Philadelphia Eagles winners and losers in preseason victory over Cincinnati Bengals, including the Tush Push
PHILADELPHIA − During a practice on Aug. 4, Jalen Hurts threw a dart to the back of the end zone for second-year wide receiver Ainias Smith.
Smith reached up for it, but couldn't bring it in.
After practice, Smith went over to Hurts and asked him to throw to him on that same pattern. Over and over, Smith lined up next to Hurts at about the 15-yard line, sprinted to the end zone and cut to the goalpost as Hurts fired a bullet that Smith had to reach up and grab.
Each time, Smith came down with it.
"I was telling him, ‘We need to go ahead and get that rep back,'" Smith said. "He asked me, ‘How many reps you trying to get?’ We were already like five in, and I’m like, ‘Till I get tired.’"
Fast forward to the Eagles' preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 7.
There was Smith darting across the middle, taking a quick slant from Tanner McKee into the end zone with 1:33 left in the second quarter. That gave the Eagles a 3-point lead on their way to a 34-27 win.
After the Bengals' went 3-and-out on their next possession, Smith returned a punt 46 yards to the Bengals' 29, setting up McKee's 20-yard TD pass to Darius Cooper. That gave the Eagles a 24-14 lead heading into halftime.
Just like that, Smith scored a touchdown and set up another in a span of 58 seconds of game time.
Ainias Smith has a receiving TD AND this punt return in the last minute of play 😤
— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2025
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WINNER: Eagles WR Ainias Smith
Smith credited that extra session with Hurts for his success in the game. And Smith, the Eagles' fifth-round pick in 2024, desperately needed it after a forgettable rookie season filled with injuries, inconsistent play, and a lack of trust from the Eagles to serve as the punt returner.
Now, Smith has the inside track on serving as the punt returner so Cooper DeJean doesn't have to, not to mention a depth receiver.
"I can definitely say that’s the testimony to my work ethic and whatnot," Smith said about his play. "It was cool, but the job ain’t finished. We’re just getting started."
LOSER: Eagles CBs Kelee Ringo, Adoree Jackson
It was a tough task for Ringo and Jackson going against the Bengals' starting offense, which meant going against QB Joe Burrow while covering star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. And it didn't go well for either, especially Ringo, who gave up a 36-yard catch and run by Chase for a TD.
Both are vying for the starting job opposite Quinyon Mitchell. And both showed why the Eagles traded for fellow cornerback Jakorian Bennett on Aug. 4. If Bennett is not markedly better than Ringo and Jackson, the Eagles' secondary could be in trouble.
WINNER: Eagles QB Tanner McKee
Sure, it's preseason. But there was some validity to McKee's night of 20 of 25 passing for 252 yards and 2 touchdowns and 135.3 passer rating. Much of it came against the Bengals' starting defense, minus holdout edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
And McKee proved yet again that he is more than a capable backup quarterback to Hurts. In fact, McKee is probably good enough to start on some NFL teams.
"I’m just going to take advantage of any opportunity that’s given to me," McKee said. "Right now it’s getting ready for the Browns for next week ... We’ll be ready to move the ball and execute. The standard’s still the same no matter who’s in front of us."
WINNER: Eagles LBs Jihaad Campbell, Smael Mondon
For a debut, the Eagles' first-round pick Jihaad Campbell quickly showed his speed and power, with three tackles in limited playing time. Fifth-round pick Smael Mondon started ahead of Campbell and had four tackles. Both players showed plenty of promise.
LOSER: Eagles dropped interceptions
Campbell also had a chance for an interception early in the second quarter as Jake Browning's pass was deflected. Campbell dove for the ball and appeared to have it, but dropped it as he hit the ground.
Campbell admitted that he was teased by his teammates after that dropped INT.
"I'm still upset about that one," Campbell said.
Cornerback Eli Ricks also had a potential interception fall through his finger tips.
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WINNER: Eagles' running backs, minus Saquon Barkley
Will Shipley was the first running back to carry the ball with Barkley resting, and he set the tone on the Eagles' first possession with a 38-yard run. Shipley had 7 carries for 48 yards. He was followed by AJ Dillon, the free agent signee from the Packers. Dillon didn't play at all in 2024 because of a neck injury. He had 27 yards on 5 carries. ShunDerrick Powell had 32 yards on 6 carries. In all, Eagles running backs had 30 carries for 131 yards.
WINNER: Eagles' Tush Push
The Eagles' Tush Push is alive and well after the NFL's attempt to ban it last spring − and that Hurts isn't the only one who can run it. On the Eagles' first possession, they faced a 4th-and-goal from the Bengals' 1 yard line. Sure enough, McKee lined up in Tush Push formation, took the snap and was helped into the end zone.
"I mean, we practice those snaps," McKee said. "That’s obviously a big thing of what we do and people have a hard time stopping it.”
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles’ championship season in “Flying High,” a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Eagles preseason Week 1 vs Bengals: Winners and losers
Category: Football
