Eagles Fall to Colts, Go Winless in Preseason
A cast of characters that features very few players who will play meaningful snaps for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 fell to the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason finale Thursday evening at Lincoln Financial Field, losing by a score of 27-13.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts didn't appear in Thursday's game, the same as Philadelphia's first two preseason contests. Projected backup Marcus Mariota only played in one drive in the game. Heck, after 34 pass attempts, rookie quarterback Tanner McKee gave way to fourth-stringer Ian Book, who almost certainly doesn't have a future with the team.
Compare that to new Colts coach Shane Steichen -- the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia for the last two seasons -- who played starting quarterback Anthony Richardson for the entirety of the first half. Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft, turned in mixed results. He completed just 6 of 17 pass attempts for 78 yards, but he also rushed for 38 yards on five carries, a reminder of the immense athleticism he possesses.
Meanwhile, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew -- who followed Steichen from the Eagles to the Colts -- completed 9 of 11 pass attempts for 102 yards and a touchdown pass, looking the part of one of the better understudies in the NFL.
Evan Hull and Deon Jackson each rushed for touchdowns in the first half, while veteran running back Kenyan Drake hauled in a score in the third quarter. That trio of running backs could be of great importance for Steichen given that it appears former Offensive Player of the Year Jonathan Taylor may have played his final game with the team.
The most notable development for the Eagles from an offensive standpoint was that veteran kicker Jake Elliott drilled two field goals in excess of 50 yards, including a 59-yarder late in the first quarter.
Coach Nick Sirianni's squad finishes the preseason with an 0-2-1 record, which isn't especially surprising considering that a bulk of the starters didn't touch the field during any of the three exhibition tilts. The most important thing is that the defending NFC Champions avoided any major injuries during the preseason.
The next time the Eagles play, it will be for real. Hurts and the Eagles will travel to Gillette Stadium for their Week 1 matchup with the New England Patriots on Sept. 10.
You can follow Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Philadelphia Eagles? Click Here.
Want even more Philadelphia Eagles news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
