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Whether it’s on a calendar or a map, the NFL continues to expand its presence.

Following the Kansas City Chiefs’ thrilling season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, the league will hold its first-ever regular-season game in Brazil on Friday, when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Green Bay Packers. The game will be a rarity not only because of its international flair, but also because of its timing, as it will be only the 13th game to be played on that day of the week since 1970. In addition to the unique lineup, there will also be no shortage of storylines on the field, as the game features two NFC powers and marquee quarterbacks in Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts.

USA TODAY Sports will be providing updates on the game throughout the evening, so check back here for more information:

Given that Brazil is in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s technically still winter, with spring flowers blooming later this month. But conditions for kickoff tonight should be mild: overcast, around 70 degrees with light winds and little chance of rain, although quite humid.

The color green has long been associated with Philadelphia’s color palette. But the Eagles, technically the home team tonight in Brazil, opted for a new uniform combination that features black helmets and pants and a white jersey … instead of the Midnight Green and Kelly Green long associated with the franchise, only their jersey numbers and some trim are green tonight.

Why?

The Brazilian soccer club that is the main tenant of the stadium, Corinthians, disapproves of green because it is the primary color of their arch-rival team, Palmeiras. So the Eagles opt for black, while their opponents, the Packers, are forced to wear green as their home kits, which is villainous in these parts.

  • Packers: WR Malik Heath, 32 RB MarShawn Lloyd, DL Arron Mosby, DL Brenton Cox Jr., OT Kadeem Telfort, OT Travis Glover
  • Eagles: QB Tanner McKee, CB Isaiah Rodgers, LB Devin White, OLB Jalytx Hunt, G/T Darrian Kinnard, G Trevor Keegan, DT Byron Young

The Packers’ running back could be worth keeping an eye on, as Green Bay could be thin in the backfield behind starting RB Josh Jacobs. Lloyd, the third-round pick out of USC, was expected to become the primary backup after AJ Dillon went on the season-ending injury list with a stinger. Now, the Packers may have to rely on Emanuel Wilson, a second-year back who had 85 yards on 14 carries last year as a rookie undrafted free agent.

SAO PAULO, Brazil – The Eagles held a press conference for members of the Brazilian media on Thursday, featuring some of their key players, including quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley. But it was Eagles third-string quarterback Tanner McKee, who has never played a down in an NFL game, who stole the proverbial show.

McKee was already well-known in Brazil, having spent nearly two years in the South American country, from 2018 to 2020, on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints. During that time, he became fluent in Portuguese. And it was a media day when McKee answered a reporter’s question in Portuguese, then answered it in Portuguese and then translated it into English, even though the NFL had provided a translator.

After the question was asked, the discussion went like this: McKee said to the crowd of about 50 media people, “Do you want me to do it in Portuguese?”

Read more from Martin Frank of The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal

Friday night’s match will be held at the Corinthians Arena in São Paulo. The venue opened in 2014 and was used when Brazil hosted the World Cup that year. It is mainly home to “Corinthians”, the city’s top club.

The stadium has been modified to accommodate tonight’s NFL game, which is expected to attract a sellout crowd of more than 45,000. More than 60,000 fans watched the World Cup games here, but the temporary stands were dismantled after the tournament.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be here,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said via NBC Sports Philadelphia as the team toured the stadium on Thursday. “This is my first international trip as a coach. To be able to go into the stadium, see the stadium and play here tomorrow in front of the great fans.”

NBCUniversal’s grip on the American sports audience will be tightened during the first weekend of the 2024 NFL regular season with three games in four nights on its channels, including its streaming arm Peacock.

“They use sports as a big part of their identity for Peacock,” media analyst John Kosner told USA TODAY Sports.

Following the season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens on NBC, the Brazilian matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles airs exclusively on Peacock. The weekend ends with the Los Angeles Rams taking on the Detroit Lions on NBC for “Sunday Night Football.”

“So I think they can keep the momentum going,” Kosner said, “and it’s probably part of the plan for the NFL.”

According to fellow streaming analyst Dan Rayburn, it’s unclear what the return on investment will be for Peacock and other streamers. He argues that the NFL’s motives are detrimental to the average fan who wants to enjoy games in a relaxed manner.

“The NFL is more fragmented than anyone from a sports league standpoint, and the reason for that is obviously money,” Rayburn told USA TODAY Sports. “That’s all.”

Peacock reportedly paid $110 million for last season’s wild-card playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins. This year, that exclusive postseason streaming slot was awarded to Prime Video for $120 million. Netflix reportedly paid $150 million for a pair of games on Christmas Day, which fall on a Wednesday this year.

“The NFL is the most popular content on television in our country, so it’s clearly worth the investment,” Kosner said.

But how are fans – both casual and hardcore – influenced?

Read more from Chris Bumbaca of USA TODAY Sports

What time does the Eagles vs. Packers game start?

The two teams will kick off on Friday, September 6 at 8:15 p.m. (ET).

How to Watch Eagles vs. Packers

Friday’s game is unique because it will be the only regular-season game that will air exclusively on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.

Watch Eagles vs. Packers on Peacock

  • Jarrett Bell: Packers 27-24
  • Chris Bumbaca: Packers 30-27
  • Nate Davis: Packers 27-23
  • Tyler Dragon: Eagles 26-21
  • Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Packers 27-24
  • Lorenzo Reyes: Packers 24-20

Eagles vs. Chiefs odds, moneyline, over/under

The Eagles are favored to beat the Packers, according to BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to bet? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promotions in 2024, including the ESPN BET app and the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

  • Distribution: Eagles (-2)
  • Moneyline: Eagles (-130); Ravens (+110)
  • Over/under: 49

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has everything you need, from Thursday Night Football odds to Monday Night Football odds.

New to sports betting? USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promotions and bonus codes at the best online sportsbooks and sports betting sites.

Eagles vs. Packers injury report

  • Eagles: CB Isaiah Rodgers (out, hand), LB Devin White (out, ankle)
  • Packers: TE Tucker Kraft (questionable, back), RB MarShawn Lloyd (questionable, hamstring), RB Emanuel Wilson (questionable, hamstring)

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