THANK goodness it’s over.
EAGLES 13 – Bengals 30
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So how much of what I mentioned in Preseason Four Things: BENGALS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Second Unit Run Game: I wanted to see if we had another runner who could be a serious threat on the ground and I was pleasantly surprised by RB Dameon Pierce (4 – 44 – 11 – 0 – 0). Until he got hurt. (DONE)
2) Sitting This One Out: I wanted to see LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and QB Tanner McKee (12/22 – 54.5% – 55 – 0 – 1), sit this game out. Obviously it happened for Trotter, but McKee got stuck playing nearly an entire half.
The idea that the Eagles coaching staff still feels the need to evaluate between McKee and QB Andy Dalton (12/19 – 63.1% – 104 – 1 – 0), is concerning. Dalton is 38, has played 16 years and never won anything of any significance. He owns an 84 – 83 – 2 record as a starter. We’ve seen his ceiling. Every practice rep that McKee loses to this guy, just further stunts McKee’s development by this staff. This is irresponsible. (NOT DONE)
3) Payton’s Place: Give QB Cole Payton (0/2 – 0.0% – 0 – 0 – 0) the second half and see what he can do with it, to help his development. Didn’t happen. (NOT DONE)
4) Any Reason For Hope: Hoping for something to hang hope onto regarding our kick return game, we got nothing. (NOT DONE)
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This week’s Four Things score was 1 of 4. Mercifully the preseason is over, so when we next see the Eagles, we’ll be watching our starters. But that’s two weeks away.
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Game Hero: S Andre Sam (3 – 0.0 – 0 – 2) forced a fumble and recovered two, before hurting his leg and having to be driven off the field on a cart. Like RB Pierce, if a player started strong this week, they were leaving the game early.
Game goat: Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion – Again, I understand the strategy of vanilla playcalling in the preseason. That said, the over-reliance on routes under five yards and RB dump-offs, isn’t on the players. That’s on whomever is calling the plays. That lack of aggression, isn’t how you develop killer instinct, or a sense of urgency in young players.
On The Whole: If I didn’t have to write about it, I wouldn’t have finished watching the game.
