Philadelphia Eagles Week 2 preseason
Philadelphia Eagles Week 2 preseason
After nearly being shut out in their preseason opener, the Philadelphia Eagles showed progress with the ball in their hands. They put up 21 points and almost 300 yards of offense in their second exhibition game, which they lost 24-21 to the New England Patriots on a last-minute touchdown pass by Behren Morton to Nick DeGennaro.
The most important work for the Eagles came earlier in the week during a pair of joint practices. But the midpoint of their preseason schedule still offered some important developments.
Philadelphia Eagles Week 2 Preseason Recap
Scary Start
The last thing anyone wants to see in a preseason game is an ambulance on the field. But that’s what happened before a single play from scrimmage, as Philadelphia’s Ja’Quinden Jackson was carted off after being injured on the opening kickoff, a somber way to begin the game that called back to last year’s regular-season opener, when Ben VanSumeren was lost for the year with a torn patellar tendon.
Fortunately, the worst case seems to have been avoided. The Eagles broadcast reported Jackson was moving his extremities in the hospital, and his agent posted a positive update on X.
While definitely the most serious scare of the night, the rest of the Eagles weren’t safe from harm, either. Both MacMcWilliams and Markel Bell visited the medical tent in the first half on Saturday. Philadelphia has mostly been safe from major on-field injury scares so far this summer — their most pressing injury, Jonathan Greenard’s _, came during the offseason while lifting weights — but this game reminded that status is never fully safe once the ball is snapped, or even kicked.
QB2 Battle Continues
Aug 22, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) calls a play against the New England Patriots during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Andy Dalton got the start, with the 38-year-old leading the Eagles’ first three drives. After struggling last week against the Baltimore Ravens, Dalton engineered a scoring drive on his second possession. Darius Cooper played a starring role early, catching a pass for 25 yards on the second play and hauling in two more receptions, including a 13-yarder on fourth and one from the New England 40. But those were the only completions the 38-year-old managed on 10 passes, and he had an interception on the first play of his final drive wiped out by a roughing the passer penalty.
Tanner McKee wound up playing significantly more than Dalton, also starting with a quick drive that ended in a punt before putting up seven points on his second chance. After two completions to running back Carson Steele for 30 yards (45 if you count an unnecessary roughness penalty on New England after the first), Britain Covey took a 14-yard screen pass to the house to put the Eagles up 14-10 at the half.
McKee led the Eagles back into scoring range on their first drive of the second half but stalled on a fourth-and-three toss to EJ Jenkins in the end zone that was broken up. That finish repeated itself when the Eagles went for it on fourth and one from the Patriots’ 40 following favorable field position. But McKee couldn’t connect with Quez Watkins with heavy pressure.
After an underwhelming first drive of the first quarter, McKee ended his night on a high note with an 11-play, 72-yard touchdown drive to give the Eagles a late lead despite two penalties totaling 20 yards. He completed two third-and-five passes, the second an open checkdown to Steele for a 20-yard touchdown. He finished 16 of 22 for 173 yards and might have the upper hand in one of the Eagles’ most notable position battles.
Running Backs Shine
Steele’s name showed up a lot in the previous section, but just mentioning the catches and the yards does his night a disservice. Not once but twice the 23-year-old elevated over a Patriot defender in Saquon Barkley-esque style (though he only attempted forward hurdles tonight). The second came just before the end zone when McKee found him on an open checkdown against a blitz, which happened on several occasions. While he wasn’t very efficient on the ground (12 carries for 33 yards), his 84 yards in the pass game were nearly twice as many as any of his teammates (Cooper was second with 44).
Will Shipley picked up his slack out of the backfield, rushing for 56 yards on 11 carries. He started the scoring from five yards out, powering through several defenders at the goal line. Tank Bigsby’s emergence late last season means Shipley has to fight for his opportunities, and he delivered a solid performance to remind everyone that he can be more than an afterthought in the Eagles’ running back room.
Defensive Milestones
Though it ended on a sour note, the Eagles defense had a lot to celebrate on Saturday. Coordinator Vic Fangio celebrated his 68th birthday as the football lifer watched a pair of newcomers taste success for the first time.
The Eagles’ international investments paid dividends in the second half, first with a sack from Josh Weru on third down for his first in an NFL uniform. Fellow edge rusher Jalyx Hunt called it the best part of the week moments later in a sideline interview, although it would gain some competition. Uar Bernard, the other Eagle to come from the NFL’s International Player Pathway, recorded the first two tackles of his football career on a pair of short runs in the fourth quarter.
Their success can feel like a double-edged sword for the Eagles. It’s obviously nice for their development to see them accumulating statistics and confidence, even in the preseason. But every good rep they put on film makes it that much likelier another team would claim them if the Eagles try to sneak them through waivers before the start of the season. It’s a good problem to have, but a balance Howie Roseman will have to handle at some point in the next two weeks.
Main Image: Edward Finan-Imagn