PHILADELPHIA – The Packers made a litany of mistakes early on offense and special teams in dropping the NFC Wild Card playoff to the Eagles, 22-10, on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The defeat ends the No. 7-seeded Packers' season with a three-game losing streak and 11-7 overall mark. The No. 2-seeded Eagles advance to host the NFC Divisional playoff and are 15-3, having lost just one game since their Week 5 bye.
In the first half, the Packers fumbled the opening kickoff to set up an early Eagles touchdown, QB Jordan Love threw two interceptions, and K Brandon McManus missed a field goal, just his second miss of the season. Green Bay's defense hung tough to keep it just a 10-0 game at intermission.
Twice in the second half, the Packers got within one score, at 10-3 and again at 16-10 on a Josh Jacobs TD run. But the Eagles answered with points both times, ultimately taking a 19-10 lead before the Packers turned it over on downs in their own territory with roughly five minutes left to seal their fate.
The Eagles used the short field to tack on another field goal to make it 22-10, and then Love threw his third INT of the game on a desperation deep ball just after the two-minute warning.
Injuries piled up, as the Packers lost LG Elgton Jenkins (shoulder), DT Devonte Wyatt (lower leg), WR Romeo Doubs (concussion) and WR Jayden Reed (shoulder) during the game. Two substitutes at left guard were called for three holding penalties, and Green Bay's receiver depth didn't rise up to compensate. In the game's final minutes, LB Quay Walker and C Josh Myers also went down with injuries.
For the Packers, Love was 20-of-32 for 212 yards with the three INTs and a 41.5 passer rating. RB Josh Jacobs had 18 carries for 81 yards and a TD and added three catches for 40 yards. Reed had four catches for 46 yards before exiting the game, while WR Dontayvion Wicks caught two passes for 39 yards (plus drawing a defensive pass interference penalty to set up a field goal) and TE Tucker Kraft caught five passes but for just 26 yards.
For the Eagles, QB Jalen Hurts was 13-of-21 for 131 yards with two TDs and a 111.4 rating. Hurts added 36 rushing yards on six attempts. RB Saquon Barkley had 25 carries for 119 yards, while WR DeVonta Smith had four catches for 55 yards and TE Dallas Goedert had four catches for 47 and a TD.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Eagles lead Packers 10-0 after first quarter
Philadelphia won the opening coin toss and elected to defer. Keisean Nixon fumbled the kickoff return after a hit from former Packers linebacker Oren Burks. Nixon appeared to corral it, but Philadelphia was awarded the ball at the Green Bay 28.
Saquon Barkley ran for 12 yards on first down. On second-and-9, the Packers' four-game rush couldn't get home, and Jalen Hurts used the time to find Jahan Dotson for an 11-yard touchdown to put the Eagles up 7-0 with 13 minutes, 21 seconds left in the first quarter.
Green Bay was called for holding on the kickoff and went three-and-out after starting at its own 13. Daniel Whelan's punt traveled 49 yards with Bo Melton immediately tackling Cooper DeJean at the Eagles' 35.
The Eagles gained the initial first down with a 10-yard pass to A.J. Brown. Green Bay forced a punt after Javon Bullard tackled Barkley for no gain on a quick pass on third-and-5.
On a 6-yard slant to Romeo Doubs, linebacker Nolan Smith drilled his helmet into the right shoulder of left guard Elgton Jenkins, causing him to leave the game with a stinger. Rookie Travis Glover replaced Jenkins.
Jordan Love connected with Tucker Kraft for 10 yards on a third-and-2 out, but Green Bay was forced to punt after Nolan sacked Love on the next third down.
Barkley opened the next drive with a 17-yard run. Hurts then scrambled for 15 yards across midfield. Kenneth Gainwell gained four yards on third-and-3 to move the ball to the Green Bay 26. DeVonta Smith then caught a 10-yard pass on second-and-8.
Rashan Gary forced Hurts to throw the ball away on second-and-10 and Edgerrin Cooper came unabated to Hurts up the middle, leading to another incompletion. Philadelphia settled for a 31-yard Jake Elliott field goal to push its lead to 10-0 with 19 seconds left in the first quarter.
Eagles lead Packers 10-0 at halftime
The second quarter started with Darius Slay picking off Love on a deep ball intended for Dontayvion Wicks. Philadelphia took over at its 22.
Green Bay's defense forced a three-and-out, with Jayden Reed returning Braden Mann's 54-yard punt 20 yards to the Packers' 43. It was Reed's longest punt return of the season.
A 3-yard Josh Jacobs run and 9-yard out to Reed moved Green Bay across midfield. After a 4-yard Jacobs run, Tucker Kraft motioned under center on third-and-1 and took a direct snap eight yards to the Philadelphia 36.
Jacobs was tackled for a 6-yard loss on second-and-6, but Love scrambled for 11 yards up the middle. The Packers ran the sneak to Kraft a second time on fourth-and-1 and it worked again.
The drive stalled at the Philadelphia 20 and Brandon McManus missed a 38-yard field goal wide right with 5:05 remaining.
Colby Wooden chased Hurts down for a sack and loss of three yards on first down and the Eagles went three-and-out again. The Packers took over at their own 28 after an illegal touch by Philadelphia.
Reed broke multiple tackles to gain 20 yards on first-and-10 after a holding penalty on Glover. Kadeem Telfort replaced Glover after a second-holding penalty.
Kraft caught a 12-yard pass on first-and-20 and Chris Brooks gained another five on second down. Doubs converted with a 7-yard completion on third-and-3. Zack Baun picked off Love on second-and-8 at the Philadelphia 48 and returned it to the Packers' 45.
Green Bay's defense again got off the field, with safety Evan Williams breaking up a pass for Dallas Goedert. Philadelphia was forced to punt after a false start on Dallas Goedert when the Eagles attempted to go for it on fourth-and-4 from their 39.
Philadelphia ended the first half with three consecutive three-and-outs, gaining just seven yards.
Eagles lead Packers 16-3 after three
The second half started with the Packers announcing both Jenkins (shoulder) and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (lower leg) are out.
Barkley gained a first down off a 7-yard run on second-and-6 but was dropped for a 2-yard loss by defensive tackle T.J. Slaton on the next play. Gary then sacked Hurts for a loss of seven on second down and Philadelphia punted on fourth-and-18 after a third-down draw to Barkley gained a yard.
The Packers took over at their 16. After two carries for eight yards, Jacobs gained 11 on a route out of the backfield on third-and-2.
Facing third-and-4, Love stood tall through an Eagles blitz and delivered a 29-yard pass to Wicks to the Philadelphia 30. After a 7-yard Jacobs run, Love couldn't connect with Doubs on a deep pass in the end zone. Doubs was injured on the play.
Telfort was called for holding on the play, moving Green Bay back to the Eagles' 33.
Quinyon Mitchell was flagged for defensive pass interference against Wicks on third-and-13, a 24-yard penalty that set up first-and-goal at the Philadelphia 9.
Love threw two incompletions after a 2-yard Jacobs run on first down. Brandon McManus made a 26-yard field goal to cut the Eagles' lead to 10-3 with 5:46 left in the third quarter.
Philadelphia quickly answered with Smith gaining 28 yards off a rollout pass from Hurts on third-and-3. After a 9-yard pass to Smith, Goedert fought off Carrington Valentine down the sideline for the 24-yard touchdown to put the Eagles up 16-3 with 3:20 left in the third quarter after Elliott missed the extra point.
Jacobs gained 15 yards on a slant on first down. After a 5-yard Jacobs run, Reed was injured after catching a 13-yard slant across the middle to the Philadelphia 45.
Love threaded the needle with a 10-yard pass to Wicks, who looked in the catch on third-and-7 despite heavy pressure. The third quarter ended with Jacobs bulldozing his way 31 yards to the Eagles' 1-yard line.
Packers' season ends in 22-10 loss to Eagles
The fourth quarter began with Jacobs punching in a 1-yard touchdown to cut Philadelphia's lead to 16-10 with 14:56 left in regulation. It was Jacobs' ninth straight game with at least one rushing touchdown.
Philadelphia ran a fake off its tush-push look, but the Packers had the downfield option covered on third-and-1. Hurts successfully pulled off the sneak on the next play.
A controversial unnecessary roughness penalty was called near the sideline on Nixon at the end of Barkley's 4-yard carry, moving the ball to the Green Bay 26.
Holding penalties on Smith and right tackle Lane Johnson pushed Philadelphia back twice and the Eagles settled for a 30-yard Elliott field goal to go up 19-10 with 7:33 remaining.
Jacobs gained 14 yards off a check down. After a draw to Emanuel Wilson gained nothing on third down Malik Heath couldn't get his feet down on the sideline throw from Love on fourth-and-3. The Eagles took over at the Green Bay 41.
The Packers held Barkley to a 1-yard gain on second-and-5, but T.J. Slaton was called for unnecessary roughness after the play. The Eagles eventually kicked a 32-yard field goal to push their lead to 22-10 with 3:12 left.
Love was sacked on first down. Center Josh Myers sustained a leg injury on the play and was carted to the locker room. The Packers moved into Philadelphia territory with a 24-yard pass to Emanuel Wilson and a 16-yard completion to Bo Melton at the two-minute warning.
Love tried a deep ball across the hashes and Quinyon Mitchell picked it off in the end zone. Philadelphia then ran out the clock on Green Bay's season.
