After lifeless Monday practice, Eagles wake up on Day 2 vs. Browns
After lifeless Monday practice, Eagles wake up on Day 2 vs. Browns originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
That team that practiced against the Browns on Monday?
No sign of them on Tuesday. Thankfully.
The Eagles got their butts kicked on Monday in Day 1 of joint practices with the Browns at the NovaCare Complex. On both sides of the ball. They lacked energy, focus and attitude. Honestly, it was embarrassing.
“It was a good wake-up call, to be honest with you,” Jason Kelce said.
Tuesday was different from the first snap to the last. Totally different.
It seemed like as an organization, the Eagles decided they weren’t going to let the Browns push them around again on their own practice fields.
And the team that showed up was intense, chippy and physical.
“Oh, you all saw it,” said Tyrie Cleveland, who had another incredible touchdown catch Tuesday. “It was a lot more juice, a lot more energy. We came out to play. The first day of practice, they came out and hit us in the mouth. Like coach (Nick Sirianni) said, we've got to respond better no matter what we did last year, how successful we were. We got to always come out ready to fight.’”
And they did exactly that. Both literally and figuratively.
“One of the first things (Sirianni) said in the team meeting (was), ‘We are not happy with the way we performed yesterday, that wasn’t up to the standard that we hold ourselves to,’ and we made it a point to come out and be better today," Kelce said.
They were better in every area. The offensive line, abused on Monday, dominated the Browns' outstanding rushers Tuesday. Jalen Hurts and the first offense were sharper. And the defense really made things difficult for Deshaun Watson and the Browns’ first offense both up front and in coverage.
The Eagles were the aggressors all over the field, and the Browns couldn’t match their energy, enthusiasm or playmaking.
“They did some good things the first day, certainly caught us off guard,” Kelce said. “I thought they had a lot of really good energy, and I think all of us as an offense were excited to get back out here and go to work, and that’s how you want to respond. … Much better day today. Happy with the way the team – especially the offense – responded.
“Guys were fired up to get back out on the field and had a much better day today, and we’re going to keep on trying to improve. That’s the name of this game.
“Cleveland was probably happy with how they performed yesterday, and we had a little bit more grit about us today.”
Although Kelce said Sirianni’s message was clear, Darius Slay said Sirianni didn’t need to say anything because the players knew exactly what they had to do.
“That’s what makes us who we are,” Slay said. “Coach don't got to tell us how we felt about practice. A lot of guys just came and looked at us and said, ‘We got to be better.’ Of course we had a straight day (Monday), but we need to have great days to get where we need to go.
“Me as a leader, Fletcher, B.G. and all our guys, we looked at our groups and say, ‘Hey man, it's time to go today, man.’”
Practice ended with full-team drills and really for one of the few times all summer, the Eagles’ offense and defense were together on the same sideline, working toward a common goal.
The pure elation on the Eagles’ sideline when Josh Jobe picked off Josh Dobbs to end the practice was off the charts. The Browns walked back to their sideline as the entire Eagles’ roster mobbed Jobe in the end zone.
They knew they had responded exactly how they needed to.
“I felt like we didn’t have such a good day yesterday and today we had to pick it up and come with the energy,” Avonte Maddox said. “I definitely feel like we picked it up today.
“The whole practice we did a great job, but when the offense and defense come together, it’s like we’re on the same side. And we won every single rep out there.”
