Casey Matthews

Here are some observations and ruminations about the Eagles' victory over the Browns: CLEVELAND - Let's face it, the Eagles had no right winning Sunday's game at Cleveland. Michael Vick should have been intercepted at least three times during his game-winning drive. The quarterback's worst throw came when he lofted a pass to Jeremy Maclin in the corner of the end zone and the ball went right through the hands of linebacker L.J. Fort. "He threw it right to me," said Fort, who picked off Vick in the first half.

Andy Reid confirmed Friday that he will use all of his linebackers, shuffling them in and out depending on the package, when the Eagles open the season Sunday at Cleveland. Since the Eagles traded for DeMeco Ryans in March up until, really, Friday, Reid has said that Ryans is a three-down player. Now he isn't. "I've been very happy with DeMeco," Reid said. "I'm just giving everybody an opportunity. The one thing we've got is experience with play time at positions there. Everybody's going to have an opportunity to get in and do their thing.

There's been a merry-go-round at linebacker for the Eagles over the last few seasons, but the team made efforts this offseason to make it stop with the acquisitions of DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks. It might start spinning again on Sunday in Cleveland. Kendricks said Thursday after practice that the coaches had each of the Eagles' six linebackers practicing in various alignments in several packages on defense. "I would expect for all of us to be playing because that's what we're game-planning with," said Kendricks, who is expected to start at the strong side.

The Eagles waived undrafted cornerback Cliff Harris on Sunday, one day after they cut 10 players and a day before the roster needed to be reduced to 75 players. Harris was an intriguing prospect who was once an all-American at Oregon before he was kicked off his college team after several off-field incidents. Coach Andy Reid said Harris was the only player cut on Sunday because the Eagles could not reach him on Saturday. The Eagles are deep at cornerback, and the early release will allow Harris to catch on with another team.

The second preseason game will be the best chance to watch the core players on the Eagles, because the starters will play from a half to three quarters against the New England Patriots on Monday. The starters are scheduled to play all three quarters, but coach Andy Reid said he would adjust based on what he sees. "I'll just get a feel," Reid said. "We'll just see how it all rolls and go from there. " Once starting quarterback Michael Vick is removed, rookie Nick Foles will play the rest of the game.

BETHLEHEM – Andy Reid and his family tacitly confirmed the worst in a statement released Monday evening: Garrett Reid "lost the battle that has been ongoing for the last eight years" – his battle with drugs, which led to Garrett's incarceration several times from 2007 to 2009. An Eagles spokesman said the family was aware of the inference that would be made from its characterization of the death of the eldest son, who passed away in a Lehigh dorm room Sunday morning. Monday morning, Eagles tackle Todd Herremans said he would be surprised if it turned out Garrett Reid's previous problems factored into his death.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Training camp is for trying out new things. The Eagles are experimenting with a different way to relay plays to their defense, especially when an opponent switches to the hurry-up offense. "We're not huddling as much as we did last year," linebacker Casey Matthews said Friday. "Last year we huddled and the [middle linebacker] would be the only one looking for the call. This year, with offenses going at such a quicker pace, we're all just looking at the call.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Not every day is a completely successful day at training camp, not every practice moves DeMeco Ryans closer to where he wants to be with the Eagles, but Thursday was just fine. "It's coming. It's going in the right direction," Ryans said. "And I know because I'm my toughest critic. " Ryans came to the team in an offseason trade to fill what has been a gaping hole at middle linebacker. He brought with him six years of NFL experience, a reputation as a popular team leader, and the standard question marks attached to a veteran who suffered an Achilles tendon injury not that long ago. If he can stay healthy and show enough mobility to remain on the field in passing situations, Ryans is just what the Eagles defense needs - a shot of maturity chased by a pint of attitude.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Brandon Boykin and Damaris Johnson have the early edge as the Eagles' punt and kick returners, coach Andy Reid said Friday. "Obviously we brought Boykin in to do that, so he's right there at both kick and punt," Reid said. "We know he can do both. He does have more kickoff than he does punt. Johnson has done it, so we're kind of leaving him in there right now as the primary punt guy. " The Eagles drafted Boykin in the fourth round out of Georgia. Johnson is an undrafted rookie from Tulsa.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - DeMeco Ryans trailed Casey Matthews out of the locker rooms and into the players' parking lot after the first full-team practice of training camp Thursday. Matthews gave Ryans a lift back to the living area because Ryans doesn't have his car at training camp. Akeem Jordan brought the new Eagles starting linebacker to Lehigh from Philadelphia on Wednesday, so Ryans is fetching rides wherever he goes. The front passenger seat might be the only place this season in which Ryans must yield control.