The Eagles and Packers Go Back Almost a Century. On Friday, They Both Step Into the Future.
On Friday — the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers will begin another epic battle in the Sao Paulo, Brazil for the first ever NFL game in South America to open their respective NFL seasons.
If you think that one hundred years of professional football in Philadelphia — born when a small club team called the Frankford Yellow Jackets who were gauging other professional teams on the gridiron is really old — try living in Green Bay, Wisconsin when the Packers have been an NFL franchise since 1919.
Fourteen years later, during the Eagles inaugural season of 1933 — Philadelphia visited Green Bay for an away game. Bert Bell’s Eagles weren’t enjoying the success that made the Frankford Yellow Jackets successful in the 1920s, but Eagles history was just beginning. On that late October Day in 1933 at City Stadium on Walnut Street in Green Bay — the Packers would beat up on that Eagles squad like many other NFL teams that year.
But during that more than 90 year rivalry — the Eagles would get their revenge.
In 1960 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Vince Lombardi’s up and coming Green Bay Packers — running the perfection of the Packers Sweep, T-Formation running attack — would come up short against Norm Van Brocklin, Tommy McDonald, and a stiff Eagles defense of Chuck Bednarik and Tom Brookshier.
Or in 2003, when an Eagles team playing at home at Lincoln Financial Field rallied from 14–0 down including a 4th and 26 conversion in the fourth quarter to win in overtime 20–17. Overtime featured a Brian Dawkins interception of Brett Favre, before the Eagles won the game with a field goal.
Over the years, as both the Eagles and Packers moved up and down the ranks of the NFC, incredible battles ensured. In 1994, when the Eagles beat the Packers 13–7 wearing 75th NFL Anniversary Jersey’s paying tribute to the 1960s Eagles Championship Team. Or in 1991, when a Bryce Paup hit on Randall Cunningham on opening day which effectively ended the Eagles Super Bowl aspirations.
The next great chapter? This Friday night, 8:15 P.M. Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The post A New Chapter for A 90-Year Rivalry appeared first on Philadelphia Sports Nation.