Browns vs Eagles Major Takeaways

By Brandon Lee

The Browns defeated the reigning super bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 5-0 Thursday night in a defensive heavy game, earning them a 2-1 preseason record. Below we breakdown the major takeaways from the game and discuss how this game hinted as to how the regular season will go.

Takeaways

Finally, the Cleveland Browns led a turnover battle in a game, causing 4 turnovers by the Eagles while only giving up 1. The revamped secondary saw Briean Boddy-Calhoun snag an interception while newcomer Terrance Mitchell forced a fumble to end an Eagles drive. The linebackers forced the other two, as Jamie Collins picked off Nick Foles late in the first half and rookie Genard Avery forced a fumble in the first half as well. While they will not be able to force 4 turnovers a game, the defense was stout all day and it’s a good sign for the season. Philadelphia did total 263 yards, but the Browns were capable of shutting down nearly every drive and shutting out the former champs.

Defensive Youth

Myles Garrett will finish this year as one of the top rated defensive players in the NFL, he is simply that good. The former number 1 overall pick had 2 sacks, 3 tackles (2 for a loss), and a saftey. Expect double and triple teams on him all year, he is overpowered. As for the young defensive tackles, Caleb Brantley and Larry Ogunjobi both performed well, Brantley had a tackle, a sack, and a pass defended, while Ogunjobi had a tackle and a fumble recovery. Playing 52% of the snaps, Brantley shined and could be a key contributor to Gregg Williams defense. Rookie linebacker Genard Avery saw time with the first team tonight and shined, earning a 91.0 PFF grade with a sack, forced fumble, and 2 tackles. Avery, a former 5th round selection, looks to be a steal in the draft and has earned his way up the depth chart. Lastly, despite only playing 5 snaps due to a back injury, Denzel Ward had 3 tackles and appeared to be very active and capable. As a whole the Browns defensive youth shined and looks to heavily impact this team.

Carlos Hyde

Signed after 4 seasons with the 49ers, Hyde continues to impress, racking up 7 carries for 45 yards. Had the Browns simply ran the ball from the 1 yard line, Hyde would have had a touchdown to his name as well. On just 7 carries, Hyde had 48 rushing yards after contact, a sign that the blocking hasn’t been its best but the former Buckeye is still able to find space and break out big runs. He, Duke Johnson, and rookie Nick Chubb are going to be a staple to this offense.

Terrance Mitchell

The former Chief, Mitchell showed why he has been starting opposite Denzel Ward, allowing 0 catches on just 1 target in 21 coverage snaps. Mitchell had a pass breakup and a forced fumble as well and earned a team high 95.9 PFF grade. Battling with T.J. Carrie and others, Mitchell appeared to just lockdown the 2nd starting cornerback spot and will hope to continue his performance as the regular season gets ready to roll.