How Browns are challenging Eagles with something they rarely see

[time2rock]

How Browns are challenging Eagles with something they rarely see

 

 

 

Reuben Frank

EAGLES INSIDER

BEREA, Ohio – The Eagles don’t see play action. Not like this. So every time they got beat by the Browns on play action Thursday, they saw it as a learning experience. 

And there were quite a few learning experiences.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski loves play action, and you can’t blame him. The Browns run the ball better than almost every other NFL team, and they have for several years. In his one year as Vikings offensive coordinator, the Vikings ranked 6th in the NFL in rushing offense. In his two years as Browns head coach, they've been 3rd and 4th. 

Nick Chubb has the 4th-highest rushing average in NFL history by a running back at 5.3 and the 2nd-most rushing yards in the league over the last four seasons.

The Eagles saw Chubb’s ability Thursday in joint practices with the Browns, and they also saw how much his running ability makes the Browns’ play action game go.

Jacoby Brissett and Deshaun Watson took turns with the Browns’ first offense, and although the Eagles’ defense had a decent day in general, when it did give up a big play it was frequently off play action.

"We see some of that in practice but not as much as we did today,” Fletcher Cox said. "And it just gives us something to be coachable on. Line assignments, key techniques, things we need to look at. 

"But I think as a group, the guys kind of handled it. We didn’t get frustrated about it, we just played the next play.”

And that’s what joint practices are all about. 

When the defense works against the Eagles’ offense, it sees the Nick Sirianni offense every day. Going up against a different team presents new challenges and new looks. It gets teams out of their comfort zone. And we saw that Thursday.

But it’s valuable work for that very reason.

"They definitely ran a lot of play action and that’s something where you have to train your eyes, especially if you’re a DB or a linebacker,” said Avonte Maddox, who got beat a couple times but also made some big plays in coverage.

"When they run a lot of play action, you have to make sure you have good eyes.”

Brissett connected with tight end David Njoku on a couple big plays off play fakes and also hit a long gainer down the right sidline to receiver Anthony Schwartz off play action – with Maddox in coverage – that was probably the Browns’ best offensive snap of the day. He also hit a 20-yarder to Amari Cooper on play action.

Watson’s best throw of the day was an RPO where he pulled the ball back and connected with tight end Nakia Griffin-Stewart for a big gain with Jaquiski Tartt in coverage.

But the Eagles made their share of plays, too, and rookie Jordan Davis was in the middle of a lot of it. Marcus Epps, back after missing a day with a sore back, was very active, as was Zech McPhearson, who worked with the 1’s with James Bradberry sidelined.

All in all, good work for a defense that saw some things it doesn’t usually see and worked against players it didn’t know.

"Play action is definitely a good thing for us to work on,” Maddox said. "And (they run it) definitely more than our team does.”

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/how-browns-are-challenging-eagles-play-action-joint-practice

[UK_EaglesFan89]

I guess it's better to see those looks now and try to figure out what to do to correct them right? Not encouraging that they gave up a lot of plays off the play action though. 

[VaBeach_Eagle]

It's pre-season. Glorified practice. The only real challenge is to avoid injuries to players that will make the roster.