Zone reads: A look around at the Eagles win over the Browns

Ben Brigandi

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Zone reads: A look around at the Eagles win over the Browns image

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The Philadelphia Eagles handled some adversity Sunday, returning from the bye week to beat the Cleveland Browns, 20-16. 

But for a team with Super Bowl aspirations after getting there two seasons ago, being 3-2 in mid-October isn’t exactly fulfilling.

Then there’s the way it looked, with the team needing to overcome another slow start before holding Cleveland to a late field goal in the red zone before running out the clock. 

MORE: NFL writer predicts Eagles troll Giants with ‘Saquon Barkley Show’ on offense in Week 7

Jeff McLane, Philadelphia Inquirer: ‘Constipated offense’

“Philadelphia’s faithful are a demanding lot. But they know bad football when they see it, and when the offense went three-and-out on yet another opening drive — despite an extra week to finally get the starting script right — boos rained down on the Eagles on an otherwise clear day.”

Mike Sielski, Philadelphia Inquirer: Sirianni tried to deflect criticism

“It was impossible to watch him on that dais — his kids smiling and squirming as he dropped a s--- and an ass and smacked the table and monologued about the passion of a home crowd whose members spent most of the day sitting on their hands — and not see what was really going on.”

Reuben Frank, NBC Sports Philadelphia: 10 Observations

“The Eagles have now gone 16 consecutive games without beating anybody by two possessions, and that’s insane. The last time they won a game by more than eight points was Miami last October. For those of you who keep track of this stuff, this is the Eagles’ 3rd-longest streak of games without a two-possession win in 40 years.”

Martin Frank, Delaware News Journal: Why Eagles players loved it 

"We thrive off the crowd when they cheer for us," Sirianni said. "We hear them when they boo. We don’t necessarily like it. I don't think that's productive for anybody. When they cheer for us, and we got them rolling, we love it."

Dan Gelston, Associated Press: Eagles hold off the Browns 20-16

“On the field, it was mostly the same old Eagles, who turned running back Saquon Barkley into a bystander, couldn’t get Hurts to consistently connect with his star receivers, and had shoddy execution -- notably on special teams.

“The saving grace? They played the Browns.”

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Ben Brigandi

Ben Brigandi Photo

Ben Brigandi is a lifelong professional in sports media, as a writer and editor. Career highlights include covering future pros in high school and even younger, from kicker Robbie Gould in high school to Jurickson Profar, Cody Bellinger, and others at the Little League World Series held in his neighborhood. Born and raised in central Pennsylvania, Ben graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism and covered Nittany Lion games for nearly two decades after attending games as a kid growing up in Happy Valley. He’s seen the Eagles go from hated rivals to his boyhood favorite Washington Commanders to accepting their success as Dan Snyder ruined his fandom. One day, Ben dreams of again playing golf to a legit single-digit handicap, without either putting in the work or sinking pesky 3-foot putts.