The Cleveland Browns start their 2016 season with a road trip to Philadelphia to take on the new look Eagles. All of the work that Hue Jackson and company have done this offseason, training camp and preseason will now be put to the test. Although it’s only the first game of the season, there is plenty on the line for both teams.
The Browns will be playing at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly at 1:00 p.m. and hope to come out on top on the road!
Here are your game details.
Game Details:
Date/ Time: Sunday, September 11, 1:00 p.m. EDT
Location: Lincoln Financial Field. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
TV: CBS
Announcers: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl
Online Streaming: NFL Game Pass ; NFL Game Center (Scores/ Statistics Only)
Game Odds:
Cleveland Browns: +3.5 (-120)
Philadelphia Eagles: -3.5 (+100)
3 Things To Look For:
1. Hue and the offense: Coach Jackson has a reputation to bring out the best in quarterbacks and has been a big part of the success in Cincinnati so this Cleveland offense, run by Robert Griffin III, will hopefully be as fast and flashy. Without star receiver Josh Gordon for the first four games, there’s going to be weight on the shoulders of rookie wideout Corey Coleman and quarterback turned receiver Terrelle Pryor to produce first downs and big plays to help this team find the endzone. RB’s Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson Jr. will hopefully provide the backfield spark this team has been lacking and take some pressure off of RGIII. Having Gary Barnidge in the line up as well isn’t such a bad thing to have to help out.
2. Carson Wentz: Over the last week, the big story for Browns and Eagles fans alike is that rookie QB Carson Wentz will be the starter against Cleveland. This is a big story because of the trade that Philly made with Cleveland to acquire the number two overall pick in this years draft which they used to pick Wentz. Many believe that Wentz has the potential to be a top quarterback in this league but according to Cleveland, they didn’t see a quarterback that fit their system. If Wentz turns out to be a decent QB, Cleveland will still look like the teams in the past that pass on the franchise players but if turns out to not live up to expectations or turn out to be a bust, the Browns, for the first time in a long time, look like they made the right move in the draft.
3. Defense, Defense, Defense: One could argue that most of the turnover after last year came on the defensive side of the ball. The Browns brought back former defensive coordinator Ray Horton to lead this young defense back to a respectable unit. In this years preseason, the defense didn’t impress. Second and third string offenses were throwing and running over anyone on the Browns that was in their way. They also traded away former first round picks Barkevious Mingo and Justin Gilbert which means that even more young players will have to step up to try and make some plays.
Conclusion:
With Wentz now starting, Cleveland now has a better chance of taking advantage of the game. Although, rookies making their debut against the Browns are 30-13. The odds are against Cleveland but with a proven coach at the helm, they are better odds than past teams. The word thrown around this team and city is “culture” because fans want to see a winning football team and there is no better way to start off a season with a new team than a win over a draft pick that was said to be a franchise QB that the team passed up to prove they have their own plan and are sticking to it
Go Browns!
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