The Eagles were back on the gridiron at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday night for the first time since the NFC Championship thrashing of Washington that sent them well on their way to the Super Bowl.
Week 1 of the preseason wasn't ever going to match those same incredible heights, but it did mark the calendar being one step closer to the team trying to do it all again.
It also offered the first in-game looks at first-round linebacker Jihaad Campbell, Tanner McKee now officially as the QB2, and where Kelee Ringo really stands right now in the starting cornerback competition.
Here were the plays from the 34-27 exhibition win over the Bengals that stood out for each case, for better, worse, or indifferent...
Will call
The Eagles notched a fresh set of downs on their first possession when Tanner McKee hit Jahan Dotson in the open for a gain of 12 yards.
Then, shifting to the run on the very next play, right guard Tyler Steen sealed an excellent block to the inside, which left running back Will Shipley a crater at the line to take off through untouched.
Shipley ran for a 38-yard gain to the Bengals' 21 in a big early play for the rusher set to be this season's RB2 behind Saquon Barkley.
The play was even bigger, though, for Steen, who with a chance to finally secure a starting job along the offensive line, blew the hole open that sparked the whole sequence.
'Tush Push' Tanner
The Eagles' offense worked their way down to the Cincinnati 1-yard line after Shipley's big run, but were facing a fourth down.
And the Lincoln Financial Field crowd only wanted one thing.
The fans' roars grew louder to plead for the offense to stay out. It did, and then it lined up in its signature formation to signal that the "Tush Push" was coming.
On the snap, McKee trucked forward over the top of the line, and the backs crashed in to offer that final boost behind him.
He broke the plane, and the Eagles were on the board, tying the score 7-7 with the extra point right after.
Turns out it works for him, too.
The "Tush Push" is back, and much to the rest of the NFL's dismay, it's not going anywhere – not this year, at least.
An aimless Chase
Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor announced ahead of Thursday night that the Bengals' offensive starters were set to play for a couple of series against the Eagles.
So, going up against star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Thursday night presented as good of a shot as any for cornerback Kelee Ringo to prove himself capable of being the Eagles' starter opposite Quinyon Mitchell.
Yeah, he didn't do so hot.
Chase shook Ringo away easily on a comeback route to the left sideline that went for a 23-yard completion into the red zone on the Bengals' opening possession, which eventually led to a score.
Then, on Cincinnati's second series, quarterback Joe Burrow picked up on an incoming blitz and dropped the ball off for Chase on an out, again to the left sideline.
Ringo played several yards off his assignment, and when he shifted forward to try and crack down on the ball, Chase spun around to the inside and left the defensive back caught completely flat-footed.
All Ringo could do was throw out his closest arm, which never had a chance at stopping anything, as Chase went running off toward the end zone for a touchdown and a 14-7 Bengals lead.
Now, Chase is one of the best receivers in the NFL right now, for sure. But if Ringo figured to be a starting corner, yeah, he might've gotten beat eventually, but you would have hoped he'd at least look like he could keep up.
Instead, he looked in over his head, which makes the trade with Vegas for cornerback Jakorian Bennett earlier this week look only that much worse for Ringo's current stock.
Almost
The Bengals pulled their starters early into the second quarter, and the Eagles' 2025 draft class started to stand out.
On a 2nd and 10 at midfield, defensive tackle and fourth-round pick Ty Robinson shifted left around his block and got straight to backup QB Jake Browning for the sack and a loss of eight yards.
Then on 3rd and 17, Browning felt the pressure closing in and fired a pass over the middle to receiver Isaiah Williams that bounced right off his fingertips.
Linebacker and first-round pick Jihaad Campbell tracked the ball down as it fell and went diving after it, but couldn't keep it secure in his arms as he hit the ground.
The ruling was an incomplete pass, but it should've been an interception, and Campbell slamming his fist into the ground signaled that he knew it.
The moment gave his veteran teammates on the sideline something to laugh about, though, and he probably cracked a smile over it under his helmet, too.
But the sack and the near-pick can be taken as positive signs.
Robinson will likely be a longer-term project for the Eagles' pass rush, but that he diagnosed the play and executed on it quickly to get to the quarterback shows that he has a sense and athleticisim that can be honed in on to work at the NFL level.
Campbell, at a crucial position within defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's system, is looking to be called on much sooner as a potential Week 1 starter.
He made three tackles on Thursday night, and didn't majorly stand out, but seemed to do well enough patrolling the middle of the field for his first look out there, and showed he can close in on the ball quick if it's in the air.
Just might have to work on the hands a bit now.
On time
In the 2023 preseason, Tanner McKee got the ball out accurately and on time in his third-string looks, to the point where it was easily arguable to say that he was outplaying that year's backup Marcus Mariota.
In the 2024 preseason, McKee got the ball out accurately and on time, again making for an easy argument that he was outplaying last season's backup Kenny Pickett.
On Thursday night, once again, McKee got the ball out accurately and on time. But he wasn't the third-stringer anymore. The backup quarterback job is his now, and he had the start against the Bengals.
He kept the Eagles moving.
Playing into the third quarter, McKee went 20-for-25 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns, along with the "Tush Push" rushing touchdown he converted on early.
Late in the first half, he led the Eagles on consecutive scoring drives.
McKee capped the first with a touchdown pass to Ainias Smith on a red-zone slant underneath the Bengals' secondary:
Then he completed the second on a beauty of a throw downfield to receiver Darius Cooper, placing the ball right over the defensive back's head and straight into the undrafted receiver's hands in the end zone with less than a minute left:
The Eagles went from trailing by three to going up by 10 within minutes and never relinquished that lead, even though the Bengals' third-stringers found a way to make it close late.
McKee, meanwhile, clearly hasn't grown complacent with the job promotion.
He's running with it, and in some ways, has already had Eagles fans breathing easy going back to last season should he ever have to step in for Jalen Hurts.
Hurts seems to be all for his backup's ascension, too.
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