Final Score: Eagles 31, Steelers 21
Nick Foles and the Eagles host Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers on Thursday night. (Getty)
The Philadelphia Eagles entered Thursday night’s preseason game having lost their first two games despite no shortage of offense.
Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Birds continued to put points on the board. And this time, Philly had the defensive effort to match it, building a huge lead before Pittsburgh scored a pair of garbage-time touchdowns in a 31-21 Eagles win.
Click here for the full box score.
Here’s how it went down:
Ben Roethlisberger Hit Heath Miller to Finally Put the Steelers on the Board
It took almost 41 minutes, but the Steelers finally got on the board when Ben Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller for a 27-yard touchdown strike that put the Steelers on the board with 4:07 left in the third quarter.
Roethlisberger came out of the game after the play and was replaced by Landry Jones. He finished 15-for-24 passing for 157 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Bruce Gradkowski led Pittsburgh on a pair of garbage-time scoring drives in the fourth quarter: One that culminated with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Darius Heyward-Bey with 6:12 left in the game and one that was capped by a 3-yard strike to Martavis Bryant with 2:41 left.
Mark Sanchez Replaced Nick Foles in the 3rd Quarter & Led the Eagles on 2 Touchdown Drives
Mark Sanchez, who threw two touchdown passes in last week’s loss to the Patriots, came in to replace Nick Foles on the Eagles’ first drive of the third quarter, and as was the case last week, the results were good.
Sanchez led the Birds on a 9-play, 60-yard drive that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Matthew Tucker with 8:10 left in the third quarter.
After the Roethlisberger-to-Miller touchdown put Pittsburgh on the board, Sanchez led the Birds down the field again, this time on a 9-play, 80-yard drive capped by another 1-yard rushing touchdown by Tucker.
Foles finished 19-for-29 passing for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Jeremy Maclin Fell to the Ground With a Knee Injury, but Returned on the Next Series
Eagles fans had a scary moment in the second quarter.
Wideout Jeremy Maclin, who missed all of last season with an ACL injury, fell to the ground while running a route and came up clutching his right knee.
Fortunately for the Birds, Maclin walked off the field under his own power and was back in the game on the first play of the next series.
Darren Sproles Gave the Birds Some Breathing Room
Darren Sproles scored from a yard out, capping a 13-play, 77-yard drive and giving the Eagles a 14-0 lead with 12:34 left in the first half.
Alex Henery kicked a 36-yard field goal with 59 seconds left in the half to stretch Philadelphia’s lead to 17-0.
LeSean McCoy Put the Eagles on the Board, but Later Left With a Thumb Injury
Foles dumped the ball off to LeSean McCoy in space, and McCoy beat a handful of defenders down the right sideline for a 22-yard touchdown that put the Birds on top 7-0 with 6:12 left in the first quarter.
The play capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive that took up just 3:07.
McCoy left the game later in the first quarter to have x-rays done on his thumb. The Eagles later announced that McCoy sprained his thumb and would not return, but x-rays were negative and McCoy isn’t expected to miss substantial time.
As Comcast Philadelphia’s Geoff Mosher notes, McCoy had been battling a sore toe. McCoy finished with 24 rushing yards on 4 carries and 26 receiving yards on 2 receptions, including the touchdown.
UPDATE: Eagles announce RB LeSean McCoy has a sprained thumb and is out for the rest of the game. X-rays were negative.
#PITvsPHI
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 22, 2014
Eagles say X-rays on McCoy's right thumb came back negative. Hand is pretty taped up though. http://t.co/xMDVgte5sO pic.twitter.com/LqHi0Jqck4
— Eye on Football (@EyeOnNFL) August 22, 2014
The Steelers Got Into Eagles Territory, but Had to Punt
Good pressure forces Steelers punt. Foles and the first-team offense back on the field.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) August 21, 2014
A 5-yard run by Blount got the Steelers their first first down and a personal foul on the Eagles got them another, but Pittsburgh’s first drive stalled out on the Philadelphia 48. Brad Wing’s went into the endzone for a touchback.
The Eagles started their second drive from their own 20 with 9:27 left in the first quarter.
The Eagles Were Forced to Punt on the Opening Series
#DonnieLongBall's first punt pins the Steelers at their own 13.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 21, 2014
Nick Foles hit Riley Cooper for an 11-yard gain that gave the Birds a first down, but Philadelphia’s opening drive stalled out on its next set of downs, and Chip Kelly had to bring on Donnie Jones to punt.
Pittsburgh started its opening drive on its own 13 with Ben Roethlisberger under center and LeVon Bell, who was arrested Wednesday night along with teammate LeGarette Blount on marijuana possession chargers, in the backfield.
The Eagles Won the Toss & Elected to Receive
#Eagles win the coin toss and elect to receive. #BattleOfPA begins next. #FlyEaglesFly
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 21, 2014
Pregame
Black jerseys tonight for the #BattleofPA. pic.twitter.com/NSgSwYSEHp
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 21, 2014
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 14, 2014
All smiles now until the #BattleOfPA begins. RT @nfl: Kelly + Tomlin. #PITvsPHI pic.twitter.com/F23ikmZ7kX
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 21, 2014
TIME: 7:30 p.m. Eastern
NATIONAL TV: NFL Network
LIVE STREAM: NFL Preseason Live (subscription required)
PHILADELPHIA TV: 6ABC
PHILADELPHIA RADIO: WIP (94.1 FM)
PITTSBURGH TV: CBS2
PITTSBURGH RADIO: WDVE (102.5 FM)
LINE: Eagles by 3 1/2 (via Bovada)
TICKETS: Available here on the NFL Ticket Exchange
HEAVY’S PICK: Eagles 33, Steelers 27
