Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) reacts against the Green Bay Packers during the first half in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Eagles' 22-10 win over the Packers on Sunday had something for everyone.
For the worriers? Jalen Hurts completed just 13 of 21 passes for 131 yards. A.J.Brown caught exactly one ball--for ten yards--and was spotted reading a book on the sidelines. And despite a Packers fumble on the opening kickoff and a +4 turnover margin, the Birds let the Packers hang around until late in the game.
Gary got 'em!#GBvsPHI pic.twitter.com/3RfCHT8bl0
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 12, 2025
For the optimists? The Birds' defense held an offense that averaged 27.1 points per game in the regular season to just ten points. The Eagles forced those four turnovers. The offense protected the ball, Hurts threw two touchdowns, and the team averaged 5 yards per carry en route to 169 rushing yards.
Saquon Barkley is special man pic.twitter.com/LAsqa8V161
— Shane Haff (@ShaneHaffNFL) January 12, 2025
First things first. The best defense in the NFL looked like exactly that:
Darius Slay with one of the best CB reps I’ve seen all season. Technique & ball skills = INT 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/vZ5X2C5hOJ
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 12, 2025
Zack Baun now with the interception. The Eagles have 3 takeaways. Jordan Love didn’t throw an interception the second half of the season. 2 today
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) January 12, 2025
pic.twitter.com/Y9mUxQqsbz
🚨BREAKING: #EAGLES ROOKIE STAR CORNERBACK QUINYON MITCHELL JUST HAD HIS FIRST CAREER INTERCEPTION.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 13, 2025
IT CLINCHES PLAYOFF WIN. BALLGAME.
CONGRATULATIONS Q.
pic.twitter.com/1uQhhHfw5S
The Eagles set the tone for a physical game early. On the very first play, in fact.
FORCED FUMBLE ON THE OPENING KICKOFF ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! pic.twitter.com/HBPuoeVPnG
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) January 12, 2025
Hurts immediately cashed in with a touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson.
JAHAN DOTSON (+4000) SCORES HIS FIRST TD AS AN EAGLE WHEN IT MATTERS THE MOST
— BetOnline (@BetOnline_ag) January 12, 2025
pic.twitter.com/DfylK1Gy9O
Credit for Hurts' other touchdown pass goes to a pure bully effort from Dallas Goedert.
Nah multiple stiff arms is insane lmao packers db just got bitched by goedert pic.twitter.com/wCrBFfSH7E
— John (@iam_johnw) January 12, 2025
As soon as Dallas Goedert scored Carrington Valentine should’ve immediately announced his retirement. You don’t let a dude stiff arm the shit out of you like this and just move on to the next play pic.twitter.com/CnVSUf9Agu
— Gill Boldberg (@Gill_Boldberg) January 12, 2025
That man has a family, Dallas Goedert… 😂 pic.twitter.com/5gm462xdz2
— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) January 12, 2025
Goedert's touchdown will probably be the enduring image of this Eagles playoff win. But if Hurts landed this pass on the fake tush push, the play would have been legendary:
THE TUSH PUSH PLAY ACTION FAILS. pic.twitter.com/M2b9Bi2bwU
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) January 13, 2025
Fake Tush Push in the Super Bowl should've been an iconic Philly Philly moment instead of a wild card round incompletion 😢
— Chris OIIey (@chrisoIIey) January 13, 2025
Certain gamblers may also have this image embedded in their brain for a bit:
Saquon Barkley doesn’t fucking care about anything but winning a Super Bowl pic.twitter.com/o80dCwiIZq
— Barstool Philly (@BarstoolPhilly) January 13, 2025
Saquon Barkley explains why he went down at the end of the game
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) January 13, 2025
Says not only was it the right thing to do situationally but also it prevented anyone from getting hurt on the play if he kept running pic.twitter.com/122EFSNqu4
Saquon Barkley when I need him to score a TD to pay rent this month pic.twitter.com/OAAfHeHSo8
— GhettoGronk (@TheGhettoGronk) January 13, 2025
In the end? All that matters is that the Eagles survived and advanced. Two more wins will put them in the Super Bowl.
EAGLES WIN 🦅 pic.twitter.com/cInplyip9Y
— MILLION $ WORTH OF GAME (@mworthofgame) January 13, 2025
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