Open Thread: Eagles vs. Jets


Photo By Jeff Fusco

Photo By Jeff Fusco

The preseason finale is upon us as the Eagles take on the Jets at MetLife Stadium. We’ll pop in with some updates and thoughts from time to time. Feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.

10:00 – Final: Jets 24, Eagles 18. The preseason comes to an end with the Birds’ first loss in four games. Tim Tebow throws for 189 yards while Matt Barkley throws for 45 yards. Raheem Mostert runs for 69 yards and catches eight passes for 93 yards, while Kenjon Barner runs for seven yards.

The Eagles have to cut their roster down to 53 players by 4:00 on Saturday.

9:42 – Tim Tebow throws his second touchdown pass of the evening, this one to Freddie Martino on fourth down in the red zone. He evaded a free pass rusher in the pocket, rolled to his left and hit Martino on the edge of the end zone to bring the Eagles within 24-18. Tebow is now 11-of-17 for 189 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Chip Kelly has opted to play Tebow on two fourth downs this evening.

9:31 – Jimmy Kempski provides us with Matt Barkley’s complete preseason stats.

9:29 – Tebow opens his first drive of the second half with a 45-yard pass to Freddie Martino down the middle on a deep post route. But after two more passes for 18 yards, a misguided pass attempt from Tebow on 4th & 15 is intercepted deep in New York territory. Tebow is now 9-for-15 for 168 yards, one touchdown and one interception with just under 12 minutes to play in the preseason.

9:24 – Tim Tebow takes over for the Eagles’ final quarter of the preseason with good field position after Nick Folk missed a 48-yard field goal. Matt Barkley’s evening is likely done; he finishes 4-for-9 for 45 yards and an interception, an underwhelming performance with a roster spot on the line.

9:13 – Jerome Couplin, who is presumedly competing with Ed Reynolds and Chris Prosinski for the remaining two safety spots on the Eagles’ 53-man roster, is being checked out by team trainers.

9:11 – Matt Barkley’s first drive of the third quarter was reminiscent of his first-quarter performance, going 1-for-3 for seven yards. He was sacked once for a loss of seven yards, his first sack of the evening. He’s now 4-for-9 for 45 yards with an interception so far.

9:01 – Josh Johnson’s first drive at the helm of the New York offense was a methodical, 14-play, 80-yard drive that ate up 9:17 of game clock and ended with a nine-yard rushing touchdown from Daryl Richardson. The Birds’ backup defenders, featuring Denzel Rice and Randall Evans starting at cornerback, did little to slow the Jets’ offense down as New York took a 24-12 lead.

New York’s quarterbacks are now a combined 13-of-17 for 166 yards, two touchdowns and one interception this evening.

8:35 – Jeff McLane was impressed with Tebow’s touchdown pass.

8:33 – A two-minute drill from Tim Tebow and the Eagles’ offense results in an 18-yard touchdown pass to Rasheed Bailey. Tebow dropped the pass in past a defender and into Bailey’s hands at the goal line. Tebow completed four passes on the drive and is now 6-for-10 for 105 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter.

At another point on the drive, Tebow turned a near-sack into a 17-yard scramble for a first down.

The Jets lead, 17-12, at halftime.

8:24 – The Jets add a field goal to their lead after an eight play, 58-yard drive spanning 3:27. Matt Flynn is now 10-of-14 for 136 yards against the Eagles’ backup defenders.

8:11 – After an uneventful Jets possession, Tim Tebow’s second offensive series goes three and out despite a couple of well-placed throws, one of which was dropped by Jeff Maehl. Tebow is 2-for-5 for 36 yards with a pair of drops so far this evening.

Raheem Mostert is up to 10 carries and 47 yards in the first half.

8:00 – Jaylen Watkins poaches a Matt Flynn pass deep in New York territory and intercepts the ball at the Jets’ four-yard line. But the Jets’ defense stonewalles the Eagles for three straight plays and Kip Smith converts his second field goal of the evening. The Jets lead, 14-6, midway through the second quarter.

7:57 – Tebow’s first series of the evening lasts six plays. He completes his first pass to a wide-open Raheem Mostert, who takes it 24 yards for a first down. His next two passes were incomplete, including a missed ball to Seyi Ajirotutu on the right sideline on third down, and the Eagles were forced to punt.

7:49 – Tim Tebow enters the game at quarterback for the Eagles. He’s expected to play the whole second quarter.

7:48 – Another drive, another touchdown from the Jets. Matt Flynn picked apart the Eagles’ backup secondary before completing a five-yard screen pass to Zac Stacy for a touchdown. Cornerbacks Eric Rowe and Jaylen Watkins have yet to find a way to obstruct the Jets’ passing game. Flynn is 7-for-9 for 88 yards and two touchdowns so far, and the Jets lead the Eagles, 14-3.

7:36 – Kiko Alonso’s night seems to be done after just one defensive series.

7:26 – Kip Smith boots a 23-yard field goal to make the score 7-3, Jets, late in the first quarter. Matt Barkley was shaky again on his second drive under center, but converted an in route to Trey Burton on 4th & 8 to keep the Eagles on the field. He’s 3-for-6 with 38 yards and an interception through two drives.

Meanwhile, Raheem Mostert has been productive on the ground, carrying the ball five times for 35 yards. Mostert is battling Kenjon Barner for the fourth running back spot on the team’s roster. Barner, who contributed big plays in each of the Eagles’ first three games this preseason, has one carry for two yards so far.

7:22 – Ed Kracz offers some perspective on Matt Barkley’s second interception of the preseason.

7:18 – The Jets strike first. Matt Flynn capitalizes on the post-interception field position, tossing an 18-yard touchdown pass to Chris Owusu. Jaylen Watkins was covering Owusu on the touchdown. Flynn completed both of his passes on New York’s first drive of the evening, going 2-for-2 for 23 yards. The Jets lead the Birds, 7-0.

7:14 – The Kiko Alonso era has finally begun for the Eagles’ defense.

7:11 – Matt Barkley looked for Josh Huff on the second play of the game but was intercepted by New York Jets defensive back Darrin Walls instead. An inauspicious start for the quarterback as he looks to earn a roster spot.