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The Philadelphia Eagles’ offense had a rough afternoon in Foxborough, however, their defense made sure it was not a one-sided story. Jalen Hurts and the first-team offense struggled through much of Thursday’s joint practice with the New England Patriots, turning the second session into a much different test than the first. Then Riq Woolen flipped the script. After a difficult opening day against the Patriots, the new Eagles cornerback answered with one of the biggest plays of practice. And he was not alone, as the Eagles defense repeatedly made life uncomfortable for Drake Maye and the Patriots. Riq Woolen And Philadelphia Eagles Defense Answer Back Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on August 21 that Woolen rebounded in a major way during the second Eagles-Patriots joint practice. The cornerback had A.J. Brown in his sights near the goal line when Maye tried to force a throw toward his top target. Woolen read the quarterback, jumped the route and took the interception the other way for what would have been a 100-yard pick-six. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — #Eagles-Patriots joint practice observations after Day 14 of training camp: *Jalen Hurts and offense struggle until the end *Riq Woolen and pass defense strike back *Tempers flare for Saquon Barkley and others Much more here: https://t.co/jHJxCHaAUf — Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) August 21, 2026 It was exactly the kind of response the Eagles wanted from Woolen. The cornerback had struggled more than usual during the first practice, however, he showed the short memory that comes with playing on the outside. He also broke up multiple passes and later helped force another turnover when Maye tried Brown again. Woolen’s tight coverage knocked the ball loose, allowing Jalyx Hunt to make a diving interception. The young edge rusher also made a ridiculous play earlier by stripping Rhamondre Stevenson in the backfield and recovering the ball himself. Patriots reporters reportedly came away from the two-day session particularly impressed with Hunt, who has been one of the Eagles standout players throughout training camp. While the defense was finding its rhythm, Hurts and the Eagles’ offense could not find the same consistency. Hurts threw two interceptions to Marcus Jones, faced steady pressure, and took several would-be sacks. The Eagles’ ground game also struggled, with Saquon Barkley finding few running lanes against a Patriots front that was playing with plenty of attitude. There were still flashes. Hurts connected with Dallas Goedert for a touchdown and later found Hollywood Brown for another score during the final red-zone period. It was during that late drill that the offense ended the practice on a positive note amid an up-and-down session. The Eagles also witnessed some rough moments during their drills after Barkley got into a fight with Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore. Mailata later admitted that the pushing and shoving negatively affected the timing of the running game. However, the more important outcome of this practice may have been the defense. It was through the defensive line that the Patriots’ rushing attack remained disrupted despite Jalen Carter not practicing. Related reading: Ahman Green Turns to Bo Jackson’s Example After Going Public With Early-Onset Parkinson’s Najee Harris Signing Comes With Clear Expectation as Giants Prepare for Crowded Backfield New England Patriots’ 2026 Outlook Is Not Looking Good — Here’s Why Tennessee Titans: Land Veteran Pass Rusher With 20.5 Career Sacks