LeSean McCoy scored a touchdown on a 22-yard screen pass from Nick Foles Thursday night. Credit: Getty Images
Eagles fans finally got to see their entire first team offense on the field at once during the first half of Thursday’s preseason game against the Steelers and there was obvious rust. But there was also some explosiveness and flashes of midseason form. Just two drives is all the Lincoln Financial faithful would get before LeSean McCoy left the field with a thumb injury (x rays were negative).
Here’s a brief recap of how the first team, highly-anticipated to be one of the league’s best once again, fared while they were together.
McCoy showed he can go east and west during the Birds’ second drive, going close to the numbers on the west side of thefield before juking right and picking up a 13-yard gain that made his turf toe look like an afterthought.
He then capped off the drive with a 22-yard touchdown catch on a screen from Nick Foles. The offensive line was in sync as McCoy made it into the end zone to finish off the 11-play, scoring drive. Kudos to Chip Kelly and the offensive coaching staff for a timely screen call.
That would be McCoy’s last touch before heading to the locker room for a preventative thumb x-ray.
Brent Celek also got into the mix in the Eagles’ second drive catching a 23-yard catch over the middle with Jeremy Maclin and Zach Etrz also getting touches as Foles spread the ball around.
Kelly revealed, in bits and pieces, what he had in store for Darren Sproles. The agile running back who is known primarily as a pass catcher had a handful of carries from behind center but didn’t break loose for much aside from a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Riley Cooper made his debut this year and showed he could use his big frame to get position in the middle. He also, in addition to hauling in a few passes, took some big hits and bounced right back up.
Cooped showed rust however, committing a costly offensive pass interference in the end zone at the tail end of the first quarter.
Jordan Matthews got into the mix in the second quarter too, highlighted by a 14-yard catch for a first down as the halftime horn neared.
A couple mixed signals led to too many passes hitting the turf early on for the Eagles, including three incompletions in the Eagles opening drive, leading to a punt.
The first team combined for two touchdown scoring drives of 80 and 77 yards on 11 and 13 plays respectively, and scored a field goal on a 50-yard drive.
