Eagles Preseason Week 3 Takeaways
Drew Hallowell / Philadelphia Eagles
The last NFL preseason game is always an interesting one from many perspectives. We know the star players will be nowhere near the field, and it may be the last in-game moment for players who are on the bubble to make the roster. Nick Sirianni and the entire coaching staff made it obvious they were using this last game to answer some huge questions that still loomed large for the Eagles as this preseason comes to an end.
The Eagles wrapped up the preseason with a 19-17 win over the New York Jets in New Jersey. Predictably, none of the starters ever touched the field. Instead, the night was about auditions, mistakes, and giving a few players a chance to make their case for a roster spot before final cuts on Tuesday.
Three things stood out to me from last night’s game.
1. Jakorian Bennett proves he belongs in the cornerback mix
If you were looking for someone to lock down a roster spot in the secondary, Bennett gave you exactly that. The former Raiders draft pick was everywhere. He didn’t give the Jets’ receivers much breathing room all night. More important than the box score was how he played. Bennett looked aggressive at the line and sticky in coverage, traits this Eagles corner group needs behind Quinyon Mitchell.
The Eagles’ corner depth has been a concern since camp broke. Vic Fangio still doesn’t know what Eli Ricks will give him week to week. That’s why Bennett’s showing matters. He was trusted in extended reps, and he didn’t just survive; he thrived in the role. He didn’t make the flashy plays, but he still ended up with five tackles and one pass breakup, which on the surface sounds pedestrian, but he was blanketing his assignments all game. He made his case to be CB2 over Adoree Jackson tonight. He broke up a deep ball, forced contested catches, and delivered two big tackles underneath, proving quarterbacks had no easy throws in his direction.
Bennett made a compelling case as to why he can be that guy. He played with the kind of urgency you want to see from someone fighting for his spot, and in doing so, I believe he might have locked himself into one.
2. Kyle McCord misses a chance to separate himself
The offense under Kyle McCord and Dorian Thompson-Robinson has been disappointing to say the least. Neither has established a reason that they deserve a roster spot, and the fact that going with 2 quarterbacks is a thought at this point speaks volumes to just how listless the offense is under the two players battling it out for the third-string role. Tonight, Sirianni gave rookie quarterback McCord the full game. No Thompson-Robinson at all. It was McCord’s offense from start to finish. The results didn’t exactly build confidence.
McCord finished 15 of 35 for 136 yards and one interception. That’s a 43 percent completion rate and less than four yards per attempt, which all added up to a 42.1 passer rating. For someone who was handed the keys for the night and fighting to prove the Eagles should use a coveted roster spot on a third quarterback, it was a letdown. The Eagles staff wanted to see command, accuracy, and poise. Someone who ran the offense with efficiency, and what they got was hesitation, missed throws, and drives that stalled out. The offense hasn’t looked great all preseason, but tonight, outside of some solid plays from Montrell Johnson Jr., the offense appeared to be slower than they did last week.
It wasn’t all on McCord. The offensive line was shaky at best, and his receivers didn’t always help him out. But the job of a quarterback in this spot is to elevate his play to ultimately impress the coaching staff. To take control of the game against second and third-string defenders and show the staff he’s worth keeping around. Tonight, McCord didn’t do that. He had one interception in the game, but there were several that were close to being turnovers. The interception he threw was a deep throw into double coverage with a safety over the top, which was a throw he had no chance of success on.
The Eagles are now left with a decision: do they carry a third quarterback, and if they do, is McCord the guy? Thompson-Robinson hasn’t been impressive either, and the fact that the staff didn’t give him any snaps tonight suggests they’ve seen enough already. McCord had the stage tonight and didn’t make a compelling case to be on the 53-man roster after Tuesday. That might say more about the team’s overall third QB situation than either player individually.
What it means going forward: Jalen Hurts and Tanner McKee are locked in, and the Eagles might prefer to use the roster spot elsewhere. McCord didn’t help his case, or the case to carry a third QB in the finale tonight.
3. Young defensive additions show flashes with Powell-Ryland and Cine Finally Showing Up
The Eagles want their youth on defense to grow into something more than practice-squad players, and tonight, 2 rookies offered a glimpse of that, and may have salvaged their preseasons in the process.
Antwaun Powell-Ryland, the rookie edge rusher out of Virginia Tech, finally broke through with his first sack. He finished with two tackles and looked explosive off the edge. He was explosive all night, and that’s the kind of play that can stick with coaches when they make roster decisions. The Eagles don’t need him to be a superstar overnight, but if Powell-Ryland can give them rotational juice, that’s valuable.
Then there’s Lewis Cine. The safety, who has battled injuries and inconsistency, came up with a diving interception in the second half. It’s exactly the kind of play he needed after a very quiet preseason. Cine’s athleticism has never been the question, but availability and consistency have been the loud knocks against him. One pick won’t change everything, but it puts his name back in the conversation.
What these moments tell you is simple: the Eagles have some young defenders who are capable of splash plays. That matters for a team that wants to refresh its defensive depth without relying solely on veterans, and while Powell-Ryland and Cine aren’t finished products, they both gave the front office and Vic Fangio something to think about when it came to constructing the roster next week.
Now the Eagles move on to the regular season, but probably the biggest hurdle remains for the entire coaching staff, that is, final roster cut day. I’m sure not much sleep will be had by the coaching staff until Tuesday’s final cut is over. One last piece of business before preparing to host the Dallas Cowboys when games start to matter.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
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