The Eagles looked much better in Florida than they did at home last week. A 24-10 win over the Jags reflected a stunning performance from a team of hungry men all trying to secure their roster spots. Here is everything you need to know.
NOW the Eagles might need to sign a quarterback
Cody Kessler would attempt 4 passes before hitting the ground hard and being taken out of the game. The QB playing his former team was placed in concussion protocol, handing the reins over to Clayton Thorson. But if Thorson is out for one/two weeks, the Eagles may need to sign one more camp arm after all. Whom that may be, I have no idea. Or….they could give Thorson the whole game…cause he…looked….good???
Oh HeLLO Clayton Thorson
Okay, where did that come from?! Maybe it was the first-game jitters, or perhaps the pressure put on his shoulders after a really tough debut. Either way, Thorson balled out on Thursday night, throwing for 175 yards, completing 16/26 passes and scoring a touchdown. There was a dodgy interception but that wasn’t really on him.
Thorson threw a gorgeous pass to 6’6 Carlton Agudosi who showed some toe-drag swag to haul it in over two defenders. He looked confident, poised, and more importantly, comfortable. He was a complete contrast to what we saw one week ago and this was more than just a sign of life, this was the rebirth of a project quarterback who may, just may, have a high ceiling after all.
Eagles receiver cuts are going to be REALLY hard
In the space of one game:
Greg Ward Jr. scored a touchdown and led the team in receiving.
Carlton Agudosi looked like a Transformer.
Charles Johnson put the drops behind him and looked genuinely impressive.
Marken Michel had a nice catch-and-run in space.
Mack Hollins proved he still exists.
How on earth the Eagles are going to trim this position down, I’ll never know. It’s a great problem to have, but all of the guys scrapping for rosters spots looked really good.
Daeshon Hall builds on his big breakout
Two tackles, two sacks, one tackle for a loss. Just a standard day at the office for the former Aggie, right? Daeshon Hall looked just as dangerous as he did last week, which is going to do his chances of not just making the roster, but making a defensive impact next year, wonders. One more week like that and it’s going to be signed, sealed, and delivered.
Boston Scott sighting
Scott has become a communal favorite here at Philly Sports Network and after missing the first preseason game due to injury, Scott led the team in rushing, carrying the ball 7 times for 43 yards, which was a stark contrast to the complete lack of efficiency last week by the backs. Both Scott and Pumphrey looked good, but Scott looked really good. Is there a chance he sneaks onto the roster? Don’t write it off.
Holy…..don’t make the pun, Liam
Considering he’s only been on the team for less than the amount of time it takes to boil a kettle, Aziz Shittu played extremely well. The young defensive tackle rejoined the Eagles this week, blocked 2 passes, sacked the QB and added a TFL his name. A late contender for a DT4/5 role? Maybe, just maybe…
T.J Edwards makes his case
After a quiet debut, coveted UDFA LB T.J Edwards exploded onto the scene. Edwards was consistently around the ball making plays and had a big TFL too. All the linebackers looked strong, which is going to put even more pressure on the group going into week 3.
But it wasn’t all rosy
Stefen Wisniewski continued to struggle snapping the ball, like, badly. Wis was consistently low, forcing Thorson into awkward angles to snag it out of harms way. Making matters worse, Matt Pryor was flagged on several occasions for the second week in a row. At this point, their roster stock has dropped massively.
It was just really good football
With that said, in comparison to last week’s mess, this was just fundamentally sound Football. Aside from a few penalties and missed tackles, this team played to a much higher standard than they did last Thursday and it elevated just about everybody. There’s very little to nitpick here. The developmental guys looked good, the starters and rookies promising, and those on the bubble left it all out on the field. I don’t know what more anyone could ask.
And finally…
A huge thank you to everyone who checked out our ‘watchalong’ livestream. It was a blast watching the Eagles with you all and seeing such an excited live-chat is a real blessing. You truly are the best fanbase on the planet and we love you all!
The Eagles will return to preseason action next Thursday night against Baltimore.
Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
