The Philadelphia Eagles will open the 2016 season hosting Robert Griffin III and the new-look Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Browns finished last season 3-13, tied with Tennessee for the worst record in the NFL.
In what is sure to be an unpredictable afternoon, here are how a few of the matchups break down in the Eagles season opener.
Cleveland Offense vs. Philadelphia Defense
"RG3" will be the 25th starting quarterback for Cleveland since the team drafted Tim Couch first overall in 1999, one pick ahead of former Eagle Donovan McNabb. Griffin leads a Browns offense which was wretched in 2015, ranking 30th in the league with just over 17 points per game.
The one evident change Griffin has made to his game is his commitment to preserving his body by sliding to avoid big hits, a necessary trait for any mobile quarterback looking to survive a grueling 16-game schedule. Despite being a perpetual cellar dweller in the AFC North, there is renewed hope for the struggling franchise.
The Browns used their first round selection to draft the undisputed top wide receiver in college football, former Baylor superstar Corey Coleman. In 13 games, the First Team All-American wideout caught a remarkable 20 touchdowns and surpassed 1,300 receiving yards in Art Briles’ potent stretch-the-field offense. Coleman gives fellow Baylor product "RG3" a legitimate deep threat to pair with former Ohio State quarterback-turned-receiver Terrelle Pryor, a monster on the outside at 6'4", 230 pounds. Expect new head coach Hue Jackson to take some shots down the field with Coleman to keep the Eagles defensive backs honest and open up some running lanes for the Cleveland halfbacks.
With the addition of proven starters Rodney McLeod and Leodis McKelvin, vast improvement is expected in the Eagles secondary. The Eagles safety tandem will have their hands full with tight end Gary Barnidge, who registered 79 catches for over 1,000 yards and nine scores last season.
Although the Browns will be minus receiver Josh Gordon, who totaled a sensational 1,646 yards in his last full season in 2013, the Cleveland receiving core poses an onerous threat to a Philadelphia defense with high hopes after suffocating the Buccaneers, Colts and Steelers in the preseason.
The biggest mismatch aiding the 3.5-point favorite Eagles in the season opener is their tenacious defensive line led by perennial Pro Bowler Fletcher Cox against the Cleveland hog-mollies which allowed the most sacks in the NFL this preseason.
Despite the cornerstone of the franchise — towering left tackle Joe Thomas – spearheading the unit, Cleveland’s offensive line has been in steep decline since losing Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz to free agency prior to last season. Despite the line’s struggles, Thomas boasted a pass-blocking efficiency of 97.4 last season, best among NFL tackles.
The Eagles front-seven, and specifically the defensive line, was absolutely ferocious throughout the preseason. Against Indianapolis, Jim Schwartz’s unit routinely pummeled Andrew Luck, as evidenced by the young quarterback taking a hit on half of his drop-backs.
If Hue Jackson’s history is any indication, Cleveland is likely to pound the ball with running backs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson Jr. to neutralize the powerful Philadelphia front as Griffin becomes acclimated to the offense. To win on Sunday, the Browns will need a steady, effective running game to keep the Eagles defensive line from “pinning their ears back” and sustaining pressure against "RG3."
Cleveland Defense vs. Philadelphia Offense
Much like the Eagles, Cleveland’s defense was abysmal in 2015, ranking last in the league with 420 opposition yards per game. The Browns defense features widely respected cornerback Joe Haden, who looks to bounce back after an injury-plagued year. With Haden on the shelf for most of last season, the Browns allowed 34 passing touchdowns and 298 passing yards per game, most in the NFL.
An entirely new group of starting linebackers will suit up for the Browns 3-4 defense this fall. Among the 16 rookies to make the Browns roster, many will see ample playing time on the defense side of the football, including rookies Emmanuel Ogbah (Oklahoma State) and Joe Schobert (Wisconsin) at outside linebacker.
Amazingly, more than half of the Browns roster is made up of first and second-year players. In 2015, Cleveland was unable to generate much pressure against opposing quarterbacks, but Ogbah and fellow linebacker Nate Orchard are expected to get around the edge a bit faster than their predecessors.
While Haden is among the best in the business, the Browns defense is bound to experience growing pains, as they did in the preseason, with so many fresh faces playing together for the first time.
While many believe the Eagles will use a run-heavy attack in rookie Carson Wentz’s NFL debut, this could be the perfect opportunity to allow the two-time FCS national champion to gain confidence against a subpar secondary outmatched by the Eagles receiving core.
Philadelphia's likely third receiver, Dorial Green-Beckham, caught his first career touchdown against Haden last year, flying through the air to snatch the Marcus Mariota thrown pass at its highest point as the former Florida Gators star floundered well behind "DGB" in coverage.
After Haden, the talent level in the Browns secondary drops dramatically. Cornerback Jamar Taylor and safety Jordan Poyer are two players who could be targeted if Doug Pederson does in fact decide to air it out on Sunday.
The Browns have been dreadful historically in their first game of the year. In fact, Cleveland hasn’t won a season opener since 2004. One of those losses came at the hands of the Eagles in the 2012 opener. The sloppy affair included nine turnovers, two of which were interceptions by Kurt Coleman. The Browns led by six in the final minutes until Michael Vick led the offense on a 91-yard touchdown drive to defeat Cleveland 17-16 in come-from-behind fashion.
Prediction: Eagles win 24-9
Player of the Game: Carson Wentz
