BSJ Game Report: Patriots 35, Eagles 0 - Philly rests starters as New England predictably dominates

Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ blowout win over the Eagles in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

HEADLINES

Eagles rest on the practices, play few starters: According to our friend Jeff McLane from the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles played just 11 of their 22 projected starters — seven on offense (two on the line), and four on defense. Those players were:

Offense: G Isaac Seumalo, LT Jordan Mailata, WRs DeVonta Smith, Jalen Reagor and Quez Watkins, TE Dallas Goedert, RB Miles Sanders.

Defense: CB Steven Nelson, SS Anthony Harris, LB Alex Singleton, LB Eric Wilson.

The top six of the Eagles' defensive line didn't play.

That's it.

It's quite obvious the Eagles decided that the work they did in the two practices — when they carried the play against New England — was good enough. You often see that in joint practices. If the starters were good enough and got enough reps in practice, you rest them for health reasons. That seems to be the approach the Eagles took. The Patriots, for whatever reason, wanted a quarter of work for their starters.

It's impossible to take much out of this game for the Patriots other than they did exactly what they should have done given the talent disparity against the JV Eagles. 

Both Patriots quarterbacks play well: We have given you the facts regarding which players took the field for the Eagles. Here are facts on how the Patriots' QBs fared against mostly Eagles backups and worse on defense — both played very well, especially Cam Newton.

Newton finished 8 of 9 for 103 yards and a touchdown to Jakobi Meyers. The TD was a great example of Newton doing the little things — likely because he's being pushed by Mac Jones — like giving a really good playaction fake to create space.

Overall, Newton looked very confident and delivered the ball on time. He looked great. Probably his best appearance of the summer.

Jones (13 of 19, three drops) entered in the second quarter with the backup linemen and took some time to get settled, but he was ripping up and down the field. By the end. Jones led three TD drives in four opportunities of 91 yards, 75 and 70 yards. His only blemish might have been taking a checkdown before halftime with no timeouts left. And he slid at one point and looked gimpy getting up off his left knee. But his play wasn't affected.

Quinn Nordin comes down to Earth: Well, so much for the questions about whether or not the undrafted rookie from Michigan would take the roster spot of Nick Folk. Nordin barely made his first extra point inside the right upright. That was a bad sign of things to come. He missed his next two extra points (Belichick went for two once in between the misses) and a 36-yard field goal, all wide right. He did close by making an extra point and a 24-yard field goal. But ... still.

THREE UP

QB Cam Newton: Finally looked like a QB1 who's more comfortable in the system ... against backups and no pass rush.

LB Harvey Langhi: Was all over the place making plays in the second half with five tackles, a sack and an interception. 

WR Jakobi Meyers: Continued to look like the best pound-for-pound receiver on the team with three catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Honorable mention: This Barry Sanders-esque move by JJ Taylor.

THREE DOWN

K Quinn Nordin: Now the roller coaster we heard about at Michigan shows up. Welcome to Rohrwasser-ville.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni: His team better start off the season great because the way we see it, a lot of Eagles, especially QB Jalen Hurts, could have used fully live reps against a team like the Patriots. But if you're good being practice kings, then go nuts. The guy with six Super Bowl rings played his starters a quarter. I'd pay attention to what that guy does.

TE Devin Asiasi/WR N'Keal Harry: Both players who are trying to prove they belong in the NFL dropped potential touchdown passes with poor technique — Asiasi not having his hands right, Harry jumping when he didn't have to and possibly injuring himself. Asiasi had a chance, with no other healthy tight ends, to prove his worth. He did not. Neither did Harry. 

INJURIES

WR N'Keal Harry: Landed on his left shoulder/head. We'll have to see.

LB Josh Uche (unknown): Went to the locker room and did not return.

TOP PLAYS

TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

Not sure if I've ever taken less out of a preseason game than this one: The Eagles played no one — especially on the two lines, which is huge — and the Patriots beat up on second and third stringers. That's the definition of "as expected." I'm sure we'll hear people say the Patriots looked good, confident, comfortable and they were better ... yes, that's exactly how they should look against inferior competition.

Cam Newton gets last laugh: Newton was heckled by Eagles safety K'Von Wallace in practice this week, with Wallace calling Newton the Checkdown King before the Patriots went after the second-year player out of Clemson. Well, Newton got the last laugh. Wallace was in coverage against Meyers on his touchdown.