Just a year removed from a Super Bowl run — a year that featured a dominant start to the season that flamed out with questions bubbling up about Nick Sirianni’s job — the Philadelphia Eagles are trying to get to the top of the NFC, and will open against a Green Bay Packers team on the rise in the NFL’s first ever game in Brazil.
Jalen Hurts has emerged as an MVP candidate over the past few seasons, and enters the first year a a 5-year, $255 million extension he signed before last season with one of the best 1-2 combinations at wide receiver in the NFL in DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, along with an upgrade at running back in Saquon Barkley.
Green Bay, meanwhile seems to have extended its ridiculous run of stability at quarterback with Jordan Love getting the Packers to the playoffs for the first time in his tenure under center. Love got paid this summer to the tune of a 4-year, $220 million deal with the club hoping to extend that stability deep into a third decade after Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
The league’s international games have included stops in England, Mexico, Germany and Canada and now for the first time, a trip to South America in one of the soccer capitals of the world. Tonight’s game will be played at Arena Corinthians, home of Corinthians, one for the most decorated clubs in Brazilian soccer history.
