PHILADELPHIA — Backup quarterbacks Marcus Mariota of Philadelphia passed for 85 yards and Dorian Thompson-Robinson of Cleveland threw for 164 while starters Jalen Hurts and Deshaun Watson watched from the sidelines as the Eagles and Browns played to an 18-18 tie on Thursday night in a preseason game that was marred by injuries.
Mariota completed 9 of 17 passes with an interception and was sacked three times in the first half for the defending NFC champion Eagles. Signed to a one-year deal in the offseason to back up Hurts, Mariota was high and off target on several throws while playing behind Philadelphia’s backup offensive linemen and reserve receivers. Most of his completions were short passes that went for longer yards on runs after the catch.
Philadelphia signed the former Heisman winner and 2015 No. 2 overall pick this offseason because, like Hurts, he can be a run and pass threat. The 29-year-old veteran has rushed for 2,012 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career, but also has 54 interceptions in 87 career games.
Eagles fans booed Mariota when his pass late in the first quarter intended for tight end Grant Calcaterra went high and was picked off by Browns safety Ronnie Hickman. Mariota’s half ended, fittingly, with a sack.
Hurts was just a spectator. The Eagles are taking no chances this preseason with the 2022 MVP runner-up who signed a five-year deal with $179.3 million guaranteed in the offseason.
Coach Nick Sirianni normally wouldn’t put Hurts in harm’s way during the preseason anyway and might have concerns about any absence in the regular season after Thursday’s game. Hurts was sidelined for two games last season during Philadelphia’s run to the Super Bowl, getting injured on a running play, and the Eagles certainly want a quality backup just in case their franchise QB goes down.
In two preseason games, Mariota is 16 for 28 for 143 yards with an interception and four sacks.
Rookie sixth-round pick Tanner McKee went 10 for 18 for 147 yards with a touchdown after halftime, following an impressive performance in which he threw for 148 yards against Baltimore in his preseason debut on Aug. 12.
Eagles wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland and rookie defensive tackle Moro Ojomo were carted off the field on a backboard with neck injuries. Both had movement in all extremities. Cleveland landed hard on his head while trying to make a catch in the third quarter, and Ojomo collided with a teammate while attempting to make a tackle in the fourth quarter. There were several other injuries to players on both teams that required carts, visits to the medical tent and early departures to the locker room.
The game was played mostly between backups and players who likely won’t be on the roster when the regular season opens. In addition to Hurts, Watson watched from the sidelines out of uniform, along with many first-teamers from both teams.
Cleveland split the quarterback reps between backup contenders Thompson-Robinson and Kelle Mond. Joshua Dobbs, the frontrunner as the No. 2 to Watson, did not play.
Thompson-Robinson was 13 for 25 in the first half, and Mond was 12 for 24 for 126 yards and a TD after halftime.
A rookie fifth-round pick out of UCLA who had been impressive in the preseason entering Thursday, Thompson-Robinson had ups and downs in his outing. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 71 yards on Cleveland’s first drive that ended with running back John Kelly Jr.’s fumble near Philadelphia’s goal line. Thompson-Robinson also fumbled, was sacked once and committed a 15-yard penalty for an illegal block to negate a 12-yard Browns run. He also connected on a beautiful, 27-yard pass down the right sideline to Austin Watkins Jr.
Mond’s play in the second half was against Philadelphia’s deep reserves.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski surely hopes he won’t need a backup quarterback.
Cleveland has high hopes this season for Watson, the anchor of the offense for a team looking to recover from a disappointing 7-10 record last year in Stefanski’s third at the helm. In 2020, Stefanski led Cleveland to its first playoff win since 1999, but the Browns have gone 15-19 since. Watson started in just six games last season, going 3-3, due to an 11-game suspension following accusations of sexual assault and harassment by more than two dozen women.
Browns K Cade York missed a pair of field-goal attempts late in the fourth quarter that likely would've given the Browns a victory, continuing his preseason struggles. He pushed a 47-yard attempt and then pulled a 41-yard try following a Philadelphia illegal formation penalty that gave him a second chance. The second-year pro previously missed tries of 46 and 49 yards in the preseason after going 24 for 32 in 2022. Earlier Thursday, he made kicks of 43 and 37 yards in the first half and 27 yards in the second half.