Saquon Barkley made a remarkable debut for the Philadelphia Eagles, scoring three touchdowns to lead them to a 34-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo, Brazil, marking the first NFL game in South America. Packers quarterback Jordan Love left the game with an injury in the final minute, raising concerns for Green Bay. Jalen Hurts threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns for the Eagles, while Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed scored twice. Despite early turnovers, the Eagles pulled ahead, and Jake Elliott’s late field goal sealed the win.
Quick Read
- Saquon Barkley shines in Eagles debut: Barkley scores three touchdowns, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 34-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
- First NFL game in South America: The game, played in São Paulo, Brazil, marked the NFL’s first match in South America.
- Packers’ QB Jordan Love injured: Love limped off the field with assistance in the final minute, raising concerns for Green Bay.
- Jayden Reed’s standout performance: Packers’ Jayden Reed scored on a 33-yard jet sweep and a 70-yard reception.
- Jalen Hurts leads Eagles: Hurts passed for 278 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, with A.J. Brown catching a 67-yard TD.
- Late-game field goal seals win: Jake Elliott’s 21-yard field goal with 27 seconds left secured the Eagles’ victory.
- Slippery playing surface: Players from both teams struggled with footing on the field, which had recently hosted a soccer match.
- Injuries: Eagles LB Devin White and Packers RBs AJ Dillon and MarShawn Lloyd did not play due to injuries.
Barkley shines with 3 TD as Eagles defeat Packers 34-29 in Brazil; Packers’ Love injured in final minute
NEWSLOOKS- SAO PAULO
Saquon Barkley made a spectacular debut for the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night, scoring three touchdowns to lead his team to a 34-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the first NFL game ever played in South America. The game, held in São Paulo, saw the Packers lose quarterback Jordan Love to an injury in the closing seconds. “I’m all about visualizing success and staying positive,” said Barkley, who became the first player since Terrell Owens in 2004 to score three touchdowns in his Eagles debut. “It’s one of my goals this year: to be more of a positive thinker.”
The Packers, however, were left worrying about Love’s future after the quarterback, who signed a four-year, $220 million extension this summer, was injured in the game’s final moments. He left the field with assistance, and Packers coach Matt LaFleur did not have an update on his condition post-game. Backup quarterback Malik Willis was sacked by Eagles linebacker Zack Baun on the final play, preventing Green Bay from attempting a Hail Mary pass. “We need to learn from this,” LaFleur said. “We missed opportunities tonight.”
Barkley rushed for 109 yards and scored on an 18-yard catch and runs of 11 and 2 yards. This was his first game with the Eagles after spending six seasons with the New York Giants. He signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal with Philadelphia. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts finished 20 of 34 for 278 yards, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions. Wide receiver A.J. Brown had five catches for 119 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown reception. The game had a festive, playoff-like atmosphere, and Eagles coach Nick Sirianni praised the Brazilian crowd: “Brazil got a great game tonight. I know we converted some people into football fans.”
Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed had a standout performance, scoring on a 33-yard jet sweep and a 70-yard touchdown catch, which became the longest touchdown pass of Jordan Love’s career. Reed became the first player since Hall of Famer Jim Brown in 1963 to have both a touchdown catch of 30-plus yards and a touchdown run of 30-plus yards in a season opener. He finished with four catches for 138 yards.
Love completed 17 of 34 passes for 260 yards with two touchdowns and one interception before leaving with an injury. Barkley’s third touchdown of the game, a 2-yard run, gave the Eagles a 31-26 lead late in the third quarter. The Eagles extended their lead with a 21-yard field goal by Jake Elliott in the final minute to seal the win.
Some Eagles players had expressed reluctance about traveling to Brazil, as it cost them a chance to open their season at Lincoln Financial Field. However, after the game, they expressed satisfaction with the experience, noting the crowd’s enthusiasm.
“I don’t know if São Paulo knows when to cheer, but it was great,” Brown said. “It was loud the entire time.” The playing surface was slippery at times, causing players to change their cleats. Philadelphia committed two turnovers early, but Green Bay failed to capitalize, settling for field goals both times. LaFleur pointed to the team’s struggles in the red zone as a significant issue: “We got destroyed in the red area tonight.”
INJURIES:
Eagles linebacker Devin White missed the game due to an ankle injury. The Packers were without running backs AJ Dillon and MarShawn Lloyd due to injuries.
UP NEXT:
Packers: Host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 15.
Eagles: Host the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16.
