Offense’s sluggish begin amplified by early accidents

Already down their beginning middle in Ethan Pocic, the Browns misplaced C Nick Harris to an ankle damage on the third play of their first offensive drive. GMichael Dunn, who made his first begin of the season on Sunday at proper guard, got here in and took over at middle for the Browns.

On the next drive, RB Jerome Ford exited with a hamstring damage and didn’t return to Sunday’s sport. Each drives resulted in punts.

In the meantime, after back-to-back punts themselves, the Eagles had been the primary to get on the scoreboard after a scoreless first quarter, with Ok Jake Elliott nailing a 49-yard area aim early within the second quarter. Because the Browns offense continued to battle, the Eagles offense heated up, with QB Jalen Hurts discovering Brown on a 22-yard landing to construct on the Eagles’ early lead.

The Browns offense bought rolling late within the second quarter, driving 45 yards to the Philadelphia 20-yard line. Watson linked on back-to-back passes with WR Amari Cooper and TE David Njoku however was sacked on third down. The Browns needed to accept a area aim, their solely offensive rating of the primary half.

Coming into the second half, the Browns had simply 71 web yards of offense in comparison with the Eagles’ 200. They had been 0 of 5 on third down makes an attempt and averaged just below three yards per play.

Particular groups unit supplies increase earlier than halftime

It regarded just like the Eagles would add three factors to their first half whole after they drove to the Cleveland 31-yard line with simply over 30 seconds remaining within the first half.

LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah swarmed Hurts for a sack to drive an extended area aim try from Elliott. Garrett leaped over the road of scrimmage and threw a hand as much as block Elliott’s kick and McLeod scooped up the unfastened ball and sprinted 50 yards for a landing to tie the sport at halftime.

McLeod’s landing is the 13-year veterans’ second of the season and offered the Browns with an enormous increase, each in momentum and on the scoreboard, going into halftime.

The Browns had an opportunity to capitalize on their massive play earlier than halftime, getting the ball to begin the second half. Going through third-and-1 on the Philadelphia 29-yard line, QB Jameis Winston lined up beneath middle. As an alternative of working up the center, he handed the ball off to WR Cedric Tillman on an finish round play that resulted in a five-yard loss. Hopkins missed the following 52-yard area aim try, and the Browns had been unable to take the lead.

Eagles draw back within the fourth quarter

After buying and selling area targets with the Browns, the Eagles took a seven-point lead after Smith took a brief move to the home for a 45-yard landing. Smith misplaced CB Greg Newsome II throughout the center of the sector and used his pace to run untouched to the top zone.

The Browns offense had an opportunity at discovering the top zone on the following drive, however penalties pressured them to accept a area aim. After Watson began the drive finishing six of seven passing makes an attempt, together with a 35-yard completion to WR Jerry Jeudy to begin the drive, two false begin penalties referred to as towards rookie RG Zak Zinter and LT Jedrick Wills Jr. pushed the Browns again from the Eagles 3-yard line to the 13, stopping them from making an attempt to attain a game-tying landing.

With a four-point lead, the Eagles ran the ball successfully to bleed time from the sport clock. The Eagles picked up three first downs on the ultimate drive, together with a deep move to Brown for a 40-yard achieve that allowed the Eagles to take a knee to finish the sport.