G/C Drew Kendall and G/C Willie Lampkin drive Patriot defenders eight yards into the endzone during RB Will Shipley’s six yard TD run.
IT’S starting to come together!
EAGLES 21 – Patriots 24
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So how much of what I mentioned in Preseason Four Things: PATRIOTS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Better Routes: Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion made improvements to the passing game this week. Last week there were a bunch of short passes thrown into crowed areas. It made us look inept and almost got us shut-out.
In this game, when a ball was slung to a receiver, they generally had space around them. This allowed them to not only catch the ball, but to turn upfield and add YAC (yards after the catch). Such as WR Darius Cooper (4 – 3 – 44 – 14.6 – 0) on his 25 yard catch and run; RB Carson Steele (12 – 33 – 2.7 – 0 – 0 / 7 – 6 – 84 – 14.0 – 1) scoring on a 28 yard catch and run and hurdle; and even WR Britain Covey (2 – 1 – 14 – 14.0 – 1) scoring on a catch and scamper across the middle. (DONE)
DT Ty Robinson collecting one of his two sacks in this game
2) Ty Up The End: The notion was to see DT Ty Robinson (4 – 2.0 – 0 – 0) line up at DE and show how much potential he has at that spot. He logged no discernible snaps at DE and instead dominated from DT. At this point I don’t see how they keep him off the 53 man roster. He was great, but what I discussed didn’t happen. (NOT DONE)
3) Make Special Teams, Special: The hope was to see a KR playing hungry. NOPE! I don’t get it. Special Teams Coordinator Michael Clay doesn’t seem to motivate reserve players to want to step up and deliver more. If not for a blocked field goal here or there by starting linemen, this unit would be an absolute shrug. (NOT DONE)
4) Big Plays, Big Mistakes: I wanted to see one or two players taking chances and trying to impress. I wanted to come out of this game rooting for a long-shot. That long-shot’s name is Carson Steele.
This guy had not one, but two plays where he hurdled fuckers for extra yards. Watching him run, he strikes me more as a FB/H-Back type. Word is, he has no shot at the roster. However, behind RB Will Shipley (11 – 56 – 5.0 – 1 – 0) none of the other RB’s has flashed this preseason. If the Eagles keep four, right now Steele has to be that fourth. (DONE)
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So that gets us 2 of 4 for the week. This Friday, we’ll finally get to host one of these shindigs, as the Bengals roll into Philly for the preseason finale. Final cutdowns will follow.
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Game Hero: RB Carson Steele – The guy racked up over 100 yards from scrimmage and a score. Smiling ear to ear, and jumping over chumps in the process. He made watching the game fun.
RB Carson Steele hurdles a guy who’ll have a regular job in two weeks, during a 26 yard TD catch and run
Game goat: WR Quez Watkins – He had a rushing yard on one carry; caught none of the three balls thrown to him; and averaged 15.0 yards on two kick returns. The longest being 16 yards. He just seemed barely interested, all night long. I started this preseason pulling for him over WR Hollywood Brown (DNP), but it’s time to just let Quez go. Split his remaining reps between two guys who still have a chance.
On The Whole: This was a much better showing of our offensive concepts and operational smoothness. I can’t wait to see this system operated by our starters, backed up by a Secondary that can cover.
DT Uar Bernard broke his cherry, with two tackles, and DE Joshua Weru (3 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) got his first sack. The question is how do we protect these guys without adding them to the 53 man roster. At this point I don’t think either player should be. I’d smuggle one onto Injured Reserve and the other I’d try to get on the Practice Squad.
Now that they have begun flashing, if we cut them in hopes of smuggling them onto the P.S., we run the risk of losing them to waivers. I’m willing to roll those dice with Weru, but I think Uar needs a phantom injury to send him to I.R. for at least eight weeks. At which point we’ll re-evaluate his and the roster’s situation.
