61 replies to this topic

[Kennedy]

6-2 or 5-3 going into week 10 is a very real possibility as long as the browns are who we think they are. It's still early and we've all seen this before. Sunday will be a good barometer for the rest of the season. Will they handle the emotions coming off last weeks huge win? I hope so. I'm not getting excited yet. Riding 2 home wins into the bye week would be massive for this teams confidence.

If they can manage 5-6 wins by the time Gordon returns for the back part of the season it would be huge. If the browns are really as good as we all hope they are playoff football in Cleveland isn't as far fetched as once thought.

[Kennedy]

Typical browns. They'll never change.

[lepiota]

We fans are like Charlie Brown, and the Browns are Lucy. The ball is always pulled away in the end and we end up flat on our back

[Kennedy]

If anything now we know they can throw punches with the big boys. Baltimore didn't "play down" to it's opponent. That was an old school, AFC North slugfest.

I'm not blaming the officiating by any means but this game was so close that a few calls the other way would have changed the outcome. Our 2 best players, Haden and Thomas, have been penalized more than anyone on the team. I'm still waiting for more week to week consistency on how the new rules are enforced.

I like the 3rd down call late in the game. If we convert the games over. The incompletion stopped the clock at 2:05, so really we only gifted them 5 seconds which were wasted in the air on the punt anyway. That was the right call, just didn't make the play. Shanahan has held his own and has the offense scoring points. Enough points to win. Pettine has to figure out whats going wrong on the other side of the ball. This teams strength was supposed to be defense and so far it's the reason they're 1-2.

If you told me in July that these 3 games would all be decided on last second field goals, against super bowl winning QB's, I would have called you crazy. I really can't stand losing, but I absolutely hate losing like that. As much as that one hurt and as much as I want to call this season a complete loss, this organization is finally going in the right direction.

Edited by Kennedy, 22 September 2014 - 08:27 AM.

[gamekeeper]

I will agree Kennedy. The browns are showing they can throw punches with the Big Boys, but they still need to learn and believe they can win. The need to be able to drive the ball and run time off, the offense made drives when they needed to win, but can't seem to make drives now to maintain the win.

And if you would have told me which side of the ball, game on line, who do you want on the field i would have quickly said defense. Samething the Defense made stops all game long to keep the Browns in the Game, but when game was on the line, they couldn't get the stop.

Need to be able to closeout the game on both sides of the ball. But definitely looked so much better against the RAvens this time around. They didn't ask Hoyer to throw the ball like 40 times like they did last year agains the RAvens with Weeden.

Hoyer once again had no interceptions, and didnt' really do anything costly with the ball like hold onto it to long and take a sack to hurt field position. The attack was pretty balanced. It is nice to see the Browns have a Running game. That is going to be huge as weather comes into play and their schedule starts getting harder.

7-9 to 8 - 8 record for the season.

[gamekeeper]

so any thoughts to the game this week. To Me this is a game if they have reached the next level you need to win. Extra Time off to prepare. A team without a good QB play, you need to win this game. Even if it is on the road.

[lepiota]

Tennesee is 27th of 32 in rushing defense and Cahrlie Whitehurst is their QB. If we lose this one it will be a bigger choke than the Baltimore game

[Kennedy]

This has to be their "coming out party" if you will. A win is a win but to truly turn some heads they have to put it on Tennessee.
With the exception of it being an away game, Cleveland is holding all the cards. Our strength, ( running the ball), is their weakness, ( stopping the run), coming in off a bye. Now our D hasn't been outstanding but I gotta believe alot of the yards allowed can be attributed to the game plan. Tennessee doesn't have a QB that can pick apart an NFL Secondary like Big Ben, Brees, or Flacco. In fact, I'm not sure they even know who's starting Sunday. I don't think we'll see 7 defensive backs on the field against the Titans. I just don't see any reason why Cleveland doesn't control this one start to finish.

I think Pettine turns up the heat in a big way on Sunday. Constant and consistent pressure from the front 7.

They have to make a statement here.
I like Cleveland 28-10

Edited by Kennedy, 02 October 2014 - 07:48 AM.

[gamekeeper]

This is a game you can't lose if you are trying to sell you have turned the corner.

[gamekeeper]

Well it's halftime and it is clearly looking like the same ol' browns. The defense can't tackle anyone. And offense first drive to the red zone they run the ball literally down into Titan territory, and then decide to throw the ball. Luckily they at least didn't do that the second time.

[gamekeeper]

I know it was a win and a win is a win. But that was not a good showing for a team that had extra time to prepare.

[Kennedy]

They won't get away with that against Cincinnati. They have to figure out how to get things going before halftime.

[Kennedy]

This has game of the week written all over it. I'm looking forward to this one alot. Its been awhile since the 2nd Browns-Steelers of the season has meant anything. This one will be physical. I was anti Ben Tate from day one, but my god can he run. Bad defense or not he made some plays on Sunday and was that close to breaking a couple huge runs. I know he still had 20 some carries, but he should have had more. Maybe they just wanted to ease him into his first game back after injury. Anyway, the 2 rookies have proven they can be productive so overworking Tate shouldn't matter. Its time for him to be the bell cow. If he gets hurt again o well. If he stays healthy he's an animal.

[gamekeeper]

I agree Tate can run. I to was a little leary about him coming to Cleveland but he does run well. I think instead of feeding him more though they should feed West more too, Nothing says that can't have two backs with 20 carries. that way both of them can make it hopefully through the season. Hoyer only throwing 25 times a game may not be exciting but if it keeps the Browns in the game til the end each week, that would be so much better. I mean Wilson threw the Ball 24 times last night, just saying. The strengths seem to be the backs so ride the backs.

[Kennedy]

Sharing the load is also an option. I think we can all agree that establishing the run has to be top priority. Having the ability to use the play fake like they have is a weapon. The run has helped Hoyer this season more than anything.

Pitt is thin up the middle so getting yards on the ground won't be a problem. We should be able to score 24+ without issue.

Now our d is another subject. No Haden, No Taylor, and now no Kruger. It looks like Gilbert will be forced to play Sunday. Remember how he was abused week 1? Doesn't look good on this side of the ball.

Interesting enough though, Vegas still has The Browns as the favorites.

[gamekeeper]

Yeah, I agree establishing the run will help Hoyer with Play Action. Big Ben has owned the Browns so I was kind of surprised Vegas has the browns as favorites. Then again, I am sure that would mean the sharks are betting Pitt., because maybe the public money is looking at the Steelers lost to Tampa Bay last week, and how the Browns almost won the first meeting with Pitt.

Not sure who is going to cover Antinio Brown and his speed on the outside. And with Phil Taylor being out, and the run defense has not shown any improvement so losing him is a huge loss.

Still see this as being close, We will soon see if the Browns can actually beat the steelers. This would be a huge win for the team at this point in the season with more winnable games coming up the pipeline.

[Kennedy]

It's time to start grooming manziel. If the running game isn't there Hoyer can't win you any games. He missed an unacceptable amount of throws today. He looked good enough in the first 5 games because we were getting it done on the ground. The overly aggressive play calling on 4th downs isn't helping, but I think Hoyer is starting to show why Manziel was drafted. 12 of 35 against the worst defense in the league is pathetic. I'm not saying bench him next week but they need to start preparing to hand over the keys.

[lepiota]

Yep. They have to see what they got or they will be drafting another QB next year

[gamekeeper]

Yeah, put him in, I mean he won't ever make bad throws. And I am sure Austin will run the correct routes for Johnny, and the receivers will catch the balls that do hit them in the hands whens he is playing QB. It's one game. Hoyer has limitations, but this is his first year as a Starter. With Mack out the offensive line cannot run block as well, and that was clearly the case yesterday. It didn't help that inspite of the jags record, they do have a really good front line. Also didnt' help going for it 4th downs and not really having a good play call for it. I think before we blame everything on Hoyer, there was enough blame on the whole offensive unit yesterday.

Good news was defensive played better. Actually carried the team, so there is that. In the words Rodgers R E L A X.

[Kennedy]

No one knows Austin ran the wrong routes. It's just as likely hoyer threw to the wrong spot. Hoyer has admitted to messing plays up in the past. He turned the wrong way on a hand off in the 1st Pittsburgh game that cost them a TD. Everyone makes bad throws once in awhile yes, but that doesn't explain 16 of 41. He has gotten lucky several times this season also. Even when they were winning he threw a ton of balls that were real head scratchers. He should realistically have no less than 5 int's. I agree his played well enough to earn the starting job for now. All i'm saying is it's coming. They wouldn't have drafted Johnny in the 1st round if they were completely sold on Hoyer. I don't get the people who claim Hoyer is a "Veteran QB". He's a veteran benchwarmer, practice squad player. 8 starts in 7 years harldy makes you a veteran qb The running game has hid a lot of his shortcomings up until the Jacksonville game. Jacksonville completely sold out on stopping the run and made Hoyer try and beat them. He's just not a playmaker. He performs well in the confines of the scheme, hitting wide open guys on play fakes, throwing 15-20 times a game while the running game gets it done. Yeah, he has some nice comebacks this year. But without the running game setting him up for play action his arm has taken them nowhere.

Hoyer wasn't the only problem, but he was a big problem. 17 of Jacksonville's 24 points came off turnovers (2 gave them the ball inside the 10 yard line... all 3 gave the Jags the ball on Cleveland's side of the field). And don't even get me started on the play calling.
The big issue was Hoyer though... now, I want to say that I still think Hoyer still needs to start, but if he continues like he has the last two games... I don't think he last. His game vs Pittsburgh was covered up because the Browns running game was doing so well. This time, not so much... 16-41 passing! That's a 39% completion rate! Not all of them were his fault.. but a lot of them were. He did not look comfortable at all.
Teams are going to look at what Jacksonville did, and know that if they stop the run they can shut this offense down. Hoyer has to prove that the Jacksonville game was a fluke, and that (if needed) he can carry this team.

He'll more than likely finish out this season in Cleveland as the starter, demand way more $$$ than he deserves and be forgotten just as fast as he's risen.

Edited by Kennedy, 20 October 2014 - 10:46 AM.