ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cody Parkey hit the ball so well he got high-fives before his kicks even sailed through the uprights.
Parkey made field goals of 54, 53 and 25 yards to help the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New York Jets 37-7 in the preseason finale Thursday night.
The Eagles (2-2) and Jets (2-2) rested most of their starters and several backups. Michael Vick made a one-play cameo in his first game back in Philadelphia. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback will start the season as Geno Smith’s backup.
Former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez watched along with starter Nick Foles from the Eagles’ sideline.
Parkey’s performance increased the rookie kicker’s chances of beating out Alex Henery for a roster spot. Henery, a fourth-round draft pick in 2011, was 1 for 3 in the preseason after missing a costly field goal in a 26-24 playoff loss to New Orleans.
“We’re not making any cuts now,” Eagles coach Chip Kelly said. “We’ll go back and evaluate. We have tough decisions.”
Parkey, who led the NCAA in touchbacks as a senior at Auburn last year, was 2 for 2 in field-goal tries for Indianapolis before the Eagles acquired him in a trade last Wednesday.
He nailed a 54-yarder right down the middle in the second quarter and hit from 25 right before the half ended. His 53-yarder came in the third quarter. Parkey also had a few deep kickoffs.
“I get all the praise, but the snap, hold and protection were great,” Parkey said, adding that holder Donnie Jones congratulated him before the ball split the uprights on both of his long kicks.
Henery made two extra-points and had a pair of touchbacks, but didn’t try any field goals.
“He’s my teammate. It’s not like I was rooting against him,” Henery said. “I’m very confident in my abilities.”
Matt Barkley started for Philadelphia and threw for 253 yards and one touchdown and also ran in for a score.
“Matt did a really nice job,” Kelly said.
The defending NFC East champion Eagles host Jacksonville in their season opener on Sept. 7. The Jets are home against Oakland.
Vick handed off to Daryl Richardson on the Jets’ first play from scrimmage. He was then replaced by Matt Simms. Vick was cheered when he ran onto the field and got more applause when he left. He tipped his visor to the half-empty crowd at the Linc.
Vick resurrected his career in Philadelphia after missing two seasons while serving a prison sentence. He led the Eagles to the NFC East title in 2010, started for the NFC in the Pro Bowl and won the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award. Vick beat out Foles for the starting job in camp last year. But Foles took over after Vick was injured in Week 5 and led the Eagles to the division crown.
“Nothing can ever take away from your experiences, your memories that you create with your teammates, with an organization that’s first-class and flagship,” Vick said. “I appreciated everything that they offered me and everything that I was able to offer.”
Barkley threw a 43-yard TD pass to Arrelious Benn in the first quarter. He ran in from the 7 in the fourth. Barkley was 21 for 33 before giving way to G.J. Kinne, who tossed a 21-yard TD pass to Trey Burton. Wide receiver Damaris Johnson took a shotgun handoff and ran for a 46-yard TD in the fourth.
New York’s only score came on Tajh Boyd’s 42-yard TD pass to Clyde Gates.
“It was a very poor performance by us, without question,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “For the guys that worked so hard, I hate for us to end it like we did. That was just an awful performance.”
NOTES: Simms was 7 of 17 for 121 yards. … Eagles RB Henry Josey, competing for one of the final roster spots, had 121 yards rushing. … Eagles LG Matt Tobin (ankle) and RBs Kenjon Barner (ankle) and Matthew Tucker (shoulder) left with injuries. … Jets S Josh Bush (leg) and CB Johnny Patrick (head) also were injured. … Eagles RT Lane Johnson played his last game before he leaves the team to serve a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. … Barkley was intercepted by LeQuan Lewis in the end zone in the first quarter.
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