Eagles-Bengals Top Takeaways

- Winning has become a habit in Philadelphia, and that extended into the 2025 preseason opener as the reigning Super Bowl champions dismantled Cincinnati en route to a 34-27 win, albeit after the star-studded duo of Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase took a seat against an Eagles' defense that rested many of its key starters.

Third-year quarterback Tanner McKee, who was elevated to Jalen Hurts' backup in the offseason, was spectacular, completing 20-of-25 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, one to dynamic undrafted rookie Darius Cooper and the other to second-year wideout Ainias Smith.

Better than the statistics is how McKee elevated the talent around him with Smith and fellow second-year WR Johnny Wilson playing some of their best football as professionals.

Onto the takeaways:

-The Eagles' "deference" players were Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Lane Johnson on offense and Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, Moro Ojomo, Jordan Davis, Jalyx Hunt, Zack Baun, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Reed Blankenship on defense.

It should be noted that Brown is dealing with a hamstring injury and Baun with a balky back. Even if the All-Pros were healthy, they wouldn't have played.

- CB Kelee Ringo had a tough time with Chase, allowing a 23-yard completion to the triple crown winner on the opening drive. The issue remains tracking the football for Ringo. Later, the third-year CB got out-leveraged and Chase pivoted to the open field for a 36-yard touchdown.

"Ja'Marr Chase is one of the better receivers in the NFL," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. "We've got to make that tackle there in that situation and stop that play for a 16-yard gain instead of it going out there. But [Kelee's] done a lot of good things. We evaluate everything. It's not just a one-game deal and I have no doubt that he'll look at the tape, we'll look at the tape and he'll get better from that."

The good news for Ringo is that Adoree' Jackson didn't exactly set the world on fire in what is a competition to start opposite Mitchell. Recent trade acquisition Jakorian Bennett may have gained the most ground in the competition by not playing.

- As expected, Sydney Brown started at safety opposite Reed Blankenship with his twin brother Chase on the opposite side as the Bengals' RB1.

On two different occasions, Sydney was in on a tackle of Chase, who looked the part for Cincinnati. The Eagles' Brown did some nice things and seems to have his burst back. The negative is that Brown had to hit the injury tent after a hard stop on a running play. If it's a concussion, rookie safety Drew Mukuba might have some time to get back into the competition.

-On special teams, veteran lone snapper Charley Hughlett sat this one out with a neck injury, with rookie Christian Johnstone, who was signed this past week, handling the long-snapping duties and throwing strikes.

-The only Eagles' offensive starter to play was right guard Tyler Steen, and he stood out by springing Will Shipley for a 38-yard run on Philadelphia's opening drive.

-Jahan Dotson played the role of WR1 on the night and delivered with two receptions for 27 yards in an opening drive that resulted in a McKee Tush Push TD.

-Wilson played to his 6-foot-6 size tonight, turning 50/50 balls into 90/10, including a 27-yard high-point reception over the Bengals' Josh Newton.

-The Eagles dropped three potential interceptions tonight, one by rookie LB Jihaad Campbell and another by his running mate Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Eli Ricks was given a gift by Bengals' backup Jake Browning that could and should have been a pick-six that potentially put Ricks in the starting CB conversation with Ringo, Jackson, and Bennett.

-Cooper was so good Thursday night that GM Howie Roseman has to contemplate whether the Tarleton State product will get through waivers at the initial cutdown to 53. If Cooper finishes the summer like he's started it, the answer to that question is no, something that could force Roseman to go heavy at the WR position.

-Ainias Smith not only had a TD reception, but he also exploded for a 46-yard punt return, pointing his stock upward. Smith has the versatility (receiver/returner/manufactured touch player) that provides an inside lane to a roster spot.

-After barely getting a sniff at punt returner in practice, Avery Williams had three punt returns and a kick return. The KR duo to start was Williams and Ainias Smith, and Williams got the first PR opp.

-Edge defender Patrick Johnson is another versatile player (edge, off-ball LB., special teams stalwart) that makes him hard to cut. The veteran returned to the Eagles after spending most of last season with the New York Giants, and delivered. A sack was taken off the board by an A.J. Woods illegal contact penalty, so Johnson went right back to work reading screen and intercepting Browning.