Eagles vs. Browns: 8 winners, 3 losers, 5 IDKs

The Philadelphia Eagles are 3-2 after beating the Cleveland Browns, who is perhaps the worst workforce within the NFL. Time at hand out some winners, losers, and IDKs.

A.J. BROWN

Secure to say the Eagles missed this dude!

A.J. caught six of his 9 targets for 116 yards (19.3 common) and one landing.

His two greatest grabs had been his rating and his game-sealing reception late within the fourth quarter. Each over-the-shoulder catches required a mixture of nice ball-tracking means and powerful arms to beat tight protection. He’s merely unstoppable.

Jalen Hurts has a 119.0 passer score when concentrating on Brown this season. Solely 12 large receivers have the next passer score when focused.

Feed him.

BRANDON GRAHAM

Congrats are in retailer for BG, the first player to ever play 200 games with the Eagles!

Fairly cool.

Even cooler, Graham made a high-impact play when he sniffed out a pretend QB sneak to show Third-and-1 on the plus 29-yard line into 4th-and-6 with a deal with for loss. The Browns introduced on Dustin Hopkins for a 52-yard area objective try that he missed, leaving the sport tied at 10 to 10 and permitting the Eagles’ offense to take over on the minus 42-yard line.

BG had 5 whole tackles (4 solo); solely 4 Eagles had extra. And this regardless of Graham taking part in the Eleventh-most snaps of any defender. He’s very a lot nonetheless crushing it.

“Who belongs on the Eagles’ Mount Rushmore?” comes up as a enjoyable matter for dialogue generally. I’d argue Graham belongs on there. He’s not one of many 4 greatest gamers they’ve ever had however he’s their most quintessential participant.

JALEN HURTS

After beginning 0/5, Hurts went 16/20 (80%) for 264 yards (13.2 common), 2 TD, 0 INT, and a 152.1 passer score the remainder of the best way. Fairly environment friendly. He additionally had 33 yards on 14 dashing makes an attempt.

Essentially the most encouraging takeaway: Hurts didn’t flip the ball over! Nor did he ever actually put the ball in hurt’s manner. A single giveaway very a lot might’ve been the distinction between successful and dropping. Perhaps this sport will mark the beginning of an extended stretch the place Hurts does a great job of defending the soccer.

DEVONTA SMITH

Secure to say the Eagles missed this man, too.

Smith caught three of his 4 targets for 64 yards and one landing. The majority of his manufacturing got here on the mesh play that left him large open, so, it’s not like he needed to do a ton of heavy lifting. However, hey, good issues occur when the ball goes DeVonta’s manner.

GRANT CALCATERRA

Calcaterra was the Eagles’ prime tight finish for many of this sport with Dallas Goedert leaving as a result of a hamstring damage after simply three snaps performed.

He completed because the workforce’s second-leading receiver, catching all 4 of his targets for 67 yards. Calcaterra confirmed some juice whereas working after the catch right here:

Calcaterra already had extra yards in 5 video games this season (123) than he does from his first 30 video games over the previous two years (120).

Seven of his eight catches this season have resulted in first downs.

The Eagles ought to in all probability look to get him concerned a bit of extra usually than they’ve. They is perhaps required to take action if Goedert misses extra time.

COOPER DEJEAN

DeJean notched his first NFL begin, logging 52 defensive snaps after solely taking part in eight mixed in his earlier 4 video games. It was an encouraging performance for him as he changed Avonte Maddox because the workforce’s prime nickel cornerback.

DeJean didn’t enable any catches in protection. He seemed stout in run protection, ending the sport with six whole tackles (three solo). Professional Soccer Focus credited DeJean with three “stops,” that are outlined as tackles that represent a ‘failure’ for the offense. Solely Zack Baun and Josh Sweat had extra in that class. DeJean seemed efficient as a blitzer, getting credit score for half a sack. He might’ve had one other full one had he not mainly ran into Deshaun Watson as a substitute of making an attempt to deal with him.

Early on, DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell are exhibiting indicators that they is perhaps good long-term gamers for this protection. Thrilling stuff.

As a punt returner, DeJean had 4 makes an attempt for 51 yards and a 12.8 common. His longest return went for 19 and helped to arrange an Eagles area objective drive. High quality manufacturing.

THE EAGLES’ DEFENSIVE LINE

It could’ve been fairly regarding if the Eagles’ cross rush couldn’t get something going towards the mixture of a 1) a really dangerous quarterback who holds the ball eternally and a pair of) an injured and struggling offensive line.

To their credit score, the line of defense took benefit of a matchup of their favor. They collectively accounted for 4.5 sacks, 4 TFLs, and 9 quarterback hits. Everybody from this unit made constructive contributions.

• We already coated BG above.
• Jalen Carter led the Eagles in QB hits with three and a kind of was for his first sack of the season.
• Jordan Davis logged his second TFL this season and fifth of his profession. PFF really had Davis because the Eagles’ highest-graded defender, one spot above Carter.
• Bryce Huff confirmed indicators of life (!), logging half a sack and two hurries. Perhaps he’s not a misplaced trigger?! He appeared to be dashing from a four-point stance extra usually, which he’s had success with up to now.

• Josh Sweat had one sack, one TFL, and two QB hits.
• Milton Williams picked up half a sack.
• Nolan Smith was credit score for zero-yard sack. Simply the second sack of his profession. He additionally made a great deal with on a scrambling Watson to maintain him out of the tip zone late on the Browns’ final offensive possession.
• Moro Ojomo didn’t present up within the field rating however he created strain that resulted in a single sack and one third down throwaway. The second-year defensive lineman has been a pleasant rotational participant for the Birds this yr.
• Thomas Booker IV had half a sack regardless of taking part in simply eight defensive snaps.

BRADEN MANN

Mann’s three punts went for 146 yards, a 48.7 common. Two of them had been downed contained in the 20-yard line, together with one which went out of bounds on the 7-yard line. Good job of pinning the Browns again deep.

LOSERS

NICK SIRIANNI

A lot to unpack. The place to start?

With yet one more gradual begin, the Eagles proceed to not look able to play from the leap. They’re nonetheless the one workforce to not rating a primary quarter level this season. They usually haven’t finished it in seven straight video games courting again to final yr. One would have imagined these struggles had been an enormous space of focus throughout the bye week. And but the Eagles went three-and-out to begin the sport earlier than then gaining simply 16 yards on their second drive. All informed, the Eagles have run 16 performs on their opening drives this season. They’ve resulted in 12 yards gained. That’s … not good.

Recreation mismanagement popped up as soon as once more. Sirianni might’ve taken a timeout with round 2:40 left within the second quarter after Jalen Carter sacked Deshaun Watson to have extra time left for a two-minute drill. The Eagles nonetheless would’ve had two timeouts and the two-minute warning to work with. As a substitute, Sirianni let the Browns run clock and kick the sector objective to have the offense get the ball again with 1:58 left. Saquon Barkley did a extremely dangerous job of not getting previous the marker after a 2nd-and-1 catch that by some means went for no achieve. He didn’t even need to exit out bounds contemplating the Eagles nonetheless had three timeouts left. However maybe he would’ve been much less hasty if the coach had given him extra time. Sirianni didn’t even use a timeout till the Eagles lined up for Third-and-1 (with the clock already stopped) after which he apparently didn’t like what he was seeing with how the offense was lined up towards the Browns protection. So, he took a timeout … solely to have the offense get set again with a sack. How had been they unprepared popping out of a day out? And why had been they even passing when the Brotherly Shove doubtless will get a primary down? Sirianni is hardly the one individual guilty for the blocked area objective sequence however he performed a job in it.

The vibes will not be good. That sport actually ought to’ve been a confidence-boosting win. As a substitute, many are feeling worse about the team’s outlook. I discover it very exhausting to consider Jeffrey Lurie beloved his head coach chirping at followers after the workforce underperformed in a slender win over the Browns. Actually dangerous look that a number of Eagles staffers reportedly described as “embarrassing.” Sirianni’s postgame press convention was then actually weird. Everybody has an opinion on why he introduced his youngsters out; I’ll simply observe that it’s not unusual for one among them to be there with him however it’s uncommon for all three of them to be in attendance. The tenor of Sirianni’s presser was … weird. As a nervous laugher, I discovered myself quietly chuckling not as a result of I assumed something occurring was humorous however as a result of the state of affairs felt so surreal and uncomfortable. After the presser was over, some attendees used the phrases “unhinged,” “deranged,” and “on the brink” to explain Sirianni’s habits. BGN’s Dave Mangels wrote an article asking what many had been pondering: “Is Nick Sirianni okay?” Lengthy-time Eagles beat (not repeatedly protecting the workforce in individual) Les Bowen posited the identical query in a postgame article.

Between what went on within the sport and what occurred afterwards, it’s actually exhausting to not query if this man is presently match to steer a workforce. The strain appears to be attending to him.

SAQUON BARKLEY

Saquon’s clearly been superior this yr. However he did have his worst sport with 20 whole touches leading to simply 54 yards. He would’ve have a greater day if Landon Dickerson didn’t unintentionally deal with him when it seemed like he had a whole lot of open area to work with.

And, once more, whereas he’s principally been nice … the dangerous moments have been fairly dangerous! There was the drop that led to a loss in Week 2. And there was the aforementioned mixture of 1) not choosing up a primary down late within the second quarter and a pair of) failing to select up a rusher to permit Hurts to get sacked that led to the doubtless 10-point swing of a blocked area objective.

Probably not frightened about Barkley persevering with to make these errors however can’t simply completely sweep them below the rug.

MICHAEL CLAY

The Eagles’ particular groups unit was problematic in 2022, elite in 2023, and now it seems to be prefer it may very well be a weak point once more. Third straight sport with an enormous difficulty:

• Week 3 — Blocked punt by the New Orleans Saints
• Week 4 — Muffed punt return that led to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers restoration (after which a near-muff afterward)
• Week 5 — Blocked area objective

The catastrophe performs have gotta cease.

I DON’T KNOWS

VIC FANGIO

The Eagles’ protection held the Browns’ offense to simply 9 factors on three area objectives. Zero touchdowns. That’s a great day on the workplace.

Nonetheless, the extent of competitors should be thought-about right here.

That is the quarterback the Eagles had been dealing with:

This horrible participant was taking part in behind an offensive line that was banged as much as start with after which solely bought worse with Nick Harris getting harm early on, leaving the Browns all the way down to their third-string heart.

The Browns’ offense is traditionally futile:

And, but, regardless of being so dangerous … going up towards the Eagles, the Browns’ offense really had one among their higher video games this season.

Watson posted his second-highest completion proportion, his greatest yards per try mark, and his highest passer score up to now this yr. It was one among two begins the place he didn’t flip the ball over.

The Browns gained 244 yards, their second-highest output. They logged 4.6 yards per play, which topped the league-low 3.8 common they entered the sport with.

So, no, I’m not able to say the protection has undoubtedly turned the nook.

KELLEN MOORE

I’m undoubtedly larger on Jim Schwartz than most, so, I’m not completely shocked to see that the Browns protection performed comparatively nicely.

However, c’mon. His unit was lacking their prime three safeties, a beginning linebacker, and their prime cornerback entered the sport lower than 100% with a hamstring difficulty. The Eagles had their full offensive arsenal (minus Dallas Goedert) for many of the sport. How do they solely put up 20 factors?

Very like final yr, I don’t suppose the offensive points are merely a play-calling difficulty. Emphasis on the calling half as a result of it’s not just like the sequencing is the one downside. Fairly, there appears to be an actual downside with the design of a system that appears so depending on star gamers making troublesome performs with out a complete lot of help from scheme. The Eagles’ apparently unstoppable mesh idea stands out because the exception in that regard.

A number of movie analysts a lot smarter than me (together with BGN’s personal Jonny Web page) have repeatedly famous that this doesn’t seem like a typical Moore offense. The information suggests as a lot, too:

The query is: why? How a lot of it’s Sirianni? And the way a lot is Hurts?

JAHAN DOTSON

Dotson had a Hurts cross that truly counted as a toss to him go for 13 dashing yards. He additionally made a great sideline seize late within the sport to select up a key first down. Perhaps Hurts is beginning to belief him extra?

Nonetheless, Dotson has simply 48 yards from scrimmage by 5 video games.

C.J. GARDNER-JOHNSON

CJGJ had an enormous cross breakup on Third-and-goal from the 8-yard line to arrange a 4th-and-goal that finally bought knocked again to the 13-yard line with a false begin. The Browns then kicked a area objective to trim the Eagles’ result in 4 earlier than by no means touching the ball once more. Huge play.

CJGJ additionally gave up some performs and prevented a Quinyon Mitchell interception. Perhaps it’s unfair to knock him an excessive amount of on the latter however Mitchell positive appeared to suppose that CJGJ tousled primarily based on the rookie’s response after the play.

JORDAN MAILATA

Mailata is on observe to overlook a number of video games as a result of a hamstring damage.

The Eagles have till 4:00 PM on Saturday, October 19 to place him on injured reserve and have this week’s sport rely in direction of the 4 he’ll be required to overlook. If that maneuver is prevented, we’ll know the Eagles suppose there’s an opportunity he can return in both Week 9 or Week 10.

Within the meantime, the Eagles will miss Mailata. He had been a little bit of an iron-man for them, beforehand not lacking a snap since October 2022.

It stays to be seen how they’ll strategy changing him. Fred Johnson doubtless figures to get the primary crack; he crammed in for Mailata on Sunday. The Eagles have received their two video games when Fred Johnson has needed to are available off the bench (beforehand performed instead of Lane Johnson towards the Saints). However Fred Johnson actually struggled as a starter towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I’m wondering if he may simply be extra of a perfect fill-in participant (in order to not have to vary a number of offensive line spots throughout the sport) than he’s getting into the sport as a starter. For what it’s value, Sirianni didn’t rule out Mekhi Becton shifting to left deal with and Tyler Steen taking part in at proper guard. I feel the Eagles may give Fred Johnson one begin at left deal with, see how that goes, after which regulate if wanted.