I'm going to be honest with you right now and just say that I was expecting a whole lot worse from the Browns today. Sure they lost 28-10 to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers today, but with a rookie quarterback making his first start in the NFL against one of the premier defenses in the league, 28-10 really isn't so bad.
There isn't much to say about the offense in the second half today. I think Daboll did a really nice job with the game plan for the week, and I have to say that Colt McCoy was fairly impressive executing it. He ended the day 23/33 for 281 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions - both off of tipped passes. I thought his accuracy was as good as it was advertised as he threw some really nice tight spirals, and for the most part threw the ball where only his receivers could catch it. The amazing thing about McCoy today is that he completed 70% of his passes against the Steelers, which is an accomplishment Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson and especially Charlie Frye could only dream of during their stints as quarterback of the Browns.
The running game did not improve during the second half, as Peyton Hillis only got three more carries in the second half and finished with only 41 yards rushing. McCoy actually made a few good plays with his legs as well, running four times for 22 yards. I mean, I don't think the offense was really that ugly today, but plain and simple, they just didn't get enough done. In their defense, they played the Steelers.
On the other side of the ball, the defense just couldn't stop Ben Rothlisberger's passing attack during the second half of the game. He ended the day with 257 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception, but he really got going in the third quarter and poured it on during the fourth. The Browns also seemed to have a hard time stopping the rushing attack of Mendenhall and Redman, as they were allowed 84 yards and 31 yards, respectively. But I think the secondary needs to be called out this week on lackluster performances. They allowed passing plays of over 20 yards to four receivers - Wallace, Ward, Miller and Sanders. It's too hard to win like that when you don't have a quarterback.
Losing Josh Cribbs was clearly a huge blow to the Browns. As I wrote in the Halftime Blurb, I don't know too much about the NFL rulebook, but I feel like there should have been some kind of penalty for the violent hits against Cribbs and Massaquoi. When you think about it, the injury to Cribbs really gave the Steelers a touchdown because Chansi Stuckey miffed a punt (on the third time it was tried because of penalties...) setting up the Steelers deep in Browns territory. Based on that hit, I'd say it's likely that Cribbs won't play next week, unfortunately. It's not a huge loss for the Browns, but I think it's the best option if he's concussed because we need him for as long as possible - not just this season which is really another teaching year.
So what's the bottom line today? Colt McCoy went out against the Steelers and didn't die - in fact I'd go as far to say that he did fairly well for an NFL debut. That being said, he's still the third string QB in my mind, and I'm sure he is in the minds of Holmgren, Heckert and Mangini as well. I expect to see Seneca Wallace or Jake Delhomme as soon as they're healthy since McCoy definitely still has a lot to learn. Until next time,
~MAS
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Browns Halftime Blurb, 10/17 Vs. Steelers
For all its storylines, this game has actually been pretty tame so far. Still, the Browns are down 7-3 to the Steelers after a first half in which James Harrison injured Josh Cribbs and Mohammed Massaquoi with some violent helmet-to-helmet hits.
I'm going to start with that. I'm not going to profess that I know that much about the NFL rule book, but I know if Harrison had made the same hit on a high profile quarterback, say Tom Brady, as he did on Cribbs the flags would've flown all over the field and it would be a sure thing that he'd get fined. The commentators didn't even mention the fact that Cribbs was taken down helmet-to-helmet when it happened. Later, when Massaquoi was knocked out, they said that he was defenseless and that wasn't the case with Cribbs - as if Harrison should have been penalized - but then the flag was thrown for a "delay of game" on the offense because center Alex Mack kicked the ball out of bounds in case it was ruled a fumble. Again, I don't know the rule book that well, but I do know that when anyone tries to hit a QB like that, the field gets littered with yellow hankies. I just wish they could do the same thing for all players.
Now, offensively the Browns haven't done a particularly bad job. You've got Colt McCoy who is making his first start, yes, and now he has two of his weapons taken away. Cribbs was also playing a lot in the Wildcat, and now that we don't have that weapon either, I really don't envy Daboll's position of having to coordinate this offense in the second half. On the flip side, Peyton Hillis looks like he might get the most rushing yards off of the Steelers so far this year as he has 9 rushes for 33 yards in the first half and the Steelers have only let up a 42 yard rusher total.
Defensively, Rob Ryan has come through yet again today so far as the Steelers only have 80 passing yards from Ben Rothlisberger in the first half. That being said, I'd like them to do a little bit better against the run with Mendenhall, as they're just not tackling well so far.
I don't expect the Browns to win today (who does?) but I'm pleased with the way they competed in the first half. Hopefully it keeps up for the second. See you after,
~MAS
I'm going to start with that. I'm not going to profess that I know that much about the NFL rule book, but I know if Harrison had made the same hit on a high profile quarterback, say Tom Brady, as he did on Cribbs the flags would've flown all over the field and it would be a sure thing that he'd get fined. The commentators didn't even mention the fact that Cribbs was taken down helmet-to-helmet when it happened. Later, when Massaquoi was knocked out, they said that he was defenseless and that wasn't the case with Cribbs - as if Harrison should have been penalized - but then the flag was thrown for a "delay of game" on the offense because center Alex Mack kicked the ball out of bounds in case it was ruled a fumble. Again, I don't know the rule book that well, but I do know that when anyone tries to hit a QB like that, the field gets littered with yellow hankies. I just wish they could do the same thing for all players.
Now, offensively the Browns haven't done a particularly bad job. You've got Colt McCoy who is making his first start, yes, and now he has two of his weapons taken away. Cribbs was also playing a lot in the Wildcat, and now that we don't have that weapon either, I really don't envy Daboll's position of having to coordinate this offense in the second half. On the flip side, Peyton Hillis looks like he might get the most rushing yards off of the Steelers so far this year as he has 9 rushes for 33 yards in the first half and the Steelers have only let up a 42 yard rusher total.
Defensively, Rob Ryan has come through yet again today so far as the Steelers only have 80 passing yards from Ben Rothlisberger in the first half. That being said, I'd like them to do a little bit better against the run with Mendenhall, as they're just not tackling well so far.
I don't expect the Browns to win today (who does?) but I'm pleased with the way they competed in the first half. Hopefully it keeps up for the second. See you after,
~MAS
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Trades, Injuries and Colt McCoy?
There's a lot going on with the Browns this week, so I figured I'd do a little self-indulging with a midweek blog post.
First off, the Browns traded their former starting running back Jerome Harrison to the Philadelphia Eagles today for another running back, Mike Bell. I was a little surprised when I first read about it but after getting over the initial shock the trade seems to make a lot of sense from the Browns perspective. I've written about it and I've seen Terry Pluto write about it for the Plain Dealer - it just seemed like Harrison was not at all the same running back that put up 286 yards rushing against the Chiefs, and led the Browns offense to winning their last four games last season. It was widely reported that Harrison was unhappy about his role on the team now that Peyton Hillis has taken the bull by the horns in his role as starting running back, and, to me, that was clear by his play on the field. Hopefully there aren't too many hard feelings from Harrison as he parts ways from the Browns organization - though I will say that on some levels it seems like the Browns organization never truly appreciated his talent.
Now Mike Bell comes over from the Eagles where he was probably deemed expendable because of the emergence of their second year running back LeSean McCoy. Bell rejoins linebacker Scott Fujita on the Browns as they were both a part of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints last season. He's in his fifth season in the NFL after making the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2006. His most productive seasons were his rookie season and then also last season, where he started three games and had over between 650-700 yards in both seasons. I think it's pretty clear that he's coming here because Browns General Manager Tom Heckert thinks highly of him and it was probably easy to make the deal with Heckert's former team.
There are also a few issues with quarterbacks and their sprained ankles on the Browns this week. According the Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer, Eric Mangini is now leaning towards starting Colt McCoy this week versus the Pittsburgh Steelers because of the high ankle sprains to both Jake Delhomme and Senece Wallace. Needless to say, this is not what Mike Holmgren envisioned for McCoy's first game in the NFL, but it looks like it's going to have to happen. I was really pleased with the way Holmgren came out right after McCoy was drafted to say that the plan for this year was for him to sit, watch and learn, but it really looks like the only smart thing to do is to play the kid at this point.
Look at it this way, McCoy has got some kind of competitive drive. He is the most winning quarterback in college football history, threw for 112 touchdowns, and had a completion percentage of 70.2 in his four years at Texas. He's been in the system, learning, getting reps since training camp and even though he's a rookie, I think he gives the Browns a better chance to win this week than Brett Ratliff. I also don't think it's a good idea to play Seneca Wallace when he's hurt, based on the fact that he needs his mobility and we also saw what happened to Delhomme when he was playing hurt last week.
I (sort of reluctantly) have to say that it's time to play Colt McCoy. Best case scenario? We've got the quarterback we thought we drafted. Worst case? Well...let's not even think about that. Until Sunday, Go Browns!
~MAS
First off, the Browns traded their former starting running back Jerome Harrison to the Philadelphia Eagles today for another running back, Mike Bell. I was a little surprised when I first read about it but after getting over the initial shock the trade seems to make a lot of sense from the Browns perspective. I've written about it and I've seen Terry Pluto write about it for the Plain Dealer - it just seemed like Harrison was not at all the same running back that put up 286 yards rushing against the Chiefs, and led the Browns offense to winning their last four games last season. It was widely reported that Harrison was unhappy about his role on the team now that Peyton Hillis has taken the bull by the horns in his role as starting running back, and, to me, that was clear by his play on the field. Hopefully there aren't too many hard feelings from Harrison as he parts ways from the Browns organization - though I will say that on some levels it seems like the Browns organization never truly appreciated his talent.
Now Mike Bell comes over from the Eagles where he was probably deemed expendable because of the emergence of their second year running back LeSean McCoy. Bell rejoins linebacker Scott Fujita on the Browns as they were both a part of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints last season. He's in his fifth season in the NFL after making the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2006. His most productive seasons were his rookie season and then also last season, where he started three games and had over between 650-700 yards in both seasons. I think it's pretty clear that he's coming here because Browns General Manager Tom Heckert thinks highly of him and it was probably easy to make the deal with Heckert's former team.
There are also a few issues with quarterbacks and their sprained ankles on the Browns this week. According the Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer, Eric Mangini is now leaning towards starting Colt McCoy this week versus the Pittsburgh Steelers because of the high ankle sprains to both Jake Delhomme and Senece Wallace. Needless to say, this is not what Mike Holmgren envisioned for McCoy's first game in the NFL, but it looks like it's going to have to happen. I was really pleased with the way Holmgren came out right after McCoy was drafted to say that the plan for this year was for him to sit, watch and learn, but it really looks like the only smart thing to do is to play the kid at this point.
Look at it this way, McCoy has got some kind of competitive drive. He is the most winning quarterback in college football history, threw for 112 touchdowns, and had a completion percentage of 70.2 in his four years at Texas. He's been in the system, learning, getting reps since training camp and even though he's a rookie, I think he gives the Browns a better chance to win this week than Brett Ratliff. I also don't think it's a good idea to play Seneca Wallace when he's hurt, based on the fact that he needs his mobility and we also saw what happened to Delhomme when he was playing hurt last week.
I (sort of reluctantly) have to say that it's time to play Colt McCoy. Best case scenario? We've got the quarterback we thought we drafted. Worst case? Well...let's not even think about that. Until Sunday, Go Browns!
~MAS
Sunday, October 10, 2010
You Can't Win Without a Healthy Quarterback
I'm a little disgusted by the Browns 20-10 loss to the Falcons today, but when I really think about this game I know there's a lot the men in the orange helmets did well today. However, the injuries in this game were just too much for the Browns to overcome today and they really just didn't get anything going in the second half.
Offensively, I've got to start with Jake Delhomme's - to put it politely - less than stellar performance. He was only 13/23 for 97 yards and those two ugly interceptions, one of which was the knife in the stomach from defensive lineman Kory Biermann who tipped the pass, intercepted it on a diving catch, and then returned it 41 yards for the touchdown. Now, I'm by no means trying to justify Delhomme's poor outing today, but the guy was not the starting quarterback, and apparently for good reason. The guy was clearly not healthy and looked jumpy, skiddish, and all around uncomfortable in the pocket early in the second half. That being said, if he's healthy, which he hasn't been all season, I think he does give the Browns a decent chance to win.
On another hand we have the Browns (lack of) rushing offense today, which was plain old offensive. I don't have to tell you again how much I love Peyton Hillis, but he was also hurting today. This actually created an opportunity for Jerome Harrison to assert himself once again as an important piece of this offense, but he didn't capitalize on it at all. I wrote in the halftime blurb that he was running timidly as William Green used to do, and that continued well into the second half. Harrison only had 6 yards on 6 carries, the longest of which was a 2 yard run.
The fact that Harrison was totally uninterested in running the ball today just put more pressure on Brian Daboll to find ways of moving the ball down the field, which in turn put pressure on Delhomme to win the game all by himself. But I think Harrison also had an egregious mistake on Biermann's interception. When I saw that replay during the game, Bierrman came free, uncontested in his path to the quarterback. But guess who was coming out of the backfield to Biermann's side of the field for a pass? If you guessed Jerome Harrison, you'd be correct. On that play, Harrison has got to do something to break up that path - I don't believe that play lets the defender go totally free. I'm not saying Harrison has to go out and block him, because he was probably the intended target of Delhomme's pass, but he ought to at least chip that defender while he's coming out of the backfield. If that had happened, I don't know that Delhomme would've thrown that interception.
But that's enough about Harrison. I think we've got to once again give Rob Ryan and his defensive squad some props for holding the Falcons to one offensive touchdown and two field goals. The defense really tightened up when it got down there, and the only real mistake they made all day was the 45 yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Roddy White. Though they gave up 165 rushing yards, this game was the first all year that they had a 100 yard rusher against them. And that wouldn't have happened without that brain fart of a 55 yard run for Michael Turner, who ended the day with 140 yards.
I was talking with my best friend Linus just after the game today, and he said something that I really think is true: The Browns are a 1-4 team that could be 5-0. When you look at it they've led 4 of their 5 ballgames in the 4th quarter, but right now this team just cannot finish. Again, today I really think that might have had more to do with injuries than anything else yet this is still a disappointing start to the season. On the flip side of that, I've got to hand it to the coaches because the Browns have been competitive in each and every game so far this season which starts with the schemes. However, the Browns need to get healthy this week and work in practice to eliminate the self-inflicting wound penalties that have killed us all season - especially today. Hopefully either Wallace or Delhomme will be 100% healthy next week, because if not it might be a grim day against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
~MAS
Offensively, I've got to start with Jake Delhomme's - to put it politely - less than stellar performance. He was only 13/23 for 97 yards and those two ugly interceptions, one of which was the knife in the stomach from defensive lineman Kory Biermann who tipped the pass, intercepted it on a diving catch, and then returned it 41 yards for the touchdown. Now, I'm by no means trying to justify Delhomme's poor outing today, but the guy was not the starting quarterback, and apparently for good reason. The guy was clearly not healthy and looked jumpy, skiddish, and all around uncomfortable in the pocket early in the second half. That being said, if he's healthy, which he hasn't been all season, I think he does give the Browns a decent chance to win.
On another hand we have the Browns (lack of) rushing offense today, which was plain old offensive. I don't have to tell you again how much I love Peyton Hillis, but he was also hurting today. This actually created an opportunity for Jerome Harrison to assert himself once again as an important piece of this offense, but he didn't capitalize on it at all. I wrote in the halftime blurb that he was running timidly as William Green used to do, and that continued well into the second half. Harrison only had 6 yards on 6 carries, the longest of which was a 2 yard run.
The fact that Harrison was totally uninterested in running the ball today just put more pressure on Brian Daboll to find ways of moving the ball down the field, which in turn put pressure on Delhomme to win the game all by himself. But I think Harrison also had an egregious mistake on Biermann's interception. When I saw that replay during the game, Bierrman came free, uncontested in his path to the quarterback. But guess who was coming out of the backfield to Biermann's side of the field for a pass? If you guessed Jerome Harrison, you'd be correct. On that play, Harrison has got to do something to break up that path - I don't believe that play lets the defender go totally free. I'm not saying Harrison has to go out and block him, because he was probably the intended target of Delhomme's pass, but he ought to at least chip that defender while he's coming out of the backfield. If that had happened, I don't know that Delhomme would've thrown that interception.
But that's enough about Harrison. I think we've got to once again give Rob Ryan and his defensive squad some props for holding the Falcons to one offensive touchdown and two field goals. The defense really tightened up when it got down there, and the only real mistake they made all day was the 45 yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Roddy White. Though they gave up 165 rushing yards, this game was the first all year that they had a 100 yard rusher against them. And that wouldn't have happened without that brain fart of a 55 yard run for Michael Turner, who ended the day with 140 yards.
I was talking with my best friend Linus just after the game today, and he said something that I really think is true: The Browns are a 1-4 team that could be 5-0. When you look at it they've led 4 of their 5 ballgames in the 4th quarter, but right now this team just cannot finish. Again, today I really think that might have had more to do with injuries than anything else yet this is still a disappointing start to the season. On the flip side of that, I've got to hand it to the coaches because the Browns have been competitive in each and every game so far this season which starts with the schemes. However, the Browns need to get healthy this week and work in practice to eliminate the self-inflicting wound penalties that have killed us all season - especially today. Hopefully either Wallace or Delhomme will be 100% healthy next week, because if not it might be a grim day against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
~MAS
Browns Halftime Blurb, 10/10/10 Vs. Falcons
It's 10/10/10, so hopefully the Browns can increase their lead in the second half with a little perfect 10 magic, but right now they're up by a score of 7-6 against the Falcons.
Offensively, the Browns have done a lot with the passing game with Seneca Wallace totaling 139 yards in the first half. Yes, that's all well and good but you know how many yard the Browns have running the ball? 14. Yes, fourteen rushing yards. The Browns are a power running kind of team, we're not going to win with that kind of rushing total.
I think part of that is Peyton Hillis is hurt. He was listed as "questionable" going into the game, and Mangini and Daboll are clearly trying to protect him - which is probably in the team's best interest for the long run - by putting in Jerome Harrison fr a few snaps and giving him some carries. However, Harrison has looked timid and soft tiptoeing to the line like William Green used to do in the Butch Davis years. He just looks like a totally different guy than the one who ran all over the Chiefs last year for 286 yards.
On the defensive side, the Browns have done well...once the Falcons get inside the Red Zone. They've actually done a pretty nice job defending the pass as Matt Ryan is only 6/18 for 75 yards, but defending the run they really need to start wrapping up and driving in order to tackle Michael Turner. He's got 95 yards on 12 carries, although one of them was an extremely poorly defended 55 yard run. That being said, give the D some credit for not breaking once they get backed up against the wall in the Red Zone. Even Eric Wright is having a good day covering; Atlanta went after him fairly early in the game but he stayed strong.
The Browns are going to have to get the ball going in the running game in order to win today, because we're now in a situation where Jake Delhomme looks like he's going to be in the game for the second half after Wallace's injury. Delhomme hasn't played since week 1, but hopefully he can come in and lead the offense down the field on a few 10 play drives to get our defense some much needed rest and get a couple good scores. See you after the game.
~MAS
Offensively, the Browns have done a lot with the passing game with Seneca Wallace totaling 139 yards in the first half. Yes, that's all well and good but you know how many yard the Browns have running the ball? 14. Yes, fourteen rushing yards. The Browns are a power running kind of team, we're not going to win with that kind of rushing total.
I think part of that is Peyton Hillis is hurt. He was listed as "questionable" going into the game, and Mangini and Daboll are clearly trying to protect him - which is probably in the team's best interest for the long run - by putting in Jerome Harrison fr a few snaps and giving him some carries. However, Harrison has looked timid and soft tiptoeing to the line like William Green used to do in the Butch Davis years. He just looks like a totally different guy than the one who ran all over the Chiefs last year for 286 yards.
On the defensive side, the Browns have done well...once the Falcons get inside the Red Zone. They've actually done a pretty nice job defending the pass as Matt Ryan is only 6/18 for 75 yards, but defending the run they really need to start wrapping up and driving in order to tackle Michael Turner. He's got 95 yards on 12 carries, although one of them was an extremely poorly defended 55 yard run. That being said, give the D some credit for not breaking once they get backed up against the wall in the Red Zone. Even Eric Wright is having a good day covering; Atlanta went after him fairly early in the game but he stayed strong.
The Browns are going to have to get the ball going in the running game in order to win today, because we're now in a situation where Jake Delhomme looks like he's going to be in the game for the second half after Wallace's injury. Delhomme hasn't played since week 1, but hopefully he can come in and lead the offense down the field on a few 10 play drives to get our defense some much needed rest and get a couple good scores. See you after the game.
~MAS
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Moss to the Vikings? Wow
I know this isn't about the Browns nor does it have anything to do with Cleveland sports in general, but I love both football and the NFL and felt compelled to write about the trade of Randy Moss from the New England Patriots to the Minnesota Vikings.
Anytime a player is dealt in the middle of the season in the NFL it's usually a pretty big deal. It's not like baseball, where people can be traded 3/4 of the way through the season and keep playing like pretty much nothing has ever happened. When a NFL player switches teams a lot of times everything is different. It's a different system, it's a different playbook, it's different terminology, different coaches, different team leaders, a different quarterback. The only thing familiar about this situation for Randy Moss is probably the practice facility, the stadium and the colors - although even the uniforms are different since he last played for the Vikings.
And you know that team is ecstatic that Moss is back. You've got a guy who is nearly 41 playing quarterback, and right now Brett Favre clearly needs a big play wide receiver while Sidney Rice recovers from his hip injury. I think it's safe to say right now that Favre is riding the struggle bus with only 2 touchdowns and 6, yes 6 interceptions. It's been well publicized that Favre wanted the Packers to get Moss in Green Bay a few years ago in 2007 before Raiders traded him to the Patriots. The Vikings right now are 1-2, but they've got one of the best running backs in the league in Adrian Peterson and should be able to get right back on track if the chemistry between Moss and Favre clicks early and often.
On the flip side of that, it's interesting to take a look at the New England Patriots to see that they gave up a future hall of fame wide receiver for just a third round pick in next year's draft. In fact, Bill Bellichick sent Moss and a 7th round draft pick in 2012 to the Vikings for Moss. Sure, he hasn't had the type of production this year that he did in the past (specifically 2007, when Tom Brady threw for 50 touchdowns and 23 of them went to Moss), but I think he can still play at a very high level.
That being said, the Patriots have a reputation for not paying people once Bellichick determines they've reached a "certain age." Think about Richard Seymour, Lawyer Malloy, and Deon Branch, just to name a few and now Randy Moss joins that list. All those guys were fairly critical parts of New England's success, but, as Bellichick put it in his press conference earlier today, the Patriots have won more games than any other NFL team in the past decade. I think what we're seeing from that organization right now is clearly a trend to make the team younger as they've now stockpiled eight draft picks in the first four rounds, two in each round. I'd definitely consider the Patriots to be a dynasty team based on what they've done in the past decade - which is win all the time. I like them getting all the draft picks because they do need to get younger, and with their coaching and veterans on that team, rookies can easily make an impact (see Julian Edelman last year). To me, this speaks volumes about their organization's commitment to winning and obviously Bellichick is a big part of that.
I think this is really going to prove to be a win-win for both teams. Brett Favre gets the wide receiver of his dreams for a run that could go deep into the playoffs, while the Patriots rid themselves of a contract situation that would have distracted them for the rest of the season and acquire another draft pick for talent in the future. I'm really looking forward to the Monday Night Football match up of Vikings and Jets coming up this week as we'll get to see if Moss can escape from "Revis Island" once again.
~MAS
Anytime a player is dealt in the middle of the season in the NFL it's usually a pretty big deal. It's not like baseball, where people can be traded 3/4 of the way through the season and keep playing like pretty much nothing has ever happened. When a NFL player switches teams a lot of times everything is different. It's a different system, it's a different playbook, it's different terminology, different coaches, different team leaders, a different quarterback. The only thing familiar about this situation for Randy Moss is probably the practice facility, the stadium and the colors - although even the uniforms are different since he last played for the Vikings.
And you know that team is ecstatic that Moss is back. You've got a guy who is nearly 41 playing quarterback, and right now Brett Favre clearly needs a big play wide receiver while Sidney Rice recovers from his hip injury. I think it's safe to say right now that Favre is riding the struggle bus with only 2 touchdowns and 6, yes 6 interceptions. It's been well publicized that Favre wanted the Packers to get Moss in Green Bay a few years ago in 2007 before Raiders traded him to the Patriots. The Vikings right now are 1-2, but they've got one of the best running backs in the league in Adrian Peterson and should be able to get right back on track if the chemistry between Moss and Favre clicks early and often.
On the flip side of that, it's interesting to take a look at the New England Patriots to see that they gave up a future hall of fame wide receiver for just a third round pick in next year's draft. In fact, Bill Bellichick sent Moss and a 7th round draft pick in 2012 to the Vikings for Moss. Sure, he hasn't had the type of production this year that he did in the past (specifically 2007, when Tom Brady threw for 50 touchdowns and 23 of them went to Moss), but I think he can still play at a very high level.
That being said, the Patriots have a reputation for not paying people once Bellichick determines they've reached a "certain age." Think about Richard Seymour, Lawyer Malloy, and Deon Branch, just to name a few and now Randy Moss joins that list. All those guys were fairly critical parts of New England's success, but, as Bellichick put it in his press conference earlier today, the Patriots have won more games than any other NFL team in the past decade. I think what we're seeing from that organization right now is clearly a trend to make the team younger as they've now stockpiled eight draft picks in the first four rounds, two in each round. I'd definitely consider the Patriots to be a dynasty team based on what they've done in the past decade - which is win all the time. I like them getting all the draft picks because they do need to get younger, and with their coaching and veterans on that team, rookies can easily make an impact (see Julian Edelman last year). To me, this speaks volumes about their organization's commitment to winning and obviously Bellichick is a big part of that.
I think this is really going to prove to be a win-win for both teams. Brett Favre gets the wide receiver of his dreams for a run that could go deep into the playoffs, while the Patriots rid themselves of a contract situation that would have distracted them for the rest of the season and acquire another draft pick for talent in the future. I'm really looking forward to the Monday Night Football match up of Vikings and Jets coming up this week as we'll get to see if Moss can escape from "Revis Island" once again.
~MAS
Sunday, October 3, 2010
We Got One!
It doesn't matter how you get it, you just want to get it, and today the Browns got their first win of the season. It was really starting to look bleak there during the second half, but the team stayed strong and controlled the clock in the fourth quarter to come away with a 23-20 victory against the Bengals.
I was really impressed by the tough running from Peyton Hillis today, especially in the second half. I have been an especially harsh critic of Brian Daboll, especially for what I found to be his lack of halftime adjustments, but I thought the Browns did a really nice job controlling the ball in the second half. Another thing that the Browns did well today was stay away from the turnovers. Even though Seneca Wallace threw an interception, it didn't turn out to be very costly - a credit to the defense. But again, I can't say enough about Hillis and how nice it is to see a big bruising back for the Browns' running game. I saw a graphic during the game today that I believe said that Peyton Hillis was the first Browns running back since 1975 to have a rushing touchdown in the first four games of the season. That's also great to see since the Browns haven't really had a consistent running attack since they came back in '99.
On the defensive side, it's definitely your day when you give up 371 yards passing and you still win. Carson Palmer really looked like he was back in form, and T.O. didn't look like he'd been in the league since 1996 (which I'm a little pissed about, because he's on my fantasy team and would've had a whopping 41 points if I'd started him...). But Rob Ryan's squad was able to pull out the victory with a little strategy called "Bend but not Break." It's not that I recommend that kind of thing, but if you're going to win in this league, a lot of times that is what's going to happen. Even though they gave up a disgusting amount of passing yards, they held the Bengals to only 67 yards rushing.
T.J. Ward committed a hit on Jordan Shipley that will probably get him fined, but all the same I think it gives off a nice impression to the rest of the league. I mean, yes I know Shipley got a concussion, and I know concussions are dangerous, and I'm not advocating for getting concussions, but I think that it's important to have a strong safety who's an enforcer - especially in the AFC North. I'm just saying that if you didn't know, now you know that Ward is a serious heavy hitter.
All in all, what's important is that the Browns got a huge win this week. Absolutely huge. We've got the Falcons next week - a game we can win if we play to our potential. I think having Jake Delhomme back next week will definitely help the passing offense, which has not been nearly as offensive as the past few years, but Mohammed Massaqoui could definitely use the boost of having his starting QB back in the huddle. But celebrate this win, Browns fans, it's always good to have one in the division. See you next week,
~MAS
I was really impressed by the tough running from Peyton Hillis today, especially in the second half. I have been an especially harsh critic of Brian Daboll, especially for what I found to be his lack of halftime adjustments, but I thought the Browns did a really nice job controlling the ball in the second half. Another thing that the Browns did well today was stay away from the turnovers. Even though Seneca Wallace threw an interception, it didn't turn out to be very costly - a credit to the defense. But again, I can't say enough about Hillis and how nice it is to see a big bruising back for the Browns' running game. I saw a graphic during the game today that I believe said that Peyton Hillis was the first Browns running back since 1975 to have a rushing touchdown in the first four games of the season. That's also great to see since the Browns haven't really had a consistent running attack since they came back in '99.
On the defensive side, it's definitely your day when you give up 371 yards passing and you still win. Carson Palmer really looked like he was back in form, and T.O. didn't look like he'd been in the league since 1996 (which I'm a little pissed about, because he's on my fantasy team and would've had a whopping 41 points if I'd started him...). But Rob Ryan's squad was able to pull out the victory with a little strategy called "Bend but not Break." It's not that I recommend that kind of thing, but if you're going to win in this league, a lot of times that is what's going to happen. Even though they gave up a disgusting amount of passing yards, they held the Bengals to only 67 yards rushing.
T.J. Ward committed a hit on Jordan Shipley that will probably get him fined, but all the same I think it gives off a nice impression to the rest of the league. I mean, yes I know Shipley got a concussion, and I know concussions are dangerous, and I'm not advocating for getting concussions, but I think that it's important to have a strong safety who's an enforcer - especially in the AFC North. I'm just saying that if you didn't know, now you know that Ward is a serious heavy hitter.
All in all, what's important is that the Browns got a huge win this week. Absolutely huge. We've got the Falcons next week - a game we can win if we play to our potential. I think having Jake Delhomme back next week will definitely help the passing offense, which has not been nearly as offensive as the past few years, but Mohammed Massaqoui could definitely use the boost of having his starting QB back in the huddle. But celebrate this win, Browns fans, it's always good to have one in the division. See you next week,
~MAS
Browns Halftime Blurb, 10/3 Vs. Bengals
Well...I'm not particularly sure what to make out of this one. The Browns have looked pretty great at times, and then they've also looked dismal - it's been sort of a tale of two teams. Although, even with the identity crisis, the Browns are up 13-10 going into the half after Phil Dawson's 31 yard field goal as time expired.
The offense has looked decent, but I think they moved the ball a little bit better against the Ravens last week. That's especially true for the running game, as Peyton Hillis only has 37 yards on 11 carries. The running game really aught to be able to get into a rhythm. I mean, Cincinnati's run defense can't be that much better than the Ravens...can it? In the passing game, Seneca Wallace has looked pretty solid, as he has in the last two weeks. He's completed 14 of 21 passes for 154 yards, with a beautiful touchdown throw to Evan Moore and an interception (To be fair, the INT went off of I believe Chansy Stuckey's hands). Speaking of Stuckey, he's done a pretty nice job in the slot receiver position catching 4 for 48 yards. Hopefully Daboll can make the halftime adjustments necessary to get the running game going the way it was last week.
On the defensive side, the Browns secondary has been really disappointing. I don't know why, but it seems like all the corners want to leave their feet when they're covering T.O. and so far that is blatantly not working. Carson Palmer has 212 yards passing in the first half - and that means that Rob Ryan has got to do something different for the second half. They've been doing a lot of corner blitzes, which is fine when you get sacks, but so far we've only got one and that wasn't even on a blitz. Carson Palmer has done a nice job of getting the ball out of his hands quickly when he senses that corner blitz. The run defense has been fine, but they're not even really trying to run. If we do a little bit better job on the pass, this defense will be in business.
I'm not really holding my breath for this one, but the Browns are up at halftime and (as I think I've written every week...) do have a nice chance at getting the W for this game. See you after.
~MAS
The offense has looked decent, but I think they moved the ball a little bit better against the Ravens last week. That's especially true for the running game, as Peyton Hillis only has 37 yards on 11 carries. The running game really aught to be able to get into a rhythm. I mean, Cincinnati's run defense can't be that much better than the Ravens...can it? In the passing game, Seneca Wallace has looked pretty solid, as he has in the last two weeks. He's completed 14 of 21 passes for 154 yards, with a beautiful touchdown throw to Evan Moore and an interception (To be fair, the INT went off of I believe Chansy Stuckey's hands). Speaking of Stuckey, he's done a pretty nice job in the slot receiver position catching 4 for 48 yards. Hopefully Daboll can make the halftime adjustments necessary to get the running game going the way it was last week.
On the defensive side, the Browns secondary has been really disappointing. I don't know why, but it seems like all the corners want to leave their feet when they're covering T.O. and so far that is blatantly not working. Carson Palmer has 212 yards passing in the first half - and that means that Rob Ryan has got to do something different for the second half. They've been doing a lot of corner blitzes, which is fine when you get sacks, but so far we've only got one and that wasn't even on a blitz. Carson Palmer has done a nice job of getting the ball out of his hands quickly when he senses that corner blitz. The run defense has been fine, but they're not even really trying to run. If we do a little bit better job on the pass, this defense will be in business.
I'm not really holding my breath for this one, but the Browns are up at halftime and (as I think I've written every week...) do have a nice chance at getting the W for this game. See you after.
~MAS
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