Observations from the Eagles’ preseason tie with the Browns, 18 to 18

The Philadelphia Eagles had their 2023 NFL preseason house opener on Thursday evening in a matchup in opposition to the Cleveland Browns.

A lot of the Philly starters didn’t play, as anticipated, nevertheless it was nonetheless a tough displaying, with the Eagles tying the Browns by a rating of 18-18.

One of many extra notable issues to come back out of Thursday evening’s recreation was the checklist of accidents that appeared to continue to grow all through the night.

Learn on for another insights from the Eagles second preseason recreation.

STARTERS FOR THIS GAME

Marcus Mariota is getting one other begin at QB, and Nakobe Dean will get his first probability because the beginning MLB.
RB Kenny Gainwell and SAF Terrell Edmunds led the crew onto the sector.
Boston Scott, Derek Barnett, and Josh Jobe had been the Eagles captains for the toss, which they misplaced, so protection is up first.
Rookies Nolan Smith and Sydney Brown had been out with the kick-off unit.
Dean and Zach Cunningham had been the beginning LBs, Zech McPearson and Josh Jobe had been the surface CBs, and Terrell Edmunds and Ok’Vonn Wallace at security, to begin. Up entrance, the DL starters had been Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Derek Barnett.

FIRST HALF OBSERVATIONS

Ok’Vonn Wallace made a pleasant deal with on 2nd-and-7, however the Browns nonetheless managed to maneuver the sticks shortly after.
Zech McPhearson missed an enormous PBU alternative leading to a deep ball into the redzone , however fortunately Terrell Edmunds was there to wash it up and make a deal with. McPhearson rapidly shook it off and — regardless of being a bit of handsy — stopped a TD, after which adopted that up by making an enormous deal with on the line of scrimmage establishing 4th-and-inches.
Nakobe Dean drew a private foul for pointless roughness with an enormous hit on DTR, adopted by a impartial zone infraction by Dennis Kelly, placing the Browns subsequent to the endzone.
Dean rapidly made up for his flag, forcing a fumble on the aim line. Ok’Vonn Wallace recovered for Eagles ball.

After Mariota’s first go fell incomplete, he handed the ball to Kenny Gainwell within the endzone, who couldn’t get via the protection, leading to a security. Browns get the primary factors of the evening, going up 2-0.

Browns couldn’t do something the subsequent drive, principally because of their very own inefficiencies, however McPhearson had a couple of good performs.
Maurice Hurst barreled via Josh Sills and received to Mariota quick on his first play of the second drive — Gainwell missed a block on the sack, as nicely. On 2nd-and-15, Mariota had a pleasant go to Olamide Zaccheaus who was capable of get a primary down.
The Eagles QB has been fairly inconsistent, his very subsequent throw was overthrown, earlier than connecting on a protracted throw to Greg Ward.
Gainwell had a pleasant run, breaking a deal with, however the run recreation the remainder of the second drive was largely ineffective.
Jake Elliott made a 56-yard area aim to place the Eagles up 3-2.
The Browns’ third drive began with a flag for holding, adopted by a fumble that they had been capable of recuperate. The Eagles’ protection was capable of forestall a primary down on the subsequent run play, and Nolan Smith had a pleasant play resulting in a sack by Kentavius Road to shut out the drive.

Smith seemed like he might need injured his arm on the play, however was capable of bounce up and keep on the sector for the punt return.
Zaccheaus’ evening was seemingly reduce early after a reasonably good first quarter, who then went into the locker room with a shoulder damage and was listed as questionable to return.
Mariota was nonetheless in at QB with two minutes left within the first quarter. His first go was dangerous, Rashaad Penny discovered a gap to run in for a primary down, after which Mariota threw one other dangerous go. After which, once more, however this time throwing an interception with a ball to date previous his goal.
Nicholas Morrow and Christian Ellis come out large for the protection, and made an enormous deal with for loss on the primary play.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Nolan Smith prevented a flag for a horse-collar deal with, however ended up within the medical tent afterward for no matter gave the impression to be bothering his proper arm. Shortly after, Smith went into the locker room — however, he was smiling and appeared in good spirits, in order that was a minimum of encouraging.
The protection was a bit sloppy on the remainder of the Browns drive, with Janarius Robinson getting a flag for impartial zone infraction, adopted by an enormous missed deal with by Christian Ellis. Shortly after, the Browns transformed Third-and-12 with a large open lane and missed deal with by Zech McPhearson.
McPhearson ended up injured on the play, grabbing his proper leg on the bottom. He was helped to the sideline and took the cart to the locker room.

The Eagles offense did principally nothing on the subsequent drive, which included a false begin and a number of missed catches.
Browns had been capable of march their approach down the sector on their subsequent drive, and took the lead, 5-3 with a 43-yard area aim.
Trey Sermon was again for the kick return, and received the offensive snaps to observe. The RB, sadly, had the ball punched out of his first carry of the sport, leading to a fumble and turnover — one thing Nick Sirianni might be seething about.
Kelee Ringo missed an enormous alternative for a go breakup, and seemed as if he was staring proper on the ball… go proper over his head and into the arms of a receiver. The Browns scored on one other area aim shortly after that, going up 8-3 simply forward of the two-minute warning.
Sermon was again on the aim line to area the subsequent kick, had an opportunity to return it and received to the 20 yard line earlier than being stuffed backward.
Each the Eagles and Brown had six penalties every with about 1:55 left within the first half. Mariota, as soon as once more, didn’t do something spectacular, and the Eagles ended up punting on 4th-and-18.

The Eagles ended up with yet one more probability, nevertheless it resulted in nothing.

SECOND HALF OBSERVATIONS

Tanner McKee was the Eagles beginning QB popping out of halftime.
The Eagles seemed a lot completely different (learn: higher) of their first drive out of the half, with McKee finishing lengthy passes to Joseph Ngata (12 yards) and Devon Allen (15 yards), and Trey Sermon carrying the ball thrice for 48 whole yards and a landing — definitely making up for his fumble earlier within the recreation.

Linebacker Zach Cunningham remains to be within the recreation, although he began the evening, however has been all around the area. Myles Jack, regardless of dressing for the sport, hasn’t taken a snap up thus far. Eagles protection was capable of pressure a number of errors and the Browns ended up punting.
Tyree Cleveland wasn’t capable of make a seize on Third-and-8 for a 25 yard pick-up, and was left squirming face down on the sector following the deal with. Coaches and trainers took to the sector, and ended up leaving the sector on a stretcher. Fortunately the crew reported that the WR had motion in all his extremities.

4 performs later the Browns took the lead again, 15-10, after Eli Ricks misplaced his footing and gave up a 32 yard landing.
The Eagles offense did completely nothing on their subsequent drive, going three and out and even dropping 4 whole yards. With Cleveland’s damage nonetheless recent, it doesn’t appear fully stunning that Sirianni and OC Brian Johnson would possibly go a bit of extra vanilla to complete out the evening.

Early within the fourth quarter, the Eagles protection was capable of just do sufficient to pressure a area aim, however the Browns made one other one, extending their lead 18-10.
Deon Cain was again for the kick return, and was capable of carry it again 34 yards. One of many higher returns of the evening.
Kennedy Brooks received 4 carries within the Eagles first drive of the fourth quarter, totaling 18 yards.
McKee appeared to overthrow Cain on a deep go, however the WR drew go interference to maneuver the sticks, anyway. The QB then linked on a 35-yard go to TE Tyree Jackson, establishing the offense within the redzone.

McKee scrambled on 4th-and-goal, tossed it to Deon Cain at the back of the endzone, solely to finish up incomplete and switch the ball over on downs.
The Eagles protection missed a chance for a security and for a number of tackles with the Browns backed up in opposition to the aim line, however they seemingly collapsed as Kellen Mond made it seven yards for a primary down.
DT Moro Ojomo was injured on the play after a collision with a teammate, injuring his head and requiring a stretcher for the second time tonight. He was lifted onto the cart shortly after that, however did give a thumbs up on his strategy to the locker room. The crew introduced shortly afterward that he had motion in all his extremities.
Tanner McKee received one other probability to guide an offensive drive, and this time, with a mixture of deep passes and quick runs, ended up within the endzone on a 22 yard throw to TE Brady Russell. They went for 2 and had been profitable due to a go to John King. Eagles ended up tying issues 18-18 late within the fourth quarter.
Tarron Jackson had a very nice displaying total for the Eagles protection on Thursday evening.
Browns missed a area aim with two minutes left within the recreation, however the Eagles drew a flag for unlawful formation. Fortunately, they missed the second try, as nicely — however, nonetheless not nice from the Eagles group.
McKee had one other probability to guide the Eagles to a win. The ultimate drive was a little bit of a blended bag, however the rookie QB saved a stage head and had some drops (once more, nonetheless, and so on…) by his receivers.
It was a lackluster end by the Eagles, however Nick Sirianni and his coaches positive have a variety of issues to work on in observe over the subsequent few days.

QUARTERBACKS

Marcus Mariota: 9/17 (52.9%), 86 yards (5.0 common), 0 TD, 1 INT, 42.5 passer ranking … 1 run, 5 yards.

The QB performed the complete first half, and struggled… rather a lot.

Tanner McKee: 10/18 (57.1%), 147 yards (8.2 common), 1 TD, 0 INT, 100.9 passer ranking.

The rookie QB received little assist from his receivers, who had a number of drops all through the second half. McKee just isn’t afraid to throw the ball deep and appears much more comfy on the sector than the opposite Eagles QB who performed on Thursday.

Ian Guide: Did Not Play

UP NEXT

The Eagles host the Colts — and former OC Shane Steichen — for joint practices early subsequent week, adopted by the ultimate preseason recreation on Thursday, August 24. As all the time, keep tuned to BGN for extra Eagles protection.