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The Philadelphia Eagles have a solid defense, but they’ve been susceptible to mobile quarterbacks and quick-hitting running plays. After finishing in the top-3 the previous three seasons, the Eagles have taken a step back this season and the NFL’s 26th ranked run defense will have its hands full on Sunday.
The Eagles will face a revamped Cleveland Browns franchise with a vaunted rushing attack led by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Hunt is sixth in the NFL in rushing with 633 yards (4.7 ypc), while Chubb, who missed four games with a knee injury, has rushed for 461 yards ( 6.1 ypc), five touchdowns.
If the Eagles have any hopes of winning on Sunday, they’ll need a stout effort upfront and solid tackling from their linebackers.
Here are five keys to the Eagles containing the Browns rushing attack.
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1. Make Baker Mayfield beat you
The Eagles like to be aggressive on the outside and if the weather allows the Browns to pass on Sunday, Jim Schwartz should be all for Baker Mayfield attempting 30+ passes. Cleveland has Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins on the outside, with Harrison Bryant, Austin Hooper, and David Njoku at the tight end positions. There are matchups the Eagles can exploit on defense with the bulk of the resources being utilized to stop the run.
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