RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Philadelphia Eagles finished the preseason without a victory, falling 30-13 to the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday night at Lincoln Financial Field. The final score will be forgotten once the regular season begins. The individual performances will matter as Philadelphia prepares to reduce its roster to 53 players.
Here are 10 instant takeaways from the preseason finale.
1. Philadelphia finishes the preseason 0-3
The Eagles were outscored 78-41 across three preseason losses. That record will not follow them into the regular season, but the uneven performances exposed questions about the depth behind Philadelphia’s established starters.
2. Tanner McKee missed his opportunity
McKee completed 12 of 22 passes for 55 yards with an interception and a 41.1 passer rating. He finished the preseason 34 of 54 for 263 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Friday was an opportunity to strengthen his standing in the quarterback room. It did not go as planned.
3. Andy Dalton responded
Dalton provided Philadelphia’s most productive quarterback play, completing 12 of 19 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. He completed six of seven attempts during an 11-play, 76-yard drive that ended with his 5-yard touchdown pass to Carson Steele.
4. Carson Steele made his final argument
Steele caught eight passes for 52 yards and a touchdown while adding 24 yards on eight carries. His versatility, receiving ability and potential value as a fullback should make him difficult to leave off the roster.
5. Makai Lemon finally made his debut
Lemon caught three passes for 3 yards on five targets. The production was minimal, but receiving game repetitions after missing most of the preseason with a hamstring injury was more important than his final numbers.
6. Punt returns may not be Lemon’s immediate role
Philadelphia gave Lemon an opportunity to return a punt, but he mishandled the bouncing football before recovering it and being stopped for no gain. His offensive role remains the priority.
7. Dameon Pierce provided an explosive spark
Pierce gained 44 yards on four carries, averaging 11 yards per attempt. His limited workload prevented him from building a larger statistical case, but he displayed the power and burst that made him an established NFL runner.
8. Jake Elliott looks ready
Elliott connected on field goals from 45 and 56 yards. Philadelphia may have questions at several positions, but its veteran kicker finished the preseason finale by displaying his range.
9. The reserve defense was overwhelmed
Cincinnati accumulated 420 yards, 25 first downs and 211 rushing yards. The Bengals averaged 6 yards per carry and scored 21 second-half points against a Philadelphia defense filled with roster hopefuls.
10. Andre’ Sam’s injury was the biggest concern
Sam was carted off during the third quarter after putting together a strong preseason. The safety entered the game competing for a roster spot, and his health became far more important than Philadelphia’s final score.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles-Bengals preseason finale: 10 instant takeaways from 30-13 loss
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