Cleveland Browns - QB Rotation: Charlie Frye, Ken Dorsey, Derek Anderson.
Youth is the story at quarterback: The Browns made a surprising move, sending experienced veteran QB Trent Dilfer off to San Francisco in exchange for the younger QB Ken Dorsey.
Offensive line thin with the recent loss of OL LeCharles Bentley, their star free agent signing. Now, Bon Hallen must play center, which affects the depth. Kirk Chambers is expected to get the bulk of the work at right tackle with Ryan Tucker out. The Browns asked backup defensive lineman Andrew Hoffman to switch from defense to offense - specifically to guard - where they're a little thin. Todd Washington, who was signed last week as a free agent, retired and rookie Isaac Sowells suffered a sprained ankle Friday and could be out several weeks.
Early competition seems to give Sean Jones the edge at safety over Brodney Pool, and Leigh Bodden the edge at cornerback over Daylon McCutcheon. McCutcheon will have arthroscopic surgery and miss up to a month or more of training camp and preseason. McCutcheon will be "scoped" to repair cartilage damage in his knee. Coach Romeo Crennel said he expects him to return for the regular season opener Sept. 10 against New Orleans. McCutcheon entered camp as a co-starter with Bodden.
WR Braylon Edwards is practicing but won't likely play until September.
Cleveland - The last two seasons that Romeo Crennel was the defensive coordinator at New England, seven of the eight preseason games the Patriots played stayed 'under' the total. Well he brought this trend right over with him in his first year as Cleveland's head coach, with three of the four preseason games going 'under' the total. It should also be noted that Crennel brought over New England’s winning ways with the Browns, going a perfect 4-0 ATS last year in the preseason.
2002-2005 SU 9-7 ATS 9-7 O/U 7-9
Philadelphia Eagles - QB Rotation: Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, Koy Detmer, Timmy Chang.
Note: This is the Eagles second game, playing Sunday, August 6 in the Hall of Fame Game.
Wideout depth thin.
Running back depth thin. RB Ryan Moats has been sidelined with strained knee ligaments, RB Bruce Perry got a concussion Sunday, while rookie fullback Jason Davis is out (broken hand.) The team has also been cautious in using Correll Buckhalter because he is trying to return from a couple of knee surgeries. That leaves Brian Westbrook, Reno Mahe and Thomas Tapeh as the only healthy tailbacks.
The Eagles signed Brodrick Bunkley, but he is not expected to play Thursday.
Andy Reid has modest goals for this opening preseason game: "You are looking at the young guys and the opportunity there," he said. "From the veterans, you are looking for execution and to get used to doing things full speed, game speed I should say, not full speed, they've been doing full speed out here."
Defensive wrinkles: Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has some new nickel packages. He thinks this defense has more speed than any he's had since coming here with head coach Andy Reid in 1999; admitting that end Jevon Kearse may play standing up a little more; planning to use rookie linebacker Chris Gocong as an end and to use end Darren Howard as a tackle at times.
The intent is obviously to create more confusion than ever for opposing offenses, which last season beat the Eagles' blitz packages more often than not. That led to the lowest sack total (29) and highest number of touchdown passes allowed (24) in the Reid/Johnson era. Among the most noticeable changes will be as many as six defensive backs and only three down linemen and one true linebacker (usually Shawn Barber) on the field at times. The formations are designed to set up more effective zone blitzes and better attack angles to the quarterback.
Philadelphia - Andy Reid and the Eagles show no trends that we can take advantage of, going 8-8 in the preseason over the last four years. However, six of the last seven preseason games the Eagles have played have gone 'over' the total. Look for that trend to continue this preseason with the Eagles' strong quarterback rotation.
2002-2005 SU 8-8 ATS 8-8 O/U 9-6
2006 SU 0-1 ATS 0-1 O/U 0-1
Youth is the story at quarterback: The Browns made a surprising move, sending experienced veteran QB Trent Dilfer off to San Francisco in exchange for the younger QB Ken Dorsey.
Offensive line thin with the recent loss of OL LeCharles Bentley, their star free agent signing. Now, Bon Hallen must play center, which affects the depth. Kirk Chambers is expected to get the bulk of the work at right tackle with Ryan Tucker out. The Browns asked backup defensive lineman Andrew Hoffman to switch from defense to offense - specifically to guard - where they're a little thin. Todd Washington, who was signed last week as a free agent, retired and rookie Isaac Sowells suffered a sprained ankle Friday and could be out several weeks.
Early competition seems to give Sean Jones the edge at safety over Brodney Pool, and Leigh Bodden the edge at cornerback over Daylon McCutcheon. McCutcheon will have arthroscopic surgery and miss up to a month or more of training camp and preseason. McCutcheon will be "scoped" to repair cartilage damage in his knee. Coach Romeo Crennel said he expects him to return for the regular season opener Sept. 10 against New Orleans. McCutcheon entered camp as a co-starter with Bodden.
WR Braylon Edwards is practicing but won't likely play until September.
Cleveland - The last two seasons that Romeo Crennel was the defensive coordinator at New England, seven of the eight preseason games the Patriots played stayed 'under' the total. Well he brought this trend right over with him in his first year as Cleveland's head coach, with three of the four preseason games going 'under' the total. It should also be noted that Crennel brought over New England’s winning ways with the Browns, going a perfect 4-0 ATS last year in the preseason.
2002-2005 SU 9-7 ATS 9-7 O/U 7-9
Philadelphia Eagles - QB Rotation: Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, Koy Detmer, Timmy Chang.
Note: This is the Eagles second game, playing Sunday, August 6 in the Hall of Fame Game.
Wideout depth thin.
Running back depth thin. RB Ryan Moats has been sidelined with strained knee ligaments, RB Bruce Perry got a concussion Sunday, while rookie fullback Jason Davis is out (broken hand.) The team has also been cautious in using Correll Buckhalter because he is trying to return from a couple of knee surgeries. That leaves Brian Westbrook, Reno Mahe and Thomas Tapeh as the only healthy tailbacks.
The Eagles signed Brodrick Bunkley, but he is not expected to play Thursday.
Andy Reid has modest goals for this opening preseason game: "You are looking at the young guys and the opportunity there," he said. "From the veterans, you are looking for execution and to get used to doing things full speed, game speed I should say, not full speed, they've been doing full speed out here."
Defensive wrinkles: Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has some new nickel packages. He thinks this defense has more speed than any he's had since coming here with head coach Andy Reid in 1999; admitting that end Jevon Kearse may play standing up a little more; planning to use rookie linebacker Chris Gocong as an end and to use end Darren Howard as a tackle at times.
The intent is obviously to create more confusion than ever for opposing offenses, which last season beat the Eagles' blitz packages more often than not. That led to the lowest sack total (29) and highest number of touchdown passes allowed (24) in the Reid/Johnson era. Among the most noticeable changes will be as many as six defensive backs and only three down linemen and one true linebacker (usually Shawn Barber) on the field at times. The formations are designed to set up more effective zone blitzes and better attack angles to the quarterback.
Philadelphia - Andy Reid and the Eagles show no trends that we can take advantage of, going 8-8 in the preseason over the last four years. However, six of the last seven preseason games the Eagles have played have gone 'over' the total. Look for that trend to continue this preseason with the Eagles' strong quarterback rotation.
2002-2005 SU 8-8 ATS 8-8 O/U 9-6
2006 SU 0-1 ATS 0-1 O/U 0-1