things, threw for 278 yards, nice TDs to A.J. Brown and Saquon Barkley, made some really nice plays, especially on that last clinching drive. But, dang, he’s really got to stop throwing interceptions. Every quarterback is going to throw some. It’s going to happen. But both INTs Friday night were just pointless throws and way too closely resembled the forced INTs of last year, when he shared the NFL lead with 15 interceptions. Just throws into traffic with no chance of succeeding. The first one he just lofted up into a crowd of four Packers. The second one at the Packers’ 14 – with the Eagles needing a field goal for an eight-point lead – he tried to force to A.J. Brown in the end zone, where everything is condensed and guys don’t stay open very long. This is Year 5 for Hurts, and he’s now got 17 interceptions in 18 games since opening day last year after throwing just six in 2022. I get that it’s a new offense that he’s still learning, but this is just basic Quarterback 101 stuff. He’s got to be smarter with the football.
Eagles Outlast the Pack – Iggles Blitz
The key to the game was Jalen Hurts, in a good and bad way. He made an impressive throw to AJ Brown for a 67-yard TD pass. Hurts ran over a defender to get a 1st down late in the game. That was a big play. He threw a slant to DeVonta Smith to all but seal the game. Hurts finished 20-34-278 with a pair of TDs. But…he also threw a pair of INTs. Both were awful plays. The first came when the Eagles were backed up and faced 3rd and long. Hurts lofted the ball over the middle of the field and it got picked off. Late in the game he threw toward the sideline and a DB dropped what would have been a long pick-six. On the next play, Hurts was late over the middle and his pass was picked off in the end zone, costing the Eagles three points. They were up 34-29 at the time. Getting a FG would have given the Eagles an eight point lead. You cannot make that mistake. Hurts decision-making was problematic way too often. I hope this was sloppiness from him not playing in the preseason. Still, a veteran QB should know how to protect the ball better than Hurts did. That bears watching.
Eagles beat Packers in Brazil as Saquon Barkley shines in debut, 34 to 29 – Bleeding Green Nation
The Philadelphia Eagles are 1-0 after opening their 2024 season with a Week 1 win over the Green Bay Packers in Brazil! Final score: 34 to 29. That’s an important victory over a team that the Eagles could conceivably be jockeying for position with in the NFC playoff picture, depending on the outcome of Jordan Love’s injury. This certainly wasn’t an all-around pretty game for the Birds. Early on, the offense certainly looked like a unit that did not play in the preseason with two straight turnovers to start the game. But Kellen Moore eventually got things cooking, in part by relying on Saquon Barkley, who made a great debut with 132 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns.
Week 1 in Brazil: Packers Winners and Losers vs. the Eagles – Acme Packing Company
Winner: The Field (Derogatory). The field at Arena Corinthians certainly stole the show tonight. Players on both teams struggled to find their footing all night, leading to incomplete passes, shortened runs, and overall sloppy play. The field quality flat-out diminished the product tonight, and I have to imagine the league is at least a little unhappy with this. Soldier Field, a new stinky competitor has entered the chat. Handing out 10 awards from the Eagles-Packers game – PhillyVoice
The ‘Gamechanger’ Award: Reed Blankenship. The turning point of the game might have been Reed Blankenship’s INT of Love with about 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. He read the route, trusted what he saw, and made a great play.
Saquon Barkley’s debut will renew questions about Giants’ failure to keep him – PFT
It was one thing for the Giants to let running back Saquon Barkley leave in free agency. It was another to watch him slide down I-95 to join one of their biggest rivals. And it was Barkley’s debut for the Eagles — with three touchdowns in a 34-29 win over the Packers in Brazil — that will renew questions about why the Giants let him go. Barkley generated 103 rushing yards, with another 23 receiving yards.
Saquon Barkley thrills Eagles, explodes for 3 TDs in debut – ESPN
It was the type of impact the front office was hoping for when they inked him to a three-year, $37.75 million contract in free agency. Barkley has had months to envision what it would be like to play behind this offensive line and alongside playmakers such as Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert.
NFL Week 1 Recap: Philadelphia Eagles 34, Green Bay Packers 29 – PFF
Saquon Barkley had a dream debut for the Eagles, scoring three times to put his team out of reach of the Packers. Barkley ran 24 for 109 yards and two scores, averaging an impressive 3.6 yards after contact per carry and ripping off three explosive runs of 10 or more yards.
2024 NFL Season, Week 1: What We Learned from Eagles’ win over Packers in Brazil – NFL.com
Tumultuous night for both QBs. Jalen Hurts ‘ night couldn’t have started much worse: He threw an interception on Philadelphia’s first drive, then fumbled away a premature snap, resulting in two giveaways on two possessions. He settled in eventually, leading four straight scoring drives of 62 or more yards, but still took unnecessary risks, appeared panicked in the pocket at times, and threw an awful interception in the end zone with a chance to put the game away in the fourth.
Spadaro: 8 observations from a thrilling season-opening win over the Packers – PE.com
Rookie Quinyon Mitchell can play. Sorry to be Captain Obvious here, but it’s worth noting: Mitchell stepped right into the starting lineup at cornerback and battled, made some plays, made some mistakes, and then came back and made more plays. He looks polished, poised, extremely talented, and on the path to big things. Very strong debut as Mitchell and Darius Slay started outside and Avonte Maddox played in the nickel.
