PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley had at least a first down, maybe even a touchdown, in his grasp that would have sealed the Eagles' win in their home opener.
Barkley instead bobbled a reception and couldn't hold on to Jalen Hurts' short pass. It was one giant drop on third down at Atlanta's 10-yard line with 1:46 left in the game that stopped the clock late and forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal.
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley had at least a first down, maybe even a touchdown, in his grasp that would have sealed the Eagles' win in their home opener.
Former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce sits on the NFL ESPN Monday Night Football before an NFL football game between the Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator react to a two-point conversion by Eagles running back Saquon Barkley during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) falls with the ball near Atlanta Falcons cornerback Clark Phillips III, bottom, and Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Smith-Williams during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) catches a pass in front of Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball under pressure from Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24) and Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III during the second half of an NFL football game on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Barkley's botch was the opening the Atlanta Falcons needed to pull off the stunner with the kind of flawless drive the Eagles couldn't duplicate. Kirk Cousins capped the winning drive with a touchdown pass to Drake London and Atlanta stunned Philadelphia 22-21 in its home opener on Monday night.
“I dropped the ball,” Barkley said plainly. “Let my team down today. Shouldn’t have put the defense in that position. If I make the catch, game’s over."
Barkley and Hurts, who had put the Eagles ahead 18-15 on a 1-yard tush-push touchdown in the fourth, had a brief postgame conversation in the locker room.
The message was simple: Hurts still had Barkley's back.
“He's going to trust me every time in that situation,” Barkley said.
After Barkley's drop, Jake Elliott kicked a 28-yard field goal rather than the Eagles going for the score on fourth down.
“We wanted to go up six points. It didn't work,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “I wanted them to be down and touchdown and see if they could drive the field. And they did.”
With a three-year deal for $26 million guaranteed, Barkley is the highest-paid running back in franchise history. The 27-year-old former New York Giant did have a knack for dropping the ball when he played for the NFC East rival.
“I trust him every day of the week to make a play,” Hurts said. “Just like everybody else. We'll be better for it.”
Maybe next time, the Eagles will simply trust Barkley enough to just rush for the first down.
Even after London torched cornerback Darius Slay and scored, the Eagles still had 34 seconds to at least drive into field goal territory for Elliott. Hurts instead had his pass picked off by Jessie Bates III that ended all hope of Philadelphia's own amazing comeback.
“The intent of that play was to go down the field,” Sirianni said. “He took a chance and the guy made a good play.”
Much like Barkley, Slay took the heat for the loss after he let London beat him for the winning TD.
“That’s on me Philly!! I owe yall one. DAMN!!!!!” Slay wrote on social media.
A year after a 10-1 start, the Eagles are already 1-1 with games against undefeated teams New Orleans and Tampa Bay on deck.
Barkley ran for 95 yards in his home debut at week after a week after he rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns against Green Bay. Eagles fans booed when the opening drive of the game ended without Barkley touching the ball. Led by Hollywood star Bradley Cooper, Eagles fans went wild when he had consecutive 9-yard runs to open the second drive.
Barkley's steady success wouldn't stick.
The defense couldn't smother the long play against Cousins and the defense for all 60 minutes.
Under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Eagles established an early knack for allowing long drives that end with three points instead of seven. Atlanta's Younghoe Koo kicked field goals of 39, 22 and 34 yards, the last one enough for a 9-7 lead in the third quarter. In their opener, the Eagles held the Packers to just three field goals when they drove inside the 20.
Cousins, signed to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason, came alive in the second half. Cousins connected with Darnell Mooney on a 41-yard TD pass that gave Atlanta a 15-10 lead. Cousins later hit Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive plays during the decisive drive.
“We can be beat, especially if we don't take advantage of our opportunities,” Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said.
With No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown out with a hamstring injury, DeVonta Smith led the Eagles with seven catches for 76 yards and a score. Sirianni said he wasn't sure how long Brown would be out.
“Of course, he's definitely missed,” Hurts said. “It doesn't change the trust I have in everybody else to step up. We just didn't meet the moment. It wasn't for us tonight."
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons (31) stops Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce sits on the NFL ESPN Monday Night Football before an NFL football game between the Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator react to a two-point conversion by Eagles running back Saquon Barkley during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) falls with the ball near Atlanta Falcons cornerback Clark Phillips III, bottom, and Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Smith-Williams during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) catches a pass in front of Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball under pressure from Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24) and Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III during the second half of an NFL football game on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
GENEVA (AP) — Where did all the goals go?
The 0-0 draws between Manchester City and Inter Milan in their rematch of the 2023 final, after Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk also could not find a goal, capped an untypically goal-shy evening for the Champions League on Wednesday.
Just 13 were scored in six games one day after 28 were fired in Tuesday, including nine by Bayern Munich alone.
How unusual was this? Two 0-0 draws after just 12 of 144 games to be played in the new league phase is already halfway to the total of four in 96 games one year ago in the group-stage format that is now abolished. The entire competition averaged three goals per game last season.
Paris Saint-Germain and Girona also were heading for a blank until a horrible 90th-minute error by the Spanish debutant's goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga — spilling a cross by Nuno Mendes through his own legs — gifted a 1-0 win.
Borussia Dortmund needed late goals from substitutes Jamie Gittens, twice, and Serhou Guirassy with a stoppage-time penalty to win 3-0 at Club Brugge.
The new format has welcomed new faces and long-absent friends in European soccer’s marquee competition.
Sparta Prague rose to the challenge of its first game for 19 years at this stage of the Champions League by beating Salzburg 3-0.
Bologna waited 60 years to return and deserved more for its attacking ambition against Champions League veteran Shakhtar. The Ukrainian champion had a penalty saved in the fourth minute by Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.
Slovan Bratislava was overmatched in its first game since 1992-93, the first season of the Champions League rebrand from the old European Cup, and with Georgia defender Guram Kashia making his competition debut at age 37.
They could not keep out Celtic, which won 5-1 in Glasgow. Ireland internationals Liam Scales and Adam Idah, Japan forwards Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda, and Arne Engels of Belgium scored for the champion of Scotland.
A rare Thursday slate of Champions League games will see Barcelona go to Monaco, Atalanta host Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen visit Feyenoord.
Six games on each of three straight nights are launching the new format. Now, 36 teams each play eight different opponents through January and are ranked in a single league table to decide which teams advance to the knockout phase.
There was nothing to separate the champions of England and Italy, 15 months after Man City beat Inter 1-0 in Istanbul to lift the European Cup trophy for the first time.
Ilkay Gundogan wasted two late chances for manager Pep Guardiola's team, failing to convert two headed chances.
It was the first time City had failed to score at home in Europe’s elite tournament since being held 0-0 by Sporting Lisbon in March 2022, and just the second time at home in all competitions since then. The other was a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League in March.
But the result saw City extend its six-year unbeaten home run in European games to 32, dating to a 2-1 loss to Lyon.
Dortmund's defense had a Champions League-best six clean sheets last season on its way to the final, where Real Madrid found two late goals to take the title.
Somehow, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel kept out Brugge despite 18 goal attempts including a close-range shot by Hugo Vetlesen that rattled the cross bar in the 12th minute. Vetlesen's effort ended a manic series of four shots in a matter of seconds from a corner including a diving save by Kobel.
The Switzerland ‘keeper’s five saves meant Dortmund did not pay for its own wastefulness in front of goal until taking the lead in the 76th from a Gittens shot that deflected off two defenders before looping past Simon Mignolet into the Brugge net.
Few clubs will play more international games this season than Salzburg, under its new coach Pep Lijnders, the former long-time assistant to Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool.
Salzburg had to advance through two Champions League qualifying rounds in August — because its 10-year title run in Austria was ended by Sturm Graz — and will play at least three more games in June at the Club World Cup in the United States.
Salzburg qualified among 12 European teams going to the relaunched FIFA club event because of its consistent results in the past four Champions League seasons, but was upstaged in Prague.
Sparta came through three qualifying rounds, and six games already, to reach this stage and made a sharp start Wednesday scoring within two minutes to set the tone for an easy win.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
PSG's head coach Luis Enrique gives instructions during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Girona at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Brugge's Joaquin Seys, Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi and Brugge's goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, from left, challenge for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Club Brugge and Borussia Dortmund at Jan Breydelstadion in Bruges, Belgium, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
Bologna's Santiago Castro, third left, and Bologna's Nikola Moro, top, during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between FC Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk in Bologna, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Bologna's goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski in action during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between FC Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk in Bologna, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Shakhtar Donetsk's Georgiy Sudakov, front, misses a penalty kick during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between FC Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk in Bologna, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Salzburg's ead coach Pepijn Lijnders shuts from the touchline during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sparta Prague and Salzburg in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Sparta's Qazim Laci, center right, is about toscore his sides third goal past Salzburg's goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, left, during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sparta Prague and Salzburg in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Sparta's Victor Olatunji scores his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sparta Prague and Salzburg in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Manchester City's Ruben Dias, center, reacts as referee Glenn Nyberg, right, shows him a yellow card after he fouled Inter Milan's Piotr Zielinski, left, during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium, in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, right, and Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni, left, challenge for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
Dortmund's Jamie Gittens, center, scores the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Club Brugge and Borussia Dortmund at Jan Breydelstadion in Bruges, Belgium, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
Sparta's Victor Olatunji scores his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sparta Prague and Salzburg in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Girona's Bryan Gil, left, and PSG's Achraf Hakimi fight for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Girona at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, left, and Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi, right, during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, right, shoots during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
