Eagles vs. Browns: Observations as Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown lead Philadelphia to ugly win over Cleveland

The Philadelphia Eagles certainly didn’t have the prettiest victory against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6, but a win is a win. Jalen Hurts didn’t turn the ball over and A.J. Brown demonstrated why he is the best player on the team. 

Philadelphia won 20-16, but there are still some questions for this team after improving to 3-2. This squad has a lot to correct going forward, but there are signs of promise with the stars back on offense. 

Let’s get into the observations from this game, which certainly wasn’t one of the Eagles’ finest moments. 

First quarter

• Jalen Hurts’ first pass was to A.J. Brown, who missed three weeks with hamstring injury. Started 0 for 2 as fans booed after Rodney McLeod broke pass up. Three-and-out on first drive. 
• Eagles defense forces a three-and-out as Moro Ojomo — a defensive tackle — broke up a pass intended for Amari Cooper. More short passes for Deshaun Watson to start the game. Watson is clearly not comfortable throwing ball downfield. 
• Browns backup center Nick Harris left the game on a cart. Harris is the backup center to Ethan Pocic (who is inactive). Cleveland is without its top two centers. 
• Eagles’ initial first down of the game is a “tush push.” Nick Sirianni and Kellen Moore decided to go for it at their own 41-yard line and gain 2 yards. 
• Jalen Hurts is not afraid to go deep early in the game. He attempted two deep balls to A.J. Brown and one to DeVonta Smith on the first two possessions. All were incomplete as Eagles have nothing to show for it. 
• Quite a few Eagles got in on a sack on Deshaun Watson, but it was ruled an incomplete pass. Moro Ojomo got the penetration, followed by Cooper DeJean, then Bryce Huff. DeJean got credit for the sack after the play was reviewed, his first in his NFL career. This is DeJean’s first NFL start. 
• Ojomo had consecutive pressures on Deshaun Watson to end that defensive series after the DeJean sack. Ojomo forced a Watson incompletion and the Browns to punt. 
• A lot of designed runs for Jalen Hurts early in the game. Two designed runs in the first quarter as Hurts had 22 rushing yards in the opening 15 minutes. He also had three “tush push” conversions. 
• The Eagles still don’t have a point in the first quarter this season. The only team in the NFL to not score in the first quarter. They did outgain the Browns 63 to 30. 

Second quarter

• Jalen Hurts threw an incomplete pass over the middle to A.J. Brown. Hurts is 0 for 3 targeting Brown to start the game. Easy to tell Brown has been out a month. The Eagles did use a 14-play drive to get on the board, a 49-yard field goal by Jake Elliott. They took an early 3-0 lead on a drive that lasted 6:48. No explosive plays despite all the key wideouts back. 
• Jalen Carter hit Watson on a third-and-9. Watson has looked putrid to start the game, going 3 of 7 for 22 yards. He’s not close on many of his throws and struggled to go past 10 air yards. 
• Hurts finds Grant Calcaterra for a 34-yard gain on a placation bootleg. Calcaterra is filling in for Dallas Goedert (hamstring), who is questionable to return. Plays like that are why the Eagles trust Calcaterra. 
• Hurts has three designed runs in the first half. The Eagles have converted four “tush push” plays — two on fourth down. 
• Jalen Hurts hit A.J. Brown on a fly route in the left corner of the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown on a third-and-7. Hurts was able to find Brown on his last two targets as the pair look to be in sync again. That capped a 10-play, 84-yard drive that took 4:46 off the clock. Eagles take a 10-0 lead midway through the second quarter. Brown had two catches for 38 yards on the drive. Hurts was 3 of 4 for 72 yards and a TD on that drive.
• Quinyon Mitchell and C.J. Gardner-Johnson collided into each other attempting to pick off Deshaun Watson. Should have been Gardner-Johnson’s ball as the center fielder. Really bad deep ball from Watson. 
• Jalen Carter sacked Deshaun Watson on third-and-11 at the 21-yard line to force a field goal. Watson threw a poor pass to Jerry Jeudy earlier in the drive that was intended for the back corner of the red zone. Cooper DeJean had good coverage, but the throw was less than ideal. Dustin Hopkins kicked a 43-yard field goal to make it 10-3. 
• Jalen Hurts has hit A.J. Brown on four straight targets. Brown has four catches for 64 yards and touchdown in the second quarter after Hurts started the game 0 for 3 targeting him. 
• Jalen Hurts was sacked by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on third-and-1 from the 31-yard line. The Eagles attempted a 56-yard field goal and Myles Garrett blocked the attempt, only for it to be returned for a touchdown by former Eagles safety Rodney McLeod. The 50-yard touchdown return ties the game at 10-10. The Eagles dominated the first half and have nothing to show for it. 

Third quarter

• Dustin Hopkins made a 52-yard field goal to take the lead. On the play prior, Deshaun Watson was taken out on third-and-1 in favor of Jameis Winston. Brandon Graham stopped wide receiver Cedric Tillman for a loss of 5 yards. 
• Milton Williams almost sacked Deshaun Watson in the end zone for a safety. The Eagles defensive line is getting pressure against a beaten and battered-up Browns offensive line. Watson did reenter the game on the next series. 
• A false start penalty by Jordan Mailata on third-and-9 created a third-and-14. Jalen Hurts threw a ball into the end zone intended for Jahan Dotson that was incomplete. Fans booed as the Eagle settled to kick again. Jake Elliott hit a 49-yard field goal to give the Eagles back the lead, 13-10 with 2:50 left in the third quarter. Kenny Gainwell had the highlight run of 22 yards on the 7-play, 27-yard drive. The Eagles offense certainly isn’t what it was hyped to be. 
• Josh Sweat sacks Deshaun Watson for the Eagles’ fifth sack of the afternoon. Watson looks indecisive in the pocket and has no attempt to take the ball downfield. Watson was later called for a delay of game penalty on the drive. He’s 8 of 14 for 84 yards through three quarters. The longest play being a 21-yard pass completion to Pierre Strong on third down — on that drive. 

Fourth quarter

• The Browns have their longest possession on their next drive, in both time and yards.  A holding penalty negated a Deshaun Watson first down run to create a third-and-16. A 2-yard pass to David Joke set up a 49-yard field goal attempt by Dustin Hopkins, who drilled the kick to tie the game at 13-13 with 9:49 left. The drive went 12 plays for 39 yards for 8:01. The Browns struggle to move the ball, badly. 
• Darius Slay left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury and has been downgraded to out. Isaiah Rodgers filled din for Slay at cornerback, but hasn’t been tested by the browns passing offense. 
• The Eagles set a pick play on Greg Newsome to get DeVonta Smith wide open on a crossing route for a 45-yard touchdown to give the Eagles a 20-13 lead with 7:54 left. What makes the score impressive is Jordan Mailata left with a hamstring injury and had trouble putting pressure on his leg (was ruled out for the game). Fred Johnson was blocking Myles Garrett on the touchdown. Jalen Hurts was 3 of 3 for 64 yards on that drive. 
• Isaiah Rodgers left with an injury, leaving the Eagles down to Kelee Ringo as the third-string cornerback. The Browns attacked Ringo immediately once he entered the game. Amari Cooper caught a 13-yard pass on third-and-11 from the Eagles’ 21-yard line to get the Browns deep into the Eagles red zone — with Ringo in coverage. 
• C.J. Gardner-Johnson had a key pass breakup on a Deshaun Watson pass to David Njoku at the Eagles’ 8-yard line to force a fourth-and-goal. A false start penalty forced fourth-and-goal from the 13-yard line and the Browns to kick a field goal. The nine-play, 57-yard drive resulted in a 31-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins to make it 20-16 with 3:54 left. 
• Not sure why Kevin Stefanski kicked the field goal. The Browns needed a touchdown and still need a touchdown with the field goal. There is no trust that the defense can get the ball back either. 
• Jalen Hurts ran for a first down on third-and-2 to preserve the Eagles lead, then found Jahan Dotson on second-and-9 for 10 yards to give the Eagles another first down. The four-minute drive has been efficient, thanks to Hurts, who ended up with no turnovers.  
• Hurts seals the victory with a bomb to A.J. Brown, who beat Greg Newsome on the 40-yard deep ball for the first down and the win. The Browns are out of time outs and the Eagles will run out the clock. Brown finished with six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in his return.