After weeks of preparation and a undefeated Preseason record, the Philadelphia Eagles traveled to Cleveland to take on the Browns in Week 1 action.
Philadelphia took on Cleveland during the third week of the Preseason, and a Trent Edwards led Eagles team won 27-10.
But it would be Michael Vick who would lead the team into actions, and give Eagles fans a game they won't soon forget.
Although the Eagles opted to receive the ball first, it would be the Cleveland Browns that struck first. On his first touch of the season, LeSean McCoy fumbled the football, and the opposition quickly scooped it up. McCoy had just one fumble on 273 carries all of the 2011 season. Kicker Phil Dawson knocked down a 43 yard Field Goal, and the Browns found themselves up 3-0 early.
Philadelphia got off to a rather slow start against the St. Louis Rams in last season's opener, but the Offensive woes would carry late into the game. The Eagles would turn the ball over on their first two drives, as a Michael Vick pass intended for Brent Celek landed in the lap of Browns LB Craig Robertson.
The Eagles side of the scoreboard would show zero until 2:05 of the second quarter. On a drive highlighted a 35 yard pass play to DeSean Jackson, Alex Henery would knot the score at 3 on a 42 yard Field Goal.
Then the wheels would fall off for both squads. Under rookie QB Brandon Weeden, the Browns struggled to move the ball anywhere upfield. The Eagles run defense was phenomenal on the day, not allowing RB Trent Ricardson to get far past the line of scrimmage. He would end the day with just 39 yards on 19 carries, an average of just 2.1 yards. Dominique Rodgers- Cromartie would also come away with his first Interception as an Eagle, as he pulled down a jump ball intended for Browns WR Travis Benjamin.
On the other side of the ball, discipline killed whatever could have come from the Eagles drives. Holding calls on Jason Kelce and Jeremy Maclin on two different drive negated two LeSean McCoy first down runs. But the Eagles would finally put the first touchdown on the board, thanks to an 18 yard Touchdown catch from Jeremy Maclin.
The Eagles would head into halftime up 10-3, but neither team had any idea what the second half would have in store.
Both Quarterbacks were incapable of outperforming the other. Brandon Weeden attempted to find Benjamin again, only to have Rodgers-Cromartie snatch the ball away for his second pick of the day. The Michael Vick we saw in 2011 began to rear its ugly head when he tried to fit a ball through triple coverage and to his TE Clay Harbor. Instead, it landed in the mitts of undrafted rookie LB L.J. Fort.
Cleveland refused to go away and continued to chop away at the lead. Dawson would knock down another 42 yard field goal, and the Browns found themselves down just 10-6. Even with the phenomenal play of LeSean McCoy, he went two drives without seeing a carry. Michael Vick continued his poor play, and CB Joe Haden would pick off an errant pass just out of the reach of Jeremy Maclin. Cleveland would inherit the ball on the Eagles 22 yard line, and Phil Dawson would deposit his third field goal of the day.
Then all hell would break lose.
On the Eagles first play from scrimmage in the 4th Quarter, D'Qwell Jackson stepped in front of a Michael Vick pass and took it to the house, putting Cleveland up 16-10. The team that was supposed to be steamrolled had all the momentum late.
After the Eagles Defense held the Browns to a quick drive, Michael Vick and Co. stepped onto the field with 6:25 left in the game.
Vick went 6/7 for 40 yards on the drive, and with a little help from a Roughing The Passer penalty, the Eagles found themselves in the Red Zone with the chance to take the lead late.
On 3rd & Goal, Michael Vick found TE Clay Harbor over the middle for a Touchdown, and the Eagles took the lead 17-16. The drive started at the Eagles own 18 yard line, and ate up 5:07 of clock.
With just a minute and change left in the game, Brandon Weeden had a chance to make a name for himself in just his first career game. But on their first play of the drive, a pass intended to Mohamed Massaquoi floated on the 28 year old QB, and right in the chest of Safety Kurt Coleman.
Ball game. The opener from hell was over.
Michael Vick would end the day 29/56 for 317 yards, 2 TDs and 4 INTs. His counterpart Weeden went 12/35 for 118 yards and 4 INTs as well. His Quarterback Rating was an atrocious 5.1.
LeSean McCoy bounced back nicely after fumbling the ball on his first attempt, posting 110 yards on 20 carries.
Frankly, the Eagles found themselves lucky to escape Cleveland with a win. They played reckless football, giving up 12 penalties for 110 yards, just eight yards less than the Browns receiving total.
In the postgame press conference, Michael Vick had no interest in talking about his dismal performance.
"I need to get the hell outta Cleveland" he said.
The entire team did.
Philadelphia takes on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 in the Eagles home opener, and could erase all memories of this game with a solid win.
Jake Pavorsky is a contributor for Eagledelphia. You can follow him on Twitter @JakePavorsky.
