Eagles beat Packers with strong defensive effort, 22 to 10

The Eagles are going to the Divisional Round!

The Philadelphia Eagles are advancing to the Divisional Round of the 2025 NFL playoffs after beating the Green Bay Packers in a Wild Card game at Lincoln Financial Field! Final score: 22 to 10.

This game really couldn’t have started better for the Eagles with Oren Burks forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff to set up a Jalen Hurts to Jahan Dotson touchdown to give the Birds the early lead. The defense did their part by forcing two punts and coming away with a Darius Slay interception.

Vic Fangio’s defense really held steady for the entire game, allowing just 10 points and coming up with three takeaways. Jordan Love was held to 20/33 for 212 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT, and a 41.5 passer rating. The Eagles’ defense bought time for a struggling offense to eventually figure some things out.

The passing attack certainly struggled to get going in this one with Jalen Hurts only completing 13 of his 21 attempts for 131 yards. But he didn’t turn the ball over and he did throw two touchdown passes to finish with a 111.4 passer rating. They’ll probably need him to be better moving forward.

For now, the Eagles will take it. Survive and advance is the name of the game.

Next up for the Eagles: a home game against one of three opponents … 1) the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2) the Los Angeles Rams, or 3) the Minnesota Vikings. If the Bucs beat the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, the Eagles play the Bucs. If the Bucs lose on Sunday night, the Eagles play the winner of Monday night’s game between the Rams and Vikings.

Read on for a recap and stay tuned for BGN’s postgame coverage.

FIRST QUARTER

• The Eagles won the opening coin toss and elected to defer, per usual. Oren Burks forced a Packers fumble for a Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recovery on the opening kickoff! After an automatic review determined the ruling on the field stands, the Eagles took over at the plus 28-yard line!

• The Eagles’ first play from scrimmage was a Saquon Barkley run for 16 yards. Two plays later, Hurts had all day to throw and he took advantage by stepping up and delivering a strike 11 yards to JAHAN DOTSON for the wide receiver’s first career Eagles touchdown! Pretty awesome start. EAGLES 7, PACKERS 0.

• After a kick return holding penalty, the Packers took over at their own 13-yard line. Jordan Love sailed his first pass and C.J. Gardner-Johnson got a hand on it but wasn’t in a great spot to pick it off. Facing 3rd-and-8 after a short Josh Jacobs run, Love nearly got sacked by Milton Williams but escaped and threw the ball away. Three-and-out. Great start by the Eagles’ special teams, offense, AND defense. Strong in all three phrases from the jump.
• The Eagles took over at their own 35-yard line after a Cooper DeJean return for -1 yard. Hurts to A.J. Brown went for a first down a little beyond the marker. Facing 3rd-and-5, a swing pass to Barkley with DeVonta Smith lead blocking got stuffed for no gain. DeVonta lost on his block there … but he’s not the ideal lead blocker to begin with. Don’t love the thinking there. The Eagles punted from 4th-and-5 at the plus 47-yard line. Could’ve afforded to be more aggressive there. Braden Mann’s punt bounced into the end zone just for a net of 27 yards.
• The Packers took over at their own 20-yard line. Packers starting LG Elgton Jenkins went down with an injury. Facing 3rd-and-2, Love hit Tucker Kraft for a first down. Facing 3rd-and-4 after two Jacobs runs, Nolan Smith immediately beat Packers right tackle Zach Tom, who grades out very highly by Pro Football Focus, and got pressure on Love to sack the Packers QB for a 14-yard loss and force a punt. Huge!

• The Eagles took over at their own 30-yard line after a DeJean punt return for 11 yards. Barkley immediately ripped a run for 17 yards. Then Hurts took a designed run for 13 yards and a slide to wisely avoid contact. Facing 3rd-and-3, Kenny Gainwell took a carry for a first down. Hurts ripped a throw from under center (!) to DeVonta for a first down into the red zone. Facing 3rd-and-10 after two Hurts throwaways (really should’ve ran on first down to end the first quarter if no TD), Hurts threw into the back of Jordan Mailata on a screen attempt that looked blown up anyway. The Packers’ blitzing contributed to stifling the Eagles offense there. Jake Elliott came in for the 31-yard field goal make. EAGLES 10, PACKERS 0.
• The Packers took over at their own 30-yard line. A short Jacobs run brought up the end of the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

• Love chucked it deep and got picked off by Big Play Slay! Awesome play by the veteran cornerback. And the Eagles’ first cornerback interception in the 2024 season!

• The Eagles took over at their own 22-yard line. DeVonta got called for an illegal motion to knock the offense back. Facing 2nd-and-12, Hurts threw a wormburner to Dallas Goedert for what should’ve been a short completion instead. Facing 3rd-and-12, a Barkley run picked up seven yards. Why are you giving up there?
• The Packers took over at their own 46-yard line after a 20-yard punt return from Jayden Reed. The Packers methodically drove into field goal range. Jacobs broke a tackle from Zack Baun, ran backwards, and got tackled by Dean for a loss. Facing 3rd-and-12, Love took running up the middle to gain 11 yards. Facing 4th-and-1, Matt LaFleur kept his offense on the field for a successful Kraft sneak for a first down into the red zone. Isaiah Rodgers broke up a Love pass in the end zone but the refs threw a flag for illegal man downfield and Sirianni accepted it to knock the Packers back to 1st-and-15 instead of declining for 2nd-and-10. Facing 3rd-and-13 after Dean blew up a Packers screen, Love’s third down pass was out of bounds. The Packers brought Brandon McManus in for a 38-yard field goal attempt … that JUST went outside of the right upright!
• Hurts ran and slid into the back of Lane Johnson’s legs (yikes) for a three-yard sack. Then Hurts ran left and threw the ball away on a play where a Jordan Mailata holding penalty was declined. Facing 3rd-and-13, Hurts ran up the middle for nine yards. Three-and-out. Need more from this offense.
• The Packers took over at their own 20-yard line with 3:25 on the clock and three timeouts to work with. The Packers got knocked back with Jordan Davis drawing a holding penalty. But then the Packers got a first down right back with Oren Burks tackling Zack Baun to allow a 20-yard Jayden Reed catch-and-run. The Packers got knocked back by another holding penalty on backup left guard Travis Glover. Facing 3rd-and-3, a short Love pass to Romeo Doubs moved the chains. Jalen Carter pressured Love into a throwaway that was nearly picked by Baun. Then Baun got a pick for real on a Love pass thrown over the middle!

• The Eagles took over at the plus 45-yard line with 0:36 on the clock and three timeouts to work with. The Eagles went with a Barkley run that gained six yards and Nick Sirianni called his first timeout at 0:31. Hurts threw over the middle to Dallas Goedert and the pass was broken up. Goedert wanted a flag but didn’t get one. Facing 3rd-and-4, Hurts’ pass to A.J. Brown was incomplete. Facing 4th-and-4, Goedert got called for a false start. Facing 4th-and-9, Sirianni brought in Mann for a punt. Very lame possession … three plays that resulted in just one yard gained.

• The Packers took a knee to end the first half.

THIRD QUARTER

• The Eagles began the third quarter at their own 25-yard line. Two Barkley runs resulted in a first down. Hurts was sacked after holding the ball for forever. Facing 3rd-and-19, the Eagles went with another give up run to set up a punt. Lame.

• The Packers took over at their own 16-yard line after a big 63-yard punt by Mann. Nice job of flipping the field. Facing 3rd-and-2, Love hit Jacobs over the middle for a first down. Facing 3rd-and-4, Vic Fangio sent a blitz but Love got it out downfield to Dontayvion Wicks for a 29-yard gain. Reed Blankenship was in the area but couldn’t manage to make a play on the ball. Moro Ojomo drew a holding penalty to knock the Packers’ offense back. Facing 3rd-and-13 after Jalen Carter batted down a Love pass, Quinyon Mitchell got called for pass interference to give the Packers 1st-and-goal at the 9-yard line. Very clearly an uncatchable pass … but the refs apparently thought differently. Facing 3rd-and-goal from the 8-yard line, Love’s pass to the back of the end zone went off Bo Melton’s hands for an incompletion. The Packers brought in McManus for the short field goal make. A bend-but-don’t-break-effort from the Eagles’ defense with the Packers going 76 yards in 12 plays with 5:47 coming off the clock. EAGLES 10, PACKERS 3.
• The Eagles took over at their own 30-yard line. Facing 3rd-and-3 after two Barkley runs, Hurts rolled left and hit a wide open DeVonta Smith for a first down into Packers territory. Much-needed chunk gain. Hurts hit DeVonta again and then hit Goedert for a 24-yard catch-and-run where Goedert bullied his way through contact to rumble to the end zone! Elliott missed the extra point to make it a six-point possession. EAGLES 16, PACKERS 3.

• The Packers took over at their own 22-yard line after good kickoff coverage by special teams. The Packers moved into plus territory. Facing 3rd-and-7, Love hit Wicks on a slant for a first down. Two plays later, Jacobs broke off a 32-yard touchdown run by running through really poor Eagles tackling. After review, Jacobs was ruled down at the 1-yard line to bring up the end of the third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Jacobs took a carry from the 1-yard line for a touchdown. 9-play, 78-yard TD drive to make it a one-score game again. EAGLES 16, PACKERS 10.

• The Eagles took over at their own 30-yard line. Goedert make a one-handed catch on a crossing route for a first down. A designed QB run and a Barkley run picked up another first down … until replay assist make it third down. Facing 3rd-and-1, the Eagles lined up for a Brotherly Shove … and faked it for a pass instead … that was overthrown to an open Brown. Love the call to take a shot there on third down, just need the execution. Facing 4th-and-1, the Eagles went Brotherly Shove for real and got the first down. The Packers got called for unnecessary roughness for a late hit to Barkley on the sideline to put the Eagles at the plus 26-yard line. One Barkley run and one Gainwell run resulted in another first down at the 15-yard line. DeVonta got called for holding on a designed QB run to knock the Eagles’ offense back to 1st-and-20. Lane Johnson got called for holding to knock the offense back to 2nd-and-22. With the play clock winding down, the Eagles took their first timeout. Facing 3rd-and-13, a Hurts run picked up just five yards. Elliott came in for the 30-yard field goal make to make it a two-score game. 13 plays, 57 yards, 7:23 off the clock. EAGLES 19, PACKERS 10.

• The Packers took over at their own 20-yard line after Elliott’s kickoff bounced from the landing zone into the end zone (as opposed to a normal 30-yard touchback with the ball going straight into the end zone). Facing 3rd-and-3, Nolan Smith got to Emanuel Wilson for no gain. Facing 4th-and-3, Love’s pass was caught but Malik Heath’s left foot landed out of bounds! Turnover on downs!
• The Eagles took over at the plus 41-yard line with 4:58 left and the Packers having three timeouts to work with. Barkley gained five yards and the Packers took their first timeout at 4:53. Barkley ran for no gain but the Packers got flagged for hitting him late for an automatic 15 yards and first down. Barkley ran for no gain and the Packers took their second timeout at 4:42. Facing 4th-and-4, Elliott came in for the field goal attempt but the Eagles called a timeout after an unsuccessful effort to draw the Packers offside. Facing 4th-and-4 for real, Elliott made his 32-yard field goal attempt to give the Eagles a two-touchdown lead. EAGLES 22, PACKERS 10.

• The Packers took over at their own 30-yard line with 3:12 left and one timeout to work with. Nolan Smith sacked Love for his second sack of the night. Quinyon Mitchell allowed a deep completion that got called back due to Milton Williams drawing a holding penalty. Facing 3rd-and-19, a dump-off went for a catch-and-run first down. The Packers moved to the plus 40-yard line at 2:00. Love aired it out deep … and got picked off by QUINYON MITCHELL for the rookie’s first career interception! Finally happened.

• The Eagles took over at their own 20-yard line with 1:51 left and the Packers having one remaining timeout. Barkley busted a run for what could’ve been a touchdown but he unselfishly slid to run out the clock instead. Victory formation!

FINAL SCORE: EAGLES 22, PACKERS 10

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EAGLES LINEUP NOTES

• Jake Elliott, not Braden Mann, handled kickoff duty.

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EAGLES INJURY NEWS

• Jalen Hurts visited the medical tent earlyish in the second quarter but wasn’t there for too long.
• Darius Slay (elbow) was replaced by Isaiah Rodgers in the second quarter. Slay was originally ruled questionable to return. He jogged to the locker room after being looked at by trainers. Slay re-entered the game later in the second quarter.
• Nakobe Dean (knee) went down after making a good tackle for loss to blow up a Packers screen. He was carted off the field and then ruled out.
• Reed Blankenship got banged up midway through the third quarter and was replaced by Avonte Maddox. Blankenship returned after missing a couple snaps.
• C.J. Gardner-Johnson visited the medical tent early in the fourth quarter but quickly returned to the bench.