5 important takeaways for Packers after rewatching Week 1 loss to Eagles

Being a fan can be an emotional roller coaster. We watch games with our hearts on our sleeves and are quick to react with our "hot takes" and instant takeaways from the games we watch.

That is why I decided to launch "After Further Review" and rewatch each game after a couple of days have gone by to give takeaways once things cool down.

With a chance to reflect on the game, here are five key takeaways from the Green Bay Packers' season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Key takeaways for Packers after rewatching the season opener in Brazil

The field was atrocious

The initial gut reaction while watching this game on Friday was how bad the field conditions were. After further review, it is still amazing that this game occurred on a field torn up before it got going. Soccer fields are cut short for lighter athletes, moving at a much different pace. It is a wonder that Jordan Love was the only notable injury during the game. This could have gone significantly worse.

We can't blame the field conditions for everything, and both teams played on the same field. Missed tackles, holding penalties, and numerous other factors can be, in part, attributed to a terrible field. Philadelphia and its training staff seemingly were better prepared for the conditions.

Xavier McKinney is going to be worth every cent

Xavier McKinney introduced himself to Packers fans in a massive way, intercepting Jalen Hurts on the Eagles' first drive of the game.

McKinney also had four tackles on the game from the safety position. He serves as a veteran leader on this team, and with his familiarity with Hurts, it should be no surprise that he forced a turnover.

Packers had too many penalties

The field may have caused a few penalties. However, if Green Bay wants to be successful, it has to be much more disciplined going forward. The Packers committed 10 penalties for 71 yards on Friday night, and they seemed to come in big moments.

Too many men on the field negated an opening-drive touchdown. A holding on the second drive backed the Packers up and limited them to a field goal attempt. On Philadelphia's final drive, Green Bay committed three penalties, including a holding after a crucial third-down stop that gave the Eagles an automatic first down.

The Packers must get off the field and not allow opponents extra plays. It's crucial to winning games and something Green Bay must address.

The defense is going to be just fine

On the eye test, giving up 34 points and allowing Saquon Barkley to score three touchdowns may give Packers fans a sense of deja vu. After rewatching, Packers fans have to give credit where credit is due. This is a very good Eagles team. Green Bay forced three turnovers and arguably could have had one or two more on a couple of dropped interceptions.

The Packers held the Eagles to 4/14 on third down, which is a drastic improvement from a season ago. Jeff Hafley's unit sacked Jalen Hurts twice and got a total of five QB hits. While they could have applied more pressure, Hurts' running ability, a loaded receiver group, and, of course, Barkley force defenses to stay home considerably more.

While it may be easy to dump on Hafley's defense, I am feeling more optimistic on this front. Things are trending in the right direction. Philadelphia capitalized on a short field following Love's interception, but Hafley and the defense rebounded and shut the Eagles out in the fourth quarter before the final drive, which resulted in the game-sealing field goal.

Have faith if Jordan Love is out

Knowing that Jordan Love will be OK long-term made rewatching the Packers' final drive much more bearable. A win would have been ideal, but there is plenty to build on offensively.

Josh Jacobs may have struggled to find his footing, quite literally, in the new offense early in the game. On his first eight carries, he only managed 12 yards. However, he racked up 72 yards on his next eight attempts, finishing the game with 16 carries for 84 yards and a long of 32.

The Packers will ask Jacobs to do more if Malik Willis starts at quarterback, but he is a former NFL rushing champion and capable of carrying that assignment. Emanuel Wilson also impressed, carrying four times for 46 yards.

A solid offensive line and run game should put Malik Willis in a position to succeed if Love misses any time. Jayden Reed, who starred in Week 1, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and the combination of Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, and the tight ends give Willis a much more dynamic receiver group than he had in Tennessee.

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