When the game started, I had a bad feeling about the way it would turn out and all my fears were realized. This is a really tough loss for the Browns who fell to the Jaguars 24-20.
I predicted the Browns would win 23-10 earlier today, and yeah, I was way off base. I was just very confident that Colt McCoy and the Browns running game would have a dominant performance today. I usually start with the offense, but I just feel like there isn't much to say, other than the fact that there was virtually no running game in the second half. And the fact that we couldn't move the ball at all. I'm not sure if that's because of no halftime adjustments from Brian Daboll, or maybe we have horrendous wide receivers, or maybe Colt McCoy is not as good as we thought. But I just know that in his first 4 games, McCoy was not prone to taking sacks. He would get rid of the ball and find the open receiver if there was one. It just seemed to me that for some reason the offense was not prepared in the second half.
Defensively, the Browns did an excellent job of creating turnovers - it's just that the offense couldn't capitalize and get points. Rob Ryan's crew forced six turnovers. Yes, six turnovers and the Jaguars still won. To me, it's absolutely unacceptable to let a team win when they have six turnovers. I just can't get over that.
Can you tell I'm disappointed? The Browns played great teams the last r weeks and went 2-2. They played what I think is an average team, based on their statistics, and stunk up the place today. Eric Mangini has improved this team a great deal since just a year ago today, but the results have got to start showing. I know we live in Cleveland, but doesn't "Wait 'till next year" get old? 3-7 is not where this team should be, and I seriously hope that next week I don't have to write another disappointed post like this.
~MAS
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Browns Halftime Blurb, 11/20 Vs. Jaguars
You know, when the game started I actually had a pretty bad feeling about it. It seemed to me like the Browns were just going to have a let down game after their first drive. But then they came back, overcame a situation where they had 2nd and 21, and ended up going the distance on a 16-play, 92 yard drive that took 9:57 off of the clock to score a touchdown on a play that I didn't even know could happen in the Browns favor. I feel like that was just something teams could only do to the Browns. And then the D has a huge let down, allowing the Jaguars to score a late first half touchdown to put them up 10-7 going into the half.
Offensively, the Browns have looked pretty good - especially McCoy and Hillis. With Cribbs out for this game, you'd think there would be a few more opportunities for Massaquoi, Robiskie and Stuckey, but this just doesn't seem to be a wide-receiver friendly offense, to me. Thank goodness Ben Watson wasn't out for too long, because Robert Royal is just not the viable tight end passing option that we need. But back to that first combination, McCoy so far is having a great day statistically going 10/14 for 135 yards passing and a touchdown, and he also has 9 rushing yards. Hillis has been terrific with 12 rushes for 35 yards and 5 receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. Hopefully Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll can make the proper adjustments to keep the Browns rolling in the second half.
Defensively, the Browns looked pretty good before the last Jacksonville drive where they allowed the touchdown. They didn't look horrible that drive either, but they weren't coming up with the timely plays that they needed in order to get out of the drive. Statistically, the Browns allowed David Garrard (who's name I have been spelling wrong since Wednesday...) to go 9/14 for 85 yards and a touchdown, and allowed Maurice Jones-Drew 46 yards on eight carries. The Browns also allowed the Jags to go 2/4 on 3rd down, a stat I think is really important because it shows if the defense can actually suspend drives when they have the chance.
I'm not sure what to really think about this game right now because the Browns have just looked so inconsistent. Whether or not the Browns win will depend on if they get their mess together in the locker room and come out with fire and intensity on Defense, as the Jags deferred to the second half. I think this is a really important game for Mangini and his coaching staff, as a 4-6 record looks a lot better than a 3-7 record - at least to me. See you after the game,
~MAS
Offensively, the Browns have looked pretty good - especially McCoy and Hillis. With Cribbs out for this game, you'd think there would be a few more opportunities for Massaquoi, Robiskie and Stuckey, but this just doesn't seem to be a wide-receiver friendly offense, to me. Thank goodness Ben Watson wasn't out for too long, because Robert Royal is just not the viable tight end passing option that we need. But back to that first combination, McCoy so far is having a great day statistically going 10/14 for 135 yards passing and a touchdown, and he also has 9 rushing yards. Hillis has been terrific with 12 rushes for 35 yards and 5 receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. Hopefully Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll can make the proper adjustments to keep the Browns rolling in the second half.
Defensively, the Browns looked pretty good before the last Jacksonville drive where they allowed the touchdown. They didn't look horrible that drive either, but they weren't coming up with the timely plays that they needed in order to get out of the drive. Statistically, the Browns allowed David Garrard (who's name I have been spelling wrong since Wednesday...) to go 9/14 for 85 yards and a touchdown, and allowed Maurice Jones-Drew 46 yards on eight carries. The Browns also allowed the Jags to go 2/4 on 3rd down, a stat I think is really important because it shows if the defense can actually suspend drives when they have the chance.
I'm not sure what to really think about this game right now because the Browns have just looked so inconsistent. Whether or not the Browns win will depend on if they get their mess together in the locker room and come out with fire and intensity on Defense, as the Jags deferred to the second half. I think this is a really important game for Mangini and his coaching staff, as a 4-6 record looks a lot better than a 3-7 record - at least to me. See you after the game,
~MAS
New Look, New Post - "Browns Start Me Up"
If you're of the 7 loyal blog followers on the side of the page, don't be alarmed by the new look, it's still the same knucklehead writing about Cleveland sports. If you're new, why hello there! You won't notice anything different, but this is actually my first post since updating the look of the blog. There's a new background, a new font which I'm pretty sure is a little bigger, and there's the little page-view-counter on the right side of the page. I'll admit it - that's just an ego boost because it's proof that people actually click on the link. I hold on to the hope that the words are actually read.
But I thought with this new look, I'd take the Blog a step further and start putting together a little pre-game post that I'll call the "Browns Start Me Up." (Why yes, I did think of it from the Rolling Stones song, because "Brown Sugar" and "Honky Tonk Woman" just didn't seem to fit...) It only seemed logical, you know, since there's a halftime and a post-game post, why not do a pre-game one with a prediction? That's what this post is all about.
The Browns take on the Jacksonville Jaguars today down in Florida and I think this is going to be a very winnable game for them. Of course, the team in brown and orange is going to have to overcome substantial injuries to Josh Cribbs and Scott Fujita, two captains who I think are part of the heart and soul of this team. However, on offense, as long as Peyton Hillis is in the game and the offensive line is anchored by Joe Thomas, I think the Browns have a great chance to exploit the Jaguars rushing defense and dominate this game. I think this could also be the real break out game for Colt McCoy. At least I really hope so.
On the Defensive side, I'm sure Rob Ryan has put together a great defensive scheme to confuse David Gerrard. The Jags quarterback has had an inconsistent season, as he's been great in the team's 5 wins so far, but he's also been terrible in the team's losses. He completed a freak Hail Mary pass last week that Houston slapped down into the arms of a Jacksonville receiver which won the game for the Jags, but I'm hoping that today's game won't even come to that. I expect the Browns to come out firing aggressively on the D, but they'll have to wrap up and drive in order to sack Gerrard, who has the reputation for being elusive.
Maybe I'm not putting enough weight on the injuries to Josh Cribbs and Fujita, and maybe I'm not giving Jacksonville enough credit as a team because I remember how the Browns dominated them in the final game of last year, but I think the Browns are going to go out and have a great win today. When you think about it, the Browns have played 4 of the leagues toughest teams in their last 4 games, and they came out of that 2-2 - and that could have easily been 3-1. I think they'll make a great stride in becoming a good team from simply a competitive team and defeat the Jags today.
The Prediction: CLE 23 - JAC 10
See you at the half,
~MAS
But I thought with this new look, I'd take the Blog a step further and start putting together a little pre-game post that I'll call the "Browns Start Me Up." (Why yes, I did think of it from the Rolling Stones song, because "Brown Sugar" and "Honky Tonk Woman" just didn't seem to fit...) It only seemed logical, you know, since there's a halftime and a post-game post, why not do a pre-game one with a prediction? That's what this post is all about.
The Browns take on the Jacksonville Jaguars today down in Florida and I think this is going to be a very winnable game for them. Of course, the team in brown and orange is going to have to overcome substantial injuries to Josh Cribbs and Scott Fujita, two captains who I think are part of the heart and soul of this team. However, on offense, as long as Peyton Hillis is in the game and the offensive line is anchored by Joe Thomas, I think the Browns have a great chance to exploit the Jaguars rushing defense and dominate this game. I think this could also be the real break out game for Colt McCoy. At least I really hope so.
On the Defensive side, I'm sure Rob Ryan has put together a great defensive scheme to confuse David Gerrard. The Jags quarterback has had an inconsistent season, as he's been great in the team's 5 wins so far, but he's also been terrible in the team's losses. He completed a freak Hail Mary pass last week that Houston slapped down into the arms of a Jacksonville receiver which won the game for the Jags, but I'm hoping that today's game won't even come to that. I expect the Browns to come out firing aggressively on the D, but they'll have to wrap up and drive in order to sack Gerrard, who has the reputation for being elusive.
Maybe I'm not putting enough weight on the injuries to Josh Cribbs and Fujita, and maybe I'm not giving Jacksonville enough credit as a team because I remember how the Browns dominated them in the final game of last year, but I think the Browns are going to go out and have a great win today. When you think about it, the Browns have played 4 of the leagues toughest teams in their last 4 games, and they came out of that 2-2 - and that could have easily been 3-1. I think they'll make a great stride in becoming a good team from simply a competitive team and defeat the Jags today.
The Prediction: CLE 23 - JAC 10
See you at the half,
~MAS
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A Little Mid-Week Filler...
So when I said on Sunday afternoon that the post-game Browns blog would be late, I didn't actually think it would be this late, but here I am and here it is. Although I"m going to go into a few other hot topics around the NFL, I'll start with the Browns.
Finding Ways to Win Late
I think it's safe to say that's just something the Browns don't exactly know how to do at this point. I'm not trying to take anything away from what they did do on Sunday, because taking the Jets to the final 30 seconds of overtime is an accomplishment in and of itself. Colt McCoy leading the Browns to a 59 yard 10 play drive just to force the overtime is also an accomplishment in and of itself. What I mean is simply that the Browns haven't yet turned the corner from being a competitive team to a good team. I think it's clear that we're the best 3-6 team in the league right now, but I think the Browns have got to continue to try and improve each week. A loss is a loss, right? This league doesn't see "moral victories" as anything more that losses, and losses equate to coaches losing their jobs. I don't think that's the route Mike Holmgren is going to take with Eric Mangini at this point, but it's important that the Browns go out and win these next few games coming up.
One thing about the end of the game that sort of bothered me was the play calling on offense when the Browns got the ball back at the 3 yard line after Joe Haden's interception. Now, I've heard some critical talk about Haden catching the ball instead of just knocking it down to force the Jets to punt, but let's really think about the situation. All Haden is thinking about is getting the ball back for his offense and at that moment, I'd imagine it's really hard to think about anything but securing the ball and making sure the Jets receiver (who happened to be Braylon Edwards) doesn't catch it. I can't have a problem with him making an INT at that point, because that's pure instinct.
What I do have a problem with is the fact that Daboll didn't seem to know what he wanted to do after the Browns got the ball. If you want to pass - which it appeared like they did when McCoy came out firing to Ben Watson down the field - great! If you want to run the clock out or get some space - as they did on the 2nd down inside running play to Peyton Hillis - you really ought to do that on first down. When you do it on second down, and you don't get into 3rd and manageable territory (which I define as 3rd and 4 yards or less) you're really putting yourself into a huge hole, especially given the way the Jets can blitz the crap out of a good offensive line. Obviously, that's exactly what the Jets did and McCoy was wise enough to get out of the endzone before taking a sack.
I really liked most of what the Browns did in this game, and I really think they should have won it. I'm sure we all do. Something my high school football coach, Cliff Walton, told the team once is, "A football game is not won or lost on any one play," and I believe that's true. I say that because I don't think it's fair at all to blame Chansi Stuckey for the loss because he fumbled in overtime. Granted, that was a big play and I think that drive probably would have led to at least a game winning field goal, but think of all the less-than-one-minute possessions the Browns had in the second half where they went 3-and-out. There are so many opportunities to make plays in a football game, that looking at one and saying "That's it!" just doesn't work to me.
That being said, the Browns really need to have a good win this week against the Jaguars. It would be wonderful to see Peyton Hillis run all over them the way Jerome Harrison did in the final game of last season. It would also be great to see Colt McCoy to have a breakout game against a so-so defense. I also think Rob Ryan can put together a good defense to confuse the inconsistent quarterback of the Jags, David Gerrard, although it might be a little more difficult to contain the ever elusive Maurice Jones-Drew. We'll see what happens on Sunday, but I'm thinking it's going to be a big Browns win.
Getting Embarrassed
Several teams got their mess kicked this week in the NFL and ought to be ashamed of themselves. The Kansas City Chiefs, the New York football Giants, and the Washington Redskins all came out and couldn't even put together a competitive game against the Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. I'll sort of let the Redskins off the hook a little bit because the Eagles are a pretty good team, but there's still no way that anyone should lose 59-28, I'm sorry.
The Chiefs and Giants should be ashamed because they let teams who were on a complete down slide kick them around like it was nothing. Sure, Jason Garrett (a University School graduate, for the record) is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' golden boy coach, but that team is still the most overrated bunch of lugs in the league and the Giants should have been able to handle them at home. The Chiefs let the Broncos, who have also looked awful in their last few games, get out to a 28-0 lead in the first two quarters before they could scrap together a touchdown and a field goal to make it 35-10 going into the half. And then Head Coach of the Chiefs, Todd Haley, refused to shake Head Coach of the Broncos, Josh McDaniels', hand because Haley, as I understand it, didn't like the attitude of the Broncos sideline. Really Todd Haley? If you're that bitter about losing to a division rival like that, maybe you should have had a better game plan. Or how about you just worry about coaching your own team who just got embarrassed by a pretty bad team in your division. Don't do the "I'm not going to shake your hand" high school crap.
But to go back to the Eagles-Redskins game, I think this means Michael Vick is back. All you animal lovers who want to continue to condemn this guy, I'm sorry, but the guy did the time for his crime, and now he's back and better than ever. He completed his first 10 passes and led the Eagles out to a 35-0 lead after the first play of the 2nd quarter. Talk about being embarassed... Vick finished the game 20/28 for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns, passing, and he also ran 8 times for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns. Incidentally, former Brown Jerome Harrison led the Eagles in rushing with 11 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown. (What has Mike Bell done since coming to the Browns, you ask? Well, nothing. But that's exactly what Harrison was going to do, so get over it.) Going back to Vick, he became the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards, rush for 50 yards, throw for 4 touchdowns and run for 2 touchdowns in a game.
On the other sideline, Donovan McNabb, fresh off his new five-year $78 million contract extension, with $40 million guaranteed, did not have a good night going 17/31 for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns, but 3 interceptions - all of which came on 3rd down. I'm not entirely sure why in the world the Redskins would sign a guy who is 34 years old and clearly on the downside of his career to a $40 million guaranteed money contract, but maybe they know something about McNabb I don't. Or maybe this is just another one off the famous bad moves that the Redskins are so prone to making over the last decade.
Wow, that was a long post. I'm shocked you actually took the time to read this far. In any case, I'll be back on Sunday for the Browns game. Until then, I'll be in wizard-mode as I'm going to see Harry Potter Thursday night (!!!). See you Sunday,
~MAS
Finding Ways to Win Late
I think it's safe to say that's just something the Browns don't exactly know how to do at this point. I'm not trying to take anything away from what they did do on Sunday, because taking the Jets to the final 30 seconds of overtime is an accomplishment in and of itself. Colt McCoy leading the Browns to a 59 yard 10 play drive just to force the overtime is also an accomplishment in and of itself. What I mean is simply that the Browns haven't yet turned the corner from being a competitive team to a good team. I think it's clear that we're the best 3-6 team in the league right now, but I think the Browns have got to continue to try and improve each week. A loss is a loss, right? This league doesn't see "moral victories" as anything more that losses, and losses equate to coaches losing their jobs. I don't think that's the route Mike Holmgren is going to take with Eric Mangini at this point, but it's important that the Browns go out and win these next few games coming up.
One thing about the end of the game that sort of bothered me was the play calling on offense when the Browns got the ball back at the 3 yard line after Joe Haden's interception. Now, I've heard some critical talk about Haden catching the ball instead of just knocking it down to force the Jets to punt, but let's really think about the situation. All Haden is thinking about is getting the ball back for his offense and at that moment, I'd imagine it's really hard to think about anything but securing the ball and making sure the Jets receiver (who happened to be Braylon Edwards) doesn't catch it. I can't have a problem with him making an INT at that point, because that's pure instinct.
What I do have a problem with is the fact that Daboll didn't seem to know what he wanted to do after the Browns got the ball. If you want to pass - which it appeared like they did when McCoy came out firing to Ben Watson down the field - great! If you want to run the clock out or get some space - as they did on the 2nd down inside running play to Peyton Hillis - you really ought to do that on first down. When you do it on second down, and you don't get into 3rd and manageable territory (which I define as 3rd and 4 yards or less) you're really putting yourself into a huge hole, especially given the way the Jets can blitz the crap out of a good offensive line. Obviously, that's exactly what the Jets did and McCoy was wise enough to get out of the endzone before taking a sack.
I really liked most of what the Browns did in this game, and I really think they should have won it. I'm sure we all do. Something my high school football coach, Cliff Walton, told the team once is, "A football game is not won or lost on any one play," and I believe that's true. I say that because I don't think it's fair at all to blame Chansi Stuckey for the loss because he fumbled in overtime. Granted, that was a big play and I think that drive probably would have led to at least a game winning field goal, but think of all the less-than-one-minute possessions the Browns had in the second half where they went 3-and-out. There are so many opportunities to make plays in a football game, that looking at one and saying "That's it!" just doesn't work to me.
That being said, the Browns really need to have a good win this week against the Jaguars. It would be wonderful to see Peyton Hillis run all over them the way Jerome Harrison did in the final game of last season. It would also be great to see Colt McCoy to have a breakout game against a so-so defense. I also think Rob Ryan can put together a good defense to confuse the inconsistent quarterback of the Jags, David Gerrard, although it might be a little more difficult to contain the ever elusive Maurice Jones-Drew. We'll see what happens on Sunday, but I'm thinking it's going to be a big Browns win.
Getting Embarrassed
Several teams got their mess kicked this week in the NFL and ought to be ashamed of themselves. The Kansas City Chiefs, the New York football Giants, and the Washington Redskins all came out and couldn't even put together a competitive game against the Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. I'll sort of let the Redskins off the hook a little bit because the Eagles are a pretty good team, but there's still no way that anyone should lose 59-28, I'm sorry.
The Chiefs and Giants should be ashamed because they let teams who were on a complete down slide kick them around like it was nothing. Sure, Jason Garrett (a University School graduate, for the record) is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' golden boy coach, but that team is still the most overrated bunch of lugs in the league and the Giants should have been able to handle them at home. The Chiefs let the Broncos, who have also looked awful in their last few games, get out to a 28-0 lead in the first two quarters before they could scrap together a touchdown and a field goal to make it 35-10 going into the half. And then Head Coach of the Chiefs, Todd Haley, refused to shake Head Coach of the Broncos, Josh McDaniels', hand because Haley, as I understand it, didn't like the attitude of the Broncos sideline. Really Todd Haley? If you're that bitter about losing to a division rival like that, maybe you should have had a better game plan. Or how about you just worry about coaching your own team who just got embarrassed by a pretty bad team in your division. Don't do the "I'm not going to shake your hand" high school crap.
But to go back to the Eagles-Redskins game, I think this means Michael Vick is back. All you animal lovers who want to continue to condemn this guy, I'm sorry, but the guy did the time for his crime, and now he's back and better than ever. He completed his first 10 passes and led the Eagles out to a 35-0 lead after the first play of the 2nd quarter. Talk about being embarassed... Vick finished the game 20/28 for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns, passing, and he also ran 8 times for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns. Incidentally, former Brown Jerome Harrison led the Eagles in rushing with 11 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown. (What has Mike Bell done since coming to the Browns, you ask? Well, nothing. But that's exactly what Harrison was going to do, so get over it.) Going back to Vick, he became the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards, rush for 50 yards, throw for 4 touchdowns and run for 2 touchdowns in a game.
On the other sideline, Donovan McNabb, fresh off his new five-year $78 million contract extension, with $40 million guaranteed, did not have a good night going 17/31 for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns, but 3 interceptions - all of which came on 3rd down. I'm not entirely sure why in the world the Redskins would sign a guy who is 34 years old and clearly on the downside of his career to a $40 million guaranteed money contract, but maybe they know something about McNabb I don't. Or maybe this is just another one off the famous bad moves that the Redskins are so prone to making over the last decade.
Wow, that was a long post. I'm shocked you actually took the time to read this far. In any case, I'll be back on Sunday for the Browns game. Until then, I'll be in wizard-mode as I'm going to see Harry Potter Thursday night (!!!). See you Sunday,
~MAS
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Browns Halftime Blurb, 11/14 Vs. Jets
The Browns look like a pretty darn good team today, so far. I have to say that I really was expecting a competitive game, especially given how the last couple of games has gone for the Browns, and despite the 17-13 score, the Browns had a really nice half against another Super Bowl contender.
I haven't been this hyped up for a Browns game in a long time, and so far the game just hasn't disappointed. Let's get right to the stats. On offense, Colt McCoy has looked poised as ever, on one play staying in the pocket and delivering a great pass to Chansi Stuckey for a first down. He was 8/12 for 112 yards in the first half, no TDs but no INTs as well. Again, he does not turn the ball over and I think he looks a lot more like a veteran in there than a rookie. Peyton Hillis continues his Pro-Bowl caliber season with 60 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown from 14 yards out. The Jets just do not allow 100 yard rushers, so it would be a great accomplishment if Hillis could get to that plateau today. Also important to note that Josh Cribbs was making a great impact with a 14 yard reverse play and also a great reception where he had 20+ yards after the catch for an all told 37 yard reception. The downside is that he was injured on that play when he was tackled. Still, I think Brian Daboll is really growing in his position as Offensive Coordinator and it's showing in the results on the field.
Defensively, the Rob Ryan side of the Ryan brothers duel has got the shorter end of the stick right now, but they've been alright so far. They've allowed too many yards on the ground so far today, as the Jets have 80 yards on 18 carries as a team, and I also think they're not putting enough pressure on the Jets quarterback, Mark Sanchez. I think this leads well into the fact that he's a 2nd year quarterback, and I think he can still be rattled pretty well as long as the defense gets to him.
Watching these two teams, I get the feeling that they're pretty similar. I mean, yes the Jets are more along in terms of their development, and they have more potential to go farther in the playoffs, but they're both teams who's offense has to start with a good running game - and most of the time it does. That's a credit to the offensive lines of both teams. I think they're also teams who have a big emphasis on defensive aggression, and I believe that's a big credit to both of the Ryan brothers.
In any case, hopefully the Browns can force the first punt of the game on the Jets first drive of the 2nd half and then proceed to get the lead back and keep it. The post-game blog will be a little bit later than usual today, but fear not (you three loyal blog readers) it will be there tonight. Go Browns!
~MAS
I haven't been this hyped up for a Browns game in a long time, and so far the game just hasn't disappointed. Let's get right to the stats. On offense, Colt McCoy has looked poised as ever, on one play staying in the pocket and delivering a great pass to Chansi Stuckey for a first down. He was 8/12 for 112 yards in the first half, no TDs but no INTs as well. Again, he does not turn the ball over and I think he looks a lot more like a veteran in there than a rookie. Peyton Hillis continues his Pro-Bowl caliber season with 60 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown from 14 yards out. The Jets just do not allow 100 yard rushers, so it would be a great accomplishment if Hillis could get to that plateau today. Also important to note that Josh Cribbs was making a great impact with a 14 yard reverse play and also a great reception where he had 20+ yards after the catch for an all told 37 yard reception. The downside is that he was injured on that play when he was tackled. Still, I think Brian Daboll is really growing in his position as Offensive Coordinator and it's showing in the results on the field.
Defensively, the Rob Ryan side of the Ryan brothers duel has got the shorter end of the stick right now, but they've been alright so far. They've allowed too many yards on the ground so far today, as the Jets have 80 yards on 18 carries as a team, and I also think they're not putting enough pressure on the Jets quarterback, Mark Sanchez. I think this leads well into the fact that he's a 2nd year quarterback, and I think he can still be rattled pretty well as long as the defense gets to him.
Watching these two teams, I get the feeling that they're pretty similar. I mean, yes the Jets are more along in terms of their development, and they have more potential to go farther in the playoffs, but they're both teams who's offense has to start with a good running game - and most of the time it does. That's a credit to the offensive lines of both teams. I think they're also teams who have a big emphasis on defensive aggression, and I believe that's a big credit to both of the Ryan brothers.
In any case, hopefully the Browns can force the first punt of the game on the Jets first drive of the 2nd half and then proceed to get the lead back and keep it. The post-game blog will be a little bit later than usual today, but fear not (you three loyal blog readers) it will be there tonight. Go Browns!
~MAS
Sunday, November 7, 2010
What a Win!
This was one of the best games of Cleveland Browns football I've ever had the privilege to watch. It was a game full of story lines - Mangini vs. Belichick, McCoy's first start at home - and the Browns came out as if they were the 6-1 team and spanked the Patriots to the tune of a 34-14 victory.
There are so many good things to write about this game, but I'm going to focus on Peyton Hillis first. I don't have to tell you how great #40 has been for the Browns, but he had a career day today with over 200 total yards. He rushed for 184 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns, the longest of those carries a 35 yard touchdown run to seal the game. Hillis also caught 3 passes for 36 yards. When you're talking about the midseason MVP of the Browns, it's got to be this guy. So far he has 644 yards and 8 total touchdowns, 7 of them rushing.
I could gush about Hillis for days, but I'd also like to give some props to rookie Colt McCoy who again managed the offense quite well en route to victory today. His final numbers on the day? 14/19 for 174 yards. Does that set the world on fire? No. But it was exactly the type of performance the Browns needed today.
I feel like everyone is saying this, but I think it's worth repeating - McCoy shows such an incredible amount of poise and determination when he is on the field. Most people just stop with the "poise in the pocket" but I think that the kid simply has a winning personality. You look at the play where he ran 16 yards for a touchdown in this game and, to me, it just shows how much he wants to win. When I look at McCoy playing, he just doesn't seem to panic. He lets the play develop, and if it breaks down, then he'll scramble. Because of his mobility, he extends plays well and can then throw a very accurate pass - as he did today in the red zone throwing a dart to Josh Cribbs for a first down. I don't think the Browns have had a quarterback with this kind of potential since they ruined Tim Couch's career, and they also haven't had such a good game manager since the days of Kelly Holcomb (who's #10 jersey I'm proudly wearing today).
But that's enough about the offense, Rob Ryan's defensive crew yet again came out to play today. They may not have had the same type of special performance that they did against the Saints a couple of weeks ago, but anytime you can hold the Patriots to 14 points you're doing your job well. Tom Brady had a pretty good day on paper, going 19/36 for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns, but a lot of those incompletions had him reeling in frustration. The Browns also forced an interception off of Cleveland native Brian Hoyer in the last 3 minutes of the game to get the ball for the end of the game. But the Browns offensive dominance really helped the defense as evidenced by the measly 68 yards on the ground. I sort of hate to say this, because selfishly I don't want the Browns to lose him, but I think Rob Ryan may be coaching himself onto the short lists of teams that will be searching for a head coach after the season. We'll see about that.
But what's the bottom line today? The Browns dominated an excellent team for an excellent win. I say props to everybody in the Browns organization, especially coach Mangini and coordinators Daboll and Ryan. Next week we've got the Ryan bowl as the Browns take on the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets, who (barely) defeated the Motor City Kitties (a.k.a. Detroit Lions) in OT today. But for now, we've got a lot to celebrate about Browns fans!
~MAS
There are so many good things to write about this game, but I'm going to focus on Peyton Hillis first. I don't have to tell you how great #40 has been for the Browns, but he had a career day today with over 200 total yards. He rushed for 184 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns, the longest of those carries a 35 yard touchdown run to seal the game. Hillis also caught 3 passes for 36 yards. When you're talking about the midseason MVP of the Browns, it's got to be this guy. So far he has 644 yards and 8 total touchdowns, 7 of them rushing.
I could gush about Hillis for days, but I'd also like to give some props to rookie Colt McCoy who again managed the offense quite well en route to victory today. His final numbers on the day? 14/19 for 174 yards. Does that set the world on fire? No. But it was exactly the type of performance the Browns needed today.
I feel like everyone is saying this, but I think it's worth repeating - McCoy shows such an incredible amount of poise and determination when he is on the field. Most people just stop with the "poise in the pocket" but I think that the kid simply has a winning personality. You look at the play where he ran 16 yards for a touchdown in this game and, to me, it just shows how much he wants to win. When I look at McCoy playing, he just doesn't seem to panic. He lets the play develop, and if it breaks down, then he'll scramble. Because of his mobility, he extends plays well and can then throw a very accurate pass - as he did today in the red zone throwing a dart to Josh Cribbs for a first down. I don't think the Browns have had a quarterback with this kind of potential since they ruined Tim Couch's career, and they also haven't had such a good game manager since the days of Kelly Holcomb (who's #10 jersey I'm proudly wearing today).
But that's enough about the offense, Rob Ryan's defensive crew yet again came out to play today. They may not have had the same type of special performance that they did against the Saints a couple of weeks ago, but anytime you can hold the Patriots to 14 points you're doing your job well. Tom Brady had a pretty good day on paper, going 19/36 for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns, but a lot of those incompletions had him reeling in frustration. The Browns also forced an interception off of Cleveland native Brian Hoyer in the last 3 minutes of the game to get the ball for the end of the game. But the Browns offensive dominance really helped the defense as evidenced by the measly 68 yards on the ground. I sort of hate to say this, because selfishly I don't want the Browns to lose him, but I think Rob Ryan may be coaching himself onto the short lists of teams that will be searching for a head coach after the season. We'll see about that.
But what's the bottom line today? The Browns dominated an excellent team for an excellent win. I say props to everybody in the Browns organization, especially coach Mangini and coordinators Daboll and Ryan. Next week we've got the Ryan bowl as the Browns take on the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets, who (barely) defeated the Motor City Kitties (a.k.a. Detroit Lions) in OT today. But for now, we've got a lot to celebrate about Browns fans!
~MAS
Browns Halftime Blurb, 11/7 Vs. Patriots
Wow. Can you believe this? The game could not have started any better. A nice opening drive, a mishandled kick off by the Patriots, and then a Peyton Hillis rushing touchdown - all in the first 4 minutes of the game. Not only that, but the Browns continue to dominate the rest of the first half with trickeration, and some pretty fine defense to go into the half with a 17-7 lead. Yes, a 17-7 lead against the New England Patriots.
Give a lot of credit to the coaching staff for this first half performance. Rob Ryan's defense allowed 1 Patriots first down in the entire first quarter. That's a defensive performance for the ages, if you ask me. Not only that, but even after Tom Brady and crew started to get it going, the defense never stopped going after him. On Brady's touchdown throw, the ball was tipped way up into the air and I think it was a little bit of luck that allowed Aaron Hernandez to make his first career NFL touchdown reception. Other than that, the numbers read like this. Brady is 10/17 for 135 and 1 TD, and the Browns have only allowed 36 total yards on the ground to the rushing combination of Woodhead and Green-Ellis. Not bad at all.
And my favorite whipping boy, Brian Daboll, can no longer be whipped - well...at least not for today. He's come up with some great stuff the last couple of games. The fourth down and inches play in the first quarter which the Browns converted with the shift of formation before the QB sneak was brilliant. And the Chansi Stuckey touchdown run for me was nothing short of unbelievable. I have watched a lot of NFL over my 19 years on earth, and I don't think I've ever seen a play like that. For the team in orange and brown, Colt McCoy is 9/16 for 106 yards, and Peyton Hillis has 73 yards on 11 carries and 1 TD. The Patriots have not allowed a 100 yard rusher yet this season, but I do believe that it's going to happen today based on the fact that the rushing game has shredded that defense so far.
I mean, of course I'm going to say hopefully the Browns can keep this up in the second half, but I really think they will. The Browns look for real and I think they're going to get a big win today.See you after the game,
~MAS
Give a lot of credit to the coaching staff for this first half performance. Rob Ryan's defense allowed 1 Patriots first down in the entire first quarter. That's a defensive performance for the ages, if you ask me. Not only that, but even after Tom Brady and crew started to get it going, the defense never stopped going after him. On Brady's touchdown throw, the ball was tipped way up into the air and I think it was a little bit of luck that allowed Aaron Hernandez to make his first career NFL touchdown reception. Other than that, the numbers read like this. Brady is 10/17 for 135 and 1 TD, and the Browns have only allowed 36 total yards on the ground to the rushing combination of Woodhead and Green-Ellis. Not bad at all.
And my favorite whipping boy, Brian Daboll, can no longer be whipped - well...at least not for today. He's come up with some great stuff the last couple of games. The fourth down and inches play in the first quarter which the Browns converted with the shift of formation before the QB sneak was brilliant. And the Chansi Stuckey touchdown run for me was nothing short of unbelievable. I have watched a lot of NFL over my 19 years on earth, and I don't think I've ever seen a play like that. For the team in orange and brown, Colt McCoy is 9/16 for 106 yards, and Peyton Hillis has 73 yards on 11 carries and 1 TD. The Patriots have not allowed a 100 yard rusher yet this season, but I do believe that it's going to happen today based on the fact that the rushing game has shredded that defense so far.
I mean, of course I'm going to say hopefully the Browns can keep this up in the second half, but I really think they will. The Browns look for real and I think they're going to get a big win today.See you after the game,
~MAS
Thursday, November 4, 2010
The Break is Over
The blog has been on a hiatus for the last two weeks as I've been seeing Broadway shows, studying, traveling and home, but now I'm back to blog about a few mid-week topics before the game on Sunday between the Browns and Patriots.
Browns Big Win
First off, the Browns game I missed before the bye week was obviously a huge win for not just the team, but specifically for Eric Mangini who I believe is coaching for his job. I'm not going to make this too long, since the game is really no longer news, but it was great to see the highlights of the Browns dominating the defending Super Bowl Champions - again!
The Browns have a knack for beating Super Bowl champions, as they've done it the last three seasons. First it was the last great win Romeo Crenel coached for the Browns, a 35-14 Monday Night Football win on October 13, 2008 in which then QB of the Browns Derek Anderson threw for 310 yards and 2 touchdowns, and prima donna Braylon Edwards had 154 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. Wow. Last year, I'm sure you remember the great game the Browns put together against the Steelers to win 13-6 on a frozen night, Thursday, December 10, at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Now that game saw Josh Cribbs rush out of the wildcat for 87 yards, and Brady Quinn didn't lose the game, going 6/19 on throws for 90 yards. Chris Jennings was actually the feature running back for that game, with 20 rushes for 73 yards.
In any case, I just find it really interesting that the Browns have found a way to beat the defending Super Bowl champs the last three seasons. It must be because the Browns prepare well, and the opponent underestimates them, making it a textbook example of a trap game.
San Fran Wins World Series
I know I don't really blog about baseball on here very much anymore, but I figured I'd at least give the San Francisco Giants a shout out on winning their first World Series since 1954, when they were still playing in New York and beat the highly favored Cleveland Indians. Yes, highly favored and Cleveland Indians was something that actually existed at that time, since the Indians had just set a record for the regular season by winning 111 games. Wish I could have seen that...
The first game of that World Series was when Willie Mays made that spectacular over-the-shoulder catch that he became so well known for. So, that's the Cleveland spin on something that has pretty much absolutely nothing to do with Cleveland. Unless you want to say that Cleveland allowed San Fran to win the Series by Trading Cliff Lee to the Phillies...who traded him to the Mariners...who traded him to the Rangers where he served up a masterful choke job to Edgar Renteria. And there's another Cleveland connection , because he got the hit off of Charlie Nagy to win the '97 World Series for the Marlins! (Sure, it's a stretch, but go with it.) In any case, congratulations Giants; you're World Champions.
Randy Moss Cut from the Vikings, Claimed off of Waivers by Titans
Now this came as a pretty big surprise to me. I know Brett Favre is hurting right now, yet is still in line to start Sunday's game in Minnesota against the Arizona Cardinals - a game the Vikings will win if they have any shred left of self-respect. But I just can't see what in the wide wide world of sports was going on with Randy Moss to make that team release him. Of course, everybody is saying that he wasn't getting along well with Head Coach Brad Childress, and then there was the infamous expletive laden rant about the food in the Vikings locker room, but was that really enough to release a hall of fame receiver? Apparently, yes it was. I don't really know enough about the situation to say whether or not it's a good decision at face value. It is common knowledge that Brett Favre was ecstatic about acquiring Moss, but in four games Moss only had 13 receptions for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns. Still, the Vikings gave up a 3rd round pick to get this guy. That's a pretty steep price to pay for someone who was only with you for 4 games...
On the flip side, the Tennessee Titans now have picked up Moss which I think is a great move - especially if you're Chris Johnson. Right now last years NFL leading rusher has 721 rushing yards in 8 games, well below the 2000 yard pace he reached last year. However, just having Moss on the team and the threat of him going deep should allow plenty of underneath space where Johnson can run wild. It's debatable, but I'm not sure that there is anyone else that can turn the corner and get up the field as fast as Johnson can. The only question about Moss with the Titans will be if anyone can deliver him the deep ball. This is not to say that Vince Young is a bad quarterback, he's not. But he has not displayed the type of arm strength like that of Tom Brady. Kerry Collins, Tennessee's serviceable backup quarterback, also may not have the arm strength to get the ball down the field. We're just going to have to get these questions answered on game day, it's nearly pointless to over-analyze in speculation.
To Top it Off...
It's been a big two weeks not only in the NFL but all around the sports universe. The NBA is back as well, and the Cavaliers are looking toreplace begin a new era of basketball without You-Know-Who on the right foot. So far they're only 1-3, but they play the 1-4 Philadelphia 76ers tomorrow night in the city of Brotherly Love. Here's hoping Bryon Scott can coach them up to their second win. Until next time, Go Cavs and Go Browns!
~MAS
Browns Big Win
First off, the Browns game I missed before the bye week was obviously a huge win for not just the team, but specifically for Eric Mangini who I believe is coaching for his job. I'm not going to make this too long, since the game is really no longer news, but it was great to see the highlights of the Browns dominating the defending Super Bowl Champions - again!
The Browns have a knack for beating Super Bowl champions, as they've done it the last three seasons. First it was the last great win Romeo Crenel coached for the Browns, a 35-14 Monday Night Football win on October 13, 2008 in which then QB of the Browns Derek Anderson threw for 310 yards and 2 touchdowns, and prima donna Braylon Edwards had 154 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. Wow. Last year, I'm sure you remember the great game the Browns put together against the Steelers to win 13-6 on a frozen night, Thursday, December 10, at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Now that game saw Josh Cribbs rush out of the wildcat for 87 yards, and Brady Quinn didn't lose the game, going 6/19 on throws for 90 yards. Chris Jennings was actually the feature running back for that game, with 20 rushes for 73 yards.
In any case, I just find it really interesting that the Browns have found a way to beat the defending Super Bowl champs the last three seasons. It must be because the Browns prepare well, and the opponent underestimates them, making it a textbook example of a trap game.
San Fran Wins World Series
I know I don't really blog about baseball on here very much anymore, but I figured I'd at least give the San Francisco Giants a shout out on winning their first World Series since 1954, when they were still playing in New York and beat the highly favored Cleveland Indians. Yes, highly favored and Cleveland Indians was something that actually existed at that time, since the Indians had just set a record for the regular season by winning 111 games. Wish I could have seen that...
The first game of that World Series was when Willie Mays made that spectacular over-the-shoulder catch that he became so well known for. So, that's the Cleveland spin on something that has pretty much absolutely nothing to do with Cleveland. Unless you want to say that Cleveland allowed San Fran to win the Series by Trading Cliff Lee to the Phillies...who traded him to the Mariners...who traded him to the Rangers where he served up a masterful choke job to Edgar Renteria. And there's another Cleveland connection , because he got the hit off of Charlie Nagy to win the '97 World Series for the Marlins! (Sure, it's a stretch, but go with it.) In any case, congratulations Giants; you're World Champions.
Randy Moss Cut from the Vikings, Claimed off of Waivers by Titans
Now this came as a pretty big surprise to me. I know Brett Favre is hurting right now, yet is still in line to start Sunday's game in Minnesota against the Arizona Cardinals - a game the Vikings will win if they have any shred left of self-respect. But I just can't see what in the wide wide world of sports was going on with Randy Moss to make that team release him. Of course, everybody is saying that he wasn't getting along well with Head Coach Brad Childress, and then there was the infamous expletive laden rant about the food in the Vikings locker room, but was that really enough to release a hall of fame receiver? Apparently, yes it was. I don't really know enough about the situation to say whether or not it's a good decision at face value. It is common knowledge that Brett Favre was ecstatic about acquiring Moss, but in four games Moss only had 13 receptions for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns. Still, the Vikings gave up a 3rd round pick to get this guy. That's a pretty steep price to pay for someone who was only with you for 4 games...
On the flip side, the Tennessee Titans now have picked up Moss which I think is a great move - especially if you're Chris Johnson. Right now last years NFL leading rusher has 721 rushing yards in 8 games, well below the 2000 yard pace he reached last year. However, just having Moss on the team and the threat of him going deep should allow plenty of underneath space where Johnson can run wild. It's debatable, but I'm not sure that there is anyone else that can turn the corner and get up the field as fast as Johnson can. The only question about Moss with the Titans will be if anyone can deliver him the deep ball. This is not to say that Vince Young is a bad quarterback, he's not. But he has not displayed the type of arm strength like that of Tom Brady. Kerry Collins, Tennessee's serviceable backup quarterback, also may not have the arm strength to get the ball down the field. We're just going to have to get these questions answered on game day, it's nearly pointless to over-analyze in speculation.
To Top it Off...
It's been a big two weeks not only in the NFL but all around the sports universe. The NBA is back as well, and the Cavaliers are looking to
~MAS
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