Packers QB Jordan Love (leg) scheduled for MRI

Love sustained an injury to his lower left leg and was helped off the field with six seconds left in Friday night’s season-opening 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo.

The Athletic reported that an ankle injury has been ruled out and the Packers are in “wait-and-see” mode until further testing. After the game, coach Matt LaFleur twice answered “I don’t know” when asked about Love’s status.

Love had just completed a 33-yard pass to Jayden Reed at midfield while trying to rally the Packers. When he dropped back to pass on the next snap, he was hit by Eagles defenders Josh Sweat and Jalen Carter and appeared to twist his leg while falling to the ground.

Backup Malik Willis, acquired in a trade last week with the Tennessee Titans, replaced Love and threw an incompletion before taking a sack on the final play.

Love, who signed a four-year, $220 million contract on July 26, finished with 260 yards on 17-of-34 passing with two touchdowns and an interception.

“That’s the franchise right there,” Green Bay defensive tackle Kenny Clark said after the game. “Hopefully, he can be back next week and he can be all right.”

Love, 25, and the Packers host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 15.

Eagles emerge with win over Packers in wild Brazil opener

Saquon Barkley scored three touchdowns in his Philadelphia debut and the Eagles opened the season with a back-and-forth 34-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Friday night in Sao Paulo.

Barkley rushed for 109 yards and two scores and added a touchdown catch in the first NFL game ever played in South America. Jalen Hurts completed 20 of 34 passes for 278 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and A.J. Brown had five catches for 119 yards and one TD.

Jordan Love and Jayden Reed powered the Packers in a game that featured seven lead changes. Love threw for 260 yards, two TDs and one pick on 17-of-34 passing. Reed had 171 yards from scrimmage with two scores. Josh Jacobs added 84 yards on 16 carries in his first game for Green Bay.

Trailing by five, the Packers took possession with 22 seconds left. Love got Green Bay to midfield with a 33-yard pass to Reed, but the QB had to be helped off the field on the following play with an apparent leg injury. Backup Malik Willis came on in relief but threw an incompletion and took a sack to end the game.

The Packers led 6-0 after the first quarter but left points on the table. The Eagles turned it over deep in their own end on their first two drives but limited Green Bay to two field goals by Brayden Narveson. The Packers also had an opening-drive TD catch by Reed nullified by a penalty.

The lead changed hands four times in the second quarter as Barkley and Reed both scored TDs rushing and receiving, the first time in NFL history two players did that in the same quarter.

After Hurts’ 18-yard pass to Barkley put the Eagles up 7-6, Reed’s 33-yard end-around scamper made it 12-7 for Green Bay.

Barkley’s 11-yard run gave Philadelphia a brief 14-12 edge with 5:34 left in the half. Just 23 seconds later, Love found a wide-open Reed for a career-long 70-yard touchdown pass and a 19-14 lead.

Jake Elliott’s 38-yard field goal on the final play of the half trimmed the Eagles’ deficit to 19-17.

Hurts and Brown hooked up for a 67-yard TD on the second snap of the second half as Philadelphia retook the lead at 24-19.

Love kept the seesaw going with a 2-yard TD toss to Christian Watson for a 26-24 advantage.

Barkley’s 2-yard TD run put Philadelphia back in front 31-26 with 4:26 left in the third quarter.

A 26-yard field goal by Narveson pulled Green Bay to within 31-29 midway through the fourth quarter.

Elliott’s 21-yard field goal put Philadelphia ahead 34-29 and capped a clock-draining, 16-play drive with 27 seconds to go.

Chiefs-Ravens opener draws top Thursday opener rating

The dramatic first game of the NFL season between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens drew record viewership numbers for a Thursday opener.

An average of 28.9 million people watched the game, which the host Chiefs won 27-20 when an apparent last-second Ravens touchdown was overturned on a video review.

The NFL first started Thursday openers in 2002. The previous high rating for one of those contests was 27.6 million in 2015, when the New England Patriots opposed the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Last year’s Thursday opener, in which the Detroit Lions upset the Chiefs, was seen by 27.5 million.

The total from the Chiefs-Ravens game included 24.3 million watching on NBC plus 4.6 million viewers on Peacock plus NFL and NBC streaming options.

Viewership reached its high point in the second quarter at 33 million, around 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET. The game didn’t end until nearly midnight ET due in part to a pregame weather delay.

According to NBC, among the 44 markets whose ratings were available, the biggest markets for the game were Kansas City (43.4 rating, 80 share), Baltimore (24.5, 60), Denver (18.0, 50), St. Louis (17.0, 46) and Norfolk, Va. (16.9, 49). The rating is the percent of all televisions in the market watching, while the share is the percent of television in use at the time that were watching.

Commanders rule out QB Marcus Mariota, cut WR Byron Pringle

The Washington Commanders ruled out quarterback Marcus Mariota for the team’s season opener and released wide receiver Byron Pringle on Friday.

Mariota will miss the Commanders’ game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday after he failed to participate in his second consecutive practice due to chest and pectoral injuries. Jeff Driskel will step in as the backup to rookie Jayden Daniels against the Buccaneers.

Mariota, 30, was signed to a one-year, $6 million contract with Washington in the offseason.

Selected by Tennessee with the second overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, Mariota compiled a 29-32 record as a starter for the Titans from 2015-19 and went 5-8 as the starter for the Atlanta Falcons in 2022.

Mariota completed 15 of 23 passes for 164 yards with one touchdown and one interception in three games as Jalen Hurts’ backup with the Philadelphia Eagles last season.

The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner at Oregon, Mariota has completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 15,820 yards, 93 touchdowns and 55 interceptions in 90 games (74 starts) for the Titans, Las Vegas Raiders (2020-21), Falcons and Eagles.

Pringle, 30, played all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023 and caught 14 passes for 161 yards.

He has gained 2,431 all-purpose yards and scored 10 touchdowns in 74 career games (13 starts) with the Kansas City Chiefs (2019-21), Chicago Bears (2022) and Commanders.

Undrafted in 2018, Pringle won the Super Bowl LIV championship with the Chiefs.

Also on Friday, the Commanders listed rookie defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton as doubtful to play in the season opener due to a foot injury.

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts poised to play in opener vs. Steelers

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was a full participant in practice for the second straight day on Friday and is expected to play in Sunday’s season opener against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pitts was limited in practice on Wednesday as he dealt with a hamstring injury.

Inside linebacker Nate Landman also was a full participant in practice on Friday after being limited the previous two days due to a quad injury.

Also on Friday, offensive tackle Jake Matthews and defensive tackle Ta’Quon Graham were limited while being listed for rest purposes. Defensive tackles David Onyemata and Grady Jarrett did not practice on Friday for the same reason.

The Falcons officially ruled out defensive back Antonio Hamilton due to a groin injury. He was a limited participant on Thursday before failing to practice on Friday.

Pitts was named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season, when he caught 68 passes for 1,026 yards and one touchdown, but his production had tailed off in the two seasons since, in part due to MCL and PCL injuries suffered midway through his sophomore campaign.

Pitts, 23, has totaled 149 receptions for 2,049 yards and six touchdowns over 44 career games (40 starts) while catching passes from Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke in the past two seasons.

Landman, 25, recorded a career-high 110 tackles to go with three forced fumbles and two sacks in 16 games (14 starts) last season.

Steelers QB Russell Wilson ‘hoping’ to play in opener vs. Falcons

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson remains hopeful that he’ll be under center for Sunday’s season opener against the host Atlanta Falcons.

Wilson has been limited in practice as he deals with tightness in his calf.

“Just felt a little tight. Wanted to be smart about it,” Wilson said on Friday about limiting himself in practice, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Obviously, for the game on Sunday, hoping I get to be in it. Trying to get ready to go. … Doing everything we can.”

Wilson acknowledged he didn’t tax himself too much in Friday’s session.

Fourth-year quarterback Justin Fields would get the nod if Wilson is unable to play against the Falcons.

When asked if he is preparing as if he will start on Sunday, Fields said, “I have the same process every week because I learned my rookie year how fast things can change. I remember my … rookie season, Andy Dalton, he was just running out of bounds. It looked like a normal play but he tweaked his knee. Right then and there I was in (the game). I always prepare like I’m the starter.”

Wilson, 35, was named to the Pro Bowl in nine of his 10 seasons (2012-21) with the Seattle Seahawks. Traded to the Denver Broncos before the 2022 season in a blockbuster deal, Wilson went 11-19 as a starter with Denver and was released earlier this year.

In 188 career starts, Wilson has posted a 115-72-1 record. He’s thrown for 43,653 yards and 334 touchdowns to go with 106 interceptions and has engineered 39 game-winning drives.

He has also rushed for 5,307 yards and added 29 touchdowns.

Fields was the No. 11 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bears, but Chicago decided to move on from the 25-year-old after three seasons.

He has a 10-28 record in 40 games (38 starts) and has thrown for 6,674 yards with 40 TDs and 30 interceptions. He has rushed for 2,220 yards and 14 scores.

Bills sign RT Spencer Brown to 4-year contract extension

The Buffalo Bills signed right tackle Spencer Brown to a four-year contract extension on Friday through at least the 2028 season, the team announced Friday afternoon.

Financial terms were not disclosed by the Bills on Brown, who was set to play out the final year of his rookie contract going into the season opener Sunday against the visiting Arizona Cardinals.

Buffalo selected Brown in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Northern Iowa.

Brown, 26, has started 41 of 44 regular-season games in which he has played for the Bills, including all 31 the past two seasons. He also started all six playoff games the past three seasons.

The 6-foot-8, 311-pound Brown played on 100 percent of the offensive snaps (1,161) in 2023, when the Bills led the league in fewest sacks allowed (24).

Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth agrees to 4-year, $48.4M deal

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth agreed to a four-year, $48.4 million contract extension.

Freiermuth’s representation, Athletes First, announced the transaction over Instagram on Friday. The new deal comes two days before the Steelers open the season against the host Atlanta Falcons.

Freiermuth, 25, recorded 32 catches for 308 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games (nine starts) last season.

He has totaled 155 receptions for 1,537 yards and 11 scores in 44 games (26 starts) since Pittsburgh picked him in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Penn State.

Titans S Jamal Adams (hip) ruled out vs. Bears

Tennessee Titans safety Jamal Adams will miss Sunday’s opener against the host Chicago Bears with a hip injury, the team confirmed Friday.

The three-time Pro Bowler signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Titans in July after an injury-plagued four-year run with the Seattle Seahawks.

Adams, 28, missed practice for the third straight day Friday. Undrafted rookie Julius Wood could move up the depth chart at strong safety on Sunday.

Drafted sixth overall by the New York Jets in 2017, Adams made three straight Pro Bowls (2018-20) and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2019 before getting derailed by injuries.

Adams sustained a torn quadriceps in Seattle’s 2022 opener and did not return that season. He missed eight more games last season.

In 80 career games (all starts) with the Jets (2017-19) and Seahawks, Adams recorded 494 tackles, 21.5 sacks and four interceptions.

Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (knee) has been a limited participant in practice this week and is questionable for Sunday. Linebacker Otis Reese (concussion) has been ruled out.

Cardinals don’t expect WR Xavier Weaver (oblique) to play vs. Bills

Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver and kick returner Xavier Weaver is not expected to play in Sunday’s season opener at Buffalo because of an oblique injury, coach Jonathan Gannon said Friday.

Weaver, 23, did not participate in practices Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The Cardinals’ depth chart lists Weaver as the backup to starting wide receiver Greg Dortch, with the other starters being Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr., the team’s top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Arizona signed Weaver as an undrafted free agent. He caught 68 passes for 908 yards and four touchdowns, and ran twice for 15 yards and two scores, in 11 games as a senior for Colorado last season.

He played from 2019-22 for South Florida and totaled 116 receptions for 1,735 yards and eight touchowns.