Above Image Credit: Packers Talk
When: Friday, Sept. 6th, 8:15 PM EST
Where: Corinthians Arena (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Channel: Peacock (click here to subscribe)
The Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles will make NFL history as the first teams to battle in a brand new stage: the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Players to Watch Out For
Packers QB Jordan Love is ready to start the new journey after making a huge impact last season. He will get some offensive help from Josh Jacobs, who will have a newfound beginning after struggling the last few years in the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jacobs was one of the top running backs back in 2022, but he fell short on expectations last season. That was inevitable, however, considering the Raiders went through a lot of changes which put a damper on his talent. Now that he’s with a more consistent team, he can find his balance again and run the ball more.
The Eagles will have some new help too when Saquon Barkley takes the field. He spent the last six seasons as part of the New York Giants. Combine his speed with Hurts’s passing techniques, and you create a likely new duo that will get the NFL’s attention.
Half of the running backs in the Eagles are out or on injured reserve, so you can also expect to see rookie Will Shipley show his stuff too. Shipley finished his career in Clemson with 2,747 yards and 31 touchdowns plus 85 receptions and two receiving TDs.
A Carnival of Concern
While it’s historic for the NFL to take their brand to South America for the first time ever, some players don’t feel too excited about it, and it’s for a good reason.
Eagles CB Darius Slay didn’t want to go while WR DeVonta Smith didn’t make comments about how excited he was playing in Brazil. A few other players were told not to leave the hotel. Sources say that the reason for these behaviors and actions are the safety concerns.
Brazil is among the highest in gun violence and crime rates in South America. As a result, Sao Paulo’s government announced several security measures for the event. Military and police officers will be deployed to the stadium.
Plus, military officers will escort the teams’ buses from the hotels to the stadium and back. Trained dogs will be present at the stadium to detect explosive devices, and helicopters and drones will be present as well. Finally, there will be a police station for women who become victims of violence.
Packers vs. Eagles: Final Prediction
Love and Hurts are going to put on a show on Friday. Both sides have new additions to the offense that will give them some extra power.
The Packers surprised everyone last season, making it all the way to the NFC divisional playoffs before losing to the 49ers. The Eagles, however, crashed and burned against Tampa Bay in the wild cards.
I believe that the Eagles have the bigger motivation to start their season right. They want to put the troubles of last season behind them. Having Barkley as part of the offense is a great start to making it happen.
Green Bay has a lot to show too. I believe their season will be a special one just like last year, and a win will give a statement to their opponents this season. However, I believe the biggest advantage has to go to the Eagles, but the Packers will definitely make a great impression in this game.
