Five Big-Picture Takeaways From Eagles Preseason Game Two
By Somers Price
1.) ANOTHER CHECKED-BOX FOR SAM BRADFORD
Aug 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) tackles Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford (7) late and is called for a penalty during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Seeing Sam Bradford lead a touchdown drive was refreshing. By no means did watching his single-drive performance drum up any visions of Chip Kelly snickering in his office about the potential trade-coup of the century, but it was a start. Bradford still has some rust and timing issues to work through, but for him to have made it through a week of practice against one of the more physical teams in the NFL and lead a scoring drive was re-assuring. There is no doubt that Bradford possesses special arm talent and a quarterback’s mentality.
Though there was significant commentary by both teams on Terrell Suggs‘ hit on the Eagles quarterback after he had already handed the ball off, for Bradford to have been able to absorb the blow and walk away from it should be considered a major positive. At some point or another, Bradford’s surgically repaired knee was going to be tested like it was Saturday against the Ravens. The fact that he was able to dust himself off and even jaw with Suggs after the play should prove to be a major step in Bradford’s physical and psychological recovery from his second ACL surgery.