FINAL SCORE: Eagles drop fourth straight game in loss to Packers, 30 to 16

For a brief moment there, it looked like the Philadelphia Eagles were going to crawl back from being down 23 to 3 to beat the Green Bay Packers.

Carson Wentz was replaced by Jalen Hurts and the rookie quarterback gave Philly a spark.

But the defense collapsed at the most inopportune time to give Philly their fourth straight loss.

Final score: 30 to 16.

The Eagles are now 3-8-1 on the season.

Read on for observations and postgame thoughts.

FIRST QUARTER

• The Eagles received first. Jack Driscoll officially got the start at right tackle. Alshon Jeffery was on the field over Travis Fulgham. The Eagles opened in 12 personnel (Zach Ertz back) and ran it twice to bring up 3rd-and-1. Wentz snuck it for a first down. A first down on the first drive after five straight three-and-outs last week! Progress! Carson Wentz threw wide of Dallas Goedert (inaccurate pass No. 1) to bring up third down. Greg Ward drew a defensive holding penalty for ANOTHER first down. Two on one drive! Wentz did a smart thing (!) by throwing the ball out of bounds for an incompletion instead of a sack and then completing a ball to Goedert for YET ANOTHER first down. Jalen Reagor ran into Boston Scott in the backfield (lol) to force Wentz into an incompletion. Second week in a row where the rookie wide receiver not knowing where to be ruined a play. The Eagles got to 3rd-and-10 and Wentz floated a ball to Scott but it went incomplete. Looked like pass interference on Christian Kirksey but no call. Jake Elliott made his 52-yard field goal attempt. All told, solid 41-yard drive relative to very low expectations. First lead since Week 8! EAGLES 3, PACKERS 0.
• The Packers botched a toss for a 6-yard loss. Then Javon Hargrave picked up a sack for a 7-yard loss. Hargrave has been more active lately. Three-and-out for the Pack.
• Jalen Reagor took an end around for a first down. Nice to see him used a little more creatively. The Eagles brought in Jordan Howard on 2nd-and-2 and he picked up 11 yards up the middle. Just like last year. Wentz got sacked to bring up 3rd-and-11. He got sacked again to knock the Eagles out of field goal range. Dropped his eyes and held on to the ball too long. So uncomfortable in the pocket. Punt.

• A very quick first quarter ended with Aaron Rodgers finding Davante Adams wide open on a crossing route for 24 yards.

SECOND QUARTER

• The Packers methodically moved into the red zone with Rodgers looking sharp and Aaron Jones moving the chains on the ground. Adams caught another pass to bring up 3rd-and-goal from the inch-line. The Packers inexplicably threw the ball instead of sneaking it to bring up 4th-and-goal. Rodgers found Adams for the contested fourth down catch with Darius Slay unable to break up the play. EAGLES 3, PACKERS 7.

• Special teams penalty on Davion Taylor forced the Eagles to start at their own 8-yard line. Dave Fipp’s unit sure hasn’t been good this year. The Packers sent an obvious third down blitz that resulted in Wentz being sacked for a third time. Punt.

• The Eagles gave up a 36-yard catch-and-run to 36-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis. Very cool. Green Bay drove into field goal range. It looked like Alex Singleton lost Robert Tonyan in coverage after Rodgers bought time and the tight end was left wiiide open for another Packers touchdown. Ninth time in 12 games where the Eagles got down by double digits. EAGLES 3, PACKERS 14.

• The Eagles got to their own 47-yard line before Wentz took yet another sack, this one for a 6-yard loss. Miles Sanders (oh, he’s playing?) slipped during his route to bring up 3rd-and-16. Then Wentz ran for three yards and stayed in-bounds for the first half clock to mercifully run out. It looked like the Eagles were possibly going to get three points on that drive but they got zero. Before then kicking off to the Packers in the second half.

THIRD QUARTER

• The Packers, who entered the game last in kickoff return average (hat tip CBS broadcast), started the second half with a 33-yard return. Naturally. Rodgers took a deep shot with Avonte Maddox beat and Marquez-Valdes Scantling dropped it. Pretty fortunate. The Packers went three-and-out instead.
• Wentz was still in at quarterback to start the second half. He floated a ball to a wiiide open Goedert for a 41-yard gain. Helped that the Packers had a defender fall down. Better throw could’ve allowed Goedert to get a touchdown on that one.

Sanders ran for a 4-yard loss. Wentz threw wide of Ertz and inaccurate (drink) to bring up 3rd-and-14. On third down, Wentz’s throw to John Hightower along the sideline was high and contested. Punt.

• Nice 52-yard punt from Cameron Johnston was downed at the 1-yard line by Michael Jacquet. A good play by special teams for once! But it didn’t matter because Rodgers immediately hit Adams for a 42-yard gain. Crazy throw but Maddox was beat again. And then again by Allen Lazard to put the Packers in the red zone. Rodgers hit Adams once again and the receiver stiff armed the crap out of Slay en route to a touchdown. Should’ve been a facemask penalty on Adams but, still, the Eagles’ top cornerback got beasted. Not good. The Packers missed their extra point attempt, as if that mattered. 99-yard touchdown drive. EAGLES 3, PACKERS 20.

• The Eagles FINALLY brought in Jalen Hurts. He threw a great pass on the money to Jalen Reagor for a 34-yard gain on 3rd-and-4! A big run by Scott was called back due to holding on Isaac Seumalo. The Eagles ran a coward’s draw on 3rd-and-19 for a 3-yard gain. Punt. Well, at least there was some life on that drive. Would’ve been nice to let Hurts throw the ball again after his Reagor completion.

• Not unlike the Seattle Seahawks, the Packers weren’t afraid to go after Slay. He gave up an 11-yard reception to Adams on third down to move Green Bay into Philly’s side of the field.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Maddox got hurt after breaking up a potential touchdown pass to Adams. Forced a field goal, though! EAGLES 3, PACKERS 23.
• Hurts, not Wentz, came in at quarterback once again. He ran twice for two first downs. Mobility is an obvious strength. Hurts picked up another first down with his arm by connecting with Ertz. The Eagles finally targeted Travis Fulgham in the fourth quarter and Jaire Alexander broke it out. Hurts overthrew a wide open Ward on 3rd-and-9 for what could’ve been a first down. Hurts threw a nice ball to Jeffery on 4th-and-9 but it was wiped out by a push off for offensive pass interference penalty. WHY IS JEFFERY PLAYING?!!? On 4th-and-18, Hurts found Ward in the end zone for a TOUCHDOWN! Keep playing the rookie quarterback! EAGLES 10, PACKERS 23.

• The Eagles forced the Packers into a punt. And Reagor returned it 73 yards for a touchdown!!! It’s a game!?! Elliott missed an extra point for the second straight week. EAGLES 16, PACKERS 23.

• Josh Sweat and Duke Riley combined for a big special teams tackle. Then the Eagles forced another three-and-out! This team was suddenly playing with life and energy!
• Two Hurts incompletions and one sack forced the Eagles to punt from their own 38-yard line on 4th-and-13.
• The Eagles needed another defensive stop. Instead, Aaron Jones broke free for a 77-yard touchdown run. Missed tackles by a lot of defenders on that one. Just when you thought the Eagles might’ve actually had a chance to win. Timely collapse. EAGLES 16, PACKERS 30.

• Bad drop by Fulgham right before the two-minute warning brought up 3rd-and-10. Then Hurts threw a pick thanks to getting hit while he threw.

FINAL SCORE: 30 to 16, Eagles LOSE

RAPID REACTION

• Jalen Hurts has to be the Eagles’ starting quarterback next week. Do you agree?

• Hurts clearly wasn’t perfect. But he did provide a spark. Liked his mobility and how he threw with accuracy. Would like to see him get rid of the ball a little quicker. Also would like to see him get a full week of first team reps and a game plan based around him as a starter. Hurts finished 5/12 for 109 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a 67.7 passer rating. Also had five rushing attempts for 29 yards.
• Doug Pederson suddenly didn’t look like the worst head coach ever with a struggling Carson Wentz out of the game? Not that the offense was amazing or anything with Hurts. But it wasn’t as broken.
• Great to see Jalen Reagor make some big plays in this one! Nice catch down the sideline and the punt return was obviously huge. Kind of crazy how the Eagles have been wasting Greg Ward on punt returns for most of the season.
• Still way too much Alshon Jeffery! Why are they doing this.
• The New York Giants beat the Seattle Seahawks. You already knew this but the Eagles aren’t winning the NFC East.

INJURIES

• Derek Barnett got banged up in the second quarter. He was rolling on the ground in pain. He re-entered the game, though.
• Davion Taylor suffered a knee injury in the second quarter. He did not return.
• Jason Peters (foot) and T.J. Edwards (hamstring) got hurt in the third quarter. Nate Herbig came in to play right guard.
• Darius Slay got hurt late in the third quarter and did not return. He entered the game with a calf injury.
• Avonte Maddox got hurt early in the fourth quarter.