Eagles rookie receiver Makai Lemon shows promise in Cowboys loss: ‘He’s a gritty player’
Lemon, the Eagles' first-round pick, put up his best performance of the season, catching seven passes for 67 yards and scoring his first career touchdown in the 38-21 loss.
Here’s the bad news for the Eagles: They dropped their fifth game in a row with a 38-21 loss to the rival Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.
Here’s the good: They finally got a decent showing from rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon.
Lemon put up his best performance of the season, catching seven passes for 67 yards and scoring his first career touchdown.
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He led the Eagles in receiving yards and catches — which was certainly needed, with No. 1 and 2 wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks sidelined with injuries.
Lemon’s finest moment happened in the third quarter, when he snatched a 4-yard touchdown off a quick pass from quarterback Tanner McKee. The touchdown capped off a 17-play, 84-yard drive and gave the Eagles a one-point lead, albeit for a brief moment.
How did Lemon — who was eager to make a largerimpact — feel once he finally etched his first score?
“Just give all the glory to my savior Jesus Christ,” Lemon said. “I appreciate my teammates, you know? Appreciate Tanner giving me the right ball. Appreciate the wide receivers doing their job, so I can get in that box.”
Lemon entered Monday night’s game with just 127 receiving yards on 18 receptions, good for just 7.1 yards per catch.
Coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Sean Mannion have praised his ability to do the “little things” like blocking, but the stat sheet was disappointing — especially given the fact that the Eagles traded up with Dallas in order to take him in the first round of April’s NFL draft.
» READ MORE: Eagles grades vs. Cowboys: Defensive line invisible, tough night for Riq Woolen
Now seven weeks into his NFL career, Lemon said he feels comfortable in Mannion’s offense.
“The more you do something, the more you’re going to get comfortable with it,” Lemon said. “So that’s where I’m at.”
Lemon’s performance earned praise after the game from McKee, who finished with 211 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
“Makai’s a great player,” McKee said. “He’s a gritty player. He’s a tough player. He can make people miss with the ball in his hands. He can run people over and he has great hands. That touchdown pass that he caught was a little bit behind him. They had a whole player that was coming across the middle, so I wanted to throw it to his body. It was a little more outside his frame than I wanted it, and he made a great grab. I just think he’s a really good player.”
The Eagles seem reluctant to address the handling of the Jalen Hurts blood clots saga, but the key questions involved in the story aren’t going anywhere. Throughout the week, in the absence of remarks from general manager Howie Roseman or team medical personnel, head coach Nick Sirianni was peppered by reporters. He’s offered few details in return. After speaking with high-ranking medical officials currently or previously employed by NFL teams, The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane frames four central issues that remain unanswered, while also looking at what this situation means for Hurts’ future in Philadelphia. Listen here.
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