Monday, September 10, 2012

Eagles - Brown Opening Day notebook

Reid’s Records … Andy Reid won his 137th game, passing Hank Stram for 22nd on the NFL’s all-time wins list (regular and postseason included) ... Reid improved his opening-day record to 7-7 (4-1 since 2008), his record against the Browns to 4-0, and his record against the AFC North to 8-3-1.

Welcome to the NFL ... Since Reid became head coach in 1999, the Eagles are 15-6 when facing a rookie starting quarterback. In those games, the Eagles have held those signal callers to 274 of 557 passing (49.2%) for 3,097 yards, 18 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

Dominant Defense ... The Eagles defense held the Browns to just 210 total yards and 2-13 on third downs, while forcing four turnovers ... Browns QB Brandon Weeden threw for just 118 yards and a 5.1 passer rating, which was the lowest by an Eagles opponent since Billy Kilmer’s 4.5 rating on 9/27/76 vs. Washington.

Picking on the Browns ... The Eagles defense collected four interceptions on the day, including two from CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (third-career multi-interception outing) and two from S Kurt Coleman (second-career multi-interception outing) ... The Eagles are 53-13 under Andy Reid when forcing at least two interceptions and 55-10 when forcing at least three turnovers ... The last time the Eagles had two players each record two interceptions was on 12/21/75 when Frank LeMaster and Artimus Parker did so at Washington.

Offensive Quick Hits ... TE Clay Harbor caught a game-winning four-yard touchdown with 1:18 remaining in the game, capping a 16-play, 91-yard drive ... WR Jeremy Maclin led the team with seven receptions, 96 yards, and the Eagles first touchdown of the season. 13 of Maclin’s 20 regular season touchdowns have come in the red zone ... RB LeSean McCoy posted his 10th career 100-yard rushing game ... The Eagles racked up 456 yards of total offense and 25 first downs, while converting both of their red zone opportunities into touchdowns ... QB Michael Vick notched his ninth-career 300-yard passing game and two touchdowns on a career-high 56 attempts ... The Eagles scored both of their touchdowns in the final two minutes of each half.

Defensive Nuggets ... DT Fletcher Cox registered his first-career sack ... DE Jason Babin notched a sack and now has 21.5 as an Eagle, moving past Brian Dawkins (21.0) and into 19th place in team history.

Rookies Ready To Go … In Andy Reid’s first nine seasons as head coach (1999-2007), the Eagles started five rookies on opening day: G/T Shawn Andrews (2004), DT Corey Simon (2000), TE Jed Weaver (1999), G Doug Brzezinski (1999), and T John Welbourn (1999) ... In his last five season openers (since 2008), Reid has started eight rookies: LB Mychal Kendricks (2012), CB Brandon Boykin (2012), C Jason Kelce (2011), LB Casey Matthews (2011), S Nate Allen (2010), DE Brandon Graham (2010), S Macho Harris (2009), WR DeSean Jackson (2008) ... The Eagles went 26 years (1984-2009) without starting a duo of rookies on the defensive side of the ball on opening day. Since 2010, Reid has done so twice (Graham, Allen in 2010).

Birdseed … K Alex Henery’s consecutive field goal streak ended at 17, tying David Akers (17 in 2001 and 2009) for the team record ... P Chas Henry set a career long with a 62-yard punt and a career-best 55.0-yard gross punting average ... WR DeSean Jackson (4,513) moved past Randall Cunningham and into 18th place on the team’s all-time scrimmage yards list ... TE Brent Celek (2,854) moved past John Spagnola and into second on the team’s all-time receiving yard list among tight ends ... Nine Eagles made their NFL debuts, including WR Damaris Johnson, CB Brandon Boykin, RB Chris Polk, RB Bryce Brown, FB Stanley Havili, G/C Dallas Reynolds, DT Cedric Thornton, DT Fletcher Cox and LB Mychal Kendricks ...

No triskaidekaphobia for Damaris Johnson … The rookie wide receiver and punt returner became the first Eagle to don jersey number 13 in a regular season game since punter Rick Engles did so in 1978. Ironically, both Johnson and Engles played their college football at the University of Tulsa. The other Eagles to wear jersey #13: George Kenneally (1933-35), Dave Smukler (1936-39), Len Barnum (1941-42), Joe Hoague (1943), and Chuck Hughes (1967-69).

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