Trailing 3-0, Packers Will Need to Avoid History to Beat Eagles

The Green Bay Packers trail the Philadelphia Eagles 3-0 after three quarters on Monday night.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) is tackled by. Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers trail the Philadelphia Eagles 3-0 on Monday night.

The Packers have not been shut out under coach Matt LaFleur. They were shut out 31-0 in the 2018 finale – Joe Philbin was the interim coach – and twice in 2017. Before that, they hadn’t been shut out since 2006, Mike McCarthy’s first season.

It took 36 minutes, but the Eagles finally broke the scoreless tie on Jake Elliott’s 39-yard field goal to start the second half.  The big play was Hurts’ 22-yard pass to tight end Dallas Goedert. Moments later, Hurts went play-action on third-and-4 and hit Goedert in the flat for 8.

However, stealing a page from the Packers’ playbook of ineptitude, they turned third-and-7 into third-and-12 with a delay-of-game penalty. On third-and-long, the Eagles ran a give-up running play to set up the field goal.

The Packers drove to a potential answer, starting with Jordan Love stepping up in the pocket and ripping one to Christian Watson for a gain of 20. Moments later, Love hit Dontayvion Wicks for 4 yards on third-and-3.

The drive died, though, in costly fashion. On third-and-9, Love threw a beautiful touch pass to Romeo Doubs. It would have been an impressive catch but he couldn’t haul it in. On fourth-and-9 with Watson on the sideline, coach Matt LaFleur aggressively went for it. Love threw a beautiful pass to receiver-turned-cornerback-turned-fill-in-receiver Bo Melton. The ball hit Melton right in the chest for a terrible drop.

And a costly one, with the Eagles starting at their 41 with 4:42 left in the quarter.

The Packers forced a three-and-out, though, with Devonte Wyatt burying Saquon Barkley in the backfield for a loss of 6.

The Packers ended the third quarter on the Eagles’ side of the field. Josh Jacobs ran for 11 – Christian Watson and Josh Whyle had the lead blocks – and Love connected with Dontayvion Wicks for 20. A pair of runs made it third-and-4 from Philadelphia’s 43 as time expired.

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