RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Philadelphia Eagles opened their preseason with a 24-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens , but the final score only tells part of the story. With Philadelphia holding out many of its key players, the preseason opener was primarily about evaluating young players and roster competitions. Still, several areas stood out after the Eagles managed only 159 total yards and six first downs.
Here are takeaways from the loss.
The offense never found a rhythm
Philadelphia finished with just 83 passing yards and 76 rushing yards. The Eagles averaged 4.0 yards per play and went 0-for-9 on third down.
Andy Dalton completed 3 of 6 passes for 20 yards, Tanner McKee went 6-of-10 for 35 yards, and Cole Payton completed 4 of 9 passes for 37 yards and a touchdown. Payton also led the Eagles with 45 rushing yards.
The numbers show how difficult it was for Philadelphia to sustain drives.
Uar Bernard will make this roster
The Eagles rookie has never played an NFL game, but has moments where his athleticism overshadows his ability.
Emery Jones Jr was a top 100 pick for Baltimore, and heading into the ‘24 season was talked about as a potential first-round guy out of LSU. It’s one snap, but this is an excellent rep from Uar Bernard against a guy that’s played a ton of football at a high level. Baby steps… pic.twitter.com/Lxvo0xy9SH
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) August 16, 2026 Eagles offensive struggles
Total Yards Through 3 Quarters:
Eagles: 76Ravens: 358
Overall, Philadelphia finished with just 83 passing yards and 76 rushing yards. The Eagles averaged 4.0 yards per play and went 0-for-9 on third down.
Cole Payton provided a spark
Payton was one of the brighter offensive performers. The rookie quarterback accounted for 82 total yards and Philadelphia's only touchdown, including 45 rushing yards on just three attempts. His mobility immediately added a different dimension to the offense, and his performance gives the Eagles something to evaluate heading into the next preseason game.
This was the type of improvisation that Cole Payton showed at North Dakota State and brings to the #Eagles . Nothing there initially, buys time and finds Erik Erik Ezukanma for the TD in the back of the end zone. pic.twitter.com/cPOUsMYvai
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) August 16, 2026 Willie Lampkin
Willie Lampkin (61) on 3-15… finish to the echo of the whistle. pic.twitter.com/1jhLO1EDXu
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) August 15, 2026 The defense created turnovers but spent too much time on the field
Kelee Ringo intercepted Joe Fagnano, while Philadelphia's defense finished with three sacks. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recorded five tackles and a sack. But Baltimore dominated possession, holding the ball for 41:17 compared with Philadelphia's 18:43. The Ravens ran 76 plays to the Eagles' 40.
Penalties were a major problem
The Eagles were penalized 10 times for 96 yards. In a preseason game focused on evaluating young players, those mistakes can be particularly damaging because they extend opposing drives and eliminate opportunities for the offense.
The young players got valuable experience
This was never going to be a game decided by Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley or Philadelphia's other established stars. The real value came from seeing players such as Payton, Trotter, Mac McWilliams, Kapena Gushiken and others receive extended opportunities.
The Eagles have another preseason game to make adjustments.
The 24-7 loss was ugly statistically, but Philadelphia now has a full game of film to identify who is moving closer to a roster spot and who needs to respond quickly.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles preseason opener exposes plenty to fix after loss to Ravens
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