Eagles overpower Browns, 27-10…areas of concern still remain…

It started out with a wake-up call from the Browns. Brandon Weeden led a very impressive 5-minute opening drive that had the Browns knocking at the goal line door. I wasn’t the only one that had that “here we go again” anxiety about the Eagles’ defense.

But Derek Landri’s strip sack of Weeden ended Cleveland’s first offensive series and was the first of five sacks the front four would produce, including 1.5 by Brandon Graham. Maybe that play actually did turn things around…

“It started out as a play fake, almost like a play-action pass,” Landri said. “I just got off the ball, got into the guard, made an inside move and the quarterback was right in front of me. I got my hands up on the ball, threw him to the ground and tried to pick it up and score.”

“We started slow. They had a big play to start the game off, and you never want to start a game off like that. We’ve got to figure a way come Week 1 against these guys to shut it down and not give up a big drive. We were fortunate enough to get in a good situation and make a play and kill all their momentum, which is what you want to do.”

Eagles defense eventually found its rhythm and turned into a swarming gang-tackling machine by design, basically beating the Browns with team speed…

Nick Foles, the rookie QB from Arizona, took it from there… After tossing a bad-decision INT on his second snap of the game, Foles picked up where he left off in the first two preseason games by producing his best effort of the summer, throwing two touchdown passes in leading the Eagles to a 17-3 halftime lead before giving way to Trent Edwards.

Foles completed 12 of 19 passes for 146 yards, but it was his decision-making and elusiveness inside the pocket and out that continued to dazzle. Foles has taken a majority of the snaps in the preseason because of injuries to Vick and Kafka, and has yet to take a sack, which reflects his pocket awareness even more than the effectiveness of the offensive line.

In the first quarter, he looked off receivers on the left side, turned and waited until the last possible moment to unload a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brent Celek, capping a three-play drive that was set up by Darryl Tapp’s fumble recovery at the Cleveland 15-yard line. Linebacker Ryan Rau, a long shot to stick with the team, caused the fumble.

Foles took advantage of a short field less than three minutes later by calmly hitting Dion Lewis over the middle for a 2-yard touchdown that was set up by Keenan Clayton’s punt block and Curtis Marsh’s recovery at the 3.

But of all the passes Foles completed, it was one that didn’t count that turned the most heads. On third-and-6 from the Cleveland 23 early in the second quarter, he lofted a perfect missile to Damaris Johnson, who was blanketed on the end-zone sideline by former Eagle Sheldon Brown. Johnson’s catch was originally ruled a touchdown before being overturned on replay, which revealed he didn’t get a second foot down in bounds, and the Eagles then settled for a field goal to give them a 17-0 lead.

“For being a rookie, he is so calm,” Celek said. “Any time you ever make a mistake, if you can come back and let that go, you’re going to be fine in this league. We all make mistakes. It’s how you respond from it. Nick has done a great job, not only throughout camp but through the first few games.” Celek’s touchdown reception offered further proof that Foles could be ready to be named the backup to Vick, who is out for the remainder of the preseason with bruised ribs. Foles started as the No. 3 quarterback behind Kafka, who broke his non-throwing hand in the first preseason game.

“Really, it wasn’t a play that was designed for me,” Celek said. “I just leaked out late because I knew there were some problems. Basically, I just got open and Nick got me the ball. It was a little bit of improvisation.”

Other guys who impressed: Rookie wide receiver Damaris Johnson made a sensational circus catch for a 45-yard gain to get the Eagles out of poor field position in the second quarter and averaged 14.5 yards on four punt returns, including a 30-yard burst on the final play of the first quarter to set up a field-goal drive. He finished with two catches for 58 yards.

Brett Brackett, a tight end out of Penn State, broke the plane of the goal line with a gutsy full extension for a touchdown after catching a short pass from Trent Edwards in the third quarter.

Rookie cornerback Cliff Harris added an interception in the third quarter, leading to another field goal. The pass was tipped by Clayton.

I’m going to rewatch the game on NFLN at 4:00 P.M. EST today (Saturday) and try to make some new observations. There are going to be some very difficult cuts coming up. And am I the only one who has noticed veteran DE Darryl Tapp is playing out of his mind with desire to stick with this club?