Cleveland Browns: 3 keys to victory over the Eagles

1. Stop the run

While the Eagles don’t have the ground game that Cleveland boasts, the Cleveland defense needs to be ready. The Eagles average 122.8 yards per game, placing them in the league’s top ten behind former rookie phenom Miles Sanders and Boston Scott.

Both these backs average over 4.8 yards per carry and have totaled 765 yards and four touchdowns. If the Browns are on their gaps, this could be the Raiders’ game all over again. These two are capable of breaking off big runs and racking up yards. Stoping them and creating favorable third downs is how you get to key number two, and that is how a game is won. Even if you stop both these backs with some consistently, there is still one more player the Browns have to be ready for in the ground game. That player is Carson Wentz.

Wentz has run the ball 41 times this season for 206 yards scoring five touchdowns. When those third and six or seven come around, the Cleveland defense must contain Wentz and get him to the ground. They did this very well against Deshaun Watson Sunday as they cut off his ability to escape while still getting after him, not allowing his feet to be a weapon.

Wentz can do similar things if he gets moving around and breaks containment. He can take off and get a first down or threaten and pull up to hit a receiver downfield. The defense must stay disciplined. If the defense can do some of the same things this Sunday that they did against Watson, they have a chance to make some big plays.

The Browns need to ignore the Eagles record, come in, and do their job. If they can follow through on the above three keys, another win will be in sight. With the playoff race shaping up to be one of the closest in years, the Browns need every win they can get.