Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Some Perspective

Posted August 17th, 2026 | No Comments »

The Eagles lost to the Niners in early January. The next game was the preseason opener on Saturday. All that waiting led to hopes that the team would play well and/or at least entertain us. Instead the Eagles struggled and got dominated by the Ravens. It is easy to get down on the team after watching a performance like that. We need some perspective so we can put the game in the right context.

The first thing to keep in mind is that most of the guys who played a lot on Saturday either won’t make the team or will be role players that get limited snaps. That doesn’t mean the poor showing should be ignored, but this wasn’t the guys who will dictate whether this is a good team or not.

The #2 defense, which started in Baltimore, looked pretty good. As they came off the field and third stringers got mixed in the defense got sloppy and had some issues. When you have a pass rush that isn’t getting home and you have poor coverage, there are going to be problems. With Jakorian Bennett out, Kelee Ringo probably played more than they wanted. He simply isn’t a good CB.

Jihaad Campbell played early on and I thought he looked really good.

Campbell played fast, aggressive and with a confidence he didn’t have as a rookie. He and Zack Baun are going to be a dynamic duo.

Some defenders who are fighting for roster spots helped their cause. AJ Epenesa played pretty well. He set the edge vs the run. He made pursuit plays. His pass rush was solid. Epenesa finished with 3 tackles. He did get burned in coverage, but I was impressed that he stuck with a TE going down the field. DT Ty Robinson needed a good showing to help his cause. He had 2 tackles and a sack. Robinson was disruptive on other plays. He looked athletic and showed a good motor.

Jeremiah Trotter Jr has his roster spot already locked up. He had 5 tackles and a sack and showed that he’s a guy you can trust if he needs to play or even start due to injury. Trot still needs to get better in coverage, but he has shown good ability vs the run and as a blitzer.

A few defensive rookies shined. Safety Maximus Pulley had 8 total tackles. He was active on defense and also looked good on STs. I think he’ll end up making the roster. DB Kapena Gushiken and LB Deontae Lawson each had 5 tackles and flashed. They helped their push to make the roster or at least the practice squad.

I haven’t finished rewatching the game so I’m behind on the guys in the trenches. Uar Bernard and Josh Weru each had good moments and showed the promise that made the Eagles want them.

There isn’t as much good to say about the offense. Andy Dalton got the start and played poorly. His erratic play made it tough to judge some of the other players. I thought Tanner McKee was better, but he was still far from good. Both guys made some curious decisions on who to throw to. The offense couldn’t get into any kind of rhythm and struggled until the end of the game. Cole Payton showed the value in having a mobile QB. His legs brought some life to the offense and put points on the scoreboard.

One of the big problems last year was OL depth. Saturday gave us some encouraging signs. Willie Lampkin played well at both G and C. He feels like a lock to make the team. Now the Eagles have to decide how they want to use him.

He plays with great leverage because of his size. But watch his footwork. See how hard he works to sustain blocks. Those are honed skills. He is tough and physical. Really impressed with Lampkin.

Drew Kendall was solid. He’s emerged as the top backup at C and G. Rookie Markel Bell looked pretty good. His pad level was too high at times. Still, he showed good feet and you could see that he knows how to use his length. He is also physical. We don’t want gentle giants. We want ass kickers.

Rookie TE Eli Stowers is a complicated subject. His effort as a blocker was a pleasant surprise. Good effort is half the battle so I was encouraged by that. His blocking on the move was terrible. You are taught to run through your target. He would stop just short and brace for contact, making him useless on those plays. That can be fixed, but still wasn’t good to see. Stowers did catch 3 passes, but only gained 12 yards. He isn’t playing fast or aggressively when he’s on the move. The light hasn’t gone on for him. It will need to come on if he wants to see the field this year. The raw talent is there. We just aren’t seeing it on the field right now.

It is important to remember this was just the beginning. Last year LB Smael Mondon really struggled in the preseason opener. He looked worlds better a week later. Mondon made the team and became a core STer, playing in all 17 games. The players can study themselves in action. Seeing game tape vs practice tape is different. They can see their struggles and work on areas that need improvement.

It is absolutley fair to be discouraged by the overall performance, but it is also fair to enjoy the things that went well and the players who did look good.

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