The Philadelphia Eagles kicked off their season with a 34-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Friday night, securing a significant win against a fellow NFC contender.
Saquon Barkley, their marquee free-agent signing, stole the show with three touchdowns, but the focus shifted in the closing seconds to a potentially serious injury.
Here are five key takeaways from Friday’s game:
Jordan Love’s injury overshadows the game
For the Packers, Friday’s result takes a back seat to the health of starting quarterback Jordan Love.
With under 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Love was injured while attempting to escape the Eagles’ pass rush to keep the Packers’ hopes alive. As he was spun around, he lateraled the ball backward to running back Josh Jacobs in a last-ditch effort.
Love lay on the field for several minutes, clearly in pain, before being helped off with a noticeable limp. He did not return for the game’s final two plays.
Jordan Love’s lower leg injury at the end of the game pic.twitter.com/WokgnJbVRq
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) September 7, 2024
For the Packers to have any real shot at competing in the NFC this season, they need Jordan Love on the field, playing at the high level he showed during the second half of the 2023 season. Losing him for even a few weeks would be a significant challenge to overcome.
**This game was messy**
Whether it was typical Week 1 jitters, the unfamiliarity of playing on a soccer field with poor traction, or the 10-plus hour flights both teams endured to play at 9:15 p.m. local time in Brazil, this game was anything but clean.
From the opening drive, when a potential Packers touchdown was wiped out by offsetting 12-men-on-the-field penalties, to the persistent slipping, penalties, and turnovers, sloppiness defined the night. Both teams struggled with footing and discipline, making it a wild yet low-quality affair.
Despite the entertainment value, this won’t go down as the best game these two contenders will play this season.
**Saquon Barkley and the Eagles are a perfect fit**
The Eagles had high hopes when they signed free-agent running back Saquon Barkley, and he didn’t disappoint in his debut, proving that he’s exactly what the offense needed.
Barkley exploded with 132 all-purpose yards, including 109 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Although his first carry resulted in a five-yard loss due to slipping in the backfield, he quickly turned things around, becoming a constant big-play threat every time he touched the ball.
Saquon Barkley Hat Trick.
we repeat….
SAQUON BARKLEY HAT TRICK 🎩 pic.twitter.com/LiVM0PHCIV
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 7, 2024
It’s only a small two-game sample size, but Friday marked the second consecutive letdown for the NFL’s new kickoff return rules. Following Thursday’s season opener in Kansas City, which saw just two kickoff returns, Friday’s game had only three. Both teams opted to consistently blast the ball into the end zone, avoiding returns altogether.
In two games so far, there have been just five returns on 20 kickoffs, setting up an intriguing trend to monitor as the season progresses.
**Jalen Hurts must cut down on turnovers**
Hurts delivered some clutch plays late in the game, throwing for 278 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 33 yards. However, his performance was marred by three costly turnovers. One of those was a devastating interception in the end zone late in the fourth quarter that could have flipped the game. He also fumbled a snap on 3rd-and-goal in the final minute, though Saquon Barkley recovered it.
Turnovers were a major issue for Jalen Hurts in the second half of the 2023 season, contributing to the Eagles’ struggles down the stretch. While they managed to overcome those errors on Friday, it’s a lingering concern moving forward.
Additionally, there were glaring issues with new center Cam Jurgens, who is stepping into the massive shoes of Jason Kelce. Jurgens struggled with snap consistency, and the Eagles failed to execute two “tush-push” plays. Replacing an all-time great like Kelce is no easy task, and Jurgens still has plenty of work ahead of him to solidify his role.
