Preseason game of almost all backups spotlights Mariota’s lowlights

PHILADELPHIA — With the starters given Thursday night off, the Eagles turned to their understudies against the Cleveland Browns in what became a penalty and mistake-marred 18-18 tie at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Browns also gave their first team a rest and that turned the preseason game into a sort of American Athletic Conference game between Temple and whoever else remains in that grouping.

Except for linebacker Nakobe Dean, defensive tackle Jordan Davis, safety Terrell Edmunds and running back Kenneth Gainwell, the Eagles rolled out their backups. Dean forced a fumble near the goal line but that was about it for their collective highlights. Gainwell was caught in the end zone for a safety, an occurrence akin to lightning striking the same spot twice in a row.

Let’s just say it was a night Eagles backup quarterback Marcus Mariota won’t forget. He was booed long and hard after being picked off in the last two minutes of his dreadful first half.

Mariota called his play “sloppy” but expects it to improve.

“I’m learning as I go, I’m learning through these experiences,:” Mariota said. “Good, bad or indifferent I’ll take it on the chin and just learn.”

The drop-off from Jalen Hurts to Mariota is so great the Eagles might have been better off keeping Gardner Minshew. Before you start blurting out names, the reason Nick Foles and Carson Wentz are available is because they’ve blown almost all of their chances since Super Bowl LII.

Among other observations Thursday:

QUARTERBACKS >> Mariota still doesn’t know the offense. Though he was intercepted just once in the first quarter by safety Ronnie Hickman, his indecisiveness nearly resulted in two other picks. Mariota was 9 of 17 for 85 yards with three sacks and a load of boos as he exited. His passer rating in the first quarter was 5.1.

Tanner McKee deserved better, as he had three drops (Deon Cain, Tyrie Cleveland, Devon Allen). Among his completions was a 36-yard bomb to Tyree Jackson. On fourth and goal at the 3, he was incomplete to Cain.

But McKee hit newly signed Brady Russell with a 22-yard score with 6:09 left, then connected with Johnny King on the two-point conversion to knot the score at 18 in the fourth quarter.

“I thought overall it was a decent game managing the offense,” McKee said. “I thought it was decent but a lot to improve on.”

RUNNING BACKS >> Gainwell, widely considered the Eagles’ No 1 back, couldn’t hit the left side of the line fast enough because 6-4 linebacker Mohamoud Diabate of Utah crashed down, unblocked, to make the tackle. Gainwell later added a six-yard run.

Rashad Penny ripped off a 16-yard run thanks to a solid seal block by right guard Josh Sills.

Finally, Trey Sermon atoned for a first-half fumble with a 33-yard scoring run in the third quarter that gave the Birds a 10-8 lead.

WIDE RECEIVERS >> Slot receiver Olamide Zaccheaus made a 17-yard catch in the first quarter but was unable to reach the intermission as he injured his shoulder. Mariota overthrew him on another play.

Tyrie Cleveland suffered a neck injury and had to be carted off, but had movement in all extremities, per the Eagles. He was having a pretty good camp and preseason. Devon Allen returned from a calf injury to make two quick receptions for 21 yards.

OFFENSIVE LINE >> Josh Sills’ seal block allowed Penny to rip off that 16-yard run in the first quarter. Rookie left tackle Tyler Steen had a night he will never forget. On third-and-one, Steen jumped offside twice, back-to-back false starts. The Eagles failed to convert on third down.

Backup center Josh Andrews exited with an ankle injury.

LINEBACKER >> Nakobe Dean bounced back from a personal foul penalty giving the Browns a first down at the  2-yard line to jar the ball loose from John Kelly at the 1, where it was recovered by K’Von Wallace. Dean shot the gaps to make the play.

Christian Ellis sniffed out a screen pass to throw Demetric Felton Jr. for a four-yard loss. The bright spot was veteran linebacker Zach Cunningham, who led the Eagles with seven tackles.

DEFENSIVE LINE >> Nolan Smith made a small handful of solid plays in the first quarter, the rookie edge out of Georgia hurrying quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson into an interception and forcing him out of the pocket, where defensive tackle Kentavius Street dropped him for a sack.

Smith, fellow first-round pick Jalen Carter, tackle Jordan Davis and right end Derek Barnett started up front for the Eagles.

Smith didn’t come back after the first half due to a shoulder injury. He missed a chunk of his final year at Georgia with a torn pectoral muscle.

SAFETIES >> Sydney Brown again showed the pursuit that’s already made him a fan favorite with a tackle of running back John Kelly, who was close to busting a six-yard run. Brown came across the field to make a violent tackle.

“He’s been having a great camp,” Edmunds said. “He’s growing each and every day. He’s a guy that you enjoy that he is on your team. He’s a guy that works hard and everything and that’s something you want in a great teammate.”

CORNERBACKS >> Not a great start by Zech McPhearson, who was beaten on back-to-back plays for gains of 11 yards to Anthony Schwartz (first down) and 36 yards to Cedric Tillman. McPhearson had a close call on the next throw by Dorian Thompson-Robinson as well, but it fell incomplete in the corner of the end zone. The cornerback did make six stops but would suffer an ankle injury.

Eli Ricks, who had a pick-six in the preseason opener, was burned on a 32-yard scoring reception by Austin Watkins, giving the Browns a 15-10 lead.

KICKERS >> Jake Elliott is as strong as ever, the 28-year-old kicker drilling a 56-yard field goal with plenty of distance to spare in the first quarter. It gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead.