After forcing a punt on the Packers’ first drive, new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s team was quickly thrust into do-or-die mode.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a poor interception on his first possession, allowing Green Bay 19 yards from the end zone. Philadelphia held firm, allowing only 6 yards and forcing the Packers to settle for a field goal.
When a botched shotgun snap put the Eagles D in a precarious situation again, this time with only a 13-yard gain, the group reacted again. Aided by offensive pass interference, Philadelphia forced its opponent to trip and kick a second time.
Despite a first quarter with -7 offensive yards and two turnovers, the Eagles were only one touchdown and one extra point away from taking the lead in the second quarter.
And that’s exactly what they did, and the floodgates opened on both sides. From that point on, the two teams had a total of seven consecutive scoring drives – including six touchdowns.
Both teams also had a ton of penalties and missed tackles, and Philly made a botched coverage that allowed Jordan Love’s most significant play of the game: a 70-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver Jayden Reed.
But when it mattered most, Fangio’s group was able to limit the damage.
Just like in the first quarter, the Eagles made up for their defensive mistakes with another strong performance at the end. After allowing three straight touchdowns, Philadelphia forced a punt, an interception, a missed field goal, and then a field goal while leading 31-26 and the Packers threatening at the 8-yard line.
It was the third time the defense had limited Green Bay to three points in the red zone, and the offense then put the final nail in the coffin with a courageous drive that took 7:25 off the clock and left just 22 seconds remaining.
There is still a lot to improve and lessons to be learned from the inconsistent performance, but after the defense faltered so often in the second-half collapse last season, things are now looking up again.
Regular players like safety Reed Blankenship, who delivered an INT, influenced the game, but so did newcomers like linebacker Zack Baun, who led the way with 15 tackles and two sacks. First-round pick Quinyon Mitchell also passed his first test, as he converted frequent targeting (nine throws as the closest defender) into a passer rating of 66.9.
“For Q, the moment is never too big, and I saw that with Q from the beginning,” Sirianni said.
The head coach was equally impressed with the transition from his rookie corner to his 66-year-old DC.
“Vic has been a good coordinator for decades,” Sirianni said. “This is insane. I’m so excited. Obviously we still have to get some things right on both sides of the ball, but Vic is everything he was promised to be and I’m so excited to have him as our defensive coordinator.”
