Eagles-Packers: Five takeaways from Thursday night’s win at Lambeau Field | Paul Domowitch

Five takeaways from the Eagles’ 34-27 win over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.

Forget the slow-starting offense. Jim Schwartz’s defense continues to be a much bigger problem early in the game. The Eagles gave up points to the Packers on each of their first three possessions. Green Bay became the third team to score a touchdown against the Eagles on their first possession. The lone exception was the Falcons in Week 2, which had to settle for a field goal. Opponents have averaged 9.2 yards per play on their first possession against the Eagles. The Packers were the third team to put up points (a 30-yard Mason Crosby field goal) on the Eagles on their second possession.

The Eagles established the run early and pounded away at the Packers. They rushed for 83 first-half yards on 19 carries. They averaged 5.3 yards per carry in the first three quarters. Jordan Howard hit the right holes and had his best rushing performance of the season, including two rushing TDs. Miles Sanders had 71 yards on 10 carries in the first three quarters. And Carson Wentz had three more rushing first downs. The offensive line dominated Green Bay’s front seven. The blocking by left tackle Jason Peters, left guard Isaac Seumalo and center Jason Kelce on a 10-yard run by Howard right before his touchdown run was a thing of beauty. And backup tight end Alex Ellis had a huge “wham’’ block on Howard’s one-yard touchdown run.

The Eagles entered training camp this summer seemingly deep at cornerback. Then they lost valuable slot corner Cre’Von LeBlanc, whose solid play late last year helped save the Eagles’ season, to a foot injury. Last week, Ronald Darby, arguably the Eagles’ best corner, injured his hamstring and likely will be sidelined for several weeks. Then, early in Thursday night’s game, after giving up a 58-yard completion to Davante Adams that set up the Packers’ first touchdown, Sidney Jones suffered what seems like the hundredth hamstring injury of his young career. God knows how long he’ll be out. Just when things couldn’t seem to get any worse, Avonte Maddox was injured late in the game when he collided with teammate Andrew Sendejo on a pass play and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher. Could these latest injuries cause Howie Roseman to swallow hard and give up whatever Jacksonville asks for Jalen Ramsey? We’ll see.

With Dallas Goedert back after missing the Atlanta game and playing just nine snaps in last week’s loss to the Lions because of a calf injury, the Eagles once again used a lot of “12″ personnel (1RB, 2TE, 2WR) against the Packers. They used “12’’ on 15 of 32 plays in the first half as they scored 21 points against a Packers defense that had allowed just 35 points in its first three games. Goedert’s blocking was pivotal in the Eagles’ run success. He also had a three-yard touchdown catch. In the fourth quarter, after stopping the Packers at the one-yard line, the Eagles even went to “13’’ personnel (1RB, 3TE, 1WR) as they pounded the ball against the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers is one of the best play-extending quarterbacks in the NFL. Maybe the best. In their eagerness to get to him after collecting just two sacks in their first three games, the Eagles’ front four did a poor job of containing Rodgers. Time and time again he was able to get outside and make plays. Not just throwing, but also running. Rodgers, who had just seven rushing yards in the Packers’ first three games, had 46 against the Eagles.

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