Cleveland 10
Philadelphia 29
Sunday, September 11, 2016 01:00 PM
(ET)
Wentz has stellar debut as Eagles defeat Browns
The Sports Xchange
Sep 11, 2016
PHILADELPHIA -- The Carson Wentz era got off to a rousing start as the rookie quarterback led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 29-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Wentz, the second overall pick in April's NFL draft, completed 22 of 37 passes for 278 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions -- a passer rating of 100.9 -- as he outplayed Browns QB Robert Griffin III.
The Browns had that No. 2 overall selection before they traded it to the Eagles, as they apparently didn't think Wentz was worth that high a pick. And Wentz's statistics would have been even more impressive on Sunday, but at least five of his passes were dropped. The Eagles' Jordan Matthews was the game's top receiver, with seven catches for 114 yards and a TD.
Griffin completed 12 of 26 passes for 190 yards and one interception, with no TDs, for a passer rating of 54.9. His top receiver was Terrelle Pryor, who had three catches for 68 yards.
Wentz, who missed most of the preseason and a good chunk of training camp with a cracked rib, looked like a seasoned veteran. On his first possession he led the Eagles on a 75-yard, nine-play drive that culminated with a 19-yard touchdown pass to receiver Matthews that made it 7-0 with 9:50 left in the first quarter. Wentz was 4-for-5 in the drive for 57 yards, and his one incompletion was dropped by Josh Huff.
Trailing 10-0, the Browns got back into the game thanks to one big play and one big penalty. The play was a 44-yard pass to Pryor. The big penalty was a pass-interference call against safety Malcolm Jenkins on an incomplete fourth-down pass. That put the ball on the 1, and on the next play Isaiah Crowell scored to make it 10-7 with 9:11 left in the second period.
After the two teams exchanged field goals, the Eagles picked up two cheap points when Browns center Cameron Erving snapped the ball over Griffin's head and through the end zone for a safety. Then the Eagles scored seven not-cheap points when Wentz lofted a perfect 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nelson Agholor that made the score 22-10 with 6:17 left in the third quarter.
The Eagles added another field goal right before halftime after a tipped Griffin pass was intercepted by cornerback Rodney McLeod. That set up a 38-yarder by Sturgis. However, the Browns got those three points back on their first possession of the second half, after Griffin connected with receiver Corey Coleman with a 58-yard pass. That set up Patrick Murray's 35-yard field goal, which made it 13-10.
NOTES: Eagles P Donnie Jones got his 2016 season off to a great start -- his first two punts traveled 67 and 72 yards, his longest since he hit an 80-yarder with the Rams in 2007. ... Browns rookie WR Corey Coleman made his first NFL catch a memorable one -- the first-round draft pick from Baylor caught a 58-yard pass early in the third quarter that set up a field goal.
Sep 11, 2016
PHILADELPHIA -- The Carson Wentz era got off to a rousing start as the rookie quarterback led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 29-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Wentz, the second overall pick in April's NFL draft, completed 22 of 37 passes for 278 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions -- a passer rating of 100.9 -- as he outplayed Browns QB Robert Griffin III.
The Browns had that No. 2 overall selection before they traded it to the Eagles, as they apparently didn't think Wentz was worth that high a pick. And Wentz's statistics would have been even more impressive on Sunday, but at least five of his passes were dropped. The Eagles' Jordan Matthews was the game's top receiver, with seven catches for 114 yards and a TD.
Griffin completed 12 of 26 passes for 190 yards and one interception, with no TDs, for a passer rating of 54.9. His top receiver was Terrelle Pryor, who had three catches for 68 yards.
Wentz, who missed most of the preseason and a good chunk of training camp with a cracked rib, looked like a seasoned veteran. On his first possession he led the Eagles on a 75-yard, nine-play drive that culminated with a 19-yard touchdown pass to receiver Matthews that made it 7-0 with 9:50 left in the first quarter. Wentz was 4-for-5 in the drive for 57 yards, and his one incompletion was dropped by Josh Huff.
Trailing 10-0, the Browns got back into the game thanks to one big play and one big penalty. The play was a 44-yard pass to Pryor. The big penalty was a pass-interference call against safety Malcolm Jenkins on an incomplete fourth-down pass. That put the ball on the 1, and on the next play Isaiah Crowell scored to make it 10-7 with 9:11 left in the second period.
After the two teams exchanged field goals, the Eagles picked up two cheap points when Browns center Cameron Erving snapped the ball over Griffin's head and through the end zone for a safety. Then the Eagles scored seven not-cheap points when Wentz lofted a perfect 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nelson Agholor that made the score 22-10 with 6:17 left in the third quarter.
The Eagles added another field goal right before halftime after a tipped Griffin pass was intercepted by cornerback Rodney McLeod. That set up a 38-yarder by Sturgis. However, the Browns got those three points back on their first possession of the second half, after Griffin connected with receiver Corey Coleman with a 58-yard pass. That set up Patrick Murray's 35-yard field goal, which made it 13-10.
NOTES: Eagles P Donnie Jones got his 2016 season off to a great start -- his first two punts traveled 67 and 72 yards, his longest since he hit an 80-yarder with the Rams in 2007. ... Browns rookie WR Corey Coleman made his first NFL catch a memorable one -- the first-round draft pick from Baylor caught a 58-yard pass early in the third quarter that set up a field goal.
