Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Jets Semi-Coherent Preview
By Mike Lacy
A preview of the preseason matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets.
Of all the Philadelphia Eagles preseason games, the fourth is typically my favorite. After all, I don’t watch these things to get a preview of the upcoming season or to see the star players who I know and love. No, I watch preseason games to get a glimpse of guys who won’t end up making the roster, or might see playing time only if two other players get hurt.
I’m obviously kidding – the fourth preseason game usually sucks. And this year, we won’t even get to watch Tim Tebow and Matt Barkley engage in an ultimately meaningless duel which neither player ended up winning.
Instead, we’ll get to watch a couple of Jets quarterbacks fight it out for a roster spot. And we might even get to see some of presumptive starting linebacker Mychal Kendricks!
What’s the deal with the Jets
Despite finishing with a 10-6 record, the Jets missed the playoffs thanks to a disappointing loss to the Bills in week 17. In an attempt to build on that near-miss, the Jets spent most of the offseason in a staring contest with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Everyone knew that Fitzpatrick was eventually going to sign with the Jets – mostly because neither team nor quarterback really had any other halfway-appealing options. But that didn’t stop them from arguing about contract terms for most of the year.
The strength of the Jets lies with their defense which ranked 4th in yards allowed in 2015. They are led by veteran stars Darrelle Revis and Muhammed Wilkerson. Of course neither of those guys is going to play on Thursday night, but we will probably get a lengthy look at undrafted rookie Lawrence Thomas (Whoever he is).
Discussion of the Jets’ backup quarterbacks
Neither Fitzpatrick nor his primary backup Geno Smith are expected to play. So who is going to line up behind center for the Jets?
Bryce Petty
Despite having a name that sounds totally made up, Petty is not only a real person, but a viable contender for the Jets’ third-string quarterback job.
Petty was originally drafted in the fourth round in 2015 by the Jaguars and then traded to the Jets. After not seeing the field last season, he played well in the first two preseason games. He followed that up with a shaky third game, leaving his roster status uncertain. He’ll need to play well to fend off…
Christian Hackenberg
Now here’s a guy most Philadelphia Eagles fans have heard of. Hackenberg played his college ball at Penn State, and at one point he was being mentioned as a potential #1 overall pick.
That didn’t end up happening. Under Hackenberg, the Penn State offense never looked as good as most people thought it should, and he was hit so much that some fans took to calling him “Sackenberg.” Still, the Jets thought enough of his potential to take him in the second round of the 2016 draft.
He made his NFL debut against the Giants last week, and results were mixed. He led the team on an impressive scoring drive, but he also threw a costly interception.
Fringe roster players to watch
While most of the Eagles starters are relaxing on the sidelines, several players will be in heated battles to make the roster. Here are a few guys to keep an eye on:
Byron Marshall
The undrafted free agent is hoping the team opts to keep him instead of Kenjon Barner and/or Wendell Smallwood. Marshall has gotten a decent amount of playing time this preseason, but hasn’t shown many “we have to keep this guy!” flashes. On the other hand, thanks to his many injuries, Smallwood seems more like a theoretical concept at this point.
Taylor Hart
Thought to be a poor fit in a 4-3 defense, Hart – as well as fellow tackle Beau Allen – has looked better than expected in the preseason. But with the Eagles picking up another defensive tackle (Bruce Gaston) earlier this week, Hart shouldn’t feel secure in his standing.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson
MBT has looked so good this preseason that the team is actually mulling keeping him instead of Carson Wentz.
Yes, that was just a test to see if you’re paying attention. Bethel-Thompson will get a decent amount of playing time in this game, and he has a decent shot of being placed on the practice squad.
Mychal Kendricks
The general rule of thumb is that starters don’t play in the fourth preseason game. So then why are there reports that Kendricks may play? It seems that the coaching staff is a little displeased with Kendricks’ willingness to play through injury and his performance when he is on the field.
The Colin Kaepernick situation
Does anyone really want to read yet another opinion on Kaepernick and his protest? I didn’t think so. Moving on…
My final plea for the Eagles to bring back Tim Tebow
Each week, I’ve written that Tim Tebow made last year’s preseason much more entertaining than usual. And in the fourth preseason game, his absence will be felt more than ever. I really wish the Eagles would do the right thing and give the fans what they really want. I’m sure he’d be willing to put his burgeoning baseball career on hold for a week.
If not Tebow, how about Koy Detmer?
If the Eagles aren’t willing to bring back Tim Tebow, maybe they’d be willing to give Koy Detmer another look. Sure, Detmer wasn’t an especially good quarterback, but his boisterous touchdown celebrations were a lot of fun.
I remember back in 1998 when Detmer led the Philadelphia Eagles’ deep reserves to a thrilling comeback win in a preseason game. He celebrated by doing a rousing “cabbage patch” dance (this was before he came up with his patented whip celebration). Sadly, that was about as good as things got for the Eagles in the 1998 season.
Next: Can Dorial Green-Beckham
Prediction
Hackenberg should have a decent number of fans in the stands. He’ll be so fired up that he’ll lead the Jets to 14 fourth quarter points. And Eagles fans will mourn as dreams of an undefeated preseason go up in smoke.
Jets 31 – Eagles 21