Late Birds

The Eagles returned to Gillette Stadium, the site of Tuesday’s joint practice, to take on the New England Patriots for the second game on the preseason slate.

Second-year quarterback Tanner McKee led a 7-play, 70-yard scoring drive in the waning moments of the final quarter, including a 28-yard strike down the middle to wide receiver Joseph Ngata.

Rookie running back Kendall Milton punched it up the gut on a 1-yard touchdown surge before fifth-round rookie Ainias Smith secured the short toss in the right corner for the two-point conversion, as the Eagles took the late lead and held on for the 14-13 win.

While most of the starters donned the team-issued gear and were relegated to the sidelines, including offensive lineman Mekhi Becton, several on the defensive side participated in the game.

In injury news, sixth-round rookie WR Johnny Wilson was withheld from game action, as he’s in concussion protocol from joint practice, while OL Tyler Steen (ankle) and WR John Ross (concussion) sustained in-game injuries and didn’t return.

GETTY IMAGES: QB Kenny Pickett started for the Eagles, but Tanner McKee led the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter.

Let’s get on with the observations.

* Mildly surprised to see big-ticket free-agent signing Bryce Huff suited up and playing against the Patriots on the heels of a stellar showing in joint practice, but perhaps DC Vic Fangio wanted to see more. Huff used his hands well to disengage from blocks and made some physical plays against the run, registering tackles on the first two plays.

* The James Bradberry safety experiment bottomed out. On the third play of the game, Pats tight end Austin Hooper slipped behind Bradberry down the right sideline, but the pass from QB Jacoby Brissett was off the mark. The veteran defensive back also struggled against the run, often taking poor angles to ball-carriers and being driven backwards. And on the Drake Maye read-option score before the break, Bradberry appeared to get caught inside and couldn’t pivot to close the gap. Bradberry was a step too slow to play outside cornerback and he’s struggled in transition playing center field.

* Strong linebacker play early from Zack Baun, who started despite Nakobe Dean opening with the starters for Tuesday’s joint practice. Baun looked far more comfortable in his second game at inside linebacker, reading a 1st-and-10 Rhamondre Stevenson run and pinning the running back on the right sideline to shut it down for no gain. Later, Baun eluded a block from Pats T Mike Onwenu, filling the gap to stop running back Antonio Gibson in the red zone. Improved instincts and reaction from Baun, who shortly after joined the starters on the sideline following another quick outing.

* While he didn’t start the contest, Nakobe Dean continued to stand out with physicality and tenacity. Dean surged forward and attacked blocks to make plays in the run game, but his most impressive play occurred just before the break. With 5:55 remaining in the second frame, he blew up Pats RB Kevin Harris and made the effort to make the tackle on WR Ja’Lynn Polk six yards down the field. Baun had an encouraging showing, but this battle isn’t quite over. Dean has had a nice week and appears to be playing with more control and confidence.

* With reserve TEs Grant Calcaterra and Albert Okwuegbunam sidelined, veteran C.J. Uzomah and E.J. Jenkins saw an uptick in snaps. While Uzomah underwhelmed as a blocker – his forte at this stage of his career – Jenkins met the moment. The 6-foot-6 Jenkins, a converted collegiate wide receiver, shined as a pass-catcher, but it was his blocking display that caught my attention. Jenkins, who told me he’d made a concerted effort during the offseason to refine that aspect of his game, exhibited a well-rounded skill set. In the race to identify the Eagles’ No. 3 tight end, Jenkins climbs to the front of the heat.

* Not an encouraging performance from the Eagles’ reserve offensive line, which was consistently in the backfield and, as a result, allowed quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee to be under siege for much of the evening. Particularly, on first watch, it appeared Max Scharping and Dylan McMahon really struggled.

Additionally, I thought the Eagles reserve wide receivers again had difficulty separating downfield, amplifying the pressure up front.

* While he isn’t known for creating much separation, Joseph Ngata fired up the Eagles receivers with some of his late-game catches. Ngata, who is consistently the first player out to the practice field and on the JUGS machine every morning, is heralded for his work ethic. Ngata has an uphill climb, but with no one emerging and claiming one of the final spots – and little depth at boundary receiver – Ngata can make a push.

* Context is always critical when assessing preseason play, but I’ve not only been impressed with Tanner McKee’s poise in game situations but also throughout camp. The Stanford quarterback has delivered passes with touch and accuracy, but has no aversion to pushing the ball downfield and trusting his receiving options. Notably, McKee seemed to be in sync with Ngata and E.J. Jenkins. I’m not sure McKee can do enough to leap Pickett for the No. 2 job behind Jalen Hurts, but the Eagles have to be thrilled with where he is in terms of his development.

* Another noteworthy performance from a pair of reserve defenders: EDGE Patrick Johnson and DT Thomas Booker IV. While Booker, who notched a fourth-quarter sack of Joe Milton, has an uphill climb to make the 53-man roster, the third-year interior lineman has made several impactful plays over the course of the summer. As for Johnson, the fourth-year pro continues to showcase a refined pass rush, flashing advanced hand usage, sturdy base, and power. Special teams will be Johnson’s pathway to the roster, but he could conceivably play his way into a rotational role. The offseason work has paid dividends.

* Perhaps sounding a bit redundant, but it’s worth mentioning just how dominant LB Ben VanSumeren is on special teams. The second-year pro is extremely athletic and brings that throwback full throttle, enforcer mentality to the third phase. The Michigan State product plays with his hair on fire and lights people up. His speed and refined instincts on defense also popped at first watch. He’s your fifth linebacker, without question.

*I noted this coming out of joint practice, but WR Jacob Harris has been working on the first-team kickoff unit. While Harris is pretty far down in the pecking order, it’s notable given his special teams prowess and the value placed on coverage specialists in light of the new kickoff rule. Still, Harris hasn’t made the most of his offensive opportunities, making his roster prospects unlikely.

* He’s rarely discussed, often overshadowed by his more decorated linemates, but I thought second-year DT P.J. Mustipher put some quality plays on tape. Mustipher, who finished with three tackles (one for loss), was strong at the point of attack and generated good penetration. Without having a true backup nose tackle, Mustipher could stick on the practice squad.

*Rookie free agent CB Shon Stephens, who didn’t play last week in Baltimore, logged his first game snaps, three on defense and four on special teams. Perhaps insignificant on the surface, it’s an appreciable achievement for the Ferris State product, who was signed to the Eagles’ 90-man roster on the heels of a successful tryout at rookie minicamp.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.