Eagles-Bengals preseason observations: Position battle updates, injury news, and more

The Philadelphia Eagles kicked off their 2025 preseason schedule with a WIN over the Cincinnati Bengals. Final score, which doesn’t matter, but we’re logging it here anyway: 34 to 27.

The Eagles barely played any starters in this game, as expected. Still, there was some interesting and exciting stuff that happened!

Read on for some noteworthy moments from Thursday night’s action.

NOTABLE POSITION BATTLE UPDATES:

Tanner McKee was awesome. He’s a stud. Would need more than a second-round pick in order to trade the Eagles’ backup quarterback.

His stat line at the end of the first half:

McKee came back in to ultimately go 20/25 for 252 yards (10.1 average), 2 TD, 0 INT, and a 135.3 passer rating.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson came in to replace McKee with 8:19 left in the third quarter. He was OK. His stat line: 5/8, 56 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 83.3 passer rating. He didn’t really run the ball (two carries for zero yards), which is surprising.

Kyle McCord entered the game with 11:13 in the fourth quarter. The rookie was bad. His line: 1/5, 8 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 0.0 passer rating.

Not a very encouraging night.

Adoree’ Jackson started at left cornerback and Kelee Ringo started at right cornerback with Mac McWilliams manning the slot.

Both Jackson and Ringo allowed catches on the Bengals’ first down. Jackson was playing off and allowed a short catch to Ja’Marr Chase for a first down on 3rd-and-5. Ringo allowed a toe-tapping back-shoulder reception to Chase along the left sideline for 23 yards.

Ringo took a really poor angle on a Burrow completion to Chase that turned a short reception into a 36-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Woof. Ringo just hasn’t risen to the challenge.

Jackson allowed a 21-yard reception to depth receiver Charlie Jones on a pass from backup quarterback Jake Browning.

Jackson and Ringo left the game prior to the Bengals’ fourth offensive drive, which started with 7:17 left in the second quarter. Neither guy played well! Maybe Jakorian Bennett will end up starting the Eagles after all?

Eli Ricks (RCB) and Mac McWilliams (LCB) were the outside cornerbacks after Jackson and Ringo exited.

Smael Mondon Jr. and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. started at off-ball linebacker.

Mondon Jr. missed an open field tackle on Chase Brown.

Jihaad Campbell replaced Mondon Jr. on the Bengals’ second offensive drive. Campbell got flagged for illegal hands to the face.

A diving Campbell dropped an interception from a tipped pass. Gotta make that play, rook!

Trot Jr. and Mondon Jr. played late into the game. Campbell exited earlier than that.

Sydney Brown and Tristin McCollum started at safety. Rookie Andrew Mukuba did not play.

Ja’Marr Chase broke through a Brown tackle on a screen.

Brown later got hurt while trying to make a tackle and did not return.

Not a very encouraging night for Sydney.

Tyler Steen got the start at right guard. He helped create a big running lane for Will Shipley on the running back’s 38-yard run.

The Eagles rested Steen after their first drive. Darian Kinnard came in to replace him. Steen has obviously cemented the starting RG job.

Jahan Dotson started at wide receiver. He saw two targets for two receptions, 27 yards, and two first downs. Looked good.

Johnny Wilson made a nice jump ball catch that he originally bobbled but was ultimately able to stay with and bring it down for a 27-yard gain. Good to see him using his size to his advantage after seeing him struggle to do so in practice.

Wilson used his big frame for another downfield catch from McKee that gained 28 yards. Positive momentum after a rough start to training camp.

McKee hit Wilson a third time for an 18-yard gain. Can anyone in the NFL stop this connection? Answer: No.

Wilson did later have a drop on a DTR pass to him.

A crossing Darius Cooper got open for a 15-yard completion on the Eagles’ second drive. He also had a nice catch where he made a Bengals defender look silly by cutting upfield and getting some yards after the catch. He later created separation for a 20-yard over-the-shoulder touchdown catch on a dime by McKee.

Ainias Smith was wide open for a six-yard touchdown on a quick slant.

Will Shipley started at running back. He had six carries for 47 yards on the Eagles’ first offensive drive, with 38 of those coming on a long run. Shipley finished with seven carries for 48 yards.

A.J. Dillon logged his first carry with a little under 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter. He looked solid for a player who hadn’t played in nearly one year. Five runs for 27 yards (5.4 average) and three catches for 27 yards. According to math, that’s 54 total yards from scrimmage.

Joshua Uche drew an illegal chop block penalty from Bengals starting right guard Lucas Patrick.

Kylen Granson flashed more than Harrison Bryant.

Avery Williams handled the Eagles’ first kick return. He got 25 yards.

Ainias Smith handled the Eagles’ second kick return. He got 20 yards.

Avery Williams was back for the Eagles’ first punt return but the ball went out of bounds.

Avery Williams was back for the Eagles’ second punt return. A 38-yard punt didn’t give him much room to operate so he only got three yards.

Ainias Smith was back for the Eagles’ third punt returner. He forced multiple missed tackles on a 46-yard return. Nice to see some juice!

FIRST QUARTER OBSERVATIONS

The Bengals’ starting offense went 71 yards in 10 plays with 5:04 off the clock to score an opening drive touchdown against the Eagles’ second-string defense.

Tanner McKee Tush Push! That’s how the Eagles capped off their first offensive drive, which went 75 yards in nine plays with 4:56 off the clock.

The Bengals’ starters went down and scored a second touchdown against the Eagles’ backup defense. Safe to say it’s time to fire Vic Fangio? Five plays, 65 yards, 2:32 off the clock.

SECOND QUARTER OBSERVATIONS

The Eagles’ second drive stalled at 4th-and-5 at the plus 26-yard line. Jake Elliott made the 44-yard field goal attempt.

The Bengals pulled their starters ahead of Cincy’s third drive. Joe Burrow finished 9/10 for 123 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, and a near-perfect 157.5 passer rating. A stunting Ty Robinson had a physical sack to force a third down that ultimately resulted in a stop for the Eagles’ defense.

Depth defensive tackle Jacob Sykes had a nice TFL to force the Bengals into 3rd-and-5. Eli Ricks then got called for defensive pass interference while also giving up a 15-yard completion on third down. A few plays later, Ricks broke up a third down pass to force a punt.

McKee led a 10-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that took 2:46 off the clock and gave the Eagles a 17 to 13 lead.

Ricks dropped a pick thrown to him.

With 0:45 left in the second quarter, McKee led the Eagles on two-play, 29-yard touchdown drive to give the Eagles a 24 to 13 lead.

THIRD QUARTER OBSERVATIONS

McKee stayed in to start the third quarter.

Depth RB Keilan Robinson had a nice run where he bounced off what would’ve been a tackle for loss and made a cut for an 11-yard gain.

Jake Elliott missed a 55-yard field goal wide right and short but there was an offside penalty that turned the kick into a 4th-and-2 that the offense went for. McKee connected with a crossing Cooper for a first down. Elliott later made a 23-yard field goal to put the Eagles up by a score of 27 to 14.

Kenyon Green came in the game as the third-team left guard. He got called for holding.

ShunDerrick Powell showed some juice with a shifty run for 19 yards. Just like he’s been doing in training camp.

DTR threw a strike to Taylor Morin over the middle for a 25-yard gain.

FOURTH QUARTER OBSERVATIONS

Gabe Hall generated pressure on a Bengals screen pass that got picked off by Patrick Johnson.

DTR threw a little high of Wilson on a fade pass. That should be hard to do.

A roughing the snapper penalty gave the Eagles a fresh set of downs in goal-to-go to set up a short Powell touchdown run.

Tariq Castro-Fields had a big hit to break up a third down pass and force a Bengals punt.

Kyle McCord threw a pass that bounced off a defender, then off E.J. Jenkins, and then into the hands of another defender for a what was quite the return on a pick six. That is, before automatic review determined the defender was downed before the return. Bad mistake by the rookie QB.

Parry Nickerson allowed a 48-yard downfield completion. Maxen Hook allowed a 12-yard touchdown to a pretty impressive toe-tapping sideline grab.

Cameron Williams got hit with a holding penalty.

Down seven points with the game on the line, the Bengals went for it 4th-and-9 from their own 21-yard line. They didn’t convert.

The Eagles ran victory formation to run out the clock to win the game.

Sydney Brown visited the medical tent in the second quarter after a missed tackle. He remained on the sideline after being inspected, which is a better sign than him leaving the field.

Elijah Cooks got banged up while trying to make a tackle on kick return. Looked like a shoulder injury. He was carted off the field. Shame for a player who’s really been having a good training camp.

Kenyon Green got banged up midway through the fourth quarter. He was on the ground for a bit before walking off the field holding his wrist/arm. He went right to the medical tent. Then Green was carted off the field.