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Ronnie Brown and "the dumbest play of the season"

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 11: Ronnie Brown #36 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up before playing against the Baltimore Ravens in their pre season game on August 11, 2011 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Ronnie Brown made a bad play Jim McIssac/Getty Images

(CBS) - When you're on 3rd-and-Goal less than a yard from the endzone, it's no time to get fancy. The Philadelphia Eagles learned that lesson the hard way en route to a 24-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Veteran running back Ronnie Brown took a handoff from Eagles QB Michael Vick and turned a possible touchdown into a turnover in what CBSSports.com's Charley Casserly calls "the dumbest play of the season."

The Eagles have had a string of poor plays and questionable decisions. The team that many preseason analysts were picking as possible Super Bowl contenders now sits at 2-2. The disappointing play of this supposed "Dream Team" can pretty much be summed up by Ronnie Brown's play on Sunday.

In the middle of the second quarter, Philadelphia was up 10-3 with the ball on the goal line. Attempting to add to their lead, Michael Vick handed the ball off the Ronnie Brown, who was immediately met by the 49ers defense and shut down behind the line of scrimmage. Instead of taking the tackle, Brown made a move to throw the ball to fullback Owen Schmitt. The ball ended up going backwards - a fumble that San Fran recovered.

"I think I tried to outthink myself a little bit," Brown said after the game. "It was a pass play, and I was thinking once the guys slipped off, you know, just try to throw the ball away and give us another chance on fourth down."

Charley Casserly writes on the Eagles' situation, "The reality is they are beating themselves. Now not the time to panic, but instead to stress staying the course and improving on the fundamentals on what you are trying to do and playing smart - in other words, know the situation you are in during the game and act accordingly."

And maybe hold on to the ball next time, Ronnie.

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