Eagles-Browns: Week 1 Preview

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

At 1 p.m. on Sunday, it all begins. The Philadelphia Eagles open the 2016 season against the Cleveland Browns.

Both teams are starting with new beginnings — new coaches and new quarterbacks. And while the 2016 season could be filled with ups and downs, adjustments and headaches for both teams, one of these two teams will get to claim a 1-0 record after 60 minutes of football on Sunday.

Quarterbacks

After last weekend's major shakeup to the depth chart, Doug Pederson made it official on Monday that Carson Wentz was the starter. The rookie played just one half in the preseason after being forced to sit out the last three weeks while recovering from fractured ribs.

Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season is the beginning of the return of RG3. Robert Griffin III did not play the entire 2015 season, as he fell on Washington's depth chart. This is his first start since Dec. 28, 2014, when the Redskins suffered a 44-17 loss to the Cowboys. Griffin threw for 336 yards in the game, but had just one touchdown and two interceptions.

Running Backs

Ryan Mathews may have proven he was ready for a leading back role last season, when he was used more than DeMarco Murray on his way to a 106-attempt, 539-yard season and scored six touchdowns, one short of tying a career high. But Mathews biggest problem is health. He played in 13 games last season, but has only one full 16-game season in his six-year career. 

Isaiah Crowell did a solid job as the Browns lead rusher last season, with over 700 yards and four touchdowns, but struggled to show his full potential, often missing holes and not showing the vision necessary for a top back. Look for Hue Jackson to not only try to get more out of Crowell, but to mix in other backs as well, such as Duke Johnson.

Wide Receivers

The Eagles made a nice addition by adding Dorial Green-Beckham during the preseason, but this season really has to be about the emergence of Jordan Matthews. Matthews did not have the best sophomore season, but still came away just three yards shy of a 1,000-yard season and had eight touchdowns. If DGB and Nelson Agholor can help spread the defense, Matthews could be a key player on the Eagles offense this season.

The Browns heavily used Gary Barnidge last season — Browns wide receivers caught just three touchdown passes all of last season, Barnidge had nine — but with the addition of Corey Coleman, an explosive receiver out of Baylor and the team's first-round pick, look for the Browns to attack the Eagles secondary. The linebacker will be tasked with covering Barnidge, while the secondary gets to deal with a potential top rookie this season.

Defense

The Eagles have a dominant defensive line and it's headed by Fletcher Cox. Coming off a Pro Bowl season with 9.5 sacks, placing him in Jim Schwartz's attack defense may only help those numbers increase. Jordan Hicks emerged as a young leader among the linebackers before suffering an injury that ended his season. But if Hicks can repeat his early season success as a rookie, this third-rounder will look like even more of a draft steal for the Eagles. And finally, Nolan Carroll returned from injury as well and proved to be the Eagles best cornerback in the preseason.

The Browns have numerous players on their roster with limited NFL experience, including 16 rookies making the final roster. With many of these players expected to get ample playing time on defense, Joe Haden serves as the key veteran. Haden struggled with injuries last season and is coming off an offseason ankle surgery. Emmanuel Ogbah was the key addition on defense for the Browns, coming off a strong junior year at Oklahoma State and taken by the Browns with their second-round pick at 32nd overall.

Player to Watch

All eyes were on Wentz in his preseason debut and they will be again with the stage even greater as the regular season begins. The rookie went through a roller coaster ride last weekend, after not playing in the preseason finale and then suddenly becoming the starting quarterback after the Bradford trade. It's his team and his time and all of Philadelphia will be watching.

Sunday's game has the potential to be big for rookies on both sides. The Browns traded their pick to the Eagles, the second overall pick, and dropped down to 15th overall where they selected Corey Coleman, who had a stellar season at Baylor. He averaged 18.4 yards per catch last season and 27 percent of his catches were for touchdowns. This kid will certainly be one to watch.

Injury Report

Game Notes

• The Eagles have won six of their last eight meetings against the Browns, including the last meeting between the two teams in September 2012. While their last game ended as a 17-16 Eagles win, the average margin of victory for the Eagles in those six wins is 28.7 points.
• The Browns were last in the league in points per game in 2015, averaging 17.3 points. The Eagles defense led the league in the preseason averaging 9.5 points allowed per game.
• The Eagles have won seven of their last 10 season-opening games, including four straight seasons from 2011-2014, snapped last season with their Week 1 loss in Atlanta.

Where to Watch

TV: CBS (Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl)
Radio: 94 Sportsradio WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Howard Eskin)