GREEN BAY, Wis. – Back in his old stomping grounds, Allen Barbre helped the Eagles' running game return to its own ground-stomping form during the Eagles' 27-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers Sunday afternoon. Barbre, who joined the NFL as a member of the Packers and played for the team from 2007-2009, stepped in at left tackle for an injured Jason Peters as LeSean McCoy rushed for 155 yards and the Eagles rushed to their fifth road victory of the season.
Peters initially left in the first quarter to be evaluated for a head injury. On Barbre's first play at left tackle, Nick Foles tossed a 55-yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson. On the next series, Peters returned for one play, only to then leave for good with a quad injury.
"We can run our offense when Allen's in there," head coach Chip Kelly said after the game. "We have a lot of confidence. He can play both guard and tackle. He's been a real versatile player for us. We knew that at some point in time we were going to have to use him this season, and (I'm) really happy with how he stepped up."
The Eagles' signing of Barbre last January may have gone largely unnoticed, but his presence has paid dividends for the Eagles thus far. Barbre emerged in Training Camp as the team's top backup offensive lineman and the Eagles' offensive performance Sunday without Peters, their best offensive lineman, only serves to demonstrate Barbre's importance. That his most extensive playing time of the season came at Lambeau Field only made things a bit more enjoyable for the 29-year-old.
"It was pretty sweet, you know?" Barbre said. "Coming back here and playing against a bunch of guys that I'd played with and been on the team with, that was fun.
"It was kind of weird. Even when kind of driving up to the stadium I kind of had a weird feeling in my stomach. It was kind of different just because I'd been here for so long and it was fun to come back here and play."
Kelly will update Peters' injury status as the week moves along.
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