Justice for Greg Olsen, the search for Jake Elliott, and more from the Eagles-Saints broadcast

For the first time this season, the Birds weren’t playing in prime time.

Thousands of fans made the trip to watch the Eagles play the Saints in New Orleans.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Published Sept. 22, 2024, 5:31 p.m. ET

After Monday’s collapse against the Falcons, the Eagles headed down to New Orleans to take on the hottest offense in the NFL for Week 3. Based on the broadcast, it seems like a fair number of you went down to party on Bourbon Street and watch the Birds. For the rest of us back here in Philly, we got to see the Eagles pull out a close one over the Saints from our living rooms.

Here are a few of the highlights from the broadcast …

Greg Olsen

Let’s take a moment to beg for justice for Greg Olsen, who was knocked off Fox’s top commentating unit with Kevin Burkhardt for Tom Brady. Fox signed Brady to a 10-year, $375 million contract and early returns have been … mixed. That said, Brady’s just two games in, and the response to his second game was far better than his first.

Brady and Burkhardt are calling their third consecutive Cowboys game to start the season on Sunday, while Olsen was paired with Joe Davis, a familiar voice for Philly fans after he called several games during the Phillies’ 2022 World Series run.

Offensive line injuries

As if the A.J. Brown injury wasn’t bad enough, Lane Johnson left the game in the second quarter due to what was initially reported to be an apparent illness.

“Lane Johnson had been sick for a while, he had been vomiting,” Pam Oliver said on the sidelines.

Johnson was replaced by another Johnson, Fred Johnson, at right tackle. The Eagles later confirmed (Lane) Johnson was being evaluated for a concussion. The team also lost guard Mekhi Becton to a finger injury in the first half, meaning the Eagles were without the entire right side of their starting offensive line.

Where is Jake Elliott?

Fans from Philly to New Orleans looked on in horror as Nick Sirianni and the Birds went for it on fourth down three times in Saints territory, failing to convert all three times. The first time was bad enough, coming with just 15 seconds left in the first half. But by the third time, everyone was just confused, including these fans in the stands, who were begging the Eagles to take the points.

Saquon Barkley scores

DeVonta Smith got crushed by a pile of Saints players, and entered the medical tent. Now down both star receivers, the Eagles needed someone to step up and make a play. On play later, Saquon Barkley answered the call, running 65 yards for the first touchdown of the day. He hopped into the crowd to give the Eagles fans who’d made the trip a big hug.

Luckily for them, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles also got some offensive help from Dallas Goedert, who had the best game of his career in both receptions (10) and yards (170).