Starters shine as Eagles claim first preseason win against Steelers

The Eagles first two preseason games featured some highs and some lows. Both ended with the same result.

There was very little negative in the team's first home game of the preseason. The Eagles dominated on offense and turned in a much-improved defensive performance to claim their first win of the preseason in convincing fashion, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-21, on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles opened the scoring on their second drive of the game. LeSean McCoy took a screen pass from Nick Foles and ran 22 yards for a touchdown. McCoy exited the game following the play, getting x-rays on his right thumb. The x-rays were negative.

The Eagles padded the lead in the second quarter. Darren Sproles ran in a one-yard touchdown. Late in the half, Alex Henery made a 36-yard field goal.

Michael Tucker picked up his third and fourth touchdown runs of the preseason in the third quarter, converting on a pair of goalline plays from one-yard out.

The Steelers got on the board in the third on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Heath Miller. In the fourth, Bruce Gradkowski connected for a 33-yard touchdown to Darrius Heyward-Bey. The Steelers capped the scoring with a three-yard touchdown pass from Gradkowski to Martavis Bryant.

Foles was 19-for-29 for 179 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception. McCoy rushed for 24 yards and had 26 receiving yards before exiting the game. 

Leading the receiving core was Jeremy Maclin, who had six catches for 43 yards. There was a scary moment in the second quarter when Maclin went down holding his surgically repaired knee that forced him to miss the entire 2013 season. Maclin quickly returned to his feet and did return to the game.

Defensively, the Eagles played their best game of the preseason. Some standout plays were an interception by Nolan Carroll, a diving pass deflection on third down by Malcolm Jenkins and a forced fumble by Brandon Graham.

The Eagles finished with 484 total yards as compared to 309 for the Steelers. They had 35 first downs, besting the 20 first downs for the Steelers.

The Eagles now close out the preseason next Thursday when they host the New York Jets. The game begins at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field. 

Kevin Durso is a contributor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.