McKee Keys Win

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McKee Keys Win

Posted: January 5th, 2025 | Author: Tommy Lawlor

We finally got to see Tanner McKee play a full game and he didn’t disappoint. McKee led the Eagles to a 20-13 win over the NY Giants. He got help from a stingy defense and the Eagles closed the regular season at 14-3.

This is exactly what Nick Sirianni wanted to see. His backups played well and got valuable experience. The Eagles starters who did have to play looked good and helped the backups. Despite the lineup being cobbled together, the Eagles played like a team. Maybe most importantly, there weren’t any major injuries.

McKee finished the game 27-41-269 with a pair of TDs. The coaches built the gameplan around his skill set and McKee executed it well. They ran a lot of play-action. They used a lot of under-center looks. There were multiple rollouts, to both sides. McKee was able to make quick reads and get the ball out on time.

I was very impressed by McKee. We knew from preseason games that he had a good arm and could make accurate throws. I wanted to see if he could run an offense and handle pressure. McKee did a good job of managing the game. He got the team lined up correctly and seemed to make good adjustments. The Giants blitz got to him a bit in the second half, but McKee didn’t put the ball up for grabs. He made smart decisions.

Dallas Goedert played part of the game. The coaches wanted him to knock off the rust and get ready for next week. Goedert had 4 catches for 55 yards. He did have one drop. It was good to see him back in action. Jahan Dotson played his best game of the year, going 7-94. When the offense throws the ball a lot and AJ/DeVonta aren’t out there, Dotson can make plays. McKee did spread the ball around. Eight different players caught passes. EJ Jenkins and Ainias Smith each had their first NFL TD catches.

None of this would have been possible without good protection. The OL had five new starters and they generally did a good job. Gates did have a few bad snaps. He was putting the ball too high.

Fred Johnson-Tyler Steen-Nick Gates-Jack Driscoll-Darian Kinnard

Trevor Keegan got some snaps in the second half.

The defense limited the Giants to 238 yards and 13 points. The Giants had a 45-yard TD pass to Malik Nabers. Other than that the Eagles controlled most of the game. No other play went for more than 16 yards.

Jordan Davis was one of the few starters who had to play. He finished with 5 tackles and a TFL. Davis had a good game. He played with a lot of energy and pursued the ball well.

Oren Burks made the most of his start. He was in on 17 total tackles and had 2 TFLs. That is a busy game. Jeremiah Trotter Jr had a pair of solo tackles and assisted on 9 others. He showed good athleticism, but missed too many tackles. That is something he’ll need to focus on in the offseason.

Kelee Ringo had a good PBU. He also looked good on STs. Sydney Brown sealed the game with an INT. That play showed good range and ball skills.

Isaiah Rodgers had a 51-yard KOR. He showed good speed on that play.

If there was one negative in the game, it would be Jake Elliott missing a 39-yard FG. He hit the two after that, but it isn’t ideal to see him missing kicks as we head into the playoffs. Wind was a factor. Still, Elliott should hit from 39.

Sirianni did say he wanted the guys who played on Sunday to enjoy their win. Those guys don’t play a lot so he wanted them to embrace the feeling of playing and winning. By Monday morning the Giants game will be a distant memory and the Eagles will turn their attention to the Packers, who they will face next weekend in the wild card round.

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