Jaelan Phillips Shines in Eagles 10-7 Debut vs. Packers/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Jaelan Phillips starred in his Eagles debut, making two key defensive plays in a 10-7 win over the Packers. Philadelphia’s defense held strong, with a second-half touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith proving decisive. Green Bay failed to capitalize on late opportunities, missing a long field goal as time expired.
Jaelan Phillips Powers Dominant Eagles Defense in Win: Defensive Quick Looks
- Phillips recovers key fumble and assists on critical fourth-down stop
- Hurts connects with Smith for 36-yard touchdown
- Game marks first NFL scoreless first half since 2023
- Packers’ playoff position slips after second straight loss
- Both offenses struggle in low-scoring, grind-it-out contest
Jaelan Phillips Shines in Eagles 10-7 Debut vs. Packers
Deep Look
Jaelan Phillips made a memorable first impression in his debut for the Philadelphia Eagles, helping the defending champions grind out a 10-7 road win against the Green Bay Packers in a game dominated by defense.
Acquired from the Miami Dolphins at the trade deadline, Phillips stepped up in key moments to seal the victory. He recovered a critical fumble just before halftime and later assisted in a fourth-quarter fourth-down stop that halted a last-ditch Packers rally.
“The biggest thing I noticed was just no panic,” said Phillips. “There was just utmost confidence on both sides of the ball. It felt really good to be in that environment.”
The Eagles acquired the dynamic edge rusher to bolster their defense for a postseason push, and he wasted no time proving his worth. With the Eagles clinging to a three-point lead late in the game, Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs was stuffed on a crucial fourth-and-1, with Phillips and Reed Blankenship combining for the stop.
“He loves football. He loves working,” said head coach Nick Sirianni. “You could see it the way he was running around in practice. His motor is always running.”
The Eagles’ offense found its lone spark early in the fourth quarter when Jalen Hurts launched a 36-yard touchdown strike to DeVonta Smith. The score came just one play after a highlight-reel 41-yard reception by Saquon Barkley, who made a sharp spin move to break free from a defender and set up the score.
Barkley finished the night with 60 yards on 22 carries, but his biggest impact came on that single reception that helped ignite the touchdown drive.
“We have huge sparks,” said Barkley. “Two to three plays, we can go downfield and score. That’s what this team is built on.”
The Packers answered with a six-yard touchdown run by Jacobs, trimming the lead to 10-7 with just under six minutes to play. But their final two possessions came up short. First, the Eagles’ defense forced a turnover on downs when Jacobs lost control of the ball on fourth-and-short. Then, with time running out, the Packers moved into Eagles territory on a pass from Jordan Love to Bo Melton but failed to convert a 64-yard field goal attempt by Brandon McManus.
The long kick fell several yards short as time expired.
Offensive Struggles on Both Sides
The game was a defensive slugfest from the opening whistle. In fact, the first half was entirely scoreless, marking the NFL’s first 0-0 halftime score since December 2023, when two separate games went into the break without points. Both teams had difficulty finding rhythm, and the Eagles finally broke the deadlock with a 39-yard field goal from Jake Elliott to open the second half.
Philadelphia’s “tush push” quarterback sneak made its usual appearance, with Hurts picking up a first down in short-yardage. Ironically, the Packers—who tried to ban the play in the offseason—also successfully ran a quarterback sneak without assistance from behind.
Despite the defensive nature of the game, Philadelphia improved to 7-2, maintaining their lead in the NFC playoff picture. The Packers, meanwhile, fell to 5-3-1, slipping to third in the NFC North and losing ground in the conference playoff race after holding the NFC’s best record just over a week ago.
Injuries and Absences
Injuries hit both squads. Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson briefly exited with an ankle injury but returned later in the game. Center Cam Jurgens remained sidelined due to a knee issue.
The Packers lost multiple key players, including center Elgton Jenkins (ankle) and wide receiver Romeo Doubs (chest). Three others — WR Matthew Golden (shoulder), DL Lukas Van Ness (foot), and CB Nate Hobbs (knee) — were inactive.
Looking Ahead
Philadelphia will return home to host the Detroit Lions in a high-stakes Sunday night matchup. Green Bay, meanwhile, travels east to face the New York Giants as they try to steady their season and hold onto playoff positioning.
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