The Philadelphia Eagles kicked off their 2025 preseason schedule with a WIN over the Cincinnati Bengals. Final score, which doesn\u2019t matter, but we\u2019re logging it here anyway: 34 to 27.<\/p>\n
The Eagles barely played any starters in this game, as expected. Still, there was some interesting and exciting stuff that happened!<\/p>\n
Read on for some noteworthy moments from Thursday night\u2019s action.<\/p>\n
NOTABLE POSITION BATTLE UPDATES:<\/p>\n
Tanner McKee was awesome. He\u2019s a stud. Would need more than a second-round pick in order to trade the Eagles\u2019 backup quarterback.<\/p>\n
His stat line at the end of the first half:<\/p>\n
McKee came back in to ultimately go 20\/25 for 252 yards (10.1 average), 2 TD, 0 INT, and a 135.3 passer rating.<\/p>\n
Dorian Thompson-Robinson came in to replace McKee with 8:19 left in the third quarter. He was OK. His stat line: 5\/8, 56 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 83.3 passer rating. He didn\u2019t really run the ball (two carries for zero yards), which is surprising.<\/p>\n
Kyle McCord entered the game with 11:13 in the fourth quarter. The rookie was bad. His line: 1\/5, 8 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 0.0 passer rating.<\/p>\n
Not a very encouraging night.<\/p>\n
Adoree\u2019 Jackson started at left cornerback and Kelee Ringo started at right cornerback with Mac McWilliams manning the slot.<\/p>\n
Both Jackson and Ringo allowed catches on the Bengals\u2019 first down. Jackson was playing off and allowed a short catch to Ja\u2019Marr Chase for a first down on 3rd-and-5. Ringo allowed a toe-tapping back-shoulder reception to Chase along the left sideline for 23 yards.<\/p>\n
Ringo took a really poor angle on a Burrow completion to Chase that turned a short reception into a 36-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Woof. Ringo just hasn\u2019t risen to the challenge.<\/p>\n
Jackson allowed a 21-yard reception to depth receiver Charlie Jones on a pass from backup quarterback Jake Browning.<\/p>\n
Jackson and Ringo left the game prior to the Bengals\u2019 fourth offensive drive, which started with 7:17 left in the second quarter. Neither guy played well! Maybe Jakorian Bennett will end up starting the Eagles after all?<\/p>\n
Eli Ricks (RCB) and Mac McWilliams (LCB) were the outside cornerbacks after Jackson and Ringo exited.<\/p>\n
Smael Mondon Jr. and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. started at off-ball linebacker.<\/p>\n
Mondon Jr. missed an open field tackle on Chase Brown.<\/p>\n
Jihaad Campbell replaced Mondon Jr. on the Bengals\u2019 second offensive drive. Campbell got flagged for illegal hands to the face.<\/p>\n
A diving Campbell dropped an interception from a tipped pass. Gotta make that play, rook!<\/p>\n
Trot Jr. and Mondon Jr. played late into the game. Campbell exited earlier than that.<\/p>\n
Sydney Brown and Tristin McCollum started at safety. Rookie Andrew Mukuba did not play.<\/p>\n
Ja\u2019Marr Chase broke through a Brown tackle on a screen.<\/p>\n
Brown later got hurt while trying to make a tackle and did not return.<\/p>\n
Not a very encouraging night for Sydney.<\/p>\n
Tyler Steen got the start at right guard. He helped create a big running lane for Will Shipley on the running back\u2019s 38-yard run.<\/p>\n
The Eagles rested Steen after their first drive. Darian Kinnard came in to replace him. Steen has obviously cemented the starting RG job.<\/p>\n
Jahan Dotson started at wide receiver. He saw two targets for two receptions, 27 yards, and two first downs. Looked good.<\/p>\n
Johnny Wilson made a nice jump ball catch that he originally bobbled but was ultimately able to stay with and bring it down for a 27-yard gain. Good to see him using his size to his advantage after seeing him struggle to do so in practice.<\/p>\n
Wilson used his big frame for another downfield catch from McKee that gained 28 yards. Positive momentum after a rough start to training camp.<\/p>\n
McKee hit Wilson a third time for an 18-yard gain. Can anyone in the NFL stop this connection? Answer: No.<\/p>\n
Wilson did later have a drop on a DTR pass to him.<\/p>\n
A crossing Darius Cooper got open for a 15-yard completion on the Eagles\u2019 second drive. He also had a nice catch where he made a Bengals defender look silly by cutting upfield and getting some yards after the catch. He later created separation for a 20-yard over-the-shoulder touchdown catch on a dime by McKee.<\/p>\n
Ainias Smith was wide open for a six-yard touchdown on a quick slant.<\/p>\n
Will Shipley started at running back. He had six carries for 47 yards on the Eagles\u2019 first offensive drive, with 38 of those coming on a long run. Shipley finished with seven carries for 48 yards.<\/p>\n
A.J. Dillon logged his first carry with a little under 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter. He looked solid for a player who hadn\u2019t played in nearly one year. Five runs for 27 yards (5.4 average) and three catches for 27 yards. According to math, that\u2019s 54 total yards from scrimmage.<\/p>\n
Joshua Uche drew an illegal chop block penalty from Bengals starting right guard Lucas Patrick.<\/p>\n
Kylen Granson flashed more than Harrison Bryant.<\/p>\n
Avery Williams handled the Eagles\u2019 first kick return. He got 25 yards.<\/p>\n
Ainias Smith handled the Eagles\u2019 second kick return. He got 20 yards.<\/p>\n
Avery Williams was back for the Eagles\u2019 first punt return but the ball went out of bounds.<\/p>\n
Avery Williams was back for the Eagles\u2019 second punt return. A 38-yard punt didn\u2019t give him much room to operate so he only got three yards.<\/p>\n
Ainias Smith was back for the Eagles\u2019 third punt returner. He forced multiple missed tackles on a 46-yard return. Nice to see some juice!<\/p>\n
FIRST QUARTER OBSERVATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n The Bengals\u2019 starting offense went 71 yards in 10 plays with 5:04 off the clock to score an opening drive touchdown against the Eagles\u2019 second-string defense.<\/p>\n Tanner McKee Tush Push! That\u2019s how the Eagles capped off their first offensive drive, which went 75 yards in nine plays with 4:56 off the clock.<\/p>\n The Bengals\u2019 starters went down and scored a second touchdown against the Eagles\u2019 backup defense. Safe to say it\u2019s time to fire Vic Fangio? Five plays, 65 yards, 2:32 off the clock.<\/p>\n SECOND QUARTER OBSERVATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n The Eagles\u2019 second drive stalled at 4th-and-5 at the plus 26-yard line. Jake Elliott made the 44-yard field goal attempt.<\/p>\n The Bengals pulled their starters ahead of Cincy\u2019s third drive. Joe Burrow finished 9\/10 for 123 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, and a near-perfect 157.5 passer rating. A stunting Ty Robinson had a physical sack to force a third down that ultimately resulted in a stop for the Eagles\u2019 defense.<\/p>\n Depth defensive tackle Jacob Sykes had a nice TFL to force the Bengals into 3rd-and-5. Eli Ricks then got called for defensive pass interference while also giving up a 15-yard completion on third down. A few plays later, Ricks broke up a third down pass to force a punt.<\/p>\n McKee led a 10-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that took 2:46 off the clock and gave the Eagles a 17 to 13 lead.<\/p>\n Ricks dropped a pick thrown to him.<\/p>\n With 0:45 left in the second quarter, McKee led the Eagles on two-play, 29-yard touchdown drive to give the Eagles a 24 to 13 lead.<\/p>\n THIRD QUARTER OBSERVATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n McKee stayed in to start the third quarter.<\/p>\n Depth RB Keilan Robinson had a nice run where he bounced off what would\u2019ve been a tackle for loss and made a cut for an 11-yard gain.<\/p>\n Jake Elliott missed a 55-yard field goal wide right and short but there was an offside penalty that turned the kick into a 4th-and-2 that the offense went for. McKee connected with a crossing Cooper for a first down. Elliott later made a 23-yard field goal to put the Eagles up by a score of 27 to 14.<\/p>\n Kenyon Green came in the game as the third-team left guard. He got called for holding.<\/p>\n ShunDerrick Powell showed some juice with a shifty run for 19 yards. Just like he\u2019s been doing in training camp.<\/p>\n DTR threw a strike to Taylor Morin over the middle for a 25-yard gain.<\/p>\n FOURTH QUARTER OBSERVATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n Gabe Hall generated pressure on a Bengals screen pass that got picked off by Patrick Johnson.<\/p>\n DTR threw a little high of Wilson on a fade pass. That should be hard to do.<\/p>\n A roughing the snapper penalty gave the Eagles a fresh set of downs in goal-to-go to set up a short Powell touchdown run.<\/p>\n Tariq Castro-Fields had a big hit to break up a third down pass and force a Bengals punt.<\/p>\n Kyle McCord threw a pass that bounced off a defender, then off E.J. Jenkins, and then into the hands of another defender for a what was quite the return on a pick six. That is, before automatic review determined the defender was downed before the return. Bad mistake by the rookie QB.<\/p>\n Parry Nickerson allowed a 48-yard downfield completion. Maxen Hook allowed a 12-yard touchdown to a pretty impressive toe-tapping sideline grab.<\/p>\n Cameron Williams got hit with a holding penalty.<\/p>\n Down seven points with the game on the line, the Bengals went for it 4th-and-9 from their own 21-yard line. They didn\u2019t convert.<\/p>\n The Eagles ran victory formation to run out the clock to win the game.<\/p>\n Sydney Brown visited the medical tent in the second quarter after a missed tackle. He remained on the sideline after being inspected, which is a better sign than him leaving the field.<\/p>\n Elijah Cooks got banged up while trying to make a tackle on kick return. Looked like a shoulder injury. He was carted off the field. Shame for a player who\u2019s really been having a good training camp.<\/p>\n Kenyon Green got banged up midway through the fourth quarter. He was on the ground for a bit before walking off the field holding his wrist\/arm. He went right to the medical tent. Then Green was carted off the field.<\/p>\n\n