Written by Rich Swerbinsky

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The pre-season doesn't mean anything. The pre-season doesn't mean anything. Just keep telling yourself that Rich. The Browns lost 20-7 to the Eagles last night, and were a late score against Philly's seventh teamers away from being shut out 20-0. However, no one got hurt. So we've got that going for us. Which is nice. The pre-season doesn't mean anything.  The pre-season doesn't mean anything.

Just keep telling yourself that Rich.

Maybe the reason I've got that dropping feeling in my stomach this morning is because last nights game looked EXACTLY like what we saw all of last season:

Ineffective offense lacking cohesion, nothing but short passes, and an inability to score.  Also like last year, Ruben Droughns and the Browns defense played pretty well.  But the bottom line remains ... the Browns were a late meaningless score against the Eagles fourth team defense away from being shut out 20-0.

Again, this is just pre-season.  I don't want to come across as if I am writing the Browns off this year, based solely on one pre-season game in early August.  Braylon Edwards and Ryan Tucker figure to be two of the teams better offensive players this season, and both were absent.  The patchwork offensive line played decent in spots, opening some holes for Ruben Droughns, who looked just as impressive as last season.  Were it not for a shaky holding call on Frisman Jackson, Droughns would have had over 30 yards on just five carries.

There were definitely some positives to take from this game though.  Chiefly, the lack of injuries.  This team has been so riddled with injuries ... when they emerge from a game without any major losses, I feel as like we've won something.  How sad is that?  The team also played the game relatively penalty free.

Defensively, the team played pretty well also.  The first team defense held the Eagles to just three first half points, which came on their opening drive.  After allowing Donovan McNabb and the Eagles to move the ball right down the field, the Browns defense stiffened in the red zone, holding Philly to a 22 yard field goal ... then shut the Eagles out for the rest of the first half.

Young linebackers D'Qwell Jackson, Kamerion Wimbley, and David McMillan all played very well, which was very nice to see.  Catching me off guard was McMillan, a fifth round pick a year ago who was MIA all of last season.  McMillan had two sacks, three tackles, and another couple of hurries.

The Browns second pre-season game is at home, one week from today versus the Lions.  I'd love to see the offense start to show some signs of life in that contest.