Eagles beat Falcons in ugly season opener, 18-12

The Philadelphia Eagles won an ugly, sloppy game against the Atlanta Falcons to kick off the 2018-19 regular season on Thursday. Nick Foles made the start for the Eagles, but it was more a defensive struggle than anything, with the Eagles winning, 18-12.

The Falcons started off quickly, with a deep pass to Julio Jones that set up a beautiful red zone opportunity, but after going for it on fourth down, they missed out on points. They would go on to kick a field goal on the following possession. Philadelphia responded with a field goal of their own after being unable to convert in the red zone, and Matt Bryant sent another kick through for Atlanta, giving them a 6-3 lead nearing halftime.

In the first half, Ryan completed 9-of-19 passes for 115 yards, 78 of which went to Jones. Foles was 11-of-18 for 65 yards, and neither team had much going in the running game.

Things didn’t really get interesting until the second half, when both teams exchanged touchdowns. Philadelphia brought out a play strikingly similar to the Philly Special, and capped that drive off with a 1-yard touchdown run from Jay Ajayi. The Falcons got into the end zone after both teams exchanged picks and Tevin Coleman ran one in from 9 yards out.

The Falcons missed an extra point though, making it a two-point game, and the Eagles went ahead and scored a touchdown to take the lead back with just two minutes left. They made it all the way to the 5-yard line, but ultimately couldn’t find the end zone — in eerily similar fashion to the way the Eagles beat the Falcons in the NFC Divisional Round.

Foles finished having completed 19 of 34 passes for 117 yards and an interception. Ryan completed 21 of 43 passes for 251 yards and an interception as well. Julio Jones was the star of the game, with 10 receptions for 169 yards.

Below is the live blog in reverse order:

Eagles 18, Falcons 12, FINAL: Falcons take over at their own 25-yard line. Ryan hits Hooper for a 6-yard gain, and then he finds Jones for a 36-yard gain. Two-minute warning. On first down, Ryan’s pass to Coleman is incomplete. Then he’s sacked by Long for a loss of 7 yards. But on 3rd-and-long, Ryan finds Jones once again for a gain of 18 yards. On first down, it’s Ryan to Jones again, this time for 9 yards. On second down, Ryan takes another sack, making it a 3rd-and-8. Sanu catches this next one, and it’s a first down. The Falcons take their final timeout, and only 24 seconds remain.

From the 10-yard line, he throws the first one away to avoid a sack (he should do that more). The second-down pass sails over Ryan’s head. 3rd-and-goal, and Ryan is hit as he throws, an incomplete pass. It will come down to a fourth down play with seven seconds remaining! Ryan overthrows again, but the Eagles are called for illegal contact! First down at the 5-yard line with one second on the clock. Empty backfield, Ryan goes to Jones, but he can’t get his feet down inbounds. Eagles win!

Eagles 18, Falcons 12, 2:19, 4Q: The Eagles had a quick 3rd-and-8, but they convert it when Foles finds Sproles for a 9-yard gain. They then move into Atlanta territory with another pass to Sproles that goes for 6 yards. They elect to run it on a 3rd-and-short, and Clement finds a gaping hole to run through, picking up 21 yards to move into the red zone, and well into field goal range.

But who needs field goals? Ajayi takes the ball and runs it 11 yards for a touchdown and an Eagles lead. Then Ajayi rushes in for a two-point conversion!

Falcons 12, Eagles 10, 4:51, 4Q: Falcons ball, and there’s a holding penalty, followed by a pass to Sanu that loses 5 yards. Then Ryan fumbles the ball, but Atlanta recovers. A 3rd-and-28 is unsuccessful, and they will punt. There’s a penalty (shocker) on the play, a face mask on Atlanta. So the Eagles will start from their own 46 with under five minutes to go.

Falcons 12, Eagles 10, 7:33, 4Q: Eagles get the ball back, and a third-down conversion is called back after an offensive pass interference call. So the Eagles are forced to punt it on 4th and long. Offsetting holding penalties force a re-kick, and the result is much less favorable for the Eagles: the Falcons will take over on their own 33 as opposed to their own 21.

Falcons 12, Eagles 10, 9:48, 4Q: The Eagles take back over, and convert a 3rd-and-1 with a Agholor run for 16 yards. But on first down, Foles fakes the handoff and throws to Goedert, but it’s intercepted by Jones. So Falcons get the ball right back. Ryan immediately finds Jones for 18 yards, then Coleman rushes for a 9-yard touchdown, giving the Falcons back the lead! The extra point, however, goes off the uprights and is no good.

Eagles 10, Falcons 6, 12:58, 4Q: Ryan is sacked to start the fourth quarter, but the Eagles are called for offsides, giving the Falcons a new set out of downs. And ... they don’t do anything with them, as Ryan lobs an end-zone pass to Jones that is woefully short of the mark, and it’s picked off by Douglas!

Eagles 10, Falcons 6, 0:20, 3Q: Falcons take over on their own 40 after an unnecessary roughness call on the kickoff. Atlanta takes yet another penalty for tripping and they have a 2nd-and-25. They pick up some yards, but still have a 3rd-and-10 near midfield. Ryan had Jones, but Darby makes a great play on the ball to force a fourth down, and a punt. A very, very quick Philadelphia 3-and-out followed. And Atlanta faced a quick third down of their own as Ryan overthrows Jones on second down. The third-down play goes incomplete as well, and the Falcons will punt.

And the Eagles touched the ball first despite the fact that it was about to be blown dead! Falcons recovered, and that was BAFFLING! Falcons take back over in Philadelphia territory.

Eagles 10, Falcons 6, 4:37, 3Q: Eagles ball, and they convert on a 3rd-and-5 on a trick play, Algholor to Foles for 15 yards. They convert another third down, Foles to Ertz, and have a 1st-and-goal. They get to a 2nd-and-goal at the 1-yard line, and Jay Ajayi punches it in for the first touchdown of the regular season!

Falcons 6, Eagles 3, 10:11, 3Q: Eagles wind up punting, and then the Falcons start driving again. Freeman goes for 8 yards, then Ryan finds Jones for 4 yards, and then again on a deep ball that is ruled incomplete but is challenged by Dan Quinn. It sure looked good, but the call was upheld. The Falcons punt again.

Falcons 6, Eagles 3, 12:51, 3Q: Eagles get the ball to start the second half. Quick illegal contact penalty on Robert Alford, who then nearly picks Foles off two plays later, but drops it. Neal is injured on the play, and we have a timeout.

Falcons 6, Eagles 3, END 2Q: The Falcons pick up a quick first down with another pass to Jones, but can’t get another one, punting with 44 seconds in the half. The Eagles got the ball back, did nothing with it, and are punting with nine seconds to go. Oh, no punt, after a roughing the kicker penalty. The Eagles just kneel it out. This one is fun, folks! I promise.

OK, it’s a little boring. Sixteen penalties!

Falcons 6, Eagles 3, 1:20, 2Q: At the two-minute warning, the Eagles get a first down after a Grady Jarrett penalty. Then on first down, the Falcons are called for defensive holding as well. Despite all of that, Foles fires off a couple incomplete passes and the Eagles punt it with 1:30 to go.

Falcons 6, Eagles 3, 2:13 2Q: Ryan hit Jones for a 22-yard gain and a first down, and Chris Long was called for roughing the passer, putting the Falcons back into field goal range. Atlanta takes a timeout to adjust Ryan’s knee brace, which may have broken. Actually, it looks like they took it off completely. Play resumes, Ryan throws incomplete, and then is sacked for a 9-yard loss! Bryant is good from 52 yards though, and the Falcons have the lead back.

Falcons 3, Eagles 3, 6:09, 2Q: After a punt from the Falcons, the Eagles managed to start moving the ball, converting a 3rd-and-7 when Foles hit Nelson Agholor. A couple plays later, Desmond Trufant is called for pass interference, giving the Eagles a first and goal! Of course, they’re immediately called for holding and have to back it up. Foles tries to go deep to the rookie Goedert, but he can’t get his feet inbounds. Foles completes to Ertz, but it’s a fourth down. Elliott ties it up.

Falcons 3, Eagles 0: END 1Q: The Eagles picked up a quick first down, and then were soon facing a 3rd and 17 after Foles was sacked for a 7-yard loss. They went ahead and lost a yard, and had to punt. It goes into the end zone for a touchback. The Falcons go with a run, get nowhere with it, and the first quarter of NFL football is in the books!

Falcons 3, Eagles 0, 5:03, 1Q: The Falcons face fourth-and-goal again, but this time settle for a 21-yard field goal instead.

Falcons 0, Eagles 0, 5:40, 1Q: Doug Pederson just threw a challenge flag on a three-yard gain. And lost.

Falcons 0, Eagles 0, 5:59, 1Q: Michael Bennett is back, and his shoulder pads are as tiny as ever:

He’s not helping the Philly defense much, though. The Falcons are already back in the Eagles’ red zone for the second time in two drives.

Falcons 0, Eagles 0, 10:55, 1Q: The Falcons marched into the red zone, but three big stops made it fourth-and-goal from the PHI 1-yard line. Dan Quinn went for it...and a toss to DeVonta Freeman gets stuffed for a loss of one. Huge stand for the Eagles’ defense.

9:06 p.m.: The Eagles won the toss and elected to defer. Jake Elliott’s kick goes for a touchback, and the Falcons will start at their own 25-yard line. The 2018 season is officially underway.

8:51 p.m.: Yooooouuuuur defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles have taken the field:

8:48 p.m.: Owner Jeffrey Lurie, after a stirring introduction by Brian Dawkins, unveiled Lincoln Financial Field’s newest banner to a chorus of “E-A-G-L-E-S” chants.

The game was scheduled for a 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff, but it inclement weather pushed that back some. That start time was first pushed to 8:55 p.m., then back to 9:07 p.m. as storms stuck over south Philadelphia, possibly waiting to catch a glimpse of the Eagles’ first NFL championship banner since 1960.

Fans at Lincoln Financial Field were asked to exit the seating area and take cover along the concourses until they’re cleared to return to their seats.

The Atlanta Falcons will open the 2018-19 season against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, on Thursday. They’re set to play at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (live streaming via FuboTV, NBC Sports).

Nick Foles is set to start for the Eagles, despite hopes that Carson Wentz might be back from his injuries by Week 1. That’s not happening, so it’s the Foles show once again. Foles, notably, led the Eagles to victory in the last Super Bowl, so the Eagles are pretty big fans of his work.

Still, the Falcons are only a year removed from competing in a Super Bowl themselves, and their best players — wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Devonta Freeman, didn’t play a down in the preseason to stay healthy for Thursday’s opener. They should come out strong and ready, but the defensive side of the ball is the bigger concern.

Atlanta held the Eagles to 15 points in the divisional round of the playoffs last season, but spent far too much time on the field and were drained by the end of the game. The offense only managed to put up 10 points, but that figures to be a strength of the team going forward.

Jones had 101 receiving yards while Tevin Coleman had 79 rushing yards in that aforementioned playoff game. This is one of those games where both teams are good enough that another defensive struggle wouldn’t be surprising, nor would an offensive showcase, even without Wentz in the mix.

We’re going to have a live blog for Thursday’s game with highlights and more. For now, here’s all you need to know to watch the action.