Week 9 - 2013

Dear Jason Campbell -

I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I lumped you in the same category as Brandon Weeden.  It was an honest mistake.  I just didn't know.  I'm really sorry.  You just played a great football game.  You played through pain all game after Haloti Ngata's giant body tried to smash your insides, making throws and moving the pocket with your legs.  You completed 23 out of your 35 passes, for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns.  You didn't have a turnover for a second straight week.  You are the reason the Browns won.  You are the first Browns quarterback since 2007 to beat the Ravens, and I hate the Ravens.  It was glorious.  You outplayed the Super Bowl MVP, Joe Flacco.  So thank you, and I'm sorry.  And tell Devone Bess I'm super sorry for being super mean to him, too.  He played great.  And War Damn Eagle from my Auburn folk.

Love Eric.


Seriously though I was wrong about Jason Campbell.  I really didn't think it mattered who the quarterback was after Brian Hoyer was injured.  But clearly it matters.  Jason Campbell played a fantastic football game on Sunday, leading the Browns to their first win over the Ravens since 2007, breaking the streak of 11 straight losses.  That is insane.  The last time the Browns beat the Ravens Josh Gordon was a junior in high school.  Joe Thomas was a rookie.  Romeo Crennel was the coach.  Goodness that is almost unfathomable in today's NFL.  The 24-18 victory also marks the first time the Browns have defeated Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh.  Lookout NFL here come the Browns!

The Browns are now 4-1 when Campbell or Hoyer have started, 0-4 when Brandon Weeden started. 


His offensive weapons certainly helped him out this week.  Devone Bess, that's what we've been expecting.  What a great bounce back game for him, catching two of Campbell's touchdowns.  He only caught 3 passes, but two were on fourth down.  He made the play of the game when he came back and secured Campbell's pass on fourth and one late in the game.  That's what we've been waiting for from him.  And seriously what the hell Greg Little?  Why can't you play like that every week?  Little was everywhere, snaring passes in traffic and showing some speed after the catch.  Of course he had two personal foul penalties, but screw the Ravens after 11 straight losses it was good to see some swagger and attitude.  The Browns were the better, more talented team.  Offensively, defensively, and on special teams.  And I'm really starting to love Rob Chudzinski.  I love the aggressiveness, going for it on 4th and 1 early in the game and converting for the touchdown, and late in the game to secure the victory.

Defensively, the Browns were really good.  Baltimore couldn't run the ball.  They couldn't really protect Flacco, although he made some plays with his feet.  The defensive front got great pressure, from just about everybody.  Armonty Bryant looks like he's going to be a pretty good player.  He certainly looks the part with those long arms and seems to use his hands well when pass rushing.  He appears to be a pretty good find by Banner and Lombardi.  Phil Taylor, Desmond Bryant, and Ahtyba Rubin are fun to watch.  Joe Haden got his first interception of the season.  TJ Ward is playing at a Pro-Bowl level.  Ray Horton's defense really is fun to watch, they are fast and swarming and everything I want from a defense.  I still think they're a couple players away from being really really great, but I do love watching them.  The Ravens had two weeks to get a gameplan put together coming off the bye, and the Browns stymied them pretty good.  It was Harbaugh's first loss coming off of a bye. 

The one thing I'll say is that they had the Ravens in third and long almost the entire game and allowed them to convert 7 out of 16 times.  That's not terrible but I think they're good enough to get off the field more frequently.  And again seems like nitpicking here but on offense they need to run to the left.  All game they ran right and got stuffed.  Joe Thomas is really good, maybe they should run behind him.

So here we are again.  When I convince myself that this team is going to lose, and that it is better for them to lose, they suck me back in.  They are 4-5 and have a bye week, then Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.  They certainly have a chance to get back into the race in the AFC North, and again this game proves that with pretty good play from the quarterback, this team is pretty good.  Just how good we will find out here in the second half of the season.  After the roller coaster ride the first nine games have been, I'm sure it will be interesting.


Random gifs

A "Michigan Man" everybody

 

 

Creepy

Justin Blackmon you idiot

Final Draft Thoughts

With the absence of a second round pick, Friday night was fairly uneventful for the Browns.  However they did pick up Leon McFadden, a smooth, quicker than fast cornerback from San Diego State in the third round.  McFadden is a solid, battle tested player from a pass happy conference who spent a lot of time in one on one man coverage.  He is a willing tackler but needs to learn to disengage from blockers.  He's only 5'9 and some change, but has the hips and quickness that are desired in today's NFL.  I would expect him to challenge Chris Owens and Buster Skrine for a starting role early, provided that the Browns don't pick up another corner.  At worst he'll come in on passing downs and should see plenty of action early.  Cornerback was certainly a need, and it was addressed with the 3rd round pick.  Here's a scouting report here , another one here, and here are a couple videos.  It's hard to watch cornerbacks with no coaches film, but McFadden was a player that seemed to fit what the Browns were going to be looking for.  Not a surprise, and a solid selection.

On Saturday, the Browns made some moves for the future that left the fanbase shaking their heads.  They traded their fourth round pick to Pittsburgh for the Steelers third rounder next year, and if you listen to the fanbase the Steelers used that pick to select Shamarko Thomas, a 5'8 future Hall of Fame safety.  They then traded their fifth round pick to the Colts for another selection next year, Indy's fourth rounder.  The Colts picked Montori Hughes with that selection. 

In the sixth round, the Browns selected Jamoris Slaughter from Notre Dame, a safety coming off a ruptured achilles.  There are a couple videos here.  There's also a nice writeup here by Brandon Leister at DraftBrowns here - those guys are pretty good over there, they have write ups on all the Browns draft picks.  Slaughter is a versatile safety who can play in the box or in coverage.  There is an obvious injury concern but I would guess that the Browns did their homework and are comfortable with his recovery.  He's a guy that could potentially spend the season on IR while he recovers and turn into a valuable piece of the secondary with his versatility, but like most 6th round picks nothing is assured.  Mike Mayock raved about him when the pick was made, but Mike Mayock raves about most things safety and most things Notre Dame.

In the 7th round, the Browns selected Armonty Bryant, a developmental defensive end and Garrett Gilkey, a guard.  These guys played at East Central Oklahoma State and Chadron State, respectively.  Bryant was a combine invite and Gilkey played in the Senior Bowl, so they weren't exactly gems that the Browns unearthed.

I've seen neither of them play, so I have no opinion on them.  Bryant should be an end in the Browns 3-4, he is 6-4 with nearly 36 inch arms, which is some insane length.  He'll need to add weight.  He'll also need to not sell weed to any police officers, as he was arrested for during his senior season at East Central.  Some highlights here.

Gilkey played tackle but will likely play guard for the Browns, he played on the basketball team at Chadron State, so he has some athleticism.  There's some film here, he looks like a nasty player.

And that was that.  3 players on Saturday, when they went in with 5 picks.  It should be noted that they essentially traded their 5th rounder for Devone Bess and Miami's 7th rounder.  Bess is a productive slot receiver, the kind of player quarterbacks love having, as well as a pro's pro.  He should be a valuable addition.

Browns fans were and are upset though about the trades.  Look I get it.  I'm a draft guy, and I've been looking forward to this since that disgusting Washington game last year.  It's easy to be disappointed that they traded their fourth and fifth round picks.  However, next April we're all going to be super pumped that they did.  I think I saw a number that something like 16% of fourth round picks become starters.  Obviously that number would probably be lower with 5th rounders and higher with 3rds.  So from a sheer numbers perspective, the players the Browns pick next year should have a better chance of becoming starters than the players taken at the picks that they traded.  Are there needs on this team?  Yes.  Do I think they're done adding players?  No.  I still think a veteran cornerback or safety could be added.

The other aspect that people are overlooking is the fact that a young player should make the biggest jump as a player from their rookie year to their second season.  The Browns had one of the youngest rosters in the league last year.  Look at the list of rookies who started or contributed last season.

Brandon Weeden, Trent Richardson, Mitchell Schwartz, Travis Benjamin, Josh Gordon, Billy Winn, John Hughes, James Michael Johnson, LJ Fort, Jonathan Bademosi, and Tashaun Gipson all saw significant playing time.  Those players should be better this year than they were last year.  They were also brought in by a different regime.  It is apparent that Michael Lombardi and Joe Banner felt that they'd rather evaluate these guys and see if they can play than add another couple of mid round rookies to the fold.  If they can't play, they'll be replaced, possibly this off season or in the draft next year.  So while from a fan perspective it looks like the Browns aren't addressing their needs in the 4th and 5th rounds, they obviously feel more comfortable developing the young talent that they already have in house.  Brandon Weeden will have to produce, or the Browns will have another poor season.  They'll be drafting his replacement in 2014 if he's lousy, and there are better quarterbacks coming out next year.  They have added some ammunition to move up and get one if needed by doing what they did.  It's forward thinking, but I really don't believe those people that say that they don't care about winning this year.  They're banking on the guys they have being better.  And they have a better coach, which shouldn't be overlooked. 

Everyone always loves looking at the San Francisco's and New England's and Green Bay's and the moves they make in the draft.  It seems like they always have extra picks to play with, and it's because they make moves like the Browns did.  Yes, I understand that those organizations have football teams that are far superior than what the Browns have been.  Those teams are built on acquiring picks, making moves to fill holes when needed, and developing their young talent.  That's the model that the Browns appear to be working towards.  And although it was an anticlimactic draft for the Browns, the moves they made cannot be judged until the 2014 draft.  In true Cleveland fashion, we'll have to wait until next year.

And in case you've been reading about how the Browns got a C- or a D or whatever mediocre draft grade some writer gave them, remember this:  Draft grades are IDIOTIC.