Eagles 34, Packers 29: Saquon Barkley Shocks the World with Epic Hat Trick in Jaw-Dropping Brazil Debut! Fans Go Wild!

Saquon Barkley sat back in a chair next to Dom DiSandro in a conference room beneath Corinthians Arena, listening to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni sing his praises. Barkley, phone in hand, was still soaking in the moment. After a 10-hour flight to Brazil, he made his debut in the Eagles’ 34-29 season-opening victory over the Green Bay Packers. It was a long wait — an entire offseason, in fact — for him to don the uniform in a game, and now, in his seventh NFL season, he finally found himself in an offense that truly fit his style.

 

“A hat trick’s never a bad thing,” Barkley said with a grin, reflecting on his three-touchdown performance and playing up to the Brazilian crowd. “There’s a lot I can do, and that’s the kind of player I am.”

 

As Sirianni talked about the Eagles’ memorable trip to Brazil, he couldn’t help but acknowledge Barkley’s standout game. Sirianni recounted how, after months of hearing about their late-season collapse, the Eagles were savoring this close win. Barkley, who caught the game’s first touchdown with a dazzling toe-tap catch for 19 yards, even had Sirianni sprinting down the sideline in celebration.

 

Yet, the focus remained on Jalen Hurts, the team’s most important player, who didn’t have his best game. After an impressive turnover-free stretch in training camp, Hurts stumbled early, throwing an interception and losing a fumble on the Eagles’ first two drives. A second-half interception was perhaps the most baffling of his mistakes. Still, Hurts delivered a well-placed touchdown pass to Barkley and connected with DeVonta Smith late in the fourth quarter to help secure the win.

 

“The turnover battle is critical,” Hurts said. “The way things unfolded today — with as many balls on the ground and turnovers as I had — finding a way to win is what matters. These are lessons I’ll learn from. We’ll learn from them as a team.”

 

Despite the miscues, the Eagles still put up 34 points, and even Barkley, who slipped a few times on the wet turf, saw room for improvement. He was stopped just short of a fourth touchdown late in the game.

 

“He had a great game tonight,” A.J. Brown said. “He should’ve had four touchdowns, and I told him that.”

 

In Brazil, they had a term for almost scoring four goals.

 

“They call it a ‘poker’ in soccer,” someone told Barkley.

 

He raised four fingers, looking for confirmation.

 

“Today was my day for touchdowns,” Barkley said. “There’s no hate or jealousy here. It’s all about cheering each other on. This team has so many stars, and that’s what you need.”