Preseason Week 1: Eagles Studs And Duds
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There were a lot of highlights---from Nelson Agholor's snatch and score to Bryan Braman's suplex forcing fumble---and there were some low-lights, like Matt Barkley's second quarter pick.
Needless to say, there was certainly more good than bad in the Eagles' 36-10 preseason opening win over the Colts on Sunday.
Here are the Eagles studs and duds of the game.
Duds
3. Riley Cooper / Josh Huff
One target for Huff (which turned into the Barkley interception) and zero for Cooper, in limited action for both. It looks like Cooper is being phased out of the offense---especially with the emergence of Miles Austin (more on him later)---but Huff's lack of playing time is definitely perplexing. For a second-year player who enters 2015-16 with a ton of promise and upside, we expected to see much more of Huff on Sunday.
2. Jaylen Watkins
Watkins, who I've been high on all summer long, got the start at nickle corner on Sunday. Unfortunately, Watkins was just average in coverage, at best, and got deked out of his shoes on a Josh Robinson nine-yard third quarter touchdown run.
1. Najee Goode
I'll start by saying Goode is simply a backup linebacker. Actually, for the past two seasons, Goode has been a reliable backup linebacker for the Birds. Yesterday, however, Goode was thrust into a starting role with Kiko Alonso, DeMeco Ryans, and Mychal Kendricks out and he struggled. On a 3rd-and-3 during the Colts' second drive, Goode was beat by the opposing RB Zurlon Tipton, who took a Matt Hasselbeck pass 17-yards for a first down.
Studs
3. Miles Austin
I've been preaching about Austin all summer long and I'll continue to do. For some reason, the perception is that Austin is some sort of old man. That's not true. He's only 30 years old and contrary to popular belief, he's actually played in 33 out of 42 regular season games over the last three years. Austin provides a young, inexperienced Eagles wide receiving corps with a veteran.
Here's Chip on Austin, the "wily veteran," and his 39-yard catch:
"I thought Miles had a big catch," Kelly said after the game on Sunday. "Did a nice job bodying the receiver, showing you he's a wily veteran. A lot of guys would have maybe outrun the throw. He knew it was a little bit behind him, so slowed down, let the defensive back kind of hang on his back and made the catch over his shoulder."
2. Kenjon Barner
Barner was arguably the most dynamic player on the field. Six carries for 29 yards and a touchdown, one catch for three yards, and a ridiculous 92-yard punt return touchdown at the end of the first half. Unfortunately, for Barner, he's behind DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, and Darren Sproles---the deepest running back unit in football.
Nevertheless, he's being noticed.
1. Brandon Graham, Bennie Logan, Fletcher Cox, Cedric Thorton The Front Seven
If there's one thing you should be excited about regarding the 2015-16 Philadelphia Eagles, it's the front-seven, which has a legitimate shot to be the top front in the NFL. On Sunday, without key linebackers like Alonso, Ryans, and Kendricks, the Eagles' front dominated.
With 13:07 left in the second quarter, the Colts had just 28 rushing yards on 12 carries (2.33 yards per carry). Graham, who had two tackles including one for a two-yard loss, was excellent. Logan, who had three tackles of his own, is blossoming into a dominant defensive lineman.
https://vine.co/v/epDvj0h27Fp
Thorton and Cox also had one tackle a piece, in limited action.
