Free-agent acquisition Saquon Barkley paid off in his first game with the Philadelphia Eagles as he scored three touchdowns in a 34-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Friday night.

The teams opened their NFL regular-season schedules in the league’s first game in South America as they squared off in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Philadelphia added Barkley in March for a three-year, $37.75 million contract after he’d spent his first six seasons with the New York Giants, an NFC East rival of the Eagles.

The running back’s third touchdown came on a 2-yard run as Philadelphia took a 31-26 lead with 4:26 left in the third quarter. The lead change was the seventh – and final – of the game.

The Eagles had to move only 24 yards for the go-ahead touchdown after an interception by Philadelphia safety Reed Blankenship, a former West Limestone High School standout.

Barkley also caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jalen Hurts with 12:38 remaining in the first half and scored on an 11-yard run with 5:34 left in the first half. The Eagles regained the lead on both touchdowns.

Barkley ran for 109 yards on 24 carries and caught two passes for 23 yards.

Barkley joined former Benjamin Russell High School standout Terrell Owens as the only players who have scored three touchdowns in their debut game for the Eagles in the NFL’s AFC/NFC era. Owens played his first game for Philadelphia in 2004, and the Eagles went to the Super Bowl that season.

Eleven players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the Green Bay-Philadelphia game:

· Reed Blankenship (West Limestone) started at safety for the Eagles. Blankenship made eight tackles and intercepted a pass. Blankenship picked off a pass by Love with 6:08 left in the third quarter that set up Philadelphia on the Green Bay 24-yard line.

· Eagles defensive back James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Landon Dickerson (Alabama) started at left guard for the Eagles.

· Eagles offensive lineman Jack Driscoll (Auburn) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s Episcopal) started at defensive end for the Eagles. Huff made one tackle in his Philadelphia debut. He joined the Eagles in free agency after four seasons with the New York Jets.

· Jalen Hurts (Alabama) started at quarterback for the Eagles. Hurts completed 20-of-34 passes for 278 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and ran 13 times for 33 yards. In addition to his touchdown pass to Barkley, Hurts connected with wide receiver AJ Brown on a 67-yard scoring pass as Philadelphia took a 24-19 lead 51 seconds into the second half.

· Josh Jacobs (Alabama) started at running back for the Packers. In his first game for Green Bay, Jacobs ran for 84 yards on 16 carries and caught two passes for 20 yards. Jacobs had 4 yards on six rushing attempts in the first half. Jacobs joined the Packers in free agency after five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders.

· Xavier McKinney (Alabama) started at safety for the Packers. In his first game for Green Bay, McKinney had four tackles and ended Philadelphia’s opening possession with an interception. McKinney returned the interception 17 yards to the Eagles 19-yard line to set up a field goal. McKinney joined the Packers in free agency after four seasons with the Giants.

· Packers running back La’Mical Perine (Theodore) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks (Alabama) did not record any stats.

· DeVonta Smith (Alabama) started at wide receive rfor the Eagles. Smith caught seven passes for 84 yards. Smith also made a tackle after an interception.

· Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen (Alabama) did not record any stats.

· Packers offensive tackle Kadeem Telfort (UAB) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Packers wide receiver Jalen Wayne (Spanish Fort, South Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Packers quarterback Malik Willis (Auburn) entered the game with six seconds to play after starter Jordan Love limped off the field. Willis joined Green Bay in a trade with the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 27. In his first appearance for the Packers, Willis had an incompletion before being sacked trying to get off a Hail Mary on the final snap.

· Packers defensive lineman Colby Wooden (Auburn) did not record any stats.

· Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.

Green Bay plays the Indianapolis Colts at noon CDT Sept. 15 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Philadelphia plays the Atlanta Falcons at 7:15 p.m. Sept. 16 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.