The Eagles wrapped up two days of joint practices in Ohio Sunday with a 21-20 win over the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
With Jalen Hurts, Deshaun Watson, and Jacoby Brissett watching from the sidelines, Philadelphia’s backup quarterback Gardner Minshew and Browns third-string quarterback Josh Dobbs provided us with the first half of exciting and efficient quarterback play.
Both offenses were effective, while the Eagles’ second-team defense was gashed by a Browns’ rushing attack that found success on the edge and with cutback lanes in both halves of football.
Dobbs finished 14 of 20 for 141 yards before Josh Rosen replaced him in the third quarter for the Browns, while Minshew had similar numbers, going 14 of 17 passing for 142 yards before Reid Sinnett took over in the third quarter.
With the Eagles headed to Miami for two days of joint practice, here are takeaways and observations from Sunday’s win.
Eagles second unit gashed
With the defensive starters resting, Philadelphia allowed points on Cleveland’s first four offensive possessions in the first half, early into the third quarter, and 174-yards rushing on the ground.
There’s a clear drop-off in talent without the starters, and the Eagles will need to assess quality depth on the roster compared to potential weak links.
Eagles can still run you out the building
Even with Miles Sanders out and Kenneth Gainwell coming off inconsistent joint practices, Philadelphia still had significant success on the ground with Boston Scott as the lead running back.
Gainwell led the team in rushing (46-yards), and the team amassed 144-yards on the ground with the second-team offensive line leading the way.
Deon Cain wants to be acknowledged
There’s competition for the Eagles’ fifth or sixth receiver spots, and Cain stepped to the front of the line with his dominant performance against the Browns’ second unit.
Cain had two 20+ yard catches and led Philadelphia with 5-catches for 66-yards.
Everything will now center on what the Eagles choose to do with Jalen Reagor, but Cain has made himself a player to watch.
Davion Taylor regress
Taylor’s looking to land a role at the WILL linebacker spot, but he’s still struggling to shed blocks, and his poor play was a huge reason Philadelphia was gashed on the ground throughout the afternoon.
Nakobe Dean can play multiple positions at WILL and MIKE, while Shaun Bradley is a special team standout and warrants a roster spot.
