Roob’s Insights: McKee Transforms His NFL Debut into an Entertaining Spectacle

Roob’s Observations: McKee makes meaningless game fun in 1st NFL start initially appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Luckily, Tanner McKee transformed a pointless game into an entertaining experience by delivering a fantastic performance during his debut NFL start.

Moreover, it was gratifying to witness the Eagles equal a franchise record with their 14th victory, finishing 20-13 against the Giants.

They accomplished this with their starters safely on the bench and the substitutes stepping up.

Now the exciting part commences.

Onward to the playoffs.

1. As I kept an eye on the scoreboard all afternoon to determine who the Eagles would compete against next weekend in their playoff debut, it struck me that it essentially doesn’t matter. The Eagles are superior to both the Packers and the Commanders, and I would be astonished if they don’t manage their business next weekend. I like the trajectory this team is on heading into the playoffs. Excluding one dreadful fourth quarter in Washington, they’ve performed at an elite level for nearly all of the past three months. For only the fourth time this year, they’ll have DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, and Dallas Goedert all fit. They excel at running the ball better than anyone, and since the bye week, they’ve been passing it proficiently and effectively. They possess the No. 1 defense in the NFL and they’re at home, fit, well-rested, and concluded the season winning 12 of their last 13. Ultimately, it will be the Packers, but to me, it is inconsequential. The Eagles are the superior squad.

2. Watching Tanner McKee toss a couple of touchdown passes last week at the close of that Dallas game was impressive, but what he accomplished on Sunday is even more remarkable in a sense because he did it with a completely backup offensive line (which was not very formidable), a host of rookies, and backup receivers – aside from Dallas Goedert early on – yet he still operated at such a high caliber. There is no denying this young man has a promising future in this league, and I hope Howie Roseman resists the temptation to trade him, as I am certain there will be substantial offers. McKee has every trait you desire in a young quarterback – precision, decisiveness, intelligence, a strong arm, and great size. He displays excellent pocket awareness, delivers the ball accurately while on the move, and possesses an innate ability to throw to where his receivers will be, not where they currently are. That 19-yard out to Jahan Dotson to convert a 3rd-and-15 in the second quarter was a brilliant throw. He made several noteworthy plays on Sunday. He was connecting with players while they were in motion, allowing them to not only make receptions but also to catch the football in stride and gain significant yardage after the catch. He is the first quarterback in Eagles history to throw four touchdown passes in his first two games. Carson Wentz had three in 2016 (and Scott Tinsley did so in two 1987 strike replacement games). McKee concluded with 27 completions on 41 attempts for 269 yards, with touchdown passes to Ainias Smith and E.J. Jenkins and no turnovers. Kenny Pickett showed his worth against Washington and Dallas, but I simply can’t envision McKee being No. 3 again next year. He’s too talented. Honestly, I don’t want to get too enthusiastic, but I firmly believe he will become an NFL starter somewhere at some point.

3. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is such an exhilarating player to observe. He’s quite distinct from his father, who was a large, powerful downhill enforcer. Trotter Jr. is agile, athletic, and instinctual, but he’s also tough, and in every instance we’ve seen him play – whether during garbage time at the end of blowout victories or Sunday in his first substantial playing time of his career – he’s found a way to the ball. He possesses that ability to navigate through traffic to make a tackle. Plus, he knows how to finish. He registered 11 tackles on Sunday, the second-most on the team behind Oren Burks’ 17. Trotter Jr. weighs around 225, making him roughly 35 pounds lighter than his father. A completely different type of linebacker, but a very promising prospect.

4. There’s much to appreciate about Will Shipley, as he has the capability to be a significant receiving back in this system. It appears that Shipley is an effective runner, but his potential as a back coming out of the backfield is substantial. He runs precise routes, has a knack for getting open, possesses soft hands, catches the ball adeptly, and is both quick and physical once he has the ball in his possession. Shipley had not caught a pass in his NFL career before Sunday, yet he managed to secure four for 35 yards and looked quite at ease doing so. We will monitor what transpires with Kenny Gainwell, who is unsigned beyond 2024 and could very likely be seeking more playing time elsewhere. Regardless, I can envision Shipley playing a prominent role in the offense next year, particularly as a receiver.

5. Jahan Dotson appeared to be a legitimate NFL football player on Sunday, and with DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown absent, someone had to catch the football, but it was refreshing to witness McKee trust the former 1st-round selection and position him to make several plays. It’s been a tough year for Dotson, who was acquired by the Eagles for a 3rd-round pick. He entered Sunday with just 12 receptions for 122 yards across 16 games despite being on the field for over 600 offensive snaps. However, he achieved 7 receptions for 94 yards on Sunday and looked quite impressive doing it. He garnered 28 yards against the Giants, fewer than his total for the entire year. He appeared quick and athletic and shook off a few tacklers after securing the ball. I understand that Brown, Smith, and Goedert will receive the majority of the targets, but having another reliable option doesn’t hurt, and Dotson demonstrated on Sunday that Hurts has every reason to trust him. It’s beneficial to have another dependable weapon at your disposal.

6. I comprehend that it’s Drew Locke and it’s the Giants with their struggling offense, but it was commendable to see the Eagles’ defensive backups restrict the Giants to 238 yards and 13 points while securing the NFL’s No. 1 defensive ranking for the season. The work Vic Fangio accomplished this year is extraordinary. He rejuvenated a defense that ranked 26th the previous year and was in disarray by the end of the season, rebuilding it almost overnight. Kudos to Howie Roseman for acquiring Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Zack Baun, and Isaiah Rodgers, along with contributions from players like Nakobe Dean, Nolan Smith, and Jalen Carter for making substantial progress. After the previous year’s failures, the Eagles understood the need for a younger, faster, and more aggressive defense, and Fangio was the ideal individual to oversee that transition. This marks the Eagles’ first time having the No. 1 defense since 1991, and that was a group loaded with superstars who had been together for an extended period. This defense is notably the youngest in the NFL, and they’re only set to improve. I believe they will shine in the playoffs.

7. I truly appreciate the Eagles’ young depth in the secondary, and players like Kelee Ringo, Sydney Brown, and Eli Ricks all saw significantly less playing time this year than they did last season as rookies,

So this was a favorable opportunity to witness them receive rare extended playing time. This might be yet another offseason of transformation in the secondary. Slay performed admirably in his 12th season but has sustained numerous injuries and is now 34. Isaiah Rodgers, who logged over 300 snaps as the third cornerback, is without a contract beyond this year. Rodgers had an outstanding season, particularly when considering he was out of the league last year due to his suspension. However, Ringo is impressive, and I could envision him as the third corner next year, or even as an outside starter eventually, since it makes sense to keep Cooper DeJean in the slot. This franchise has struggled for years to cultivate homegrown secondary talent, but with Quinyon Mitchell, DeJean, Ringo, Brown, and Ricks, they’ve established an impressive lineup of promising young defensive backs to focus on.

8. For clarity, the Eagles’ starting offensive line comprised Fred Johnson, Tyler Steen, Nick Gates, Jack Driscoll, and Darian Kinnard. Big Fred performed well when Jordan Mailata was sidelined for four games earlier this season, but overall, this is not a particularly strong group of reserves, and observing their play certainly enhances appreciation for Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Mekhi Becton, and Lane Johnson. We are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to see that group collaborate week-in and week-out, both in creating openings for Saquon Barkley to navigate and shielding Jalen Hurts from opposing defenders. We’ve witnessed some truly poor offensive lines around here, and until Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan occupied the tackle positions, the Eagles hadn’t genuinely had a single elite offensive lineman since the era of Stan Walters and Jerry Sisemore. Thus, to have this group united now is truly remarkable, thanks to Roseman for assembling it and Jeff Stoutland for nurturing it. I’m not sure if any other cities afford as much appreciation to offensive linemen as they do to receivers and quarterbacks, but this is the ideal group for this city.

9. I know many individuals were disheartened that Nick Sirianni sidelined Saquon Barkley just 101 yards shy of breaking the NFL single-season rushing record, and I understand their perspective. That would have been a historic accomplishment, and I doubt anyone else will pursue that record anytime soon. Yet, there was something reassuring about seeing Barkley on the bench in his hoodie, distanced from the Giants defense, safely out of danger. And I can’t help but ponder the complications it would have created if we were in the midst of the fourth quarter and Barkley had 19 carries for 87 yards, reflecting on how anxious everyone would have been trying to obtain those last few yards with Saquon enduring hit after hit against a heavily stacked box. The truth is, Barkley has only surpassed 101 yards six times this season before the fourth quarter. It is disheartening. However, the best running back in the NFL will be rested and ready next weekend, and in the grand scheme of things, that’s truly what matters most.

10. It was great to see Goedert back on the field for the first time since the Ravens match, running around and making some contributions. Goedert had one unfortunate drop that should have resulted in a first down, but he managed to secure four catches for 55 yards, marking his 4th-best performance of the season despite only playing in the first half. This served as a reminder of just how talented Goedert is, and we genuinely haven’t witnessed much of it this year. We haven’t seen a significant amount of a healthy Goedert this year, but when he is fit, he remains a top-5 tight end in the NFL, and if the Eagles aim to pursue an extensive postseason journey, they will need Goedert to play a vital role.

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