NFL: Packers handed first loss of season

GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers converted on just 3-of-7 red zone trips and dropped their first game of the season in a 34-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field on Thursday.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers passed for 422 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but couldn’t lead the team to any points on a pair of fourth quarter drives that got inside the Philadelphia 5-yard line.

Rodgers threw four straight incompletions from the 1-yard line as the Packers tried to tie the game with over nine minutes to play. After getting the offense to the 3-yard line on another potential game-tying drive, Rodgers was picked off after a deflected pass got past receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling with under 30 seconds to play.

Rodgers liked the matchup with Valdes-Scantling on what turned into the game-sealing interception, but wished he had waited an extra second, when receiver Darrius Shepherd emerged wide open behind Valdes-Scantling.

“To me, it felt like with the slightly outside leverage on Darrius that Marquez was going to win,” said Rodgers. “It’s so tight down there. If I hold it a tick, obviously, I’m going to see Darrius, so it was disappointing for it to end like that.”

For those two failed red zone opportunities, the Packers didn’t have receiver Davante Adams on the field after he suffered a toe injury.

Before the injury, Adams produced a monster game, hauling in 10 passes for 180 yards.

Tight end Jimmy Graham had his best game of the season, catching six passes for 61 yards and a touchdown, while receiver Geronimo Allison had three catches for 52 yards and the other score.

The Packers also got six points on a pair of Mason Crosby field goals after the hosts worked the ball into the red zone.

“We have to do a better job in the red zone,” said coach Matt LaFleur. “And when you’re three for seven, you’re not going to win many games.”

After the defense carried the team to its 3-0 start, the unit was unable to get much pressure on Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz or force a turnover.

The Eagles only gained 336 yards of offense, but scored touchdowns on each of their four red zone trips. Philadelphia finished with more rushing yards (176) than passing yards (160).

“We got to stop the run, we got to limit the run. And that takes all 11 (players on defense), not just the front seven, that’s the secondary included. We’re going to go over it and look at the film,” said safety Adrian Amos, who finished with seven total tackles. “It’s mistakes we’ve made in wins that are magnified in losses like this.”

The Eagles also became the first team to win the turnover battle against Green Bay this season. Philadelphia’s defense had a strip sack of Rodgers in the second quarter, which the offense turned into seven points to take a 21-13 lead.

The Packers opened the game by scoring the first 10 points, including another quick touchdown drive to get things started.

Philadelphia bounced back with a 21-point second quarter but Rodgers orchestrated a seven-play, 70-yard drive in 50 seconds to leave the Packers trailing by just one, 21-20, at halftime.

Green Bay never led in the second half, but did tie the game at 27 after the touchdown pass to Graham.

The Eagles regained the lead with a 75-yard touchdown drive in just over four minutes for the game’s final score.

Green Bay outgained Philadelphia 491-336, but struggled to run the ball, tallying just 77 yards on the ground.

Running back Aaron Jones received 13 carries, but only mustered 21 yards. He scored on a 3-yard run on the Packers’ opening drive.

Rodgers finished with 46 rushing yards to lead Green Bay.

The only other active Packers’ RB was Jamaal Williams, who was stretchered off after taking a late hit after hauling in a pass on the team’s first play from scrimmage.

Williams was taken to a local hospital during the game and posted a message to Instagram saying he was doing better Friday morning.

Blake Martinez led the defense with 15 total tackles, while Will Redmond made eight before leaving with an injury.

Along with Adams, Williams and Redmond, Tony Brown and Bryan Bulaga also left the game with injuries.

Luckily, the team has some extra time to recover, playing its next game on the road against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 6.

sports@newmedia-wi.com