Eagles rookie Bryce Brown wants to hold onto the ball and his job

When Eagles quarterback Michael Vick had a problem holding onto the football earlier this season, to correct it he carried a football everywhere he went -- even holding it while watching television. Running back Bryce Brown has taken a different approach in dealing with his fumbling problem – he's been squeezing a ball of clay to strengthen his hand muscles.

Brown has lost three fumbles in two games and all of them came at crucial times or had dramatic results, including one last week that Dallas cornerback Morris Claiborne returned 50 yards for a touchdown.

That has cast a pall on what were otherwise amazing performances from a rookie with limited college experience who had to replace an All-Pro player, DeSean Jackson . Brown has rushed for 347 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games, and that's a season for some players.

Brown refuses to use that inexperience, the long NFL season or the unexpected workload as excuses for his fumbles and said he just has to be more focused on ball security.

He also knows opposing players are aware of his fumbling problem and they'll swat at the ball every time he touches it. The Eagles coaches are aware of that too, of course, and they've told scout team defenders to go after the ball all the time so Brown becomes used to it.

“They almost got two of them,'' Brown said. “But we're over-emphasizing [holding] it high and tight -- they didn't get me.”

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Philadelphia Eagles from blogger Kevin Noonan, follow @CBSEagles.