Saquon Barkley shines in his debut with Eagles, who beat the Packers in Brazil

SÃO PAULO — The Green 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 recreation within the Southern Hemisphere, the primary opening week recreation on a Friday since 1970 and the primary time operating again Saquon Barkley performed as for the Eagles.

After a sluggish begin to the sport, each 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 back-and-forth earlier than the Eagles pulled away and sealed the 34-29 Week 1 victory.

Listed here are an important 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 Area Corinthians, speeding for greater than 100 yards and scoring three whole touchdowns to push the Eagles previous the Green Bay Packers.

It is simply what the Eagles’ brass hoped for after they signed him to a three-year, $37.75 million contract this spring. He was a drive 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, corresponding to receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — and the 27-year previous seemed it.

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

There’s a lengthy approach 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 might have price his crew 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 of 2022 versus the Saints when a Gardner Minshew-led crew had simply two yards. They have 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 pattern: A protection that struggled badly in 2023 was leaky for an excellent 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. There have been 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 have been held to only one landing in 4 pink zone journeys.

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

Inexperienced Bay Packers

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

However Jordan Love and the offense have been supposed to choose up the place they left off final season — as one of the vital potent models within the league. Besides it 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 leg harm in his first recreation since signing a four-year, $220 million contract extension this summer season.

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

Promising pattern: 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 change into the Packers’ No. 1 receiver in Yr 2, his knack for large performs seems to be actual. With a 33-yard speeding landing on an end-around and a 70-yard receiving landing, Reed grew to become the third participant up to now 40 years to have a 70-yard receiving rating and a 30-yard speeding rating in the identical recreation.

Troubling pattern: It wasn’t the very best of debuts for Narveson. After making quick subject objectives of 31 and 23 yards plus his first two additional factors, the rookie, who was claimed off waivers final week, hit the precise upright and missed a 43-yard subject objective late within the third quarter. He bounced again and made his subsequent one, a 26-yarder within the fourth quarter. Narveson grew to become the sixth kicker on the Packers’ roster for the reason that 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 pattern II: Possibly it was simply an opening-game difficulty, however penalties damage the Packers all through. They dedicated pink zone holding penalties on their two first-quarter drives and needed to accept subject objectives. Within the third quarter, that they had two unlawful shift penalties on the identical drive and needed to punt. Once 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 an excellent time for an interception, however the one Love threw within the third quarter was as premature as may very well be for the Packers. Clinging to a 26-24 lead and backed up in Eagles’ territory, Love floated a move over the center towards tight finish Luke Musgrave that security Reed Blankenship stepped into and picked off. It led the one other Barkley landing to place the Eagles forward 31-26.

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