By Zachary McMahon-
The Philadelphia Eagles hosted the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFC Wild Card Round at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA on Sunday evening.
This was the fourth time that the Eagles and Packers had faced off in the playoffs. They had faced each other in the 1960 NFL Championship in the only championship legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi had lost. The Eagles had also won the matchup in the 2004 Divisional Round game, as it was the famous 4th and 26 game. The only time the Packers had won against the Eagles in the postseason was in the 2010 Wild Card, when they upset Michael Vick and the Eagles en route to the Super Bowl, where they would win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Each of the the last two matchups, the victor was in the Super Bowl, as the Eagles went in the 2004 game, but lost to the New England Patriots.
The Eagles got going on offense, after Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff, forced by Oren Burks and coughed up by Packers kick returner Keisan Nixon. The Eagles then went on a three-play drive which culminated in a touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to Jahan Dotson to make it 7-0.
Trotter Jr. ‘s fumble recovery was the first special teams takeaway in the postseason since the 2002 Divisional Round against the Chicago Bears.
Hurts had another touchdown pass in the third quarter to Dallas Goedert, as the tight end has registered a touchdown in three straight postseasons, as the Eagles were up 16-3.at the end of the third quarter,
Josh Jacobs made it a one-score game as he pounded the goal line for a one-yard touchdown run that made it 16-10 as the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Eagles defense and Jake Elliott put the game out of reach for the Packers, as he made two field goals, and the Eagles had three interceptions thrown from Jordan Love, as the Eagles advance to the divisional round via a win against the Packers 22-10.
Zack Baun, Darius Slay Jr., and Quinyon Mitchell all had interceptions for the Eagles, as Baun was the first Eagles linebacker to have a postseason interception, since Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans had one off Drew Brees in the 2014 NFL Wild Card against the New Orleans Saints.
Mitchell, who had the game-sealing interception was the first rookie to have an interception for the Eagles since Roynell Young did it in 1981 against the Dallas Cowboys en route to their first Super Bowl appearance at Super Bowl XV.
Baun, Slay Jr., and Trotter Jr. all had takeaways in the first half, which made it the first time that the Eagles has had multiple takeaways in the first half since at least 2000.
Hurts threw for 131 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 111.4 passer rating, and Saquon Barkley rushed for 119 yards, which was his first postseason game with 100+ rushing yards. That was the most rushing yards in a postseason game since Brian Westbrook had 141 rushing yards in the 2007 NFC Wild Card match against the New York Giants.
The Eagles will host a divisional round matchup with the winner of the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night. The match will be on Sunday at 3pm on NBC/Peacock.
Sports Insider Daily 