Packers handed a reality check after sloppy loss to Eagles
It was an ugly night at Lambeau Field as the Green Bay Packers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 34-27 on Thursday night.
The Packers got off to a decent start as they led 10-0, but the Eagles moved the ball effectively on offense and took a 21-20 halftime lead into the locker room. Trailing 34-27, the Packers drove inside the 10-yard line twice in the fourth quarter, but they came away with no points and fell to 3-1 on the season.
Some thoughts about the loss:
Davante Adams had it going all night until he left the game in the fourth quarter with a toe injury. Jamaal Williams exited the game on a stretcher on a brutal hit in the first quarter.
The hit on Williams came after Darrius Shepherd took a hit to the helmet on a punt return. No penalty was called on the hit on Shepherd. It was called on Williams, but the Eagles’ Derek Barnett should have been thrown out of the game in my opinion. I didn’t care for their type of play in this game. I don’t know if this was an aberration or not but my respect for the Eagles has gone way down after this game. I am surprised that a team coached by Doug Pederson would act this way.
I thought that Marquez Valdes-Scantling was clearly interfered with on the first drive of the second half. Matt LaFleur challenged it but it got upheld. The Packers got a break late in the third quarter when Pederson challenged a PI call but it got upheld as well. There was a huge controversy about the missed call that kept the Saints out of the Super Bowl and they made it so we can now challenge PI, but the referees still can’t get the calls right. I don’t know if the situation will ever be fixed.
The Packers simply could not run the ball most of the night. Aaron Rodgers was their leading rusher. It was evident in the fourth quarter when they passed on all four downs at the 1-yard line trying to get into the endzone and tie the game.
The interception thrown by Rodgers was tough luck. It got tipped in the air before it was intercepted to end any thought of a comeback. What an awful way it is to lose a game.
The main problem in this game, in my opinion, is the defense. For the first three games, the Packers’ defense got a lot of hype and accolades were thrown their way. In this game, the Eagles ran all over them and the Packers did not record a single turnover or sack. So much for their “improved” defense. Until they dominate against good teams and good offenses, especially good quarterbacks, all that talk about their great defensive play is just talk. Perhaps it is a bump in the road and they can get things turned around, but they did not look like a good defense, let alone an elite one.
I knew that something like this was capable of happening. The Eagles struggled to a 1-2 start and really needed a win to get their season going and to settle the team and their fans down. They played a better game than the Packers did on this night.
The Packers’ offense continues to struggle. They looked good to start the game, but they could not sustain it. They had a golden opportunity to shine against the Eagles and their patchwork secondary. They came out flat instead, unable to finish drives.
Their 3-0 record and the hype about their defense is now over. It’s back to the drawing board for Coach LaFleur and this team. We will see how they handle losing their first game of the season. It doesn’t get any easier. After some time off, they have to travel to Texas to play the Dallas Cowboys. I guess we will see what the Packers are made of. Until then, take care Packer fans!
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
