SHEMAR DEBUT
First-round pick Shemar Stewart keeps on impressing. During his stint with the second defense, he almost had a sack (it earned a sideline lesson from Trey Hendrickson) and made a hellacious hit on the monstrous running back A.J. Dillon for a loss in the run game.
“He just got up and walked away,” said a smiling Stewart. “I felt it more than him. He’s a big boy.”
So is Stewart, who may very well have earned a shot with the first team next week.
“The game is definitely slowing down. Last week the bullets were flying,” Stewart said . “Hopefully next week, I can get there a little faster.”
MONEY MAC BACK
With rookie long snapper William Wagner drilling it back, Evan McPherson knocked through a 51-yard field goal and 36-yard field goal in the second half. After some struggles last year, he has happily returned to his high school and college mechanics this summer and looks to be hitting it as well as ever as he perfects his fade.
“I always feel like it’s mental mentality when it comes to struggling, and I’m in a good spot right now,” McPherson said.
ZAC-ISMS
All that said, head coach Zac Taylor was not pleased with the overall result. Two penalties on Eagles field goals that turned into seven points. A penalty that wiped out a 71-yard kick return. An interception.
“We can’t tolerate it. We have to play better team football than that,” Taylor said. “I like the fight by the guys at the end. I appreciate that, but there’s a lot of things we have to correct as a team. It’s not one position, not one unit. Not one person.”