Eagles at Jets: Winners and Losers

The Eagles’ final preseason matchup finished in a 31-31 tie, and though the game means little to the fans (in theory), the players on the bubble needed to show out. In this admittedly very amusing game, there was a lot of good and bad. I only focused on winners last time, but I feel we must face the reality that 27 players must be cut by Tuesday. This piece will not focus solely on players on the roster bubble but look for winners who make the team and the unfortunate ones who will be unemployed.

Winners

Joe Flacco, Quarterback

Joe Flacco was bad last week against New England. Like really bad. The kind of bad that made Eagles fans very nervous of a Jalen Hurts injury. But I will chalk up his lackluster performance to the fact he was told he was staring minutes before the game. This week, the elite QB put up a 155.2 passer rating, going 13/16 with 2 TDs, and showcased some scrambling ability. While his roster spot was secure, his reputation as a solid backup option has been revived. Eagles fans can breathe now; we have a decent backup.

Elijah Holyfield, Running Back

I easily could’ve mentioned Kenny Gainwell or Boston Scott here, but Holyfield played like a man fighting (no pun intended) for a roster spot tonight. In each game with the 3rd team offense, he has been a consistent yard-getter and effort-shower. He ran hard to take pressure off of Nick Mullens in the fourth quarter and seemed to be our only offensive weapon at times. While I do think his efforts will fall short, I still view it as a win. Holyfield’s tape will definitely be considered when picking players for the 16-man practice squad.

J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Wide Receiver

ALL ABOARD! The JJAW hype train is leaving the station again. In all seriousness, tonight Arcega-Whiteside clearly had to compete with John Hightower and (shockingly) Travis Fulgham for the last 1 or two roster spots for receiver. J.J. won handily. Leading the team in yards, plus adding an impressive Moss-and-run TD from an underthrown ball, made him stand out. Perhaps we can finally see JJAW reach his potential under Nick Sirianni, but I am not holding my breath over it.

Brett Toth, Offensive Lineman

O-line depth is good. We Eagles fans should probably understand that more than any other fanbase. I liked what I saw from Toth playing guard tonight instead of his usual tackle spot. Toth might even be a better guard than tackle. He provided a great block on that Kenneth Gainwell TD and overall played strong and physical all night. I think after tonight, Toth has shown his versatility and has a genuine shot at making the 53-man roster.

T.Y. McGill, Defensive Lineman

Tonight really should seal McGill’s spot on the team. He has had an excellent preseason, and his effort is apparent on every snap. He was consistently pressuring the QB and was subbed into the third d-line when they needed a spark. That’s not even to mention the 2 sacks he brought to the table as well. McGill can be a nice DT4 for the 2021 Eagles.

Losers

Michael Jacquet III, Cornerback

“Jacquet had a defensive touchdown tonight,” you might be thinking, “how could he be a loser?” Good question. That touchdown actually cost us the win. If Jacquet had just sat on the ball, the Jets could not stop the clock, and Mullens kneels three times, game over. Instead (and this could only happen to the Eagles), the Jets get the ball back down 8 and launch a hail mary and successful two-point conversion to tie the game. Who failed to make a play on the ball despite being in a position to do so.  Am I blaming the loss on Jacquet? No. After all, he made some nice plays in the run game and showed some life out there to at least try to seal the game. I will blame him for that horrendous play on the ball on the Jets’ first score. It’s one thing to get cooked by CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, but to be on the roster bubble and to get cooked by nameless Jets 4th stringers, it is time to find a new profession. This should be one of the easier cuts, which is unfortunate considering his tackling ability. Perhaps he can play the Patrick Johnson role?

John Hightower and Travis Fulgham, Wide Receivers

How have we fallen this far? These dudes have had reportedly very bad camps. Hightower just hasn’t been healthy, while Fulgham has been underwhelming in practices. They both needed to prove their worth tonight and unfortunately got outshined by the Eagles legend J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. Hightower was just okay, catching 3 balls for 21 yards and providing below-average kick returns. Meanwhile, Fulgham had that costly fumble that turned into a touchback right outside the endzone from the only good Nick Mullens throw of the night. It is hard to see a 2021 Eagles squad that employs both of these men, but who knows.

Nick Mullens, Quarterback

Nick Mullens is not good. Period. The stats may deceive you, showing only 4 incompletions, but this man could not function this preseason without the help of Elijah Holyfield, screens to Marken Michel, and RPOs. Any pass Mullens threw beyond 5 yards was severely inaccurate. Jamie Newman must’ve been really bad if he was cut in favor of Mullens, who himself could not land the 3rd string gig in San Fran and was replaced by an old friend in Nate Sudfeld. I sleep well at night knowing Nick Mullens will not be within 10 yards of my team come Tuesday, and even if he is, he will miss. Good riddance.

Jack Stoll, Tight End

This one hurts. Jack Stoll has an uphill battle to climb, and tonight he needed to have a monster game to show he could beat out Richard Rodgers. But that monster performance did not come, and I think the Eagles will not have room for him. I still think he may get signed back to the practice squad, but I believe at this moment there are 4 tight ends better than Stoll.

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