Cleveland Browns: Planning for Philadelphia’s Wide 9 defense

The Cleveland Browns travel to Philadelphia for a Week 1 matchup with the Eagles. Here is how to neutralize Philadelphia’s Wide 9 defense.

The Cleveland Browns will take the field against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday and one of the challenges facing the Browns is Jim Schwartz’ famous Wide 9 defense.

Under Chip Kelley, the Eagles ran a 3-4 hybrid defense, using a variety of looks to create confusion at the line of scrimmage for opposing quarterbacks. However, things did not go the Eagles way last season defensively, due in part to Kelley’s quick strike offense.

“Know yourself and know your enemy and you will be victorious in a thousand battles.” – Sun Tzu’s The Art of War

All that changed this off-season with the hiring of head coach Doug Pederson. If that name sounds familiar to Browns fans, it is because Pederson has his own special place on the Browns infamous list of starting quarterbacks since 1999. This will be the first time a quarterback from that list will face the Browns as a head coach. Such a fact speaks to the longevity of the futility in Cleveland.

Pederson brought in Schwartz, who is known for utilizing the Wide 9 defense, as his defensive coordinator. Schwartz was also on head coach Hue Jackson’s short list to the be the Browns defensive coordinator.

The Browns first test on offense will be to take advantage of Philadelphia’s defense. With unproven players at receiver, a reclamation project a quarterback and a revamped offensive line, the Browns will need to attack the Eagles defense both schematically and in terms of personnel.  This article will examine how the Browns can plan to be attacked by the Eagles and what they can do to be successful against it.

To get started, let us examine what exactly is a Wide 9 defense.

Next: What is the Wide 9?