The Philadelphia Eagles' and Baltimore Ravens' backups played a football game on Friday. We laughed, we cried, we're glad it's over. As always, win, lose, or tie, we hand out 10 awards.
1) The 'Keep Them Healthy' Award 👨⚕️: Howie Roseman
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' known offensive starters did not play, #AsExpected. On the one hand, the first-team offense has looked sharp through the first 10 practices of training camp, so that decision is certainly defensible. On the other hand, the offense didn't play at all in the preseason last season either and they came out flat Week 1 in New England.
Just win Week 1, I guess, and you won't hear any criticism about that decision, Eagles.
Conversely, the defensive starters played, with the following exceptions:
- Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (shoulder injury)
- Josh Sweat (preservation)
- Darius Slay (old)
- Brandon Graham (old)
I would guess Vic Fangio pushed for that.
2) The 'Clearly in the Lead' Award 🥇: Mekhi Becton
Mekhi Becton started at RG over Tyler Steen. Technically, Steen started, too, at LG, but Becton being at the actual position up for grabs is more meaningful. Becton also came out after just one series, and Steen moved over to RG to take his place.
I wonder if that camp battle is already decided.
3) The 'Dink and Dunk' Award 🍩: Kenny Pickett
Kenny Pickett started and played the entire first half, plus one series in the second half. He was 14/22 for 89 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. The receivers' first half stats:
Long reception: 10 yards.
It's the preseason, man. Let it rip.
Tanner McKee went 6/16 for 39 yards, but didn't get much help from his receivers. Neither quarterback separated from the other in their battle for the QB2 job.
4) The 'Here To Stay' Award 🍑🫷: The Brotherly Shove
There was a recent report from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk saying that the Brotherly Shove formation has been outlawed.
The league decided that it doesn’t want multiple players aligned in or near the “A” gap and immediately pushing on the quarterback after the snap. If they’re going to push at the snap, they need to start the play clearly in the backfield.
The Eagles ran a Brotherly Shove, same formation as always, and no flag.
So unless the officials are letting it go in the preseason games but they're going to enforce it in the regular season games, that Florio report is wrong.
5) The 'Improvement' Award 📈: Will Shipley
Rookie RB Will Shipley had a touchdown reception and 7 carries, but I thought the most encouraging play from his Eagles preseason debut was a nice blitz pickup on a completion to John Ross.
Shipley has looked good catching the ball in training camp, but he has struggled in pass protection. If Shipley can't pass protect, the Eagles will be wary of putting him on the field on passing downs. He'll get love on the film review on that play.
6) The 'Axeman, Jr.' Award 🪓: Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.
Trotter was active both in the regular defense and on special teams. 5 tackles, 1 sack.
Encouraging debut. Trotter has also had a good camp so far and could earn a role in the regular defense as a fifth-round rookie.
7) The 'PBU' Award 🙅♂️: Quinyon Mitchell and Kelee Ringo
On the Ravens' first possession of the game, Mitchell had great coverage and nearly picked off a pass.
Mitchell had the 12th-most and 14th-most pass breakups in a single season in college football history (or more accurately, as long as pass breakups have been tracked). 19 PBUs in 2022, 18 in 2023. He gets hands on a lot of passes.
Would it have been cooler if he made the pick? Sure. Was it a really good play anyway? Yep.
Kelee Ringo also had a bunch of nice plays on the back end.
Ringo had 3 pass breakups.
8) The 'CUT HIM' Award ✂️: Jake Elliott
Jake Elliott missed a PAT, and then later a 50-yard field goal with a chance to win the game with 21 second left in regulation. Ugh. Dude's gotta go.
9) The 'Preseason MVP' Award 🏆: Patrick Johnson
On the Ravens' ensuing possession after the Elliott missed field goal, Patrick Johnson scored a strip sack and recovery.
That gave Elliott another chance...
10) The 'Redemption' Award 😅: Jake Elliott
And he drilled it.
That was actually a pretty fun preseason game!
I guess for the sake of posterity we should note that the Eagles won 16-13.
MORE: Eagles-Ravens observations on backup QBs, young defenders
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