Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Eagles show nothing in loss
Fall to Ravens, 26-15, in weather-shortened preseason game
The Eagles accomplished what they set out to do in the preseason. They didn’t show the opposition anything.
That’s the sum total of their first three games. The bags are packed long before the fourth and final meaningless preseason contest.
Sure, the Eagles handed the Baltimore Ravens a meaningless 26-15 victory on a misty Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field. The smartest move all night was clearing the remaining fans from their seats at 10:12 p.m. when lightning shot through the lower bowl. The game was terminated at 10:36 p.m. due to the elements.
Weather aside, the game could have had meaning.
Really now, how hard is it to claim victory, at least internally, by keeping your franchise quarterback out of the preseason games? That’s what the Eagles did so brilliantly by steering away from Carson Wentz and playing, in order, Cody Kessler, Josh McCown and Clayton Thorson. Except for a third-quarter spurt by McCown, they put on a performance slightly less entertaining than Moe, Larry and Curley.
The Ravens, on the other hand, got a long look at Trace McSorley who started and played well against the first-team Philly defense, and systematically dismantled the subs. By the end of the first half it looked like he was trashing Kent State again.
McSorley threw two touchdown passes and ran for one, finishing with 203 passing yards and a 120.7 rating in leading Ravens to a 26-0 halftime lead. Now, that’s an achievement.
As for the strategic non-use of Carson Wentz, we should know in a couple of weeks if it was the right thing for the Eagles to do.
That’s when Ryan Kerrigan of the Washington Redskins will be coming off the edge against Lane Johnson, who’s rehabbing a knee, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai, whose next successful block against Kerrigan will be his first in the matchup.
Will Wentz spin, try to extend the play, step up in the pocket? Or will he do what Tom Brady did so effortlessly in his first preseason appearance Thursday evening and throw the ball away or slide.
The GOAT played a quarter and change in leading the New England Patriots to a touchdown. That was the
extent of Brady’s preseason, but the important thing was he put it on film in real time with his offensive line, receivers, and running backs.
In that same game, critics can point out that Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers exited with a left ankle injury after getting sacked. It didn’t look like an injury on the replays. At any rate there’s virtually no way that would force him out of a real game.
But back to the Eagles and their stealth preseason.
Kessler started for the Eagles and gave them everything he had. There simply wasn’t much there.
Kessler was sacked on a fourth-and-three on the first possession and the next time he got on the field, he left the Eagles in a fourth-and-17 spot courtesy of a fumble although he connected with JJ Arciga-Whiteside for an 18yard gain.
McCown came in and looked every inch of 40 years old as he fumbled a shotgun snap. His kneel-down at the end of the first half was magnifique.
McCown came back in
the third quarter and led the Eagles on a seven-play, 57-yard scoring drive, capping it with a 20-yard pass to Arciga-Whiteside. McCown completed 4 of 5 attempts for 45 yards.
McCown led the Eagles to another score, his 35yard pass to Arciga-Whiteside highlighting a march that ended with a nine-yard throw to tight end Alex Ellis, from Delmar High in Delaware. The two-point conversion got the Eagles within 2615 with 2:42 left in the third quarter.
That was it for McCown, who threw for 192 yards, completing 17 of 24 attempts.
At least the Eagles’ defense got a workout playing against McSorley, the Penn State star. If you wanted highlights, he brought them including a textbook 28yard scoring pass to Michael Floyd. Cornerback Jeremiah McKinnon had no chance.
The first-team Eagles’ defense did its job as it limited the Ravens to a field goal. The subs had issues in several areas, including tackling.
Early in the second quarter,
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews ran over four Eagles on a 25-yard gain to set up a four-yard scoring run by McSorley.
The Eagles had their moments. For the second straight week, receiver Carlton Agudosi (6-6, 220) made a spectacular catch the officials couldn’t agree on until Pederson challenged it. The Eagles won the appeal. Agudosi got a 14-yard reception with his patented toe-tap just before the sideline.
Another bright spot in spite of the lackluster quarterbacking was Eagles running back Corey Clement, who showed a burst rushing for 25 yards on seven firsthalf carries.
All in all, it just wasn’t a fun night for the Eagles or their fans.
Late in the first half, Jake Elliott missed a 41-yard field goal attempt. Yeah, Carli Lloyd made a 55-yarder Tuesday after Eagles practice. It happens. The important thing – right now, at least – is the Eagles accomplished what they set out to do.
Whatever that was.