Cleveland Browns: Q&A with Inside the Iggles

The Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles will open the 2016 NFL season on Sunday. Learn more about the opposition from Inside the Iggles.

It will be a day of firsts when the Cleveland Browns visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

The opener of the 2016 NFL season will be head coach Hue Jackson’s first game in charge of the Browns. Jackson will be looking to become the first Cleveland coach to win his opening game since Bud Carson in 1989.

It will also be the first game that Robert Griffin III has started at quarterback since Dec. 28, 2014.

Most notably, it will also be the debut of Carson Wentz, the quarterback the Eagles selected with the second-overall selection of the 2016 NFL Draft after swinging a deal with the Browns.

To learn a bit more about what the Browns are facing on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles are a 7.5-point favorite, we reached out to Geoffrey Knox from Inside the Iggles for a virtual Q&A on the game.

Question: What has the reaction been to Carson Wentz being named starting quarterback? Are the Eagles rushing him onto the field?

Geoffrey: Truthfully, there’s been a mixed reaction to Carson Wentz. We’ve heard everything to the point that the entire season is now being used to prepare this team for the future. In other cases, some believe that (starting Wentz) was the best-case scenario as they believe that Wentz has all of the ability to be successful in year one.

Question: After missing most of the preseason, how much of the offense can Wentz be expected to pick up in one week?

Geoffrey: Actually, and we’re not sure whether the coaches have played their cards close to the vest or not, but I published an article earlier in the off-season discussing how the coaching staff was saying Wentz already had the playbook down. On-field time is important but, apparently, he’s been what they’ve hoped for as far as being mentally prepared for the moment.

Aug 18, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll (22) and head coach Doug Pederson (R) celebrate a defensive stop by Carroll against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Question: The Eagles went from a high-profile coach in Chip Kelly to a more traditional coach in Doug Pederson. How is Pederson doing and what can we expect from his offense this year?

Geoffrey: The city and fanbase has warmed up to Doug pretty well. Everyone’s excited about the offense returning to a more traditional look, and everyone’s also excited about the defense switching back to the 4-3 scheme, as opposed to the 3-4 scheme we utilized under Kelly. Both decisions use the players on this team’s skill sets better.

Question: Turning to the defense, which player or position group should the Browns be concerned about?

Geoffrey: The defensive line is the strength of this team. We’re satisfied with our starting safeties, Malcolm Jenkins and Nolan Carroll, but we’re pretty satisfied with our defensive line and would put them up with any of the defensive lines in football.

More from Dawg Pound Daily

Question: Which position group on defense are Eagles fans most concerned about?

Geoffrey: Actually there are several. The linebacking corps has been a concern, mostly due to health and depth issues. The hope is Stephen Tulloch can satisfy some of that.

On offense, every skill grouping has left a little to be desired. Most would see the wide receivers as the weak link on the team. The running backs are talented, but we’re probably looking at going with the committee approach there.

There’s talent in both areas, but we’re not sure how much we learned about any of those groups during the course of the preseason. We’ve probably created more questions as opposed to answering anything.

Question: Does Philadelphia have an edge this week because they know Robert Griffin III from his time in Washington?

Geoffrey: They know a lot about RG3, definitely, but they’ve had their issues with him. RG3 was a difficult match-up for this team, but it’s hard to gauge what all of that meant as the Andy Reid-era was ending and a Chip Kelly-era was beginning. Even if Griffin didn’t play, they were still preparing for him.

On the other hand, it’s been a while. No one knows what to expect from a newer version of RG3 either. Truthfully, there’s some nervousness about this game. Some of the fear is what happens if we don’t win this game? What then? There’s some pressure on this team in Week 1.

Question: The Browns hold Philadelphia’s first-round pick in 2017, so fans will keep a close eye on the Eagles this season. How do you think they will do this year?

Geoffrey: I personally believe they have a shot at the division title. I’ve bet against them the past two years, but I believe in this team. I see them benefiting from a weak division and what I see as one of the better rosters, even with its holes. These teams are close, but 8-8 may take this division.

We have Seattle on our schedule (Dallas, New York and Washington don’t), but a playoff appearance isn’t impossible. Unfortunately, winding up in the cellar is just as possible. It’s truly that close.

Next: Browns vs. Eagles: Injury Report

The Browns and the Eagles kick off the season on Sunday at 1 p.m. Stay with us all week at Dawg Pound Daily for all the latest news about the game.

Home/Browns News