The Eagles slumped to a 27-10 loss on Thursday Night as the Titans took advantage of a stagnant second-half offense and a rocky secondary. Here are ten takeaways from the game.
Daeshon Hall is a baller
Arguably the biggest winner from tonight’s loss was defensive end Daeshon Hall. The former Aggie blew up with 6 tackles and a sack against the Titans and was a menace in the backfield throughout. For a team now lacking in defensive end depth, Hall is showing he’s ready to step up and replace Ostman if needed, by mauling through everyone in his path.
Dillard looked extremely comfortable
First-round selection Andre Dillard took to Thursday’s game like a Duck to Water. Very few errors, extremely compact, and as smooth as butter, Dillard looked at ease after being given the LT start. He may not be taking over the Throne just yet, but the rightful King has arrived in style.
As for Mailata…
There was naturally a lot of intrigue surrounding Jordan Mailata this offseason after spending a full year under the watchful eye of Jeff Stoutland, but his first game since August year wasn’t pretty. Mailata was giving up pressure throughout what was a lengthy exposure, QB hits, and Sacks, without means to put an end to the bleeding. Mailata and his very raw skill set clearly still have a long way to go.
Tough night for AAF duo
Veteran WR Charles Johnson just couldn’t catch a break…or a pass. The former AAF standout had a case of the dropsies despite some crisp route-running and just as things were looking good, they suddenly weren’t. Greg Ward Jr. didn’t see much of the ball at all which didn’t help his case, but most of the attention was on a struggling Johnson who just couldn’t seem to get it together.
Jonathan Cyprien’s rollercoaster
Having signed with the Eagles on his birthday, former starting Safety Jonathan Cyprien was dropped into the deep end. After giving up an early TD, Cyprien recovered well with some big hits and burst into the open field. Five tackles and a pass defensed, we have a Safety competition, folks.
L.J Fort(ress)
Perhaps one of the biggest standouts of the night was linebacker L.J Fort and his tinted visor. Flying around the field, Fort tallied 4 tackles but was an absolute monster against the run. Of all the linebackers, including Nate Gerry who allowed a TD, Fort showed the most promise.
Sudfeld…
After Nate Sudfeld landed awkwardly after a pass in the Eagles preseason opener, he was carted inside with an air cast and taken into the medical tent, the fear was a broken wrist. Pederson met with reporters after the 27-10 loss to confirm the status of the injury.
Cody Kessler, who actually looked surprisingly good, will be given the green light to earn a temporary QB2 role, but one has to assume after Thorson’s dreadful showing, that there will be another arm brought in.
Clayton Thorson has a long way to go…
So uh, throwing passes into the dirt isn’t a rarity in the NFL…but on wide-open screens? Ouch. Thorson went 2/9 in his first taste of NFL action. Send help and send it now.
Marken Michel’s got game
CFL export Marken Michel took the roof off Tennessee for a 75-yard touchdown early in the game. It would be the only time that the Eagles found the end zone, but what a way to make an impact. Michel has the star power in his name and an electric skillset that blossomed in Canada.
Aside from an odd punt return decision, Michel showed some crisp route-running and beautiful ball-tracking. Expect to see much more from the former Stampeder next week.
Calling Josh Sweat
SO uh, this new beast. This man that’s gonna blow the world apart next season. Did anyone see him? Josh Sweat, who has probably unfairly been subject to SO much hype this offseason, looked slow getting off the line and I would argue was outperformed by both Shareef Miller and Daeshon Hall. Is this indicative of his overall form? Not at all. But it’s an insight and one that explains why Sweat wasn’t given a bigger slice of pie last year. I think while he may have all the intangibles, we still need to see more moving forward. Don’t be surprised to see Vet help brought in.
What were your takeaways? Let us know below in the comments!
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
