Instant Observations from Eagles 10 Packers 7: DeVonta Smith TD makes dominant defensive performance stand

Maybe YouTube TV was not missing out on much?

In one of the most-anticipated matchups of the 2025 NFL season, the 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles traveled to Lambeau Field to take on the 5-2-1 Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football.

But at least for a long while, there were not exactly a ton of fireworks. Fans were treated to a defensive chess match or a whole lot of offensive ineptitude, depending on how you look at it. The Eagles and Packers played the first scoreless first half of the NFL season.

It looked like the Eagles were going to have to win the game 3-0. And then two of the Eagles’ game-breakers, well, broke the game open. Saquon Barkley took a check-down on 3rd and long for 41 yards, and on the very next play, Jalen Hurts threw a 36-yard deep ball to DeVonta Smith for a touchdown. Jaelan Phillips then closed out a dominant defensive performance. Nick Sirianni’s late-game management was nothing short of brutal, but the Eagles held on to win in Green Bay 10-7 and now are 7-2 on the season.

Here are the PHLY Eagles staff’s observations from Eagles 10, Packers 7.

---

EJ Smith

The Eagles can even find ways to make even a road win against a playoff contender feel … strange.
Let’s start here: Their 10-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field is a quality win against one of the NFC’s most talented teams. The defense pulled off a statement performance, holding the Packers to just one touchdown and four yards per play behind disruptive play up front and a sticky secondary behind. Green Bay came into the game missing a handful of its top receiving targets, but this was a dominant performance from a group buoyed by the addition of Jaelan Phillips nonetheless.

The offense was, well, weird. There were a handful of conservative play calls on third down, A.J. Brown went almost three full quarters without a target, and the run game was once again unable to help kill off the game for a potential four-minute drill just before the two-minute warning. That’s not even mentioning Nick Sirianni leaving the door open for the Packers in the final minute of the game with a deep shot to Brown on fourth-and-6 from the plus-35-yard line. Even though Brandon McManus missed the 64-yard field goal the Packers offense conjured up for him as time expired, it was an oddly aggressive choice for a coach that spent most of the evening being overly cautious.

Bottom line, a road win against a potential playoff opponent shouldn’t be sneezed at, even if there’s plenty to unpack in its aftermath.

---

Fran Duffy

I won’t lie, there were a couple of times while watching this game where I wondered ‘maybe the bye week didn’t come at a great time for this offense.’ This was a tough watch on many counts, at least if you’re into points on the scoreboard. It took a 41-yard catch and run from Saquon Barkley early in the fourth quarter to really break things open, as Jalen Hurts would hit DeVonta Smith on a shot play for a touchdown on the ensuing snap.

Defensively, I liked what I saw from Jaelan Phillips. The newest Eagle made his presence known with a couple of impactful pressures of Jordan Love and had a really physical rep in the run game where he set the edge, shed the block and made the tackle. I’m excited to see his tape on Tuesday.

I liked some of the pressure schemes deployed by Vic Fangio as well. The Packers struggled with a couple of them and Love never really looked settled throughout the night.

All in all – big win for the Birds. A lot to break down this week!

---

Bo Wulf

“A win is a win in the National Football League” is trite analysis, especially for a team with Super Bowl aspirations that has had its fair share of uninspiring wins this season. But I think it fits tonight. On defense, we saw a different version of the 2025 Eagles, with an all-of-a-sudden deep pass rush and a wealth of options at linebacker, Adoree’ Jackson be damned. Even in the cold against an injury-riddled Packers offense, this was an impressive performance that should bode well for the rest of the season. On offense, sure, it would have been nice for the offense to stop giving up at the end of halfs and any time they have a third and long, but the talent is still so superior, as evidenced by Saquon Barkley’s long catch and run (with help from A.J. Brown blocking downfield) and DeVonta Smith’s bomb a game-winning touchdown catch. Time to start thinking about the race for the No. 1 seed.

---

Jamie Lynch

Tough first drive for the Eagles offense because they moved the ball so well, ran it the ball well from under center again and had an atypical turnover on the Hurts fumble. Hard to even be angry with him as he never turns the ball over.

Eagles defense looked great to start, line was causing havoc, LB’s were flying around & the secondary had guys clamped up. LANE JOHNSON NOOOOOOOOOOOO. Leaves the game before halftime with a funky looking knee jam in the turf. This feels bad.

The game changed on two plays, Saquon Barkley’s spin move that lost the defenders jock which led immediately to a DeVonta Smith deep TD. Immediately answered by a GB impressive drive & Josh Jacobs TD. Back to a sweat.

FUMBLE, BALL GAME! Jaelan Phillips is GOOD! Howie does it again!

---

Rich Hofmann

Call me unrealistic. Tell me that a win is a win.

But, for the life of me, I do not understand why Nick Sirianni (and Kevin Patullo, maybe) love giving up on drives so much. Just quitting on them. This Eagles offense, which is on pace to have the most three-and-outs by any NFL offense in a decade, had three three-and-outs on their first six real drives. They dialed up Will Shipley coward’s draws on 3rd and long the entire game. It’s pathetic.

So, when you see Saquon Barkley hit the circle button like it’s Madden and DeVonta Smith Moss a guy in the end zone, it’s great. But I find myself thinking, “Hey, these guys are on the field the entire game. It should not be this way!” But it is, and that is the story of the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles offense.

But the Eagles defense was great tonight. Jaelan Phillips, welcome to Philadelphia.

Also, Nick Sirianni, what are you doing at the end of the game my man?