Rob Demovsky
Tim McManus
Tim McManus
ESPN Employees Author
Tim McManus covers the Philadelphia Eagles for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2016 after masking the Eagles for Philadelphia Journal’s Birds 24/7, a web site he helped create, since 2010. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @Tim_McManus.
PHILADELPHIA — In a recreation the place quarterback Jalen Hurts and the passing assault struggled, the Philadelphia Eagles leaned on their top-ranked protection to fend off the Inexperienced Bay Packers 22-10 within the wild-card spherical of the playoffs Sunday.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love hadn’t thrown an interception since Nov. 17 towards the Chicago Bears — a streak spanning seven-plus video games — however he had two passes picked off within the first half, together with within the closing minute by All-Professional linebacker Zack Baun.
The Eagles’ protection completed the common season first in yards allowed per play (4.7) and second in factors allowed per recreation (17.8). Vic Fangio’s unit smothered a Packers offense that was lacking receiver Christian Watson (torn ACL) and misplaced extra gamers alongside the best way, together with fellow receiver Romeo Doubs.
Hurts was out of sync after lacking the final two video games of the common season due to a concussion. Receiver A.J. Brown additionally wasn’t his regular dominant self (one catch for 10 yards) after he was absent for 2 days of apply this week resulting from a knee harm.
The Eagles proved in the course of the common season they’re adequate to win even when one space of their operation is not clicking, and so they confirmed they’ll do it within the playoffs when the competitors is more durable.
The offense will should be higher to maintain the season rolling.
Eye-popping stat: Hurts went 90 minutes between accomplished passes earlier than heating up late within the third quarter. He went 6-of-13 for 39 passing yards earlier than going 3-of-3 for 61 yards on a drive that started with 5:46 left within the third quarter. Tight finish Dallas Goedert capped the drive with a stiff-arm-fueled 24-yard landing reception.
Pivotal play: Trailing by 9 factors halfway by the fourth quarter, the Packers wanted a scoring drive to maintain hope alive. It regarded like Love accomplished a fourth-and-3 go to receiver Malik Heath, however Heath got here down with the catch out of bounds for a turnover on downs.
Most stunning efficiency: Former Packers linebacker Oren Burks set the tone for the sport due to an enormous hit on returner Keisean Nixon on the opening kickoff, jarring the ball unfastened for an Eagles’ takeaway that led to seven factors. Burks additionally crammed in for Nakobe Dean, who left within the first half resulting from a knee harm, on protection and had 5 tackles. — Tim McManus
For many of Sunday’s 22-10 loss, the Packers’ protection did its half.
The offense and particular groups, not a lot.
If that sounds acquainted, it is as a result of the Packers misplaced a playoff recreation Sunday in almost the identical means they fell to the San Francisco 49ers within the divisional spherical in 2021.
In that recreation, the Packers had been the No. 1 seed.
This time, they had been the No. 7 seed attempting to upset the No. 2 seeded Eagles. The Packers pulled off that very same 2-7 upset in final 12 months’s playoffs once they gained on the Dallas Cowboys. However that season, they went into the playoffs with momentum, successful six of their final eight regular-season video games. This season, they limped in on a two-game dropping streak.
It did not assist that Love completed the sport with out his high three receivers. After Watson suffered a torn ACL within the regular-season finale, Doubs (evaluated for a concussion) and Jayden Reed (shoulder) dropped out within the second half. Love was 6-for-6 on passes to Reed and Doubs earlier than they left however Love had little success elsewhere. He completed the sport 20-of-33 for 212 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Packers fell to 0-6 towards the NFC’s high groups, dropping twice every to the Eagles, Lions and Vikings this season.
Troubling development: If it is a playoff recreation, that normally means the Packers could have breakdowns on particular groups. The sport began with Nixon’s fumbled kickoff return after which Brandon McManus, who had missed one kick all season, missed large proper from 38 yards within the second quarter with the Packers trailing 10-0. Final 12 months’s playoff loss to the 49ers included a missed area aim try with 6:21 remaining. Of their 2021 divisional loss to the 49ers, the Packers had a area aim try and punt try blocked, the latter of which was returned for a landing.
Troubling development II: The Packers fell to 1-12 with Love because the starter once they’ve been behind by not less than 10 factors, together with playoffs. The lone win got here towards the Saints in Week 3 final season, once they turned a 17-0 deficit into an 18-17 victory. Love has misplaced 11 straight such video games since.
Largest gap within the recreation plan: The Packers did not have a viable plan after former Professional Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins suffered a shoulder harm/stinger within the first half and did not return. First, they tried rookie sixth-round choose Travis Glover, who had performed solely 13 snaps all season. Glover lasted solely 20 snaps and was pulled after getting referred to as for 3 penalties — two holds and an ineligible downfield infraction. Kadeem Telfort changed him on the two-minute warning of the primary half and was referred to as for a holding penalty within the third quarter. — Rob Demovsky
