Click here to see all recaps on a single page
| Other Week 15 Game Recaps | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF at NYJ | CLE at PHI | DEN at CAR | DET at IND | GB at JAX | MIN at ARI | NE at OAK | NO at CHI |
| NYG at DAL | PIT at BAL | SD at KC | SEA at STL | SF at MIA | TB at ATL | TEN at HOU | WAS at CIN |
Week 15 Game Recap: Cleveland Browns 10, Philadelphia Eagles 30
What you need to know
| Cleveland Browns |
QB Ken Dorsey was unimpressive. He forced the ball to Braylon Edwards a couple of times and was rewarded by a good play by the former all-pro, but he also failed to read the defenses effectively or show good arm strength.
RB Jamal Lewis continues to struggle and look worn out. He did not hit holes quickly and failed to even show the power he normally is able to display.
WR Braylon Edwards made a few impressive catches against double coverage. His hands looked good for a change. TE Steve Heiden went down with a leg injury and TE Darnell Dinkens dropped what would have been an opening drive touchdown for the Browns.
| Philadelphia Eagles |
QB Donovan McNabb was crisp on the night, but did not have much success in the red zone. He connected with Kevin Curtis for a touchdown in the red zone but did not have much other success. McNabb spread the ball out as normal.
RB Brian Westbrook looked good but was unable to get into the end zone. He also had fewer receptions than he normally does because the Browns were giving McNabb time to throw the ball down the field.
WR DeSean Jackson looked solid running his routes and making a couple of tough grabs. Jason Avant ended up with 101 receiving yards from McNabb on five catches, none of which were longer than 25 yards. Kevin Curtis was able to make a touchdown catch in the first quarter but did not make much noise following that.
What you ought to know
| QB Ken Dorsey, Pass: 11 - 28 - 156 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 |
Dorsey struggled once again as the Browns quarterback. He had problems getting enough on the ball and even began to lose his accuracy as the game went on. He should have had a touchdown pass on the first drive of the night but Darnell Dinkens dropped a would have been touchdown. He was not moving well in the pocket and really forced the ball to Braylon Edwards for the majority of his passing yards.
| RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 14 - 32 - 0, Rec: 3 - 14 - 0 (3 targets) |
Lewis was not able to get going on offense. He had no explosion through holes or defenders.
| RB Lawrence Vickers, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) |
Vickers saw a couple of targets out of the backfield but was the fullback for the Browns.
| RB Jason Wright (2 targets) |
Wright saw a few plays out of the backfield but did not receive any action on offense.
| WR Josh Cribbs, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 5 - 25 - 0 |
Cribbs came out of the backfield in the Wildcat formation once again, but only got five snaps from it. He did not attempt a pass but did look quick hitting holes.
| WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 5 - 102 - 0 (5 targets) |
Edwards looked good running routes against double coverage and showed great ability to make plays on all of his receptions. He had no problems with his hands against the Eagles. Edwards broke the 100 yard barrier for the third straight time on Monday Night Football this season.
| WR Donte Stallworth, Rec: 1 - 13 - 0 (7 targets) |
Stallworth was once again very quiet. He managed one reception for 13 yards against his former team. Most of his targets were not catchable.
| WR Syndric Steptoe (6 targets) |
Steptoe got playing time in garbage time and seemed to have lost the number two wide receiver spot.
| TE Darnell Dinkins, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets) |
Dinkins dropped an easy touchdown on the Browns' first drive on third down inside the ten yard line. He filled in for Steve Heiden, who left with a leg injury. He caught only one of the three balls thrown his way for a six yard gain.
| TE Steve Heiden (1 targets) |
Heiden injured his leg blocking early in the game and was unable to produce anything before that on offense.
| TE Martin Rucker (2 targets) |
Rucker got some playing time late in the game replacing Dinkins as the tight end.
| PK Phil Dawson 1 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points |
Dawson made his only field goal of the night on a short kick from 27 yards.
| CLE Rush Defense |
The Browns were okay against the run but let Correll Buckhalter break a 27 yard run in the fourth quarter when they were down big. Rogers really plugged up the middle and made them run outside for the most part.
| CLE Pass Defense |
Cleveland could not pressure McNabb consistently and it cost them as McNabb tore them apart. They did intercept three passes on the night -- two in the end zone -- to keep the game from being even more embarrassing.
| QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 26 - 35 - 290 - 2 TD / 1 INT |
McNabb had all night to pass the ball and he took advantage by tearing apart the Cleveland defense. He spread the ball around, completing passes to nine different players. He was rested in the fourth quarter and had a huge smile on his face after stepping up for the second straight week after being benched based on performance.
| QB Kevin Kolb, Pass: 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - -2 - 0 |
Kolb came in when the Eagles were up big and immediately threw a pick-6. He handed the ball off in all but one of the remaining plays.
| RB Brian Westbrook, Rush: 16 - 53 - 0, Rec: 3 - 14 - 0 (4 targets) |
Westbrook looked solid but struggled to put up great numbers fantasy wise. He failed to score on a run from the three yard line and really had no other opportunities. He was not even a big factor in the passing game as the Browns could not force McNabb to dump the ball off.
| RB Correll Buckhalter, Rush: 6 - 55 - 0 |
Buckhalter served as the backup to Westbrook like usual. He looked solid but not spectacular against the Browns, showing quickness and some evasion. He had one big run for 27 yards.
| WR DeSean Jackson, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rec: 5 - 77 - 0 (6 targets) |
Jackson had an interesting night. On one hand, he was productive in catching five of the six passes thrown his way for 77 yards. However, he did throw an interception on his only attempt from the Wildcat formation on a pass into the end zone that he drastically under-threw.
| WR Jason Avant, Rec: 5 - 101 - 0 (6 targets) |
Avant had his biggest game of his career, eclipsing the 100-yard mark and finishing with a team high 101 yards. He caught five of the six balls thrown his way and all of them were for substantial yards.
| WR Kevin Curtis, Rec: 4 - 45 - 1 (5 targets) |
Curtis caught the first Eagles touchdown on the night on a 14 yard pass from Donovan McNabb. Curtis was a beneficiary of single coverage on his route and went up and made a play on the ball for the score.
| WR Hank Baskett, Rec: 3 - 15 - 0 (6 targets) |
Baskett was cycled in as one of many Eagles wide outs. He did see a target in the end zone but it was intercepted at the end of the first half on a great play on a slightly underthrown ball by Donovan McNabb. He was also targeted when DeSean Jackson threw an interception in the red zone. Neither of the interceptions were his fault.
| WR Greg Lewis, Rec: 1 - 10 - 1 (3 targets) |
Lewis did not see much action on offense but did catch a touchdown from McNabb in the fourth quarter.
| TE L.J. Smith, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (3 targets) |
Smith was part of a tight end by committee with Brent Celek and ended up with two catches for 13 yards.
| TE Brent Celek, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) |
Celek split time with L.J. Smith at tight end and was fairly quiet on the night, ending up with only nine yards on two catches.
| PK David Akers 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points |
Akers made all three of his short field goals.
| PHI Rush Defense |
The Eagles completely shut down the Browns' rushing attack. They did have some problems when Josh Cribbs was quarterback, but all in all played solid defense.
| PHI Pass Defense |
The Eagles put a lot of pressure on Ken Dorsey and forced him to make some bad decisions, resulting in a few turnovers and should have been turnovers.
