GREEN BAY – The Packers had a big second quarter and added one more score late in a 24-9 victory over the Eagles in the preseason opener on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
Here's a recap of the four quarters of action.
First quarter:
A sloppy start for the Packers led to an early 6-0 lead for the Eagles after one quarter of the preseason opener on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
The game began with the Packers going three-and-out, though they lined up to go for it on fourth-and-1 before a false start forced them to punt.
The Eagles picked up a first down on a 6-yard pass to WR Jordan Matthews, but LB Nick Perry followed with an 8-yard sack, and moments later CB Damarious Randall left the game with an injury. He was carted to the locker room, and it was later announced he was being evaluated for a concussion. The Eagles eventually faced fourth-and-2 in Green Bay territory and went for it, converting on another pass to Matthews, for 7 yards and a first down on the 35.
Two run stops pushed the Eagles back 3 yards, but on third-and-13, QB Carson Wentz avoided what looked like a sure sack by LB Clay Matthews and found WR Mack Hollins over the middle. Hollins then broke tackle attempts by CBs Kevin King and Quinten Rollins and scored from 38 yards out. A two-point pass attempt was incomplete, and the Eagles led 6-0 with 6:33 left in the quarter.
Two plays into Green Bay's next series, RB Ty Montgomery fumbled. Eagles DT Fletcher Cox forced it, and CB Patrick Robinson recovered at the Packers' 27.
With Matt McGloin in at QB, the Eagles got a first down in the red zone after an 11-yard pass to WR Bryce Treggs. On fourth-and-1 from the 7, the Eagles went for it again, but S Kentrell Brice was the first to contact RB Corey Clement in the backfield, and CB Quinten Rollins and LB Joe Thomas cleaned up to get the stop.
The Packers finally got moving as the quarter ended as QB Brett Hundley found WR Davante Adams for an 18-yard gain and TE Martellus Bennett for a 13-yard gain for a pair of first downs.
Second quarter:
The Packers dominated the second quarter to take a 17-6 halftime lead over the Eagles. Punt-return and passing TDs, plus three turnovers, all helped Green Bay.
The Packers' promising drive to start the quarter stalled when WR Jeff Janis dropped a third-down pass from Hundley. P Justin Vogel's Aussie-style punt was muffed by RB Donnel Pumphrey, but he recovered his own fumble at the Philly 9.
The Packers' defense got a three-and-out, as LB Joe Thomas and DT Ricky Jean Francois stopped Pumphrey on a third-and-3 run. Then on the punt, Packers WR Trevor Davis weaved his way through the middle and was gone for a 68-yard touchdown. K Mason Crosby's PAT put the Packers ahead, 7-6, with 11:50 left in the half.
Green Bay got the ball right back again, as CB LaDarius Gunter forced a fumble by TE Trey Burton after a reception. Gunter recovered at the Philly 40.
The Packers took advantage. RB Jamaal Williams carried three times for 10 yards, WR Geronimo Allison moved the chains on a 10-yard slant, and Hundley fired a beautiful 20-yard TD pass to Janis between two defenders with 8:25 left in the half. Crosby was good on the conversion again, and the Packers led, 14-6.
Another turnover gave the Packers another great opportunity. Thomas picked off McGloin's third-down pass intended for Humphrey and returned it 30 yards to the Philly 17.
Eagles DE Derek Barnett sacked Hundley on second down for an 8-yard loss, though, and the Packers had to settle for Crosby's 39-yard field goal. The kick was good, extending the Packers' lead to 17-6 with 5:33 left in the half.
Packers S Kentrell Brice left the game with a finger injury, and the defense got another three-and-out. DT Ricky Jean Francois got a tackle for loss in the backfield on a running play, and King laid a big hit on Pumphrey after a short pass.
Barnett sacked Hundley again, though, for a 12-yard loss, and Packers backup C Don Barclay got hurt on the play. He was helped off the field, putting no pressure on his right leg. Lucas Patrick took over at center for Barclay, who was carted to the locker room. It was later announced Barclay had an ankle injury.
A 12-yard completion to WR Max McCaffrey preceded a punt, a 52-yard effort by Vogel that was coupled with an Eagles holding penalty to pin Philly back on its own 7 with 1:53 to go until halftime.
The Eagles got close to scoring range on a 38-yard pass to Treggs, but TE Billy Brown, while getting held up by King, fumbled on a big hit from LB Blake Martinez. DT Christian Ringo recovered for the Packers with 1:04 on the clock.
Green Bay gave it right back, though, as Hundley was intercepted by LB Mychal Kendricks on a pass intended for McCaffrey. An 8-yard pass from McGloin to Treggs put the Eagles on the Green Bay 28, but K Caleb Sturgis hit the right upright from 46 yards out on the final play of the half.
Third quarter:
The Eagles engineered a long drive for a field goal to cut their deficit to 17-9 after three quarters against the Packers.
The Eagles began the second half with the ball and picked up one first down before punting. Davis returned the punt 26 yards, giving the Packers the ball on their own 44, with Joe Callahan taking over at quarterback.
Callahan scrambled for one first down, but on the next third down, he was sacked by CB Aaron Grymes, and Vogel's punt was downed at the Philly 9.
The Eagles put together a long drive from there. Treggs and Hollins each caught two passes from McGloin for a total of 36 yards, RB Corey Clement carried twice for 9 yards, and WR Greg Ward converted on fourth-and-2 with a 4-yard catch to the Green Bay 39.
McGloin then found Clement on back-to-back throws for 20 and 11 yards, making it first-and-goal on the 8. The Packers' defense held there, though, and Sturgis was good from 25 yards out to pull the Eagles within 17-9 with 1:13 left in the quarter. The drive covered 19 plays in all.
Callahan hit rookie RB Devante Mays for a 5-yard gain to convert on fourth-and-2 on the final play of the quarter.
Fourth quarter:
The Packers got in position for another score as Callahan spun away from a sack and found McCaffrey for a 34-yard gain to the Philly 23. But on the next play, rookie WR Malachi Dupre absorbed a big hit from LB Tre Sullivan and fumbled, with the Eagles recovering.
Dupre was down on the field and being attended to for several minutes before being immobilized and taken off the field on a stretcher. Dupre was moving his arms and gave a thumbs up to the crowd while being wheeled out. It was later announced Dupre had movement and feeling in all his extremities and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.
After a Philly three-and-out, Callahan connected with rookie WRs DeAngelo Yancey for 15 yards, Michael Clark for 12, and Montay Crockett for 12 more to the Eagles' 31. Multiple penalties and a sack stalled the drive, though, and the Packers were forced to punt.
Another three-and-out brought Packers rookie QB Taysom Hill into the game with 6:06 left. Hill was sacked on second down and fumbled, with Green Bay recovering, and the Packers punted again.
Ward muffed Vogel's 56-yard punt but managed to recover. Packers rookie CB Raysean Pringle had a chance to get the ball and ended up injured on the play. He was being evaluated for a concussion.
Packers S Marwin Evans then intercepted a deep ball from QB Dane Evans intended for WR Shelton Gibson, and Green Bay took over with 3:04 left. It was the fourth turnover for the Packers' defense in the game.
Hill hit McCaffrey for 14 yards to convert on third-and-11 just after the two-minute warning, and then Yancey hauled in a 46-yard pass to make it first-and-goal on the 9. Two plays later, Hill found Clark for a 7-yard TD with 9 seconds left.Complete game coverage:
