The Eagles’ preseason opener didn’t give Sean Mannion much to build on.
Philadelphia came out of a 24-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens with an offense that never found a rhythm, and the numbers tell the story fast: six drives ended in three-and-outs before the final offensive possession, just 45 net yards over that stretch, and no conversion on any of nine third downs. By the end of the night, the Eagles had only 159 yards of offense and six first downs.
The one scoring drive offered a small bright spot, but even that came with a twist. Philadelphia put together a 59-yard march that ended in a Cole Payton touchdown, though Payton did the heavy lifting by using his legs on plays designed for passes rather than quarterback runs.
That’s the frustrating part for Eagles fans. The preseason caveat still applies, and most of the starters weren’t out there. Jalen Hurts should change the equation once he’s in the lineup, and there’s been enough at training camp to suggest the offense has been moving in the right direction, with Hurts improving and receivers like Dontayvion Wicks and Darius Cooper emerging as potential stars.
But the debut under Mannion still landed flat. Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee combined for only 55 passing yards over three quarters, and that’s hard to ignore no matter how much preseason context gets attached to it.
Mannion deserves some patience. This was his first game, and the preseason is exactly where a play-caller works through the rough edges and figures out what actually fits.
Still, the lack of punch was obvious, and so was the gap between what fans were promised and what they saw. The offense was supposed to look different.
It didn’t.
There was at least one encouraging sign. The young offensive linemen held up better than expected in pass protection, which matters after the questions surrounding line depth going into camp.
Even so, the bigger takeaway is simple: the Eagles’ offense has work to do, and Mannion needs the preseason to sharpen it before the games start counting.
In Other News...
Za'Darius Smith Just Reopened A Frustration Eagles Fans Know Well
ZaDarius Smith is back in the news, and for Eagles fans it brings a familiar mix of what-ifs and unfinished business. After spending last season in Philadelphia and appearing in five games before retiring, the veteran edge rusher had been tied to a potential return to Cleveland, where he previously worked with Kevin Stefanski, only for his next step to shift in a different direction after a workout.
Now the Falcons are the team making the move, a sign of how quickly the edge-rush market can change when injuries and suspensions start thinning a depth chart. For the Eagles, it is another reminder of how brief Smiths stint in Philly was and how often his career seems to send him back into the spotlight just when one landing spot looks settled. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Rookie Battle Is Suddenly Separating Roster Locks From Bubble Names
The Eagles rookie class has already started to sort itself into two clear groups as camp moves along, with the early draft picks looking far more secure than the rest of the first-year crowd. Philadelphia has spent the summer evaluating 15 rookies across different spots on the roster, and the picture is becoming clearer by the day as some players push toward opening-week roles while others are fighting just to stay in the conversation for the 53-man roster or practice squad.
Jalen Lemons path has been slowed by a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Aug. 4, though he is close to getting back on the field, while the tight end picture also carries some real intrigue with Stowers trending toward a healthy scratch as the TE3 for Week 1. Elsewhere, Bell, Payton, Morris, Wisniewski, Bernard and James-Newby are all being judged not just on talent, but on how quickly they can turn their development into something the Eagles can actually use once roster cuts arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Camp Picture Is Getting Clearer At Wide Receiver
The Eagles twelfth training camp practice offered another look at a receiver room that is slowly starting to take shape, even as the injury report continues to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Makai Lemon, Tank Bigsby and Johnny Wilson were all sidelined, while DeVonta Smith and safety Cole Wisniewski were among the players working on a limited basis as Philadelphia keeps sorting through who can stack full practices ahead of the 2026 season.
Smith was back in a helmet and getting in some position work after the hamstring issue that had slowed him, a small but encouraging step for a passing game that still needs its top targets available and sharp. Lemon, meanwhile, stayed out of the full session but kept moving on the side field, running routes and going through the catch circuit as the Eagles continue to monitor a camp picture at wide receiver that is becoming clearer even if it is not settled yet. [Read more 🡒]