Vick was better against Brown, but spent too much time on his butt.

The Eagles offense showed it still has a way to go after Thursday night’s preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at the Linc.

But the starters did appear to make some strides after last week’s debacle in Pittsburgh. 
The Eagles (2-1) raced out to a 17-0 lead by halftime in what traditionally last preseason game for the starters.

The final score was 24-14.

Mike Vick followed his worst game in an Eagles uniform last week against the Steelers with a one-half line of 10 of 18 passing good for 98 yards, a touchdown pass and an interception.

Vick also rushed four times for 24 yards and an eight-yard touchdown run that ended the scoring before intermission.

Vick threw another brutal interception in the second quarter but caught a break when Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson was called for roughing the passer.

The penalty put the ball at midfield; from there Vick led the Birds to a touchdown.

Vick’s offensive line has more than strides to make up. It has to go back to basics. Although officially he was only sacked once, Vick was knocked to his butt more than a blindfolded boxer.

“We miscommunication up front along the offensive line in general in the first quarter or so,” rookie center Jason Kelce said after a long session sitting alone at his locker after the game. “Mike (Vick) got hit too much tonight. You never like seeing No. 7 get hit like that. It’s our job to keep him clean. It wasn’t anything physically, it wasn’t anything big. It was some miscommunication here, some miscommunication there…fumbled snap…those things add up. We’ve got to get them corrected.”

Kelce, who started the game ahead of an uninjured Jamaal Jackson, said he would not use the excuse that he and first round pick Danny Watkins are rookies.

“It’s unacceptable, let’s put it that way” said Kelce, drafted in the sixth round out of Cincinnati. “And we’re going to get it corrected.”

Vick did not throw his line under bus. He realized it would do no one any good while going – literally as he breaks in several new pieces in his offensive line.

As he was quick to point out, Vick still holds the ball too long relying on the confidence of his legs, but even a human highlight reel cannot keep defenders at bay forever.

“The offensive line did well,” Vick said. “I’m proud of those guys. We can always improve starting with me. There are things that I can improve on and it just goes back to us working hard each and every day.”

Vince Young made some personal strides in the second half, but still has to prove he deserves to be the backup to Vick during the regular season.

Young was 9 of 12 for 58 yards performing under driving rain for most of the second half. The banished signal caller scored a rushing touchdown in the third quarter on a 10-yard scamper to the corner of the end zone.

Rookie Dion Lewis led the team in rushing with 41 yards on nine carries. Ronnie Brown matched the yardage on six carries.

LeSean McCoy came up with seven receptions for 69 yards. McCoy’s rushing totals reflected some of the problems with the starting five up front. He had just 12 yards on six carries.

The Eagles defense looked solid against an inferior Browns offensive starting unit. Colt McCoy was sacked three times and was just 8 of 19 for 89 yards and an interception. Rookie middle linebacker Casey Matthews had some stats, recording five tackles four solo.

Prized free agent acquisition Nnamdi Asomugha said if this was the final dress rehearsal for the season that was fine with him.

“If this was our last time on the field, I think it was good to end this way (with a shutout in the first half),” the cornerback said. “But with that I’m happy we still have another two weeks to get everything down.”