August 29, 2019
The preseason is over. The Clayton Thorson era is likely over. We can all rejoice that here in Philadelphia, in spite of their 6-0 loss to the Jets to close the preseason.
Here's what I saw. Let's all get our game faces on for Week 1.
• Listen, we are all really insane for watching the fourth preseason game, and I feel like our reward for tuning in was getting to watch Cameron Johnston execute a dropkick on a kickoff. I guess the Eagles didn't really need to see a whole lot more (or anything, really) from Jake Elliott anyway.
Instead of having Jake Elliott kick off, Eagles went with punter Cameron Johnston doing a drop kick: pic.twitter.com/jnkNBSIil4
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 30, 2019
The coverage on the kick was also excellent, and this is definitely the most I'm ever going to write about a dropkick.
• Josh Hawkins heard me talking trash about him in the first half, I guess.
Josh Hawkins reads the QB and comes up with a pick!#PHIvsNYJ | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/nArDbjc0D5
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 30, 2019
• As much as I have complained about the quality of the final preseason game, the effort of the guys competing on special teams is very endearing. They all know a couple of plays as a gunner could make or break their chance to stick in the NFL, and they come screaming down the field like bats out of hell.
Ross Tucker brought up a good point during the broadcast that is worth repeating here — a lot of these guys are the best players who have ever (and perhaps will ever) come out of their respective hometowns, and many of them will never play again after being cut this weekend. The quality of the fourth preseason game may be terrible, but it's a reminder of just how exceptional even the worst NFL players are.
So even though I thought someone like Daeshon Hall had already earned his roster spot by the time the second half rolled around, watching a former third-round pick still out there and competing for his spot reminds you of how much the game means to a lot of people. I hope the guys who don't make the cut find a way to turn that into a positive.
• Alex Singleton was one of the lone standouts on the final night of the preseason. He flew around on special teams and made sure all his hits were memorable, and he even snuck in an excellent fumble recovery along the sideline late in the fourth quarter, which I think the officials made the wrong call on.
Can't ask for much more from a guy fighting for his spot on the roster.
• Heck of a job by Alex Ellis to haul this terrible pass in:
#Eagles TE Alex Ellis with the nice one-hand catch ✋😎 pic.twitter.com/jaShuesAiM
— Gayle Saunders (@EagleSessions) August 30, 2019
We'll have more on this below.
• Check out Dave Spadaro rocking a full head of hair back in the day!
— IgglesNest (@IgglesNest) August 30, 2019
• We all survived the preseason, y'all. That's a big W in my book. Real football is almost here.
• I know people used to get on Donovan McNabb for his occasional throw at someone's feet, but at least there was a lot of good and some spectacular between those plays. I would take a lifetime full of worm burners over having to watch even one more Clayton Thorson overthrow on a swing pass that misses by eight feet, and it feels like they come every other play. It's honestly impressive how badly some of his throws miss.
If you think I'm alone on this one, the Eagles players were with me on Thursday night. Backup tight end Alex Ellis made a spectacular catch on a short throw from Thorson in the third quarter, but he came up looking exasperated after hauling it in. His disgust was justified — Thorson had him wide open with yards of space to hit him on the move, and instead he nearly botched the play and forced him to leap into the air to haul it in.
The Eagles had less than 100 yards of offense through three quarters with Thorson running the show. I have had enough and would like to get off of this ride.
• Pretty tough night for the Jets' kicker.
• After watching another quarter of Thorson, I have upped the ante on my stance to "The Eagles should probably just cut him" to "He should be in charged with war crimes for that performance."
• This is a really tough break for this guy, honestly.
Dude on the Eagles broadcast just got caught with his pinkie knuckle-deep up his nose and his son is fuming. pic.twitter.com/0HfdzGpDCI
— Matt Mullin (@matt_mullin) August 30, 2019
Let this be a lesson — gotta pick your nose in the comfort of your own home, my man.
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