EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — In the end, Dallas Gant said no.

The 2024 undrafted free-agent linebacker out of Toledo came up with the critical goal-line stop on a New York Jets two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the Eagles’ preseason finale at 19. Instead, the Eagles defended their lead, winning their third game of the preseason, 19-17.

With the exhibition slate in the books, cutdown day looms on Tuesday. Here’s our instant analysis of Friday night’s win over the Jets:

Roller coaster for McCord

Last week against the Cleveland Browns, Dorian Thompson-Robinson started the game. He played the first two drives, then McCord took over, with the pair alternating every two possessions throughout the game.

On Friday night, McCord took all of the snaps, giving him a better chance to get into a rhythm. Once again, the rookie quarterback out of Syracuse experienced ups and downs. He finished the night with 15 completions on 35 attempts for 136 yards and one interception.

Overall, McCord fared well against pressure. He excelled at sidestepping defenders in the pocket and standing in there with unblocked rushers barreling down on him. For example, on third-and-8 in the first quarter with an edge rusher in his face quarter, McCord managed a pass to Kylen Granson in the flat, who turned upfield and ran for the first down.

However, the Mount Laurel native struggled at times with his accuracy and made one ill-advised throw that resulted in an interception. On first-and-10 early in the first quarter with plenty of time in the pocket, McCord launched a deep ball for Darius Cooper into double coverage. McCord overthrew Cooper and Jets rookie safety Malachi Moore extended to come down with the pass.

He came close to throwing another pick in the second quarter. Safety Jarius Monroe undercut a pass for Ainias Smith in the flat, but the ball sailed between the Jets defender’s hands — through the receiver’s, too, for a drop.

Pick for Nickerson

Friday marked the last opportunity for fringe players to prove why they’re deserving of roles on the team, both on the initial 53 and the practice squad. Parry Nickerson, the 30-year-old journeyman cornerback, rose to the challenge.

Nickerson, who spent last season on the practice squad, was the first-string nickel cornerback with Jakorian Bennett and Mac McWilliams starting on the outside. For the first three Jets possessions, it was a relatively quiet start for Nickerson, save for a third-down tackle he made on a pass to running back Kene Nwangwu that was short of the sticks.

On the fourth Jets possession late in the first quarter, Nickerson made a splash. On third-and-10 from the Jets’ 41-yard line, the veteran cornerback undercut quarterback Brady Cook’s pass intended for receiver Malachi Corley and snared the ball.

At the very least, Nickerson made a statement as to why he should claim one of the Eagles’ 16 practice-squad spots. The Eagles’ depth at nickel cornerback beyond Cooper DeJean is thin. McWilliams, the fifth-rounder out of Central Florida, is still learning the position after playing primarily on the outside in college.

Rookie rises

It has been a quiet training camp for edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, the sixth-rounder out of Virginia Tech. However, in the preseason finale, the rookie made an impact on the edge.

About halfway through the third quarter, Powell-Ryland nearly hit quarterback Adrian Martinez. Left tackle Samuel Jackson grabbed him and held him back, earning the Jets an offensive holding penalty. Powell-Ryland wasn’t finished, though. On the ensuing play, he breezed past Jackson, sacking Martinez and knocking his right arm in the process.

The ball flew out of Martinez’s hand, resulting in a fumble that McWilliams recovered. The rookie cornerback returned the fumble nine yards, deep into Jets territory. While it’s going to be a challenge for Powell-Ryland to make the initial 53, he makes for an intriguing developmental project. He notched 16 sacks for Virginia Tech in 2024.

Jake the make

Last season, Jake Elliott struggled to make kicks beyond 50 yards. He made just one 50-plus-yard field goal on seven attempts, marking his worst single-season success rate from that distance of his career (14.3%).

Those woes were behind Elliott on Friday. When the offense sputtered twice high in Jets territory, the 30-year-old kicker answered the call. He made a pair of field goals beyond 50 yards, including one 51-yarder and one from 53.

Elliott contributed the only points scored by the Eagles in the first half. In the second half, he also made the extra point following Montrell Johnson’s 15-yard rushing touchdown, a 23-yard field goal, and a 45-yarder.

Injury report

After a visit to the medical tent in the fourth quarter, inside linebacker Lance Dixon headed indoors with a trainer. Dixon, the undrafted free agent out of Toledo, entered the game late and registered one tackle.

Lewis Cine, who picked off Martinez in the third quarter, visited the medical tent in the fourth quarter. He remained on the bench for the rest of the game.

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