Game Recap: Eagles beat Lions 38-35, as AJ Brown stars in Eagles debut

DETRIOT MICHIGAN - Philadelphia Eagles Football is back and you couldn’t have asked for a much better result. Now obviously there will be some ups and downs, along with some sloppy play in week 1. But that is to be expected in any team’s first game of the season, especially when you play your starters in only one series during the preseason. I’m not saying the Eagles opener was all sunshine and rainbows because it wasn’t. Discipline on penalties and the all-around defensive performance will need improvements, but we saw a lot of good Football today and a lot of stuff to build on.

Every year out of the gate no matter who you are, what team you are, or what your preseason looks like, there will be visible rust. The Eagles were no exception as they went scoreless in the first quarter also allowing the Lions to march down the field and score via a Jamaal Williams 1-yard run on the first drive of the game. But from then on out it was seemingly all Eagles as in the second quarter Jalen Hurts would kick off the scoring using his legs, (Something Hurts did a lot of today) rushing in for a 1-yard score. Just a drive later Miles Sanders would score his first touchdown since 2020 as he dove in from a yard out making it 14-7 Good Guys. Next came a very welcome sight as newly acquired Corner James Bradberry would pick off a pass that was tipped by Kyzir White and take it to the house putting the Eagles up 21-7. The Lions would finally respond with a score of their own as DeAndre Swift (who had an amazing game) rushed in for a 7-yard touchdown run. After a promising drive in the waning seconds of 2nd quarter, the Eagles would be forced to kick a field goal after a goal-line stand from the Lions proved fruitful. But have no fear for the Eagles got it started right where they left off in the 2nd half as Kenny Gainwell punched one in putting the Birds ahead 28-14. An Amon-Ra St Brown touchdown catch late in the quarter would soon tighten the lead up at just ten. But the Eagles would respond quickly with a Boston Scott touchdown run that would give the Eagles some breathing room making it 38-21. Now, all the Eagles needed to do was milk the clock and hold onto the Football for the majority of the 4th quarter and they would have an easy stress free win to kick off the 2022 campaign. But don’t you remember? This is the Philadelphia Eagles we are talking about, and the Eagles wouldn’t dare give us a boring quarter of Football. The Lions would soon reply with two straight touchdowns making it 38-35 with 5 minutes to go. But after some clutch clock management and a nice 20-yard run from Miles Sanders, the Birds would secure a Week 1 win for the second consecutive season.

As I stated in the open, these opening games are never pretty. And we also should never expect them to be pretty because that is just not realistic. The difference in play between weeks one and two is always drastic, as teams are able to fix their quirks and make important changes to better their game plans. As for week 2, the Eagles will head back to Philly for their season opener at the Linc on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. But for now good morning, good afternoon, and good night, and of course Go Birds!