Jon Runyan, Trent Cole and Tracy White were the captains. The Eagles won the toss and elected to receive, moving south to north at Lincoln Financial Field. Quintin Demps returned the opening kickoff 27 yards to the 36-yard line. On first down from there, Donovan McNabb threw from shotgun formation to Brent Celek for a gain of 1 yard. A Brian Westbrook handoff up the middle gained 4 yards to the 41, and on third and 5 McNabb rolled right and threw to Jason Avant on the sideline for a completion to the Cleveland 39-yard line, a 20-yard gain.
Then McNabb threw left for Kevin Curtis for a gain of 8 yards to the 31-yard line. Westbrook carried left, bounced outside and gained 10 yards for another first down. Correll Buckhalter carried over left guard for 4 yards on first down, and on second and 6 Westbrook ran right for 3 yards to the 14-yard line. On third and 3, McNabb threw into the right corner of the end zone, where Curtis made a leaping grab for a touchdown. After David Akers added the PAT, the Eagles led, 7-0.
The Eagles drove 64 yards on 8 plays, consuming 4 minutes, 15 seconds of the clock.
Joshua Cribbs returned the ensuing kickoff to the 28-yard line, where he was tackled by Chris Gocong. On first and 10, Jamal Lewis carried up the middle for 4 yards. On second and 6, Cribbs lined up in the backfield, took a direct snap and ran left for an 8-yard gain.
On first down from there, Ken Dorsey threw to fullback Lawrence Vickers for a big gain of 21 yards to the Eagles 39-yard line. The Eagles were caught in a blitz. On first down, the Eagles blitzed again and Brian Dawkins led the charge to tackle Lewis for a 2-yard loss. Another blitz pressured Dorsey, who threw quickly to the left sideline for Braylon Edwards. He made a leaping catch for a first down at the 13-yard line.
Lewis carried left for 4 yards to the 9-yard line. A pass from Dorsey to Vickers was short on second down. On third and 6 from the 9, Dorsey threw to an open Darnell Dinkins on a crossing route against Stewart Bradley, but Dinknis dropped the pass and the Browns settled for a 27-yard Phil Dawson field goal to trim the deficit to 7-3.
The Browns drove 63 yards in 9 plays, consuming 3:57 of the clock, to get on the board.
A left return by Demps gave the Eagles field position at the 43-yard line, a 39-yard return. That's where the Eagles took over with 6:40 to go in the quarter. McNabb opened the drive with a swing pass to Westbrook on the right side for 6 yards. On second and 4, Tra Thomas jumped early for a false-start penalty. On second and 9, Westbrook carried up the middle for 4 yards. On third and 5, McNabb threw to Avant over the middle for an 8-yard gain and a first down at the Browns 44-yard line.
Westbrook ran between the tackles for 4 yards on first down. Then McNabb overthrew an open Avant against a Browns blitz. On third and 6, McNabb found DeSean Jackson for 17 yards to the 23-yard line. Buckhalter carried right on first down and gained 3 yards to the 20-yard line. On second and 7, McNabb had all day to throw, and he finally checked down to L.J. Smith for a catch and run to the 9-yard line, a gain of 11 yards.
On first and goal, Westbrook powered left for 3 yards to the 6-yard line. On second and goal from there, McNabb threw for Avant in the end zone, but the pass was tipped high in the air and fell incomplete. McNabb threw into the end zone for an open Smith, and the pass was too high.
Akers came in and kicked a 24-yard field goal, and the Eagles led 10-3 with 49 seconds remaining in the quarter. The Eagles drove 51 yards in 12 plays (5:59) to extend their lead.
Akers kicked off and Cribbs took a knee in the end zone. Cleveland started its second drive at the 20-yard line. A Lewis run and a completion to Edwards gave the Browns a first down at the 36-yard line as the quarter ended.
