The Eagles on paper have a decided edge over the Browns, a team with 53 percent of the players on the 53-man roster in their first or second season.
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Like most rookie quarterbacks, he had moments in which he was terrific and others in which he struggled.
The hit came on third down with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter as Griffin scrambled with the Browns down 22-10.
With Philadelphia promoting the start of the “Carson Wentz Era” it was natural that Robert Griffin III, an old story at the age of 26, was going to be overshadowed at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday. “They won the game, and I’m sure they’re happy in their locker room, and we have to make sure we have that feeling next week”. He had figured that out before the game started, a reassuring quality in any head coach. Just knowing the maturity level that he has, this is who he is.
Houston Texans signal-caller Brock Osweiler signed a $72 million deal in the off-season to leave the Super Bowl-winning Denver Broncos. We had good pressure on him a lot today and he never flinched.
Whatever that means going forward, no one can ever take away an nearly flawless opening drive from the quarterback the Eagles made the No. 2 overall draft pick in the spring.
After the game, the new Browns quarterback told reporters that he expects to be fine for next week’s home opener against the Baltimore Ravens. His mother was so anxious she called him during his post-game news conference.
Then Haden tweaked his left ankle with 11:38 left in the fourth quarter and came out of the game for a play, but he returned the next series and said after the game he’s fine.
I like what I see, Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said.
“He wanted to be back out there”, Browns coach Hue Jackson said. He described the injury as a sprained shoulder and said after the game “The guy kind of surprised me there on the sideline, trying to get out of bounds”.
Griffin was Cleveland’s 25th different starting QB since 1999 and made his first start since end of 2014 season when he was with Washington.
More importantly, he didn’t seem fazed by the rowdy atmosphere or the pressure, despite having missed the last three preseason games with fractured ribs.
But it was the first head-to-head matchup after the Browns traded the No. 2 draft slot to Philadelphia earlier this year, passing on selecting Wentz.
Wentz only had one college game in which he threw 37 passes or more. “I just have to hit him on that”. Erving, making his first National Football League start at center, sailed a shotgun snap over Griffin’s head and out of the end zone for a safety to give the Eagles a 15-10 edge. They allowed a couple of sacks that were more due to Wentz hanging on to the ball because he didn’t have anybody open. Remember, he was named the starter only a week ago, after the Eagles traded away starter Sam Bradford. He’s a good quarterback. “All he does is work his ass off and just believes that he’s going to make plays and that’s what happens”.
“This is just one game”, Matthews said.
He completed 20 of 34 passes for 199 yards, with TD passes to Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams.
Matthews said the seeds for success were planted in the offseason, when he chose to get to know Wentz a little better.
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“Once we got that lead we knew they’d have to pass to get back in the game”. Fast starts werent typical past year when Chip Kelly and his up-tempo offense ran the show. Jordan Matthews, who dropped Wentz’s first career pass, pulled in a ideal 19-yard touchdown pass to cap a nine-play, 75-yard opening drive. It was the first time the Eagles scored a TD on their first drive of a season since 2008. “Going down, moving the ball, getting that touchdown right off the bat, was huge for my confidence and was huge for this team’s confidence”, Wentz said. The Browns said they didn’t think Wentz was worthy of the second overall pick. “It put the defense in a tough spot, and I thought the defense responded by holding them to a field goal”. It backfired. Duke Johnson took a direct snap and was stopped for a 6-yard loss.
