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From Dorian Thompson-Robinson to Austin Watkins, key performers of NFL preseason 2023 Week 2
Defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Cleveland Browns played out a draw in the pre-season fixture
The match between defending NFC champions Philadelphia Eagles and the Cleveland Browns marked the start of 2023 NFL pre-season’s second week. The game also produced the first tie of the 2023 preseason as the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cleveland Browns ended with a score line of 18-18. Pre-season fixtures can often turn out to be quite deceptive because of their unpredictable nature but that hardly takes away any excitement surrounding the matches. Not many starters got match-time in the second week of the pre-season. Fans would certainly expect to see a rise in the number of starters in the remainder of this week’s pre-season.
It is time to take a look at some key takeaways from the NFL pre-season second week’s first game.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s super show
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson put up a stunning show during his side’s pre-season fixture against Philadelphia Eagles. Playing the first half in his maiden career pro start, the rookie fifth-round pick out of UCLA led his side to a pair of field-goal drives in the first half of the game and three drives inside the opponent’s 25-yard line. Having played 30 minutes, he capped off the game with 13 of 25 for 164 yards. With a stunning pre-season performance to his name, Thompson-Robinson is expected to be his side’s number three quarterback this time behind Deshaun Watson and Joshua Dobbs.
“I have a sweet spot for Felt. When he has the ball I want to stick my nose in there. But Coach Stefanski definitely let me have it after that one. No penalties. I definitely have to work on that going forward,” Thompson-Robinson was quoted as saying by NBC Sports.
Philadelphia Eagles’ ray of hope
Nakobe Dean did face some difficulty during his inaugural start at middle line-backer against the Cleveland Browns but he made a terrific comeback soon. A second-year player out of Georgia, Dean came up with a positive display to bring his side back in the contest. “The first couple of snaps, it felt like, ‘All right, I’ve just got to slow down and get relaxed.’ After about the fourth or fifth snap, I felt more comfortable now, back in the swing of things,” Dean was quoted as saying.
Austin Watkins steals the show
Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver Austin Watkins also recorded a solid show. Many feel that his pre-season performance perhaps has already confirmed his spot in the roster. Whatever happens, Watkins, in all likelihood, will be on the 53-man roster.
Mohamoud Diabate making all the right noises
Mohamoud Diabate of Cleveland Browns is another player who exhibited an impressive performance against Philadelphia Eagles in the pre-season. His game-changing plays will certainly cause the opponents a headache during the main season.
