Week 4 - 2013

 

Remember last weekend when I said it didn't get much better?  IT GOT BETTER.  Oh man did it get better.  What a sports weekend in Cleveland.  What a Sunday.  In addition to the Browns systematic shutdown of the Bungles and victory in the battle of Ohio, the Indians completed an incredible September by winning against the Twins and guaranteeing a wild card game back in the 216 on Wednesday.  Wild card game Wednesday, nationally televised Browns game on Thursday, it's gonna be an exciting week here in Cleveland.

The Browns are 2-2 after their victory over the Bengals.  They are tied for first place in the AFC North.  The legend of Brian Hoyer is growing.  Hoyer was, for the second time in the past two weeks, the better quarterback on the field.  Is he the "championship level quarterback" that Banner and Lombardi seek?  I have my doubts, but at this point I could care less.  I just want the Browns to win.  I don't care who is the quarterback as long as they play well enough to win games.  And Hoyer has certainly done that over the past 2 weeks.

There are plenty more games, plenty of time to find out if Brian Hoyer, pride of North Olmsted, is the answer at quarterback.  But his play has been awesome.  Both of the teams that he defeated qualified for the playoffs last season.  He is decisive, his arm strength is above average, and he has the moxie that the position requires.  He caught the Bengals without two of their starting defensive backs, but he was impressive regardless.  He'll take center stage on Thursday night with a chance to win a third straight game.

He'll have his chance to stake his claim, to prove the doubters wrong, and to really legitimize Michael Lombardi as a general manager.  As someone who has been as critical of him as anyone, I can't help but to have a slight taste of crow right about now.  Between Hoyer, Mingo, the defensive free agents, and the Richardson trade, the moves he's made are certainly looking like the right ones.  We can only hope that continues.

The defense played outstanding.  Barkevious Mingo was excellent.  He looks like a DeMarcus Ware clone.  He has a sack in each of his three games.  His run support needs work, but his motor is non stop, and his athleticism is off the charts.  He appears to be a special player.  Joe Haden is one of the top five cornerbacks in the NFL.  This Browns defense is almost championship caliber, and we should enjoy what we get to see while we have Ray Horton.  I don't think he's long for Cleveland, because he's going to be a head coach somewhere.

Another week, another run game shut down by the front seven.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Browns are a legitimate number 2 cornerback away from being a top 5 defense.  Six points is all the Bengals could muster.  And the Bengals are pretty good.  The Browns stuffing them on fourth and one in the second quarter set the tone for the rest of the game.  It was awesome.  There aren't enough good things to say about Desmond Bryant and Phil Taylor.  Those guys are playing at a Pro Bowl level.

Andy Dalton looked horrible, that's a fact.  He really is exactly who I thought he was.  The Bengals are too good to only score 6 points.  But the Browns secondary played a part in that.  Haden (and/or Dalton) frustrated AJ Green all game.  He basically made no impact.  Chris Owens had a great strip sack and recovery on a well designed cornerback blitz.  Loved the play by Tashaun Gipson in the 4th quarter, where he rearranged Jermaine Gresham's internal organs forcing the dropped pass.  The next play was the interception by Buster Skrine, which basically decided the game.

If it weren't for Billy Cundiff and his lousy kicking, the game would have been decided by then.

The most impressive thing that I saw in that game was the 12 play 91 yard drive in the fourth quarter.  What a drive.  That was grown man football.  That was one team imposing its will on another team.  That was the Browns letting the Bengals know that they were not losing this game.  Hoyer was great, going 5-5, including a great touch throw to Jordan Cameron for 31 yards in between defenders.  Willis McGahee got his legs under him on that drive, looking like at least a serviceable solution at running back.  It was big boy football and the Browns played it better.  17-6 Browns victory.  Two wins in a row with a big Thursday game against the Bills.  3-2 after five games very possible.  I think we all would have taken that at the beginning of the season.

Joe Thomas made his 100th straight start.  He's actually never missed a snap in his career.  It was 6,054 straight before yesterday's game.  That's incredible.
The Browns still have 0 rushing touchdowns this season.
Jordan Cameron is on pace for 120 catches 1440 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Oh yeah and Pittsburgh is 0-4, and may be the worst team in football.  VICTORY MONDAY!


Random gifs

Troll hard Knowshon

Geno Sanchez

Barry Sanders Jr Everybody

Oh yeah and the Indians locker room celebration was legendary.  WINDIANS

Week 3 - 2013

 

Well we all saw that coming, didn't we?  Brian Hoyer, Cleveland's own, led a team declared legally dead by most of it's fans to a thrilling victory in the stale dome air in Minneapolis.  Hoyer the Destroyer, shaking off 3 picks to lead a thrilling comeback victory, eventually tossing a beautiful touch pass to Jordan Cameron with just 55 seconds to play to take the lead.  The Browns defense, looking like the Dawgs of old, clamping down to secure the win.  Tank what?  Teddy who?  Brian freaking Hoyer everybody!

In all seriousness, it was a great football game.  I wrote the other day about the fan vs the rational football thinker, and while the rational football thinker knows maybe it's better to lose now, the fan will not stop being happy when the Browns win.  Those magical 4 or 5 Mondays that happen every season fill my heart with joy and happiness.  The sun shines brighter, the air smells better, unicorns dance on rainbows, you all know the feeling. 

The Browns were supposed to be packing it in, waving the white flag, getting ready for the draft.  Instead they dug in their heels and fought back.  Rob Chudzinski pulled out all the stops to earn his first win as a head coach.  A fake punt, a fake field goal, an aggressive gameplan.  It was beautiful.  The defense somehow gave up 27 points and looked good, sacking Ponder 6 times and forcing 3 turnovers.  The Browns are still steadfastly against running the football, but as it turns out it's a hell of a lot easier to throw the ball with Josh Gordon in the lineup.  Even the punter Spencer Lanning was in on the fun, becoming the first player since 1968 to kick an extra point, punt, and throw a touchdown in the same game.  All around victory by a galvanized team, it was a beautiful thing.  Seriously sports weekends for me don't get much better than Browns and Buckeye victories and Steeler losses.  The Indians won both their games too.  Happy days.

Please Joe Banner, don't trade Josh Gordon.  Please.  Unless you're getting multiple first round picks for him.  With your offensive philosophy of passing nearly every down, you're going to need a guy like that.  Gordon is somewhere between Brandon Marshall and Randy Moss from a talent standpoint.  There are maybe 5-8 wide receivers in the league that can do the things he can do, as big as he is.  There were rumors before the game about him being on the trade block.  Richardson may be replaceable, Gordon is not.  We saw that the first two weeks of the season.  (If you can get a bag of footballs for Greg Little though, by all means).  Gordon finished the game with 10 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown and a 22 yard run on a reverse.  He was awesome.  Jordan Cameron was awesome as well.  3 touchdown receptions, including the game winner.  Say what you will about Tom Heckert, those two guys are rare talents at their respective positions.

 

Defensively it's impossible not to be impressed with the two big free agent acquisitions, Desmond Bryant and Paul Kruger.  The entire front seven played a great game, but Bryant and Kruger are standout defenders.  Throw in the performances by Phil Taylor, D'Qwell Jackson, Jabaal Sheard, Billy Winn and Craig Robertson and it's impossible not to be impressed by that group.  And MINGO had another sack on a phenomenal play.  The Browns could have a special defensive unit, and they're a #2 cornerback away from being really really really good.  They held Adrian Peterson to 3.5 yards per carry, extremely impressive.

And the Browns had the better quarterback in Hoyer.  Ponder does nothing for me, I've thought he was awful since he was at Florida State.  Hoyer also possesses the natural football instincts that Brandon Weeden lacks.  I don't think Brian Hoyer is the quarterback of the future, but it's more than likely that Hoyer is the quarterback for the rest of the season.  According to PFF, Hoyer took an average of 2.4 seconds per play to throw the ball, whereas Weeden was averaging 3.1 seconds over the first two weeks.  That's why the offensive line looks better as well.  He gets rid of the ball.  Also, no delay of game penalties.  Anybody complaining about Joe Thomas needs to go take a look at this game again.  Jared Allen was an absolute non-factor.  He did nothing.  I can't even find him in the box score.


So yeah, it was only one game.  But it just feels good to see the Browns win.  I don't know how many more this team has in them this season, but it was nice to have this one go their way.  Hoyer the Destroyer will have more games to prove he should get a shot here, and the defense is going to keep this team in a lot of games.  If nothing else, it has put the tanking talk to bed, and has kept the draft talk at least another week away.  31-27 Browns beat the Vikings, Brian Freaking Hoyer everybody.


Also, Brian Hoyer now has more fourth quarter comebacks than Brandon Weeden.  (1-0).  Spencer Lanning has as many touchdown passes this season than Brandon Weeden.  (1-1).  Trent Richardson averaged 2.6 yards per carry in his Indianapolis debut.  NUMBERS!

Adrian Peterson's daughter can't believe it either

So my daughter is laying here under me and just out the blue she says... I can't believe you lost to the Browns Daddy! Smh
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) September 23, 2013

Random gifs

CREATIVITY

Decent grab here

 

 

Couldn't have happened to a nicer rapist.  The Steelers are AWFUL.

On the Richardson Trade

Well Trent Richardson is gone.  Traded.  It happened.  I let that sink in for a few days before putting anything here, because I do try and let my emotions die down a little before writing anything.  I was absolutely stunned when it happened, as everyone was.

After letting everything sink in, I'm conflicted on my feelings.

The first reaction from me is always the fan, the Browns fan, the emotional, fiercely loyal, been kicked around enough Browns fan.  And that part of me was angry and confused.  Really angry and really confused.  That part of me still is.  Trent Richardson was the best offensive playmaker on this team.  He was grossly underutilized in my opinion, both by the previous coaching staff as well as through two games this season.  He was the one player on this team that defenses had to account for, to prepare and gameplan for.  He was a player worth paying to see play in the eyes of many, including the Browns organization, which is why his photo was on the tickets, on the pocket schedule, on the cover of the gameday magazine.  He's also only 22 years old, 17 games into his NFL career, and was the 3rd pick in the draft just a year and a half ago.  He flashed enough potential to give people hope that he was going to be a bigtime player, a Pro Bowl player.  And I still think he becomes that player, though now he'll do it with a horseshoe on his helmet.

That fan side of me feels like a white flag is now being flown for this season.  That this management team is deliberately throwing in the towel on this season, in an attempt to "earn" a top pick in the draft to select a quarterback to build around.  The fan side of me feels especially horrible for season ticket holders, who have invested so much and gotten so little in return, only to have another lost season thrown in their faces before the leaves have even turned.  I call Browns fans the best in the country all the time here, and they are.  Any other fans, of any other teams, would have turned their backs long ago.  And that part of me burns with anger about this move.

The other side of me is the sensible football person.  Looking at this objectively, it's not a bad deal.  I'd be lying if I didn't say that a small amount of doubt had set in about Richardson the player.  I don't think we've seen him at his full potential but if you stripped the nameplate off his jersey and looked at it empirically, he is far from irreplaceable.  3.5 yards per carry, 11 touchdowns, just over 1000 yards in his first 17 games.  Not exactly Jim Brown.  And the fact that they recouped a first round draft pick for a running back in today's day and age is extremely impressive.  Can Willis McGahee replace those numbers?  Probably.  Does Trent Richardson make this team markedly better?  Do they win more games with Richardson than without him?  Maybe one.  Maybe.  Running backs are complementary pieces in today's NFL.  It all starts at the quarterback position, and Banner and Lombardi seem to recognize that and are going all in to get one.  Which I understand, looking at it objectively.

But the fan side of me still has some questions.  With the way this team has performed, and the amount of quarterback talent potentially available in next year's draft, was this a move that had to be made?  Because if Jacksonville gets the first pick in the draft, one extra first rounder is not going to prevent them from taking their guy.  Trust me they have a worse situation at quarterback than we do.  Did we as Browns fans ever see Richardson playing with a full deck?  I don't think we did.  Between shoddy coaching, quarterback play, and offensive line play I don't think we ever saw the best that Trent Richardson has to offer.  And I don't see how trading him for a draft pick makes this team better.  For what it's worth, the last quarterback Michael Lombardi had a hand in picking was Jamarcus Russell, and the last two Joe Banner had a hand in picking were Mike Kafka and Kevin Kolb.  It's no guarantee that these guys will get it right.  And if they don't, it's back to square one (again).

 

 

So I am torn on the deal.  And I think most Cleveland fans are as well.  I've heard some people who love it and some who are so mad that they are done being Browns fans.  And I get it.  So if you're mad I'm sorry and I do feel it too.  If you're happy, that's good.  I'll be right there with you, especially the day after the season's over.  If you're Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi, I hope you're right, and I hope you get it right.  Like I heard it said best, you guys have bet on yourselves and you're all in.  Let's hope for once you get it right, and that the fans won't be the ones left holding the bag.

Week 2 - 2013

The Browns suck.  Again.  It's official.  One touchdown in two games.  Moronic coaching decisions, bad offensive line play, dropped passes, and a lousy quarterback.  And another loss to Baltimore, even though they shut the Ravens out in the first half and allowed only 14 points the entire game.

I'm done defending Brandon Weeden.  He's not any good, he's not a starting NFL quarterback.  He can't process what's happening fast enough, he locks onto his primary target, he takes bad sacks.  I'll never buy the "no quarterback can win with this team" argument.  Tom Brady just won a game on Thursday with receivers (somehow) worse than the Browns have.  How?  He made the one pass that he needed to when he needed to.  Brandon Weeden couldn't accomplish that, missing an absolutely wide open Chris Ogbonnaya on the one play that the Browns were able to successfully execute.  Here's the sideline reaction to that abortion.  Think they believe in this guy?

Greg Little is another one.  I'm done defending him also.  3 dropped passes and then 3 more traffic violations after the game.  If Chud wants to send a message to this collection of scrubs benching Greg Little would be a great place to start.  No separation and lousy hands is no way to play receiver in the NFL, son.

3 delay of game penalties.  That probably falls as much on the coaches as it does on Weeden.  They stunk too.  Another game, another fourth quarter with no touches for Trent Richardson.  In a one possession game.  Pass rush causing problems?  No screens.  No draws.  Nothing to slow them down.  As sad as it sounds I'd kill to see this team lose 35-31.  Just some offense, please.

 

The game as a whole was awful.  Watching other football games make it seems like the Browns are playing an entirely different sport than the rest of the league. 

Our defense is one starting caliber cornerback away from being extremely good.  Mingo looked like a legitimate double digit sack threat.  The front seven has shut down the run in the first two games.  What game are the Browns going to win this season 6-3 that is going to cost this team a chance at the first pick?  Any takers?

I'm stunned I thought this team would be any good.  Because they aren't.  Their problems extend past the quarterback, but that's where it starts.  Question I've been pondering for the past few weeks, and please feel free to weigh in.  Hypothetically, if Philip Rivers is the quarterback of this Browns team, are they a playoff team?  Rivers has had no receivers, a good (but now old) tight end, and a decent running back for the past few seasons.  Poor offensive line.  San Diego's defense has been good but not as good as the Browns have this season.  And he's had the Chargers at 8-8 or 7-9 the past two years.  So, hypothetically, if Rivers was the Browns quarterback do they make the playoffs?  I say yes. 

But again, for the quarterback doesn't matter crowd, if you put Weeden on the Ravens yesterday, is there anyway that they win that game? 

Nothing says Browns football more than this fourth down failure yesterday.

After seeing Brandon Weeden for 2 games this season, there will be a new quarterback in Cleveland next year.  It will more than likely be one of these guys.



Teddy Bridgewater - Louisville




He's athletic and extremely accurate and comes from a pro style offense.  6'3 and lean.  Does the little things like sells play fakes and looks off defenders.  I've seen him play the least of any of the top guys but he's the consensus top qb at this point from most experts.  An RG3 type player.  draftbreakdown.com has 10 games here






Tajh Boyd - Clemson



He's thicker and shorter than Bridgewater, but also extremely accurate.  Plays from the spread.  Has won a lot of games at Clemson and is a guy I really like.  I use Steve Young as his comp, he can be my quarterback for sure.  Ten games from draftbreakdown.com if you're bored here

Marcus Mariota - Oregon

Probably my favorite of the qbs that will be eligible.  He's big at 6'4 fast and accurate.  He's playing in Oregon's offense so people will dismiss him but he's way better than Dennis Dixon or Darren Thomas.  He's going to be most successful in a more wide open fast paced scheme but that's the way the NFL is going.  Kaepernick-like skills.  Highlights here






Johnny Manziel - Texas A&M

Despite all the chatter today about how the Browns were "scouting" him at the Bama game, there were also a ton of other prospects that they were probably looking at.  So don't buy that nonsense, it's far too early for that.  I just don't see him as the Browns qb. Short and fast with huge hands.  He's a great college player and I'm torn about whether he'll be a legit NFL quarterback but I don't see the Browns taking that chance.  This regime's future hinges on whatever quarterback they choose and I can't see them banking on Manziel.  I like him though, probably a turnover machine in the NFL.  Vids here

Brett Hundley - UCLA



I haven't seen him play enough but some people really like him.  I'd rather have any of the guys listed above including Johnny Manziel, but I reserve the right to change my mind.  Highlights







So yeah, this is where we're at.  The Monday after the second game of the season it is already time to figure out which quarterback will be the next one ruined by this sad sack franchise.  AWESOME.  Browns football everybody.



Random gifs

Best gameday sign ever

William Moore with the body slam

OU's band is awesome, especially when they cover the What Does the Fox Say song

Week 1 - 2013

 

They say the more things change the more they stay the same.  That was certainly true.  It was supposed to be different.  New season, new coach, new management.  Stadium improvements.  The best offensive and defensive minds in the game in Norv Turner and Ray Horton.  A better fan experience.  It was going to be different, a complete remodel.  Well guess what.  It was exactly the same as it has been 14 out of the last 15 times they’ve opened in the Factory of Sadness.  A big fat loss in front of the greatest fans in football on a beautiful September day in Cleveland.  Another 0-1 start.  A loss to a crappy Dolphins team who managed less than 25 yards on the ground.  A quick death to optimism, just like every other damn year since 1999.  I don’t care about fires for intros or DJs or cell service.  When I come to a Browns game I want them to win.  If they want to improve the “fan experience” improve the team.

Seriously how can a complete remodel produce the exact same crap over and over again?  It’s like replacing a sewage treatment plant with a landfill.  It still STINKS.  It seems almost impossible.  But it happened again.  The same results, the same issues, the same fraudulent pretenders in orange helmets fooling us into thinking that they can be my Browns of the 80’s, or my dad’s Browns of the 60’s.  They aren’t, they never will be.  They’re the new Browns, the same old Browns, the expansion Browns.  And no matter the front office, no matter the coaches, no matter the owner, it’s the same junk year in and year out.

Where to begin?  I went to the game and haven’t watched it again, and not sure that I want to.  Do I want to watch Oniel Cousins embarrass himself again?  Seriously he’s the worst player at his position in the NFL.  There isn’t a worse offensive guard in football.  He’s the absolute worst.  He's an embarrassment to every offensive lineman who has ever played the game.  Do I want to see the Browns try and run behind him, instead of our Pro Bowl left tackle?  I don’t think I do.  Maybe I can watch another coach abandon the run AGAIN, essentially taking his best player out of the game.  I loved it so much when it happened last season.  New coach, same stupidity.  I don’t think I’d like to see Cameron Wake destroying Brandon Weeden on some of his 53 (!!!) pass attempts again.  Think Schwartz could have used some help there Chud?  Norv?  I don’t think I want to see Buster Skrine and Chris Owens try and cover Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson again.  That was fun enough once in person.  No I think I’ll pass on rewatching this team do their best impression of the other 14 Browns teams that opened their seasons with a home loss.  The players change, the results don’t.

 

While the offense was out there Shurmuring it up, the defense actually played respectably until they wore down late in the game.  Desmond Bryant had a great game.  There were encouraging signs out of the front 7, but the secondary needs help.  Chris Owens and Buster Skrine?  Not going to get it done.  Offensively they should run the pistol.  All game.  Every play.  It gives Weeden a shotgun look while keeping the ability to run the ball.  They ran it a few times early, but then got away from it.  I'm not positive, but I don't think they ran the ball one time out of the shotgun.  So they're pretty much letting the defense know what they're going to do when they come out in it. Pistol.  All day.  Also, some screens and draws might help keep a defense honest.  Just a thought there, Chud.  What a disaster.  I honestly am stunned that they played so badly.

 

I hope Joe Banner completely rebrands this team next year when they change their uniforms.  These guys don’t deserve to wear the same uniforms that Otto Graham and Jim Brown wore.  Go chrome on the helmet, completely redesign the jerseys.  People will cry about tradition.  What tradition do these “new” Browns have?  Losing every opener at home?  A complete overhaul every two or three years?  Not making the playoffs?  Those are the traditions of these new Browns.  And they sure held up their end yesterday.  A garbage loss to a crappy team at home.  I’m at a loss.  I’m sick of watching this team lose.  I’m sick of listening to coaches tell me it’s a process.  I’m sick of Brandon Weeden thinking that he plays well when he throws 3 picks.  I’m sick of Trent Richardson only getting the ball 10 times a game.  I was optimistic about the Browns going into yesterday.  I’m convinced now that they are a 4-12 team.  AGAIN.  Maybe they’ll get it fixed next week who knows.  But the optimism I had going into the season has been napalmed.  As B Ross says, maybe it’s tank for Teddy or Tajh time already.  After week 1.  It’s another Cleveland Browns tradition – looking forward to the draft in September.

 

 

gifs of the week

 

Jason Witten reenacts the Browns game in 2 seconds

 

FUMBLEROOSKI

 

Clay Matthews goes superman for a personal foul

 

And the idiotic play of the week, maybe the season.  Nice job Danny.