COMPLETE RESULTS

1. Turbulent night for both quarterbacks. Jalen injuredThe night couldn’t have started much worse: He threw an interception on Philadelphia’s first drive, then dropped an untimely snap that led to two turnovers in two possessions. He eventually settled in, leading four consecutive scoring drives of 62 or more yards, but still took unnecessary risks, seemed to panic in the pocket at times, and threw a terrible interception in the end zone with a chance to decide the game in the fourth inning. Jordan Love had a similarly changeable evening, throwing a few long passes and firing a touchdown pass to Christian Watson They also took some strange risks, including one that was intercepted by Reed Blankenshipand missed open targets. If anything, we were reminded that it’s still a new season for some of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, and we should prepare for a rollercoaster ride — which became even more concerning when Love left in the final seconds of the game with an apparent lower leg injury.
2. Explosives everywhere. The fans in Sao Paulo were treated to many exciting plays on Friday night. Three touchdowns came from 33 or more yards (including a 70-yard Jayden Reed Catch, his second touchdown of the night, and a 67-yard sprint to the end zone for AJ Brown), and no possession was played beyond 5:30 until the Eagles’ final possession, which lasted 7 minutes, 25 seconds. It was a game full of shorter, less noteworthy plays — Hurts completed 18 of 22 passes under 15 air yards for 193 yards, according to Next Gen Stats — and massive, highlight-worthy advances that scored points or put each team in top scoring position. It made for great viewing and plenty of clips, and while the coaches will be looking for more consistency between the big plays, it was definitely fun to watch live.
3. Running backs make statements in their debut. Saquon Barkley came to Philadelphia as a valuable offseason addition, and his value was quickly apparent Friday night. Barkley opened the scoring for the Eagles by making an acrobatic catch inside the pylon for Philadelphia’s first touchdown and had a fantastic performance all night, powering the Eagles’ running game with 24 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns while overcoming an offensive line that didn’t give him much space. Josh JacobsMeanwhile, he got off to a good first start with the Packers, staying true to his reputation as a tackle-breaking machine — he managed +16 runs and +25 rushing yards above expectations — and totaled 84 yards on 16 carries (plus two catches for 20 yards). Both the Packers and Eagles have added to the position in the offseason, and it was evident Friday night.
4. Philly’s defense steps up in the decisive phase. Although the night was marked by explosive plays and the numbers don’t quite support that observation, the Eagles did a great job defending their position in the most important moments. Green Bay entered Philadelphia’s red zone twice in its first three possessions of the first quarter and was twice repelled and had to settle for field goals. Blankenship’s interception in the second half gave the Eagles a chance to respond on the scoreboard and enter the fourth quarter with a five-point lead. When the Packers again threatened to retake the lead, the Eagles stopped them again and forced another Brayden Narveson Field goal. In the final moments, the Eagles’ ability to recover from another long pass to Reed helped them secure the win, an encouraging sign for a defense that collapsed in the home stretch in 2023.
5. The Brazilian game is characterized by sloppiness at the beginning of the season. Whether it was the poor tackling by the Packers, the 17 total penalties accepted (for a total of 128 yards), the poor decisions by both quarterbacks, or even the quality of the field, this game definitely wasn’t clean. That’s typical of Week 1, especially a game that required flights of more than nine hours to get to the host city. But it will undoubtedly be a focus for both teams going forward, because while the big plays were exciting, these coaches are looking for consistency, which neither team showed frequently enough to feel good about. The good news: It’s only Week 1, and they’ll be back in the states soon.

Next-gen stats of the game: After struggling against the blitz in 2023, Jalen Hurts improved in Week 1. He completed 6 of 7 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown with an average throwing time of 2.46 seconds against the Packers blitz on Friday night.

NFL Research: With two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown, Saquon Barkley became the first Eagles running back since Miles Sanders in 2019 to score from both the air and the ground in a game.