The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second game of their 2019 preseason schedule. There were a number of positives for the Birds in this one. Read on for game observations!

OFFENSE

First drive: Cody Kessler officially gets the start at quarterback. Andre Dillard, Matt Pryor, Stefen Wisniewski, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and Jordan Mailata are the offensive line starters (left to right). Joshua Perkins opens a hole for Miles Sanders on a run for a first down. Good burst by Sanders, too.

Kessler’s target for Charles Johnson gets deflected. Hey, a target for Mack Hollins! Except it it’s way overthrown. Kessler shows good mobility to take off for a first down but unwisely opts to get hit instead of sliding. Kessler gets ROCKED from behind from a free pass rusher — mistake there by Andre Dillard? Kessler is hurt and Clayton Thorson is in already. Oh god.

Second drive: Thorson still in the game, Kessler still in the medical tent. Now Kessler is walking back to the locker room, which doesn’t seem like a great sign. Matt Pryor picks up his first penalty of the game and his second of the preseason. Wis botches ANOTHER snap but Thorson manages to pick it up and throw the ball away. The Eagles run a draw with Jordan Howard on 3rd-and-17. Punt. This could be an ugly night!

Third drive: Sanders breaks off a 16-yard run for a first down. The rookie running back is looking good.

OMG, Thorson completes a pass on a slant to Johnson for a first down! And then another good throw by Thorson to JJ Arcega-Whiteside! But unfortuantely it goes through the receiver’s hands. Marken Michel picks up a first down on a screen, showing some nice YAC ability there. Howard, who is interestingly still in the game, takes a carry to set up on 3rd-and-1. He then takes another carry for a first down. Thorson makes another nice throw down the field (!) but it’s dropped by Johnson. Thorson throws #ShortOfTheSticks on third down to bring up 4th-and-5. The Eagles are going for it. Thorson drops backs, gets blitzed, and throws a jump ball to Greg Ward ... who makes a nice adjustment on the ball to catch it and rack up some YAC en route to the end zone for a touchdown! See? I’ve always told you to not doubt Thorson. Also, nice to see Ward finally make a big play after previously showing some flashes in camp but being quiet in the preseason. Sanders deserves credit for his blitz pickup on the touchdown throw as well.

Fourth drive: Thorson airs it out deep and his underthrown wobbly pass is broken up. The Eagles end up having to punt as the drive stalls.

Fifth drive: Thorson hits JJAW on third down to move the chains. Nice. Thorson throws towards the sideline but it’s way overthrown. That’s an issue that’s been present during offseason practices. Carlton Agudosi draws a defensive pass interference penalty on a back shoulder throw attempt from Thorson.

Sixth drive: Thorson still in at quarterback as the Eagles start their first drive of the second half, no sign of Kessler. Josh Adams picks up 19 yards on a catch and run, nice play.

Pryor picks up his fifth penalty of the preseason on a false start, not great. Thorson throws a pass that looks like it’s intended for Ward but it ends up being caught by a toe-tapping Carlton Agudosi. The play is ruled incomplete but Doug Pederson wins his challenge and it’s overturned.

Trickeration! Eagles have Ward throw down the field to Agudosi and ... it’s almost picked but dropped instead. Alright, then. The Eagles get to 4th-and-3 from the Jaguars’ 38-yard line and go for it. Thorson gets good protection and delivers a strike to Will Tye for a first down. You just can’t stop Thorson in the clutch!

Thorson targets Agudosi in the end zone but it’s broken up. Upon replay, the Jags defender clearly had a hand full of Agudosi’s jersey and Pederson challenges it since that’s possible now! The Eagles win their appeal and Adams punches it in for a 1-yard touchdown run. Great drive by the offense.

Eighth drive: The Eagles get into 4th-and-9 and bring Jake Elliott out for a 52-yard field goal attempt in the rain. He absolutely crushes it. That could’ve been good from 60+.

Ninth drive: Kessler throws a short pass that goes off DeAndre Thompkins’ fingertips and into the arms of a Jags defender. Interception.

Tenth drive: Scott breaks off a 20-yard run on a big hole to work with. The offensive line continues to open up room as the Eagles continue to pound the rock. Just dominating up front. Donnel Pumphrey with a nice juke! The Eagles get into goal-to-go territory and Scott takes it in the touchdown. What a blocking performance.

Eleventh drive: Eagles run out the clock. Victory formation.

DEFENSE

First drive: The Eagles’ defensive starters are starting. Brandon Graham gets his hands on the Jaguars’ starting quarterback but fails to bring him down. The Eagles give up a first down but Zach Brown blows up a run to bring up 3rd-and-12. Jim Schwartz goes with the sticks defense and Philly gets off the field.

Second drive: Eagles’ defensive starters still in the game. Sidney Jones gets beat over the top by D.J. Chark but the receiver is ruled out and there’s a penalty anyway. Still, not the best sign for Jones, who also gave up a completion last week. The Jags target Jones again and he gives up a completion for real this time. Eventually the starters bunker down to get a stop.

Third drive: Daeshon Hall comes up with another strip sack (he had one last week too) and the Eagles recover the ball. Hall’s gotta make this team. Hell, he’s currently outplaying Josh Sweat for the fourth defensive end spot.

Fourth drive: Daeshon Hall helps to disrupt a run play that’s cleaned up by T.J. Edwards. Hall generates pressure and a hit but the ball gets off in time to a wide open receiver. Hall then makes a mistake by jumping offsides. The Jags get a touchdown on a screen but it’s called for a block in the back. Shareef Miller notches a third down sack with Josh Sweat also generating some bull rush pressure on the play. Jags punt.

Fifth drive: The Jags drive into the red zone. Daeshon Hall comes up big with another sack — this time rushing over the left tackle — to help force the Jags to settle for a field goal. Hall was dumb for celebrating his sack in a Jags hurry up situation but he did get back in time for no penalty. Hall also predictably got scolded by Schwartz, as he should.

Sixth drive: Sweat loses contain and allows a big Jags run. Woof, Orlando Scandrick with a bad missed tackle. Miller logs a tackle for loss. Nice to see the rookie pass rusher showing up.

Seventh drive: Josh Hawkins dislodges a Jags reception to bring up 4th-and-1. The Jags go for it and Deiondre’ Hall stuffs the quarterback sneak for a turnover on downs. Nice work by the defense.

Eight drive: Aziz Shittu picks up a sack with the Jags forgetting to block him. As you’ll recall, he only rejoined the team earlier this week. The Eagles survive Alex McGough almost scrambling out and throwing a deep completion with Sojourn Shelton helping to break up the play.

Ninth drive: Elston breaks up a throw into the end zone to bring up 3rd-and-goal. Shittu knocks down McCough’s pass attempt, another good play for him. Asantay Brown fails to stop McCough on a touchdown run and the Jags score.

Tenth drive: Shittu with another pass deflection! No shot to make the Eagles’ roster but he’s putting some good tape out there. Jags go three-and-out.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Boston Scott back deep for the first kickoff return and the first punt return. Scott’s second punt return attempt should’ve been fielded but instead he let it roll back to get the Eagles pinned deep; not a good decision.

Mack Hollins drew an illegal block in the back penalty on the Jaguars by hustling down on punt coverage. Hollins also almost forced the Jaguars into a muffed punt by hustling down the field and drawing his jammer to run into the return guy. If nothing else, his special teams value should help him earn a roster spot.

THE QUARTERBACKS

Carson Wentz: DID NOT PLAY

Nate Sudfeld: DID NOT PLAY

Cody Kessler: 1/4, 11 yards (2.8 average), 0 TD, 0 INT, 39.6 passer rating

Clayton Thorson: 16/26, 175 yards (7.3 average), 1 TD, 1 INT, 78.2 passer rating

MUCH better showing from Thorson this week after finishing with a 0.0 passer rating last week. Good to see the rookie showing some promise.

MILES SANDERS HYPE TRAIN

Five carries for 31 yards (6.2 average), including a long of 16. Oh baby. Looking good.

INJURY UPDATES

Charles Johnson came up limping after being targeted on an incompletion. He later returned to the game.

Cody Kessler took a big hit from behind early in the game. He was going to stay in before the refs called a medical timeout and made him get evaluated. Kessler walked to the locker room with about nine minutes remaining in the first quarter. The Eagles announced he was being evaluated for a head injury. The Eagles then announced Kessler was in concussion protocol.

Josh Sweat had to come off. He got his hand looked at before ultimately coming back in.

Shareef Miller had to come off to get looked at. Phantom IR alert! Or not. Miller came back into the game.

UP NEXT

The Eagles have off the next two days before returning to practice on Sunday, August 18. The team’s two joint training camp practices against the Baltimore Ravens will take place on Monday, August 19 and Tuesday, August 20 starting at 1:30 PM each day. As always, stay tuned to BGN for more Eagles coverage.