SÃO PAULO — “It was sloppy,” DeVonta Smith mentioned. And he wasn’t speaking about caipirinha cocktails. He wasn’t speaking about area situations in a soccer venue within the first-ever NFL sport in South America. No, the broad receiver was stating what was seen because the Philadelphia Eagles debuted their revamped system below offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
“It was sloppy,” Smith repeated. “However we responded properly.”
Certainly, they did. They’re 1-0 after their 34-29 victory over the Inexperienced Bay Packers at Area Corinthians; regardless of Cam Jurgens snapping the ball to Jalen Hurts when the quarterback wasn’t prepared; regardless of Hurts twice forcing the soccer into heavy protection on passes that resulted in picks (one in the long run zone); regardless of Jurgens and Hurts mishandling a last-minute “Brotherly Shove” snap that, as an alternative of securing sure victory, preceded a area purpose that gave the Inexperienced Bay Packers one final try at a doable comeback.
“We’re figuring out kinks,” mentioned Jurgens, who took possession of each fumbles. “When you may work issues out and nonetheless get a win, it’s feeling.”
Saquon Barkley saved their pigskin. He jumped on that closing fumbled snap. He accounted for 3 of Philadelphia’s 4 touchdowns. He logged 109 yards on 24 carries and two scores, plus two catches, together with an 18-yard landing on a well-timed wheel route. He made common supervisor Howie Roseman fairly joyful that he set a franchise file in per-year spending on working backs by signing Barkley to a three-year, $37.75 million deal within the offseason.
Saquon Freaking Barkley#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/ZdXg8tLqB0
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 7, 2024
“He had a hell of a sport tonight,” Hurts mentioned. “I’m joyful that he’s on our aspect.”
The Eagles haven’t wielded a weapon fairly like Barkley since LeSean McCoy. As enough as D’Andre Swift and Miles Sanders had been in Philadelphia’s backfield the final two seasons, neither working again possessed the start-stop velocity or the burst that busted Barkley deep past the Packers protection on an 11-yard landing run and a 34-yard scamper into the open area.
Finally, he had blocking. Barkley, who averaged 1.35 yards earlier than contact in six years with the New York Giants, in accordance with TruMedia, mentioned in coaching camp that he selected to signal with the Eagles partly as a consequence of Philadelphia’s formidable offensive line. There, on that 11-yard rating, was a colossal chasm between Jurgens and proper guard Mekhi Becton. Barkley made one sudden reduce, and the Eagles immediately led 14-12 with 5:38 left within the first half.
“They did a very good job of simply establishing for me,” Barkley mentioned. “I simply attempt to follow my guidelines. That’s my huge factor to share is, you realize, typically I can are likely to attempt to do an excessive amount of. And I don’t need to have that mentality, however I let (the offensive line) work. And when it’s time to do further stuff, I’ll be prepared for that too.”
Talking of “further stuff,” Moore wasn’t restricted from deploying the pre-snap motions that’d been a part of his philosophy. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, whose 2023 system was essentially the most stagnant within the NFL, had mentioned earlier this week that “nobody actually is aware of what we’re going to do.” By my rely, the Eagles used pre-snap movement on 47.3 p.c of their performs in opposition to the Packers.
That included Dallas Goedert motioning left right into a swing go during which Goedert gained 1 yard. That included Britain Covey switching from broad proper to broad left and Hurts hitting Goedert for a 4-yard acquire within the house Covey as soon as crammed. That included A.J. Brown shortly stepping from the slot to only past Goedert, matching Brown in opposition to Jaire Alexander. Brown’s double transfer — outdoors, inside — left him open alongside the sideline. Hurts struck Brown in stride, and the receiver weaved previous the Packers’ secondary for a 67-yard rating.
Brown’s 23.8 yards per reception (5 catches, 119 yards) had been his highest common since Week 16 of the 2022 common season. Hurts managed to search out Brown in essential third-down conditions during which he confronted a heavy rush. On third-and-8 on Philadelphia’s fourth drive (Barkley’s first dashing landing), Hurts zipped the ball to Brown for a 20-yard conversion simply earlier than getting demolished by a defender. Hurts was 6-of-7 passing for 91 yards and his 18-yard landing to Barkley whereas dealing with the Packers blitz, in accordance with TruMedia.
It was a promising signal for a system during which Hurts is dealing with extra of the pre-snap safety calls and designations for which a receiver is “scorching” in opposition to the blitz. Hurts was sacked twice. The second he appeared to attract himself simply earlier than halftime, which restricted a promising two-minute drive to yielding solely a 38-yard Jake Elliott area purpose and a 19-17 deficit to the Packers on the break.
“I believed go safety was fairly good at this time,” Jurgens mentioned. “I believed we did job. We’ll watch movie, see the way it was. But it surely felt good on the market. We’ve obtained some weapons on the skin. I feel we actually used them at this time and performed very well.”
Sloppiness stemmed to the Eagles protection, too.
Sirianni fired former defensive coordinator Sean Desai partly as a result of his system surrendered the NFL’s second-most passing yards in 2023. The Eagles thought they’d enhance the protection by hiring the system’s creator, Vic Fangio. However there have been moments when it wasn’t clear there’d been any change in any respect. Jordan Love, who accomplished 17-of-34 passes for 260 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, exploited an obvious protection bust by putting Jayden Reed for a 70-yard landing to grab their halftime lead. Security C.J. Gardner-Johnson, signed in free company to enhance the again finish, missed a sort out that might’ve saved the rating.
Apparently, Gardner-Johnson caught some warmth from the fan base by the point he returned to the locker room.
“All them followers that obtained some s— to say. Y’all get y’all a– on the market and are available sort out with us. Put that within the information,” Garnder-Johnson mentioned. He turned to his left and noticed Eagles proprietor Jeffrey Lurie. “Inform them, Jeffrey. Each fan say they will make a sort out, we’re gonna invite all people that say we suck at tackling, we’re gonna carry them on the market with A.J. Brown and see if they will make a f—ing sort out. Everyone know that s— ain’t really easy.”
Lurie simply laughed.
Reed Blankenship, flushed within the face however not disagreeing, continued his post-game interview. Sure, they’d had some protection breakdowns, Blankenship mentioned. Sure, they hadn’t performed simply “what we did in follow.” However when the Packers had a shot to go up two scores within the third quarter, Blankenship hawked Love’s throw into the seam for a game-shifting interception. Blankenship mentioned he’d seen Love make as if he needed to throw to Reed alongside the sideline, however turned again to the center of the sector as soon as Gardner-Johnson reduce off that possibility.
Security Reed Blankenship picked off Jordan Love’s throw into the seam for a game-shifting interception. (Pedro Vilela / Getty Photos)
“So, it was a type of anticipation moments,” Blankenship mentioned. “However I couldn’t have performed it if he didn’t do his job on the again finish.”
It’s troublesome to right away deduce the place the breakdown occurred on Reed’s 70-yard rating. The Eagles had been taking part in dime, their six-defensive again bundle designated for passing situations akin to that third-and-10. Second-round rookie Cooper DeJean and veteran Avonte Maddox gave the impression to be protecting brief zones within the slot. Gardner-Johnson was the deepest security, however on the very least caught abruptly that Reed was working alone into the correct hash.
“That is the toughest sport as a result of it consists of all 11 guys,” Gardner-Johnson mentioned. “And if all 11 aren’t on the identical web page, stuff occurs. That doesn’t imply you’re the (worst) participant on the earth. If that’s the case, the proprietor would’ve allow you to go. We’ve obtained to know that this sport proper right here, we’ve obtained to know that as younger guys, we’re simply now getting good. We’re taking part in collectively and we’re understanding we may be dominant in each f—ing facet of the sport.”
Rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell revealed himself to be a dependable starter in his skilled debut. Love examined the No. 22 choose on a deep ball early within the first quarter, however Mitchell swatted the ball from Christian Watson’s grip. Later, Mitchell prolonged himself laterally to deflect one other Love go close to the sticks.
Mitchell performed solely at outdoors nook, an fascinating growth contemplating Fangio’s devotion all through coaching camp to platooning the rookie at nickel. Mitchell had performed outdoors cornerback in base packages, then switched to nickel throughout preseason video games. However Maddox began at nickel in opposition to the Packers. The association could also be untenable. Maddox was focused on back-to-back performs by Love, first drawing a go interference, then a landing on the next play.
The absence of Isaiah Rodgers might have performed a task. He’d primarily been the skin cornerback all through coaching camp when Mitchell performed nickel. Rodgers was dominated inactive with a hand harm. When requested if Rodgers’ absence performed into the choice, Sirianni mentioned, “That’s nonetheless a aggressive edge that we now have that I’ll hold to myself.” Fielding Maddox at nickel additionally raises the query of whether or not the Eagles had been assured Kelee Ringo may’ve fulfilled the sport plan at cornerback in nickel packages.
Sirianni, who has additional embraced his CEO-type position in 2024, has 10 days to scale back the sloppiness earlier than the Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16. The 43-year-old coach is now 4-0 in regular-season openers.
“Excited to proceed to maneuver on,” Sirianni mentioned. “We’ll have some robust conversations about what went proper and what went unsuitable, however happy with these guys and we’ll get higher from this sport.”
(Prime picture: Pedro Vilela / Getty Photos)
