Saquon Barkley scored three touchdowns on his debut for Philadelphia, main the Eagles previous the Inexperienced Bay Packers 34-29 on Friday night time as Brazil hosted the primary NFL sport in South America.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love limped off the sector with help after getting injured with six seconds remaining in Sao Paulo. Backup Malik Willis was sacked by Zack Baun on the ultimate play of the sport, stopping him from launching a Hail Mary from the Philadelphia 47.
Barkley rushed for 109 yards and scored on an 18-yard catch and runs of 11 and two yards. Barkley spent six seasons with the New York Giants earlier than the Eagles signed him to a three-year, $37.75 million (£28.7m) cope with $26 million (£19.8m) assured.
He turned the primary participant to attain three touchdowns on his Eagles debut since Terrell Owens in 2004.
Jalen Hurts was 20 of 34 for 278 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Eagles. AJ Brown caught 5 passes for 119 yards, together with a 67-yard landing.
Jordan Love was helped from the sector following his damage
Inexperienced Bay’s Jayden Reed scored on a 33-yard jet sweep and a 70-yard reception, which was the longest landing completion of Love’s profession. Reed caught Love’s move inside Philadelphia’s 40 and made a transfer at across the 30 that despatched security CJ Gardner-Johnson sprawling.
Reed turned the primary participant to have a landing catch of 30-plus yards and a landing run of 30-plus yards in a season opener since Corridor of Famer Jim Brown did it for the Cleveland Browns towards Washington in 1963.
Reed additionally had an obvious 38-yard landing reception on the opening drive get worn out as a result of each groups had 12 males on the sector. He completed with 4 catches for 138 yards.
Love went 17 of 34 for 260 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Stats leaders:
Inexperienced Bay Packers:
- Passing: Jordan Love, 17/34, 260 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
- Dashing: Josh Jacobs, 16 carries, 84 yards
- Receiving: Jayden Reed, 4 catches, 138 yards, 1 TD (+1 dashing TD)
Philadelphia Eagles:
- Passing: Jalen Hurts, 20/34, 278 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
- Dashing: Saquon Barkley, 24 carries, 109 yards, 2 TD (+1 receiving TD)
- Receiving: AJ Brown, 5 catches, 119 yards, 1 TD
Barkley’s third landing put the Eagles forward 31-26 with 4:26 left within the third quarter. Reed Blankenship arrange that rating with an interception that gave Philadelphia the ball at Inexperienced Bay’s 25.
The Eagles nonetheless led 31-26 when Jaire Alexander intercepted Hurts in the long run zone early within the fourth quarter. Inexperienced Bay drove into the purple zone however settled for a 26-yard discipline objective by rookie Brayden Narveson, who went 3 for 4 on his makes an attempt.
Philadelphia then managed possession till Jake Elliott kicked a 21-yard discipline objective with 27 seconds left.
Some Eagles gamers had expressed reluctance earlier this week about touring to Brazil, which value them the chance to play their season opener at house. The group at NeoQuimica Enviornment as a substitute was balanced amongst Packers followers, Eagles followers and spectators who simply cheered any constructive growth.
Gamers from each groups had been slipping on the enjoying floor all through the primary half. A Brazilian Serie A soccer match was performed within the stadium 5 days earlier.
NeoQuimica Enviornment’s discipline is commonly praised by soccer gamers as Brazil’s finest, however it had by no means hosted an American soccer sport. The hybrid discipline contains each grass and artificial fibre.
The slippery floor could have contributed to a sloppy begin.
The Eagles dedicated turnovers on every of their first two sequence, enabling Inexperienced Bay to start out back-to-back drives within the purple zone, however the Packers settled for discipline objectives each instances.
Then the offenses took over. Six of the following seven possessions resulted in touchdowns.
Scoring abstract
What did they are saying?
Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley: “I’m always about visualising success and putting positivity in my mind. That’s one of my goals this year: be more of a positive thinker.”
Eagles extensive receiver AJ Brown: “I don’t know if Sao Paulo knows when to cheer, but it was great. It was loud the entire time. They kind of got a bad rap. We got a whole bunch of ‘Don’t do’s,’ but it’s been great ever since we got here.”
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur: “We’ve got to learn from this, because, just watching the tape, and I’m not trying to take anything away from Philly – they battled and they played their game – but I think there was a lot of opportunities that we didn’t capitalise.
“The purple space was an enormous drawback tonight. I’d say a yr in the past, we had been fairly rattling good in that space. And we bought destroyed in that space tonight.”
Packers wide receiver Christian Watson on Jordan Love’s injury: “We all know what sort of man he’s, how he approaches all the things. No matter it’s, I do know he’ll get by it. We will get by it.”
What’s next?
After a nervous wait regarding the condition of Love, the Packers will host their opening home game against the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday. The Eagles will play in their own home stadium against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports NFL.
Watch the Atlanta Falcons take on the Pittsburgh Steelers from 6pm live on Sky Sports on Sunday September 8, followed by the Dallas Cowboys at the Cleveland Browns from 9.25pm and the Los Angeles Rams at the Detroit Lions at 1.20am Monday morning. Additionally stream with NOW.
