Philadelphia Eagles CB Ronald Darby a mixed bag

Ronald Darby was the big prize in the trade that sent Jordan Matthews to the Buffalo Bills a few weeks ago. Since then, he has built up the hype of being one of the Philadelphia Eagles' best cornerbacks in recent memory. He can also be a tad inconsistent. He displayed both sides of that coin on Thursday night when the Eagles faced the Miami Dolphins in a preseason game that saw starters from each team getting a decent amount of playing time.

The good and bad of Ronald Darby

Darby looked good for most of the night. He was coming off a strong performance against his former team when he gave up just one reception for six yards and picked off a pass. In the first quarter of Thursday night's Eagles game, he used his physicality to help break up a pass that appeared to be on the verge of being completed. He showed great anticipation in predicting where the ball would end up and got some good breaks on the ball.

There were some troubling moments as well, however. Darby missed some tackles on plays where he should've had little problem wrapping up the opponent.

Most significantly, he was burned by Dolphins wide receiver DaVante Parker for a 72-yard gain, where it almost looked as if they were running at the same speed throughout the chase. Parker is a very speedy player, but the Eagles defense doesn't want to be burned by big plays this season.

Other takeaways for the Eagles

The most surprising takeaway for the Eagles was the play of Matt McGloin. The quarterback wasn't really thought of as a factor to be the backup quarterback in Philadelphia, but with Nick Foles struggling to get over an ailing elbow, he received some significant playing time on Thursday night. He wound up completing almost all of his passes, throwing a touchdown in the process and displaying a deft touch for taking control of the offense.

That could come back to matter if Carson Wentz goes down.

Speaking of Wentz, he had little issue showing off a pass that he hopes becomes a staple of the team's season. Just two and a half minutes into the game, he threw a deep pass, which found new wide receiver Torrey Smith well ahead of his defender, open for the catch that led him to waltz into the end zone. It's a connection the Eagles hope will make magic time after time this season. If it does, Philadelphia fans can start to clear their schedules in January, because there will be a good chance the team will be contending for a playoff spot in the NFC East.