Yahoo Sports The NFL's Brazil debut was marred by terrible, slippery turf for Packers-Eagles
Saquon Barkley was waiting for this. After six years toiling behind the iffy offensive lines of the New York Giants, he departed for the clean, wrecking ball blocking of his former NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.
An offseason of expectations led him to Sao Paolo, Brazil for the league's debut First Friday game, a season-opening matchup played just outside the antitrust exemption that prevents the NFL from interfering with high school and college games after the first Friday of September. After his defense forced a Green Bay Packer punt on the opening drive, it was Barkley's time to shine with the Eagles stuck deep in their own territory.
His first carry in green and white resulted in negative five yards.
Saquon Barkley slips and loses five yards on his first carry as an Eagle 😬
pic.twitter.com/gTJBp132oU— Ahn Fire Digital (@AhnFireDigital) September 7, 2024
Barkley, who earned vindication with a second quarter touchdown catch, wasn't alone. Players on both sides of the ball were left cosplaying like toddlers in socks on a hardwood floor thanks to the soccer-friendly turf of Corinthians Arena. Christian Watson couldn't haul in a third down touchdown pass at the back of the end zone because he lost traction coming out of his cut.
Avonte Maddox saw a first down completion in front of him as he stumbled trying to mirror Romeo Doubs. Dontayvion Wicks had a 20-ish yard catch wiped out because he couldn't stay upright at the top of his route.
the Brazil experiment is going great pic.twitter.com/hIKoYvXrVd
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 7, 2024
This was a problem, albeit one each team was left to deal with. It's also a black eye for the NFL's latest effort at international expansion. Sao Paolo, the largest city in the western hemisphere, was supposed to accelerate American football fandom in South America. Instead, fans were treated to amateur roller derby in between a few nice plays.
Behold, as a slip resets Jordan Love's brain so hard he nearly throws a pick-six that Nakobe Dean could have moonwalked into the end zone (you know, if he'd caught it).
Jordan Love slipped so hard his brain briefly froze and Nakobe Dean, a true gentleman, decided it wouldn't be sporting to take advantage pic.twitter.com/M4jw5IqyLe
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 7, 2024
It was a bad look -- something viewers and analysts were quick to point out on social media.
The turf in Sao Paolo pic.twitter.com/19mUlSehp5
— Mike Herndon (@MikeHerndonNFL) September 7, 2024
If teams are going to travel to a new country to play a football game the least the NFL can do is make sure the turf is good. It’s a slip and slide out there right now
— Joel Moran (@joelvmoran) September 7, 2024
Xavier McKinney intercepts Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley with negative 5 yards, turf is a mess. Giants are off to a great start
— Danny Heifetz (@Danny_Heifetz) September 7, 2024
The way everyone had something smart to say about the “safety” of playing in Brazil and none of it was about the turf which endangers them most of all
— David Steele (@David_C_Steele) September 7, 2024
This Brazilian field might actually be worse than the MetLife turf
— The Jet Press (@TheJetPress) September 7, 2024
If you’re gonna make the players play internationally, you have to figure out turf. Always an issue.
— Demetrius Harvey (@Demetrius82) September 7, 2024
i'm getting Super Bowl turf flashbacks already
— John Barchard | Monetize Philly (@JohnBarchard) September 7, 2024
Yea NFL don’t care with this field
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) September 7, 2024
The Eagles’ ultimate enemy: a slippery field.
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) September 7, 2024
International game. Field sucks. Nothing changes. As you were.
— Steve Czaban (@czabe) September 7, 2024
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The NFL's Brazil debut was marred by terrible, slippery turf for Packers-Eagles
