Sizing up the Eagles' season opener against the Cleveland Browns:
When the Eagles have the ball
There's so much more excitement for this game with the kid playing. Carson Wentz, despite playing just one preseason game and missing most of training camp as his ribs healed, gets the start in Week 1. So much can change in a week. At this time last Friday, it was believed Wentz wouldn't play at all during his rookie season. Instead, he'll take the field immediately.
Anyone who claims to know what to expect from Wentz in Game 1 is lying. It's a massive leap he's making. In a way, the lack of preseason tape on Wentz could prove to be a benefit for the Eagles because the Browns might not know how much athleticism or football intelligence to expect.
Wentz showed glimpses in that first preseason game of throw-on-the-run ability. He won't be as statuesque in the pocket as Sam Bradford was. That athleticism will be welcomed in Doug Pederson's offense, which has West Coast principles and utilized Alex Smith's underrated movement skills/scrambling ability in Kansas City.
But while all eyes will be on Wentz in his debut, the bigger game could be had by Ryan Mathews.
The Browns allowed 2,055 rushing yards last season, third-most in the NFL. Only the Saints and Eagles allowed more. As a result, the linebacking corps is entirely new. Veterans Karlos Dansby and Paul Kruger are out; former Jets LB Demario Davis and second-round pick Emmanuel Ogbah are in.
Mathews averaged 5.1 yards per carry last season, showing explosiveness even in Chip Kelly's predictable system that generated so many no-gains or losses on runs. Mathews' ability to reach the edge or power through the middle have rarely been called into question. The main questions last year were health, fumbles and dropped passes.
NFL
With Lane Johnson active for Week 1, this could be the best offensive line Mathews plays behind all season. That, Wentz's inexperience and the Browns' previous ineptitude vs. the run could result in a huge day for Mathews and Darren Sproles.
The Browns' best defender by far is cornerback Joe Haden, one of the top corners in the game. But the Eagles don't have a No. 1 receiver the offense funnels through, so Wentz would be wise to simply avoid him. On the other side is CB Jamar Taylor, who played the last three seasons with the Dolphins and last year had the fourth-worst QB Rating against at 134.8.
In the slot, Jordan Matthews will likely be matched up with former Packers corner Tramon Williams. Williams is an experienced player with 29 career interceptions, including the end-zone pick of Michael Vick in the 2010 playoffs.
Another thing to keep in mind is the Browns allowed 10 touchdowns to tight ends last season, fifth-most in the NFL. It's become a cliche that rookie QBs rely on their tight ends, but Zach Ertz could have a solid start to a season in which many expect him to break out.
When the Browns have the ball
The Eagles are fortunate to draw the Browns at this time of the year. It's Robert Griffin III's first game with his new team, first-round pick Corey Coleman's first game in the NFL, and Cleveland won't have Josh Gordon back until Week 5.
RG3 may resurrect his career with the Browns, but it's a tough ask of him to hit the ground running against this strong Eagles defensive front in Week 1.
Griffin should have better protection in Cleveland than he had in Washington, specifically on the left side, where Joe Thomas is a perennial All-Pro and 2014 second-rounder Joel Bitonio is a mauler at left guard. The Eagles could generate some real pressure up the middle, though. Cameron Erving is moving from guard to center after struggling all year in 2015.
The Browns' ground game is one of the weakest in the NFL. Starter Isaiah Crowell lacks breakaway speed and has averaged just 3.9 yards per carry over two seasons. Duke Johnson is a more explosive back who catches balls out of the backfield. He could be RG3's best friend early this season.
Out wide, look for Hue Jackson to involve Coleman and Terrelle Pryor in the deep passing game. Griffin and Pryor had some success connecting downfield in the preseason, and Coleman wasn't drafted 15th overall for nothing. He ran a 4.37 40 at the Combine.
The Browns' most dangerous weapon last season was 30-year-old tight end Gary Barnidge, who came out of nowhere to catch 79 passes for 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns. Barnidge had never before caught more than 13 passes in a season. He's not going to get over the top of a defense, but Barnidge excels at making tough catches in traffic.
The Eagles' defense will be their strength in 2016 and this is an opportunity to get off to a fast start against a mediocre offense. There are many things to watch for from the Eagles' D in this one.
Among them:
• Fletcher Cox's transition to a 4-3. How dominant will he be?
• For that matter, how will the position switch from outside linebacker to defensive end affect the pass rushing abilities of Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham?
• The new-look secondary. What will Leodis McKelvin bring at corner? Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod could be a top-five NFL safety tandem, but will they excel together right away?
• How does the linebacker rotation work out? It seems like Stephen Tulloch will see some time at middle linebacker and that could come at the expense of Mychal Kendricks if Jordan Hicks slides over when Tulloch enters.
Special teams
The Eagles have the advantage over most teams in this area. It's the fourth season for Dave Fipp as special teams coordinator and the Eagles have been terrific in all phases during his tenure, whether it's punt and kick returns, blocked kicks or punts.
The Eagles put a lot of focus on special teams. They have one of the best punters in Donnie Jones. They have maybe the best punt returner (still) in Sproles. They have players on the roster specifically because of their special teams accumen in Chris Maragos and Bryan Braman.
Josh Huff will return the kickoffs, but that may be a moot point with the NFL rule change. Touchbacks on kickoffs come out to the 25-yard line this season, making it even less logical for returners to do anything but take a knee if they field it in the end zone. The NFL is experimenting with this new touchback rule to reduce kickoff returns because they're the most dangerous type of play in the game. But some think it could have the opposite result as kickers specialize in skying the ball and landing it just outside the end zone, around the 5-yard line.
Not much to note about the Browns' special teams. Johnson returns the kickoffs and Williams the punts. Their kicker is Patrick Murray, who went 20 for 24 last season and made five field goals from 50-plus yards. He made his last 12 attempts to end 2015.
Prediction
Eagles 19, Browns 13