Jalen Hurts to Saquon Barkley for Eagles' first TD of season

ByTim McManus ESPN logo
Saturday, September 7, 2024

SÃO PAULO -- It didn't take long for Saquon Barkley to make his presence felt.

The star running back scored the first touchdown of the season for the Philadelphia Eagles, hauling in an 18-yard pass from Jalen Hurts in the left corner of the end zone early in the second quarter.

Hurts lofted the ball over a pair of Green Bay defenders and Barkley snatched it and was able to stay in bounds to give Philadelphia a 7-6 lead.

The Eagles made a splash in free agency by signing Barkley to a three-year, $37.75 million deal. They were banking on the former New York Giant to be revitalized in a new environment, playing behind a top offensive line and alongside Hurts and playmakers, such as receiversA.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

The early returns are good.

Barkley added an 11-yard touchdown plunge with just over five minutes left in the second quarter, finding room off the right guard and racing to daylight.

It's Barkley's sixth career game with both a rushing and receiving TD, which is tied for fourth most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2018.

The Eagles' offense continued to roll in the second half, as Hurts connected on a 67-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown to open the third quarter.

Hurts hung in the pocket on second-and-7 and found Brown streaking up the right sideline. Brown cut to his left and outraced the Green Bay defense to pay-dirt, putting the Eagles up 24-19.

Brown has dominated in his two-plus seasons in Philadelphia, eclipsing 1,400 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons since being acquired from the Tennessee Titans.