EAGLES 34, PACKERS 29 For all the handwringing there was about how long the flight to Brazil would be, or the logistical challenges there were to the NFL playing its first game in South America, or why the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles were sequestering themselves in their respective hotels instead of exploring São Paulo, maybe somebody should have been more concerned about the field conditions at Arena Corinthians. Certainly, both teams had to deal with the sub-optimal field conditions on Friday night, and it'd be hard to argue that they were a major factor in the final outcome: a 34-29 Eagles victory. That said, the natural grass surface was as slippery as the Titletown ice rink, at least during the first half before players appeared to find their footing by changing cleats.
"It's been a problem, for sure," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said at halftime. NBC said during the telecast that the Corinthians soccer team played on the field on Sunday. ESPN reported leading into the game that Eagles head groundskeeper Tony Leonard and NFL field director Nick Pappas worked "for months" on the field so it would be up to the league's standards.
Once on the field at Arena Corinthians, the players should notice a grass that is similar to the kind they play on at their home stadiums. Eagles head groundskeeper Tony Leonard has been working with NFL field director Nick Pappas "for months," Ferrari said, to get the conditions just right for an NFL game. "It's a soccer pitch, but.