5 lessons from the Packers’ opening loss to the Eagles

3. Another promising drive ended with a missed field goal, which also proved costly.

Trailing by five points late in the third quarter, the Packers again had to settle for a field goal, and rookie Brayden Narveson missed and grazed the right goal post from 40 yards out.

It was just another point the Packers dropped in a game that was close throughout. Narveson’s third goal in four attempts in the fourth quarter brought the score to two, 31-29, as the miss was already predictable.

“We had a lot of chances that we didn’t capitalize on, and when you don’t, you lose,” LaFleur said. “The red zone was a big problem tonight. Last year I thought we were pretty good in that area, but tonight we got destroyed there.”

4. The penalties certainly didn’t help.

In total, there were 17 in the game (10 against Green Bay, 7 against Philly), not including disallowed or equalizing goals.

On offense, the Packers had a couple of damaging holding calls, as well as an offensive pass interference and several pre-snap violations. On defense, late, untimely fouls helped the Eagles nearly cover the final eight minutes on the clock when the Packers needed the ball back.

“There’s a lot to work through,” LaFleur said. “Definitely a sloppy game for us. Honestly, we did some uncharacteristic things as a team that affected our players.”

“The guys fought hard, but it was sloppy. It seemed like every time we got a penalty on offense it interrupted a drive. We overcame some of those, but a lot of penalties.”

5. Ultimately, the Eagles simply had too much firepower.

The teams were neck and neck: Jayden Reed (four catches, 138 yards) scored with a 33-yard end-around run and a 70-yard catch-and-run pass for the Packers, while AJ Brown (five for 119) caught a 67-yard touchdown pass for the Eagles.

After a slow start, Josh Jacobs was able to get more and more free for the Packers and finished with 80 yards, but Saquon Barkley managed 109 yards on the ground with two TDs for Philly and a receiving touchdown.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for 278 yards (20 of 34) to Love’s 260 yards (17 of 34). More importantly, the Eagles simply had too many long drives – three with more than five minutes of possession, the last with more than seven – and the Packers missed too many tackles in the debut of new coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense.

“They beat us up,” LaFleur said. “I expected more from our pass rush tonight, and when we pressed, it often looked like guys were uncovered.”

“We made a few mistakes, we left a few gaps in the running game where Saquon rushed through and made big gains. You can’t do that against a good football team.”

Both teams struggled with their footing on the slippery field, resulting in many missed tackles, but LaFleur stressed that this was the same for both clubs.

In the end, the crowd of 47,236 exuberant spectators was well entertained.

“I thought the atmosphere was great,” said LaFleur. “Kudos to the fans tonight. They showed up. It was an incredible setting.”

“I’m just disappointed at the moment that we didn’t take the chance to come here, show what we’re about and play our best football.”