In a gritty display of dominance, the Philadelphia Eagles overcame the Green Bay Packers 22-10 in Sunday night’s NFC Wild Card matchup at Lincoln Financial Field. With quarterback Jalen Hurts returning from a late-season concussion, tight end Dallas Goedert delivering one of the postseason’s most electrifying plays, and the NFL’s top-ranked defense rising to the occasion, the Eagles marched one step closer to Super Bowl aspirations.
After missing three weeks, Jalen Hurts showed no signs of rust, completing his first six passes, including an 11-yard touchdown to Jahan Dotson on the Eagles’ opening drive. That early score came on the heels of a critical Green Bay miscue — Keisean Nixon’s fumble on the opening kickoff, forced by Oren Burks and recovered by Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Hurts finished the game with 131 passing yards and two touchdowns. While the numbers were modest, his composure was undeniable. “We need to find our rhythm earlier in the game,” Hurts admitted, hinting at a stretch where he missed seven straight passes before finding his groove late in the third quarter.
The highlight of the night belonged to Dallas Goedert, whose 24-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was a masterpiece of power and determination. Breaking three tackles — including a stiff-arm barrage on Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine — Goedert muscled his way into the end zone, sending the Philadelphia crowd into a frenzy. The play extended the Eagles’ lead to 16-3 and will surely be etched into franchise lore.
Philadelphia’s defense made life miserable for Packers quarterback Jordan Love, intercepting him three times and sacking him twice. Cornerback Darius Slay and All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun both snagged first-half interceptions, while Quinyon Mitchell sealed the game with a pick in the final two minutes.
Green Bay’s lone bright spot came from running back Josh Jacobs, who totaled 81 yards and a touchdown. His 31-yard burst in the third quarter showcased his own grit, dragging Eagles defenders to the 1-yard line before punching it in for the score. However, the Packers’ offense struggled to sustain momentum, finishing with only 10 points.
Kicker Jake Elliott rebounded from a missed extra point on Goedert’s touchdown, drilling three field goals, including a clutch 30-yarder in the fourth quarter. His accuracy helped Philadelphia maintain a steady lead despite offensive lulls.
With Green Bay trailing 19-10 late in the fourth quarter, Philadelphia’s defense forced a turnover on downs at the Packers’ 41-yard line. Moments later, Mitchell’s interception extinguished any hope of a Green Bay comeback.
The Eagles now await the winner of Monday night’s wild-card showdown between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. Whoever emerges will face Philadelphia next Sunday at the Linc in the divisional round.
For the Packers, the loss marks the end of a rollercoaster season. Despite Jordan Love’s flashes of promise, his three-interception night highlighted areas that need improvement for Green Bay to contend in the future.
“We’re thrilled to have Jalen back,” said Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. “He showed tremendous poise out there. And our defense — man, they were lights out. That’s the kind of football we need to play if we’re going to keep this thing rolling.”
Meanwhile, Hurts summed up the team’s mindset: “We’ve got more to prove. This was just step one.”
For now, Philadelphia celebrates a well-earned victory, confident their balanced attack and championship-caliber defense can carry them further into the postseason.
