Brazil welcomed the NFL with a thrilling game on Friday, September 6, 2024, as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-29 in a historic matchup held at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo. This marked the very first NFL game played in South America, and it lived up to the excitement that fans were hoping for.
The game had its share of drama, especially in the closing moments. With just seconds left in the game, Packers quarterback Jordan Love suffered an injury that left fans concerned. During a last-ditch effort to pull off a win, Love found himself wrapped up by Eagles defenders while trying to complete a play. He managed to toss the ball to running back Josh Jacobs but went down in visible pain as the play unfolded. Love was seen struggling to walk off the field, sparking fears that his injury might keep him out of action for a while.
Before his injury, Love had a decent performance, throwing for 260 yards along with two touchdowns and one interception. Despite putting the Packers in a position to take the lead several times late in the game, he failed to produce a touchdown in the final drives, settling for just a field goal in the last 27 minutes.
In light of Love’s injury, former Titans quarterback Malik Willis, who was acquired by the Packers earlier this season, took over the reins for the final two plays. The Packers now face a challenging schedule ahead against teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, and Minnesota Vikings. All these teams missed the playoffs last season, but the real test will come in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Eagles, on the other hand, celebrated their first win in Brazil, remaining undefeated in this match. Running back Saquon Barkley shined in his debut with Philadelphia, scoring three touchdowns and accumulating 132 total yards. After fumbling on his very first play, Barkley recovered to lead his team confidently through the rest of the game.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts contributed by throwing for 278 yards and throwing two touchdowns, despite also facing a couple of interceptions and a fumble due to a botched exchange with new center Cameron Jurgens, who is stepping in after Jason Kelce‘s retirement.
As the NFL heads back to the drawing board this week, fans are left wondering about Love’s condition and what it means for the Packers’ future in this season.
