Eagles saying all the right things

by JasonB on Dec 13, 2008 11:17 PM EST in News Comment 1 comment

The Browns aren't a good football team. They're 4-9, they've lost 3 straight games, and are down to their 3rd string QB. The Eagles on the other hand, have won two straight and beat two division leaders in the process.

Still, if the tie with Cincinnati proved anything... nothing can be taken for granted with this team. Hank Baskett knows this.

"All we have to do is remind ourselves that they beat the Giants, and we all know how good the Giants are,” Eagles receiver Hank Baskett said. "There's no such thing as an upset in the NFL anymore. If you don't go out there and play your best, you're going to lose. The Browns are a lot better than people realize. They could easily be 9-4 instead of 4-9.

"When you watch the film, you notice it even more. Maybe people outside don't see it, but we know what the Browns are capable of.”

Donovan McNabb

"They're a team that I think is being overlooked,” Donovan McNabb said. "They're a team that creates turnovers, whether it is fumbles or interceptions or batted balls. At times, people tend to just focus on the record or focus on where they are ranked, as far as stopping the run and the pass.”

Dan Klecko

"They play well on defense," Klecko said. "I don't know where it goes wrong for them, but it doesn't show on film that they're 4-9."

Marty Morninwheg

"They could easily be sitting there with a winning record," said Mornhinweg, no stranger to the time-honored football tradition of hyping the upcoming opponent. Last week, you might recall, Mornhinweg declared that the Giants' defense had "no weakness." Yet, somehow, the Eagles controlled the clock and the game.

So there's no excuses for a let down. It's primetime, we're at home, and there's not a neutral observer alive that would say we don't have the better team right now. THis team is not taking the Browns lightly with their words, so let's hope they don't do it with their actions on Monday night.

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I’ll take a stab at a preview for the Eagles – Browns game on Monday night.

Welcome back Hank Fraley and Donte Stallworth, two former Eagles on Cleveland’s roster. I liked what Stallworth did in his one season with the Eagles and was disappointed that they did not bring him back. This year, he’s having a worse year than even Reggie Brown, so I don’t expect him to bet getting any kind of revenge on Monday night.

On offense, I would expect them to start out with a heavy dose of Jamal Lewis. Ken Dorsey is no Steve Bono, as third string quarterbacks go. And you know Jim Johnson is going to bring the heat on this guy. So, the obvious thing would be to try to keep the ball out of Dorsey’s hands for as long as they can and hope for the best. That said, Jamal Lewis is not the same back he was last year or during his prime with the Ravens so they are going to have to pass at some point.

A player to watch out for is tight end Steve Heiden. He’s far from spectacular, but not a terrible player. The Eagles have had their problems with opposing teams’ tight ends this season, so he could catch a few passes. If they can move the ball through the air at all, I would think it would be by passes to the tight end. Supposedly, Kellen Winslow wants to play, but I can’t believe that he’d be able to do anything since he has been injured.

Wide receiver Josh Cribbs may be another player to keep an eye on. A pretty good kick and punt returner, supposedly they want to use him more on offense to help create any kind of a spark. Last year he averaged 30.7 yards per kickoff and 13.5 yards per punt return. His return numbers aren’t quite as flashy this season, but he has returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

On defense, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson seems to be the bright spot for the Browns. He leads the team with 130 tackles and has 3 interceptions. The Browns defense ranks 27th overall allowing 21 points a game and 148.5 yards rushing per game.

My hope is that the Eagles get off to a big lead and rest Westbrook. No need to use him up if you don’t need to against the Browns. Hopefully they are in a position to run the ball with a steady dose of Buckhalter, Eckel, and maybe even see if Booker in the second half. It could be a good night to give a second shot to Lorenzo Booker to see if he can play at all. I can’t imagine the Eagles losing this game at this point in the season. But, this team has been inconsistent, so anything is possible. My pick is Eagles 27, Browns 10.

by Baron Dainer Von Tresvant on Dec 14, 2008 4:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs