Monday’s joint practice didn’t go the way Philadelphia Eagles fans had hoped. It could have been a wake-up call the team needed, but the way Tuesday’s practice has gone is a bad sign.
After continuing to struggle to beat a Browns team that we fully expected to dominate, Eagles players started to get clearly frustrated. And they let that frustration get the best of them.
Big fight between #Eagles offense and Browns defense. Multiple flags. Coaches split them up
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) August 15, 2023
There are mixed reports on the source of the skirmishes, but it’s not a great sign that Eagles reporters were pretty quiet about it while Browns reporters were willing to share more details:
Happened 30 seconds later. An Eagles player hit Felton late and Dawand Jones started tossing Eagles players. It ended quickly. https://t.co/uCQLXmmIrL
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) August 15, 2023
Browns undrafted rookie Thomas Greaney traded slaps with Derek Barnett after Barnett hit him twice post-whistle. The Eagles defense spent most of that drill looking for extracurriculars.
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) August 15, 2023
I’m not going to take reports from a Browns reporter at face value of course, as they’ll naturally favor their home-town team. But late hits are pretty inexcusable, and the Eagles should be above that nonsense.
You like to see your team playing with passion and intensity, but you also want to see them play smart. Mental mistakes like losing your temper and picking up stupid penalties are something that can really add up during the season. This may just be training camp, but “practice like you play” is more than just a cliche. If you can’t keep your cool when the stakes are as low as they are in a training camp practice, how are you going to do it with a game on the line?
The Eagles did end up putting together a much better performance as the day went on, beating up on the Browns in the way that we’d expect a Super Bowl favorite to do.
#Eagles v Browns, Day 2 W/L verdict:
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) August 15, 2023
This ended up being a blowout
After a lackluster Day 1 the Eagles were the better team on Day 2 when it mattered most. The Browns didn’t play poorly (and actually started good). The Eagles were just better
The Eagles defensive and…
But let’s hope Nick Sirianni doesn’t just take this W and move on. This kind of behavior can’t become the norm in Philly.
We want to be intense. We want to by physical. But if we’re going to win the Super Bowl, we have to do it with some intelligence.
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