Eagles-Browns Scouting Report

Recent history: The visiting Eagles defeated the Browns, 17-16, on Opening Day 2012. Cleveland leads the series, which dates to 1950, 31-16-1.

WHEN THE EAGLES RUN THE BALL

The Eagles' run game wasn't very good last season. They finished 14th in rushing (108.9 yards per game) and 21st in rush average (3.9 yards per carry). DeMarco Murray, who averaged just 3.6 yards per carry, was traded, leaving Ryan Mathews as the team's top running back. Mathews is a good one-cut slasher, but has durability issues. He has missed 13 games the last two seasons and has missed four or more games in three of his six NFL seasons. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry last season, but had only 106 carries. Technically, the No. 2 running back is 33-year-old Darren Sproles. But he's more receiver than runner. Their other two backs are Kenjon Barner, who has 34 career carries, and Wendell Smallwood, a rookie who was hurt most of the preseason. The Browns were 30th against the run last year (128.4 per game) and 27th in yards allowed per carry (4.5).

EDGE: Eagles

WHEN THE EAGLES PASS THE BALL

Saturday's trade of Sam Bradford leaves rookie Carson Wentz as the starting quarterback. Wentz, the second pick in the draft, missed three of the four preseason games with a pair of broken ribs. He is big (6-5, 235) and mobile with a strong, accurate arm, but made just 23 college starts. SWR Jordan Matthews and TE Zach Ertz were the Eagles' top receivers last year. Matthews had 85 receptions and eight TDs. Ertz had 75 catches. Running back Darren Sproles also is expected to be a big part of the passing game. The Eagles have three good pass-catching TEs - Ertz, Brent Celek and Trey Burton - and will use a lot of two- and three-tight end sets. Browns had just 29 sacks last season. They will rely on young edge rushers Nate Orchard and Emmanuel Ogbah and former Penn State standout Carl Nassib to get pressure on QBs.

EDGE: Eagles

WHEN THE BROWNS RUN THE BALL

Like the Eagles, the Browns hope to run the ball more often - and better - under new coach Hue Jackson. The Browns' 2015 run percentage (36.5) was the eighth lowest in the league. They finished 22nd in rushing, averaging just 95.6 yards per game. Their leading rusher, Isaiah Crowell, finished with just 706 yards, averaging 3.8 yards. Crowell and 5-9 Duke Johnson will split the workload. A problem up front for the Browns could be center Cam Erving. The 6-5, 305-pound Erving, the team's 2015 first-round pick, has been moved from guard to center and has struggled with the move. Now, in his first start there, he'll be spending a lot of time with the formidable DT tandem of Fletcher Cox and Bennie Logan. The Eagles were horrible vs. the run last year, finishing last in the league in run defense (134.6 per game). They looked much better in the preseason.

EDGE: Eagles

WHEN THE BROWNS PASS THE BALL

Robert Griffin III will become the Browns' 25th starting quarterback since 1999. Griffin didn't play a single snap last season with the Redskins. Since his impressive 20-TD, five-interception performance as a rookie in 2012, he's thrown 20 TDs and 18 interceptions with an 83.7 passer rating. He has a strong arm and throws a pretty good deep ball, but isn't very accurate on intermediate throws, particularly when defenses can keep him in the pocket. He had a 57.9 completion percentage in the preseason. The Browns' best receiver, Josh Gordon, is serving a four-game suspension. Their starting wideouts are rookie first-round pick Corey Coleman and 6-6, 240-pound former quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Pryor looked good in the preseason, but still is learning the position. The Browns gave up 53 sacks last season. The Eagles' pass rush looked impressive in the preseason.

EDGE: Eagles

SPECIAL TEAMS

Dave Fipp's special-teams units have been among the best in the league the last two seasons. The Eagles finished third in punt coverage and seventh in kickoff coverage last year. PR Darren Sproles has returned four punts for TDs over the last two years and has averaged a league-best 12.4 yards per return. KR Josh Huff has averaged 26.1 yards per return the last two years. PK Caleb Sturgis beat out Cody Parkey for the kicking job in the preseason. Sturgis made 18 of 22 field-goal attempts last season after replacing the injured Parkey. P Donnie Jones finished sixth in net average in 2015 (41.6). The Browns have a new kicker and punter. Their new PK, Patrick Murray, was out of the league last year, but kicked for Tampa Bay in 2014, converting 20 of 24 FG attempts (5-for-6 from 50-plus yards. P Britton Colquitt spent the last 6 years with Denver.

EDGE: Eagles

INTANGIBLES

The Browns haven't exactly been road warriors. They've lost 10 of their last 11 road games and are 7-33 on the road over the last five years. There will be no Dawg Pound at the Linc.

EDGE: Eagles

Domo's prediction: Eagles 24, Browns 6

KEY MATCHUPS

1. Eagles DT Fletcher Cox vs. Browns C Cam Erving: The 6-5, 305-pound Erving has struggled with the move from guard to center. Cox is one of the two or three best defensive linemen in the league. Advantage: Eagles

2. Eagles TE Zach Ertz vs. Browns S Jordan Poyer: Ertz, who had 75 receptions last season, is a tough matchup for any safety or linebacker. Poyer is a former Eagles draft pick with just four career starts. Advantage: Eagles

3. Eagles MLB Jordan Hicks vs. Browns RBs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson: Hicks will be the key to an Eagles run defense that finished last in the NFL in 2015. Advantage: Eagles

Hot and Not

HOT

Eagles: CB Nolan Carroll. Bounced back from broken leg, won starting job and had two preseason INTs.

Browns: WR Terrelle Pryor. Averaged 24.4 yards per catch in the preseason.

NOT

Eagles: WR Nelson Agholor. Had just two preseason receptions.

Browns: C Cam Erving. Struggling with the move from guard to center.

@Pdomo Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian.com