The city of Philadelphia On Wednesday, the Browns and Eagles had their first of two joint workouts.
These are the lessons I learned during the first day of joint practice in Philadelphia, which was intense, hot, and saw both teams playing very hard.
1. Pre-snap movement a priority
The Browns frequently forced defensive adjustments and created mismatches by using pre-snap motion. This involved moving players like Gage Larvadain, Jerry Jeudy, and Harold Fannin Jr. into various alignments as well as orbit and jet movements.
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The quarterback was able to analyze coverage and predict defensive adjustments prior to the snap because to the clear picture the pre-snap motion helped to establish.
They used fullback shifts in power looks, signaled into empty sets, and even ran orbit to deep over combinations in the red zone. From the first team practice to the last 11-on-11 period, the emphasis was on the Eagles’ coverage rules and open throwing windows.
2. Breakdown of QB play
Flacco, Joelooked good in intermediate and red zone work. He found Diontae Johnson for a score on a crossing route under pressure, executed quick game concepts with accuracy, and delivered an 18-yard-deep comeback to Jeudy across the field with exceptional anticipation. He continues to outperform the other quarterbacks due to his ability to sustain his lower body mechanics under pressure. He played quite effectively even if he missed high on a few speed outs.
Gabriel DillonA mixed day. delivered a great arrow route touchdown to Ahmani Marshall and showed excellent anticipation on a dropped pass to Jamari Thrash. Accuracy issues with regular throws: short on a deep over, overthrows on speed outs, and heavy pressure resulting in sacks. Throughout practice, he made good use of his balance, weight transfer, and ability to throw from numerous launch points, all of which are directly tied to his performance.
Due to an oblique issue, Shedeur SandersD did not practice today, which limited his 7-on-7 and team period repetitions.
3. Defensive line dominance
The majority of the action was under the authority of both defensive fronts. The Eagles’ A and B gaps were regularly won by Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, who anchored there to block any room for the football to be run, delaying inside zone and duo runs.
On the Browns side, Mason Graham used his hands to swipe and manipulate offensive guards, creating multiple pressures during team periods, while Myles Garrett consistently established the edge by applying pressure to the quarterback with his speed rush and excellent bend. Alex Wright successfully collapsed the pocket as well. Both defenses’ interior push and edge positioning forced quarterbacks to make snap decisions and run fewer explosive plays.
4. Secondary s skills
The defensive backs for the Browns frequently showed patience and skill by interfering with catches with late hands without being penalized. When the pass reaches the receiver, their exceptional ball skills enable them to split the receiver’s hands and get the football out.
Denzel Ward perfectly timed his reach to break up a well-thrown ball to DeVonta Smith. Tony Brown contested a deep ball to Johnny Wilson of the Eagles using the same technique. Throughout practice, the footwork remained disciplined in one-on-one situations, with corners remaining in phase and playing through the receiver’s hands at the last second.
Players of the Day
Throughout practice, Jeudy and Diontae Johnson were recognized for their reliability, route running, and ability to create plays.
On deep comebacks and intermediate dig routes, Jeudy’s terrific footwork, crisp cuts, and superb timing made a number of challenging catches appear effortless.
Johnson demonstrated steady receptions in traffic, fast adjustments on option routes, and good hands. As he approaches the defensive back, he does a fantastic job of selling every route as a vertical, forcing the DB to make a strong retreat and creating openings underneath.
In order to maintain separation and get more yards after the catch, both receivers are excellent at leaning into their defenders to create space, particularly during breaking routes. They can reverse direction without losing speed and win at the top of routes thanks to their short-area burst and fast feet. Additionally, they converted intermediate passes into touchdowns by making crucial plays in red zone situations.
They provided the quarterbacks with reliable choices and helped to keep rhythm during practice, making their performance noteworthy not only for productivity but also for technique and consistency.
Former Garfield Heights High School coach Lance Reisland served as his father Chuck’s assistant for 18 seasons before taking over as head coach for four of those seasons, from 2014 to 2018. His squad made it to the OHSAA Division II regional semifinals in 2018 after finishing 11-1. In addition to defeating Warren G. Harding for the school’s first-ever playoff victory, the squad finished 10-0 and became the first Garfield Heights team to go unbeaten in a regular season in 41 years.
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