Not practicing...with a short week, I think the Browns want to give him extended rest. With is just being a sprain, hopefully he will be back for Detroit.
Matt Florjancic Staff WriterFacebook With the recent success of sports teams in Cleveland, there is an excitement in the city, and within the Browns? locker room. The Cleveland Browns are on a two-game winning streak after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals, 17-6, last Sunday, and Major League Baseball?s Cleveland Indians are in the postseason for the first time since 2007. These are exciting times for the Cleveland sports fans, and the Browns? players want to keep that momentum rolling with this week?s game against the Buffalo Bills in front of a nationally-televised audience on NFL Network?s Thursday Night Football. ?We want to keep that feeling we have every week after the game, and we know that if we come in, practice hard and study the film, we want to keep this feeling,? defensive back Joe Haden said. ?We want to make every game be important. Every game is always important, but if you could be first in your division and you?re striving for stuff like that, it makes it more special. ?This is the first time ever being a part of something like this for the Browns. It?s just energy. Everybody?s excited, and we believe that we have a good team. That?s the thing. You go out there and know you?re supposed to win. Now, it?s, ?Who?s going to make this play so we can win?? It?s, ?Who?s going to make these plays so we can come out on top??? Haden says the excitement within the city and the Browns? locker room has helped on the practice field, which he attributes to the team?s performance in back-to-back wins over the Minnesota Vikings and Bengals. ?We have to, and I do remember bad times too,? Haden said. ?We just want keep it going, keep winning, and that?s making our practices (better). When we?re out there, we?re just going harder because we just want to keep this feeling.? Having grown up in North Olmsted and graduated from Cleveland St. Ignatius, quarterback Brian Hoyer knows well what winning means to Cleveland. He looks forward to playing in front of the hometown fans because he appreciates the atmosphere that awaits the team on game day. ?This is such a great football atmosphere, not only in Northeast Ohio, but the whole state of Ohio,? Hoyer said. ?Throughout my career, wherever I?ve been, there?s always been a sense of pride in guys who were from Ohio. It?s one of the top five football states in the country. ?To be back here, and be in that football atmosphere where people live and breathe -- ?Friday night, it?s the high school game. Saturday, there?s Ohio State and the colleges around here, and then, Sunday, it?s the Browns or the Bengals? -- it?s definitely exciting. You don?t get that anywhere else.?
By Fred Greetham OBR Senior Browns Reporter Posted Oct 1, 2013 For the first time in a long, long time, the Cleveland Browns rush defense has been able to stop the run. Now, Thursday's game features a game against AFC's top rushing team and second-best overall in the NFL. 0 Comments BEREA, Ohio -- Don't look now but the Browns defense is slowly but surely working itself to the top of the league charts. Through the first quarter of the season, the Browns are now the third ranked defense, overall in the NFL. The Browns bread-and-butter has been stopping the run. They have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher, stopping the likes of Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson. However, the Bills are coming to Cleveland as the top rushing team in the AFC and the second-best overall, in the NFL, averaging 152 yards a game on the ground. The Browns are giving up just 79 yards a game on the ground with an average of just 2.9 yards per carry. By contrast, The Bills are averaging 4.1 yards a carry. D'Qwell Jackson was asked if he felt the defense could be dominant. "I think so," Jackson said. "Every week we've gotten better. One area we need to clean up is obviously, third down. Stopping the run, no one is going to be able to run on us this year, as long as we stay healthy and continue to grind the tape out and continue what we need to to on (game day). I don't think anyone will be able to run on us. We've faced one of the purest running backs in Adrian Peterson, so we feel that's what we do best and (that's) stopping the run. So yeah, we want to be a top defense when this season is over." Joe Haden agreed. "(The defense) can be really good," Haden said. "We have a lot of talent on this defense. We have starters that can play other spots. It's just everything is coming together and people are understanding their roles and making plays and that's the biggest thing. It's a standard now, and just making plays, we expect it. That's the biggest thing, when we do good, its's not a surprise, we expect to do good. Our defense is good enough to be one of the best." The Bills are led by C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. Spiller has 66 carries for 230 yards with a 3.5 average. Jackson has 48 rushes for 256 yards for an average of 5.3 average. Spiller rushed for 103 yards against the Panthers on Sept. 15. However, Spiller injured his ankle and did not practice Tuesday, while Jackson practiced on a limited basis with a knee injury. Bills coach Doug Marrone was non committal about the duo playing, but sounded optimistic. "Obviously, I'm looking forward to both playing, but they're just day-to-day." Marrone, who interviewed for the Browns head coaching position, is impressed with the Browns defense. "They're very stout up front," Marrone said. "They present quite a challenge for us." Rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel has enjoyed the benefits of having a good running game. "Our running backs have done a great job," he said. "Our running game opens up a lot of things for the offense." Haden says the Browns have to continue to stop the run, particularly this week. "(The Bills) rely on their running game and pass when they have to." Manuel is the wildcard in the offense, because he can scramble. He is the third-leading rusher for the Bills having picked up 77 yards on the season, including a long run of 19 yards. "He can run," Haden said. "That's the thing we need to work on. A lot of times our pass rush gets up in there and our defense has good coverage, but we have to contain the quarterback. A lot of times it's not the running backs who hurt us, but the quarterbacks scrambling for the first down. We just have to make sure we don't let him get out of the pocket." Haden was asked how do they make sure Manuel doesn't break containment. "It's just everybody locking in and doing their job," Haden said. "It's all coming together. The front seven helps us out as they get there and we get a lot of cover sacks. Sometimes, when a receiver is open (the quarterback) doesn't see him because they're getting pressure. We're helping each other out." Rob Chudzinski, who spent time with Manuel before the draft, knows how Manuel can hurt a defense. "(Manuel) is extremely dangerous," Chudzinski said. "Obviously, he can run and make plays, extend plays. He?s accurate. He really was intriguing and impressive guy coming out, and all of the things off the field from a leadership standpoint, the type of person he is were very impressive.? The Bills have the same record as the Browns at 2-2, but have scored between 20 and 24 points in all four games. Chudzinski is encouraged by what he's seen in the Browns defense, overall. ?I?ve been encouraged by how they?ve play and how they?ve progressed and are progressing, particularly with the things that we wanted to work on in the past few weeks," he said. "It?s a good feeling. We?re playing good defense right now, and we hope that will continue.? EXTRA POINTS Who's No. Two?: With QB Brian Hoyer starting, Chudzinski wouldn't name the number two quarterback for the Bills game. ?We have not yet, we?ll see," he said. "(Tuesday) is our first day of an actual, true full speed practice. We?ll make that determination. We?ll see how Brandon (Weeden) does today and kind of where he?s at from that standpoint. "Then we?ll have (Wednesday)," he said. "It?s not going to be 100-percent full speed, but it?ll be at a pretty good clip for practice tomorrow.? "We haven't determined that yet," he said. "We'll see where Brandon (Weeden) is and make that determination. We'll see how he's doing." Weeden was taking reps in the drills during the portion open to the media but no 11-on-11 scrimmages took place during that time. Confident in Billy: Despite missing two of three field goal attempts, Chudzinski is confident i K Billy Cundiff. "I've got all the faith in the world in Billy." Cundiff (strained quad) practiced Tuesday. Wildcat Man: The Browns signed undrafted rookie free agent MarQueis Gray as a tight end at the final roster cut downs, but he lined up twice last Sunday as the quarterback in the wildcat. "It makes the defense prepare for a different look," Hoyer said. Chudzinski said Gray was claimed as a future as a tight end. He played quarterback at Minnesota. "If you have a guy with those talents, you want to use them." New Back: The Browns signed RB/KR Fozzy Whittaker after releasing WR Josh Cooper from the roster. Chudzinski said he will be looked at as a kick returner. ?Fozzy is a guy that?s been a kick returner, very versatile as a running back," he said. "We felt like we would bring him in and see what he could do and (we?re) excited about having him. He?s just finishing up a physical now.? Whittaker was on the practice field and is wearing number 35. Prime Time: DB Joe Haden and DB T.J. Ward are looking forward to playing in Thursday's nationally televised game. "It's cool, for sure," Haden said. "To have all your friends and everybody you know watching and that's the only game on and getting to play in front of everyone is special and you just want to go out there and play your best." Ward agreed. "Anytime you get to play on prime time, that's exciting." Lauvao Ready: OL Shawn Lauvao (ankle) is optimistic that he will finally make his season debut Thursday night against the Bills. "I'm pretty positive about playing (Thursday)," he said. "At the end of the day, it's up to the coaches." Lauvao has missed the first four games after arthroscopic surgery on his ankle. OL Oniel Cousins has started at right guard in his place. Sheard Status: LB Quentin Groves (ankle), DL Billy Winn (calf) and LB Jabaal Sheard (knee) did not practice on Tuesday. K Billy Cundiff (quad), OL Shawn Lauvao (ankle) and DL John Hughes (knee) were limited. Chudzdinski was asked about Sheard's status for this week's game. ?He?s coming (along); he?s improved quite a bit," Chudzinski said. "We?ll hold him for practice today, but we?ll wait and see what his status is for the game.?
Nothing beats the OBR when it comes to Browns news . Barry & his crew are the best .have been the best . a collection of lifelong Browns fans who know there stuff . why I became a insider and I get a cool magazine in the mail . as a long time subscriber to the old Browns News Illustrated it is still nice to get a mag in the mail to read even though its old news . showing my age here and not minding one bit .
Rumor time .. the Titans contacted the Browns about Weeds since Locker is out the next 8 weeks ..if I was Banner I would have to put the phone on mute to conceal my laughter *JOKINGLY* ..Okay gimme a mid round pick and he is all yours or maybe a player for player ? Banner is STEALING from teams ..SWEET!
I would assume Lombardi will deal with the teams, but the final decision is most likely a combined effort from Lombardi, Banner and Chud. If they can get a 5th or better for Weeds, take it and move him along. Then this team can rally around Hoyer full time and not have to be politically correct 24/7 in the locker room.
The Steelers and the Ravens have made moves this week to improve their O-lines. Its time the Browns jump on board. Love them or hate them these teams know how to build championship teams. I am one of those guys that likes a stout line. Offense & Defense.
Wednesday's injury report for Browns, Bills By Nate Ulrich Published: October 2, 2013 Injury report for Oct. 2, 2013 Browns Out: Defensive end Billy Winn (strained quadriceps). Doubtful: Outside linebackers Quentin Groves (high-ankle sprain) and Jabaal Sheard (sprained left knee). Questionable: Guard Shawn Lauvao (high-ankle sprain) and defensive end John Hughes (knee). Probable: Kicker Billy Cundiff (strained right quadriceps), guard Oniel Cousins (chest), quarterback Brandon Weeden (sprained right thumb) and fullback Chris Ogbonnaya (thigh). Did not participate in practice: Winn, Groves and Sheard. Limited participation: Lauvao and Hughes. Full participation: Cundiff, Cousins, Weeden and Ogbonnaya. Bills Out: Cornerbacks Ron Brooks (foot) and Stephon Gilmore (wrist), wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (hand) and kicker Dustin Hopkins (right groin). Questionable: Running back C.J. Spiller (ankle), safety Jairus Byrd (foot) and cornerback Leodis McKelvin (hamstring). Probable: Defensive end Mario Williams (ankle), defensive tackle Kyle Williams (Achilles), running back Fred Jackson (knee), wide receiver Steve Johnson (hamstring), guard Kraig Urbik (knee) and cornerback Aaron Williams (lower back). Did not participate in practice: Brooks, Gilmore and Hopkins. Limited participation: Goodwin, Spiller, McKelvin, Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Jackson, Johnson and Aaron Williams. Full participation: Byrd and Urbik.
Lym I'm a line first guy. Good lines cure most ill's if you know what I'm saying. The Vikings got Peterson and they suck. Jaguars got Jones-Drew and they suck. The Bengals got Green and they suck. If I'm building/rebuilding a team I start with the line. Thomas and Mack are good. Shwartz is playable. I can live with Greco. But I want an arse kicking guard. That's why I wanted Warmack last year. We may lose Mack next year to free agency. Another reason to add a good guard.Draft or FA. Why bring a new RB with no holes to run through? That's my way of thinking at least. I'm glad the Browns don't look pitiful as years past. But they are not at the top of the mountain yet. To get there you need a line, QB, 2 WR's, RB on offense or Peyton Manning! lol
Excuse my french but you guys are all out of your minds if you want to discard Weeden. It's crazy talk. I watched him put ball after ball on the money vs. the Ravens and your receivers dropped them all. Josh Gordon has made Brian Hoyer - not the other way around. Give Weeden a target like that and he'll outplay Hoyer.
I know beach...It's embarrassing but sort of comical at the same time... Hell, SAS is actually calling Weeden a "bigger bust" than JaMarcus "purple drank" Russell. LMAO!...It's sad, but that pretty much sums it up...The frustrations of the last 12 years or so have evidently caused many to completely lose their minds....
By Don Delco OBR Browns Reporter Posted Oct 2, 2013 The Cleveland Browns have won two consecutive games to pull to 2-2 overall and tie the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals for first in the AFC North. 0 Comments I think it is safe to say we were all wrong. Tank? What tank? Starting a third string quarterback. Trading Trent Richardson. No worries. The Browns had everyone right where they wanted them. The Cleveland Browns have won two consecutive games to pull to 2-2 overall and tie the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals for first in the AFC North. And now, the Browns play host to the 2-2 Buffalo Bills in their only nationally televised primetime game this season. And it?s a big game. While still early, there are parallels to 2007. That season, the Browns were humiliated in their opening game at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-7. The next day the Browns traded their starting quarterback Charlie Frye to Seattle. The Browns would go on to win 10 games. Do they have 10 wins this year? That 2007 team had a potent offense, but an average defense. Six years later, the Browns defense is proving they are among the best in the NFL while the offense is doing just enough. That just enough has led to two victories. How can the Browns get three? In the last two weeks, that Browns? defense has slowed two of the game?s most dynamic offensive players ? Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green. The Bills? star offensive player is running back C.J. Spiller, but he is questionable this week with an ankle. Similar to Minnesota two weeks ago, the key Thursday is forcing the opposing team?s quarterback to beat you. Christian Ponder failed and the Browns won. What about rookie E.J. Manuel? In four career starts, the Bills? first-round pick has looked ? not bad. He has completed 56.9 percent of his passes for 856 yards and three interceptions. But he is still a rookie and prone to making mistakes. Meanwhile, the Browns? ?rookie-like? quarterback, Brian Hoyer, limited his mistakes in the win last Sunday over the Bengals. No turnovers. Two touchdown passes and he led two drives of more than 90 yards. Can?t ask for much more. Hoyer will face a defense that intercepted Joe Flacco five times last Sunday, but Buffalo had four cornerbacks listed on Wednesday?s injury report. With a chance to go to 3-2, it is not an exaggeration to say this game is big. It could be the biggest home game since Nov. 14, 2010. That day felt like a playoff game. The Browns were coming off two big wins over the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots and playing host to the 6-2 New York Jets. A Browns win would improve Cleveland to 4-5 and keep them in the playoff hunt. They lost in overtime 26-20. Thursday?s crowd, some of which attended the Indians? playoff game Wednesday night, is expected to be even more intense than what was on display three years ago. It seems when the expectations rise for the Browns, the results are inevitably disappointing. If things truly are changing for Browns football, a win Thursday night would go a long way to establishing a new, winning culture in Cleveland. Tank? What tank?
I don't know about that . granted he had a bunch of drops but he also couldn't locate a baseball when he played that sport and he has no touch on his throws in football . everything is a fastball with Weeds , he still cant make reads , holds onto the ball far to long .
By Greg Cielec OBR Contributing Writer Posted Oct 2, 2013 The Browns/Bengals game left the fans in the stands at First Energy Field in a state of extreme happiness with a big dose of shock mixed in. 0 Comments I went to bed Sunday night knowing the Browns had won 17-6 and were now tied for first place in the AFC North; the Steelers and Ravens, as well as the Bengals, had lost; and the Indians clinched home field for the AL Wild Card game. Wow, too much for a boy raised in the suburbs. And what about that game. The Browns/Bengals game left the fans in the stands at First Energy Field in a state of extreme happiness with a big dose of shock mixed in. On the field they saw the Browns defense play its best game in years against the team picked by most to win the AFC North; Hoyer, Cameron, and company did enough on offense to get things done; the scoreboard flashed that both the Steelers and Ravens were losing; and the Tribe was on its way to clinch home field for the AL Wild Card game by winning for the 21st time in September. It was just too much good stuff at one time. Did I tell you the Steelers lost? The story of the afternoon was the Browns defense that dominated the Bengals from beginning to end. Lead by the teams three best players, Joe Haden, D?Qwell Jackson, and Phil Taylor, the Browns defense held the Bengals to just two field goals. The Bengals only once threatened to score a touchdown, but were stopped on a 4 and 1 on the seven-yard line when Jackson and Desmond Bryant stopped BenJarvis Green Ellis for a two-yard loss. Haden was suburb, spending most of the game controlling Bengals premier receiver A.J.Green. Green finished the day with seven catches for fifty-one yards and didn?t come close to sniffing the end zone. Meanwhile the offense is still a work in progress. The offensive line played better, but still hasn?t dominated a game. Jordan Cameron is playing like a Pro Bowler. Josh Gordon had a quiet seven catches. Chris Ogbonnaya had five catches out of the backfield, including a touchdown. Greg Little was a nonentity. Willis McGahee showed a little flash at running back, carrying 15 for 46 yards. And Brian Hoyer had another steady game. He does some things so well, especially a great touch on screens, short out patterns, and check downs. And he is 2-0 as a starter and deserves some of the credit for both wins. However, there is still the big question that needs to be answered. Can he throw the deep ball in what has been labeled as a downfield passing attack? He did not throw one ball in the Bengals game that you could call a downfield vertical pass. Cameron?s balls were on crossing routes, Ogbonnaya?s were on arrows out of the backfield. He hit on one pass to Gordon for 33 yards, and a short one to Travis Benjamin that he stretched for 39 yards. He needs to show us he can throw long or things, sooner or later, or not going to be good for him or the Browns. I don?t want to rain on our great sports day, but in the NFL an offense must be able to attack the whole field. Hoyer has not yet showed that he has the arm and moxie to do it. I hope he does soon. Browns General Manager Mike Lombardi has been much maligned in the press, some of it deserved, but you must give him credit for signing Brian Hoyer. We should also be grateful for two things the Browns didn?t do, even though they very much wanted to. The first goes back to the previous regime and their efforts to trade up to draft Robert Griffin III. He is a damaged athlete who is trying to make the transition from running college quarterback to pro style drop back quarterback. The list of those who have tried and failed is long, Google Vince Young as a starting point. The second thing that didn?t happen was sign Chip Kelly as head coach. He is out of his element, as is Gary Scianno, and both of them will soon join Steve Spurrier back in the college game. And both will be successful there again. Kelly cannot practice, let alone execute in a game, his fast paced offense with only twenty-five or so offensive players that the NFL?s 53-man roster allows. At Oregon he had twice as many offensive players, probably more, young guys that can run on and off the field like deers. It?s just not going to work in the NFL, as simple as that. It was a great day in the Dawg Pound. Very upbeat crowd that was really into the game, wanting to see if last week?s win against the Vikings wasn?t a mirage. It was a beautiful fall Sunday in Ohio, the type of day that Alex Bevan wrote about when the world was a younger place for those of us on the north side of fifty. And did I tell you the Steelers lost and are 0-4? One last item?I know the Muny Lot gets all the credit for being the big time Cleveland tailgate place, but I have to say the Flats still have it. I know we lost several big lots when the Ernst and Whitney building was started ten years ago, but the lots south of there are still a great place to socialize before Browns games. You can walk to the game or take the Lake Front Line from the Settler?s Landing Station. If it rains you can set up shop under several bridges. You are close to some good bars like the Flat Iron, and you are not that far from the Warehouse District. Check it out sometime. Greg Cielec Dawg Pound Season Ticket Holder Section 120, Row B, seats 3 & 4
