No Myles Garrett? No problem. Garrett’s defensive mates stepped up in a big way and carried the Cleveland Browns to a 22-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in a rain-soaked FirstEnergy Stadium.
Cleveland’s defense dominated a mistake-prone Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia offense. From Sione Takitaki’s pick-six to start the scoring to Olivier Vernon’s safety — one of his three sacks of Wentz — the Browns defense consistently saved the day until the offense finally caught its footing.
After just 18 yards on 13 carries at halftime, the Browns run game got untracked. It took a fantastic effort from Nick Chubb on a 54-yard run to really get it rolling. Kareem Hunt finished off that drive with a fancy, leaping TD run of his own to effectively salt away the victory.
The defense deserves the credit, however. Missing Garrett, a viable Defensive Player of the Year candidate, the front stiffened impressively after a rough opening drive. Vernon dominated his individual matchup with Jason Peters. Young Vincent Taylor showed energy and effectiveness in the middle.
Denzel Ward added a late pick off Wentz, who played very loose with the ball security all day. The downfield coverage was solid all day long, on the few occasions where Wentz had time.
Baker Mayfield wasn’t great, but he made enough key completions to get the job done. He outshined Wentz, for those keeping score at home. The box score shows the Browns’ defense stepping up on third downs. Mayfield’s ability to hit just enough of those, combined with the long runs, overcame some poor special teams and an otherwise lackluster offensive effort.
This is the kind of sloppy game the Browns need to win. And for the second week in a row, they did it. It’s a nice step for a team that is 7-3 for the first time since 1994. Wins matter more than style points, though this one had some flair for Cleveland, too.
