The health of Browns tight end Jordan Cameron is increasingly becoming a concern after he suffered his third concussion in the last two years on Sunday. Cameron suffered a concussion in December of 2012 and another in December of 2013 and missed a total of three games late in the last two seasons as a result. Now Cameron may need to miss even more time. It would seem unlikely that he?ll play on Sunday, and probably not in the Browns? game next Thursday, either. Browns coach Mike Pettine said the team will follow the NFL?s concussion protocol, and whether Cameron will play will be determined by the medical staff. ?The league, as they should be, is very deliberate with the protocol,? Pettine said, via Cleveland.com. ?You just take each day and see where he is symptom-wise. I haven?t gotten the full medical report yet today. I?ll probably know a little bit more later this afternoon.? Cameron suffered his concussion on Sunday when he took a hit to the head from Raiders safety Brandian Ross, who was flagged and will likely be fined.
BEREA, Ohio-- Last week, there was a lot of talk concerning Brian Hoyer and the offense's struggles adjusting to life after Alex Mack. After being third in the NFL in rushing going into the Jacksonville game with an average of 146.4 yards a game, the rushing attack was ineffective against the Jaguars as the Browns were able to only rush for 69 yards on 30 carries for a dismal average of 2.3 per carry. It was the first full game after Mack went down with his broken leg. John Greco moved to center and Paul McQuistan moved to right guard. The Browns weren't satisfied with the changes and activated Nick McDonald to play center for Sunday's game with the Raiders and moved Greco back to right guard. The results were worse. The Browns managed just 39 yards on 25 attempts for a 1.6 average. The longest run was a seven-yard play by Terrance West. "The way we ran the ball was not acceptable," Pettine said. "Brian made enough plays and the receivers made enough plays (in the win). "We know we took a step back after losing Alex," he said. "Going to Nick was the right move. For the first opportunity out there, it wasn't nearly too big to him." Typically, when teams can't run the ball, they find it hard to move the ball. However, unlike in Jacksonville, Hoyer and the offense was able to be effective through the air. "Yeah, I mean that's the NFL," he said. "If someone wants to take something away, you've got to be able to beat them in a different area. It's good to see that we were able to do it, especially without abandoning the entire game plan. It was good. Wednesday Oct. 22 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 29 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Nov. 5 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Nov. 12 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Nov. 19 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Nov. 26 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 3 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 10 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 17 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 24 6:30 p.m. "If you want to load up the box and let us take shots...The one thing that we do have going for us is we take shots down the field," he said. "If you want to do that, then it's pick your poison because we've shown that we can hit those throws downfield and get big plays." Hoyer said the offensive scheme that the Browns employ allows them to be successful in a number of ways. "Like even yesterday, yeah we didn't rush the ball very well, but people are going to continue to try to take the run away because that's what we do," he said. "We're not going to just run the ball four or five times and if it doesn't work abandon it. We're going to keep going because that's what our offense is. "If we can do that, people still have to honor the run game, and that's where the play-action passes show up," he said. "Even spreading it out a little bit -- we opened the game yesterday in two empty passes --?? that's not something people probably thought we could do. I think the beauty of this offense is you can attack from a lot of different ways, but I don't think we'll ever get away from our core scheme." Despite the numbers, Hoyer felt the Browns made strides in the running game, in comparison to at Jacksonville. "The difference between Jacksonville was we scored points after turnovers," Hoyer said. "As a whole, we moved the ball we play better after we perform better. We just have to play better early on. "Even yesterday, we didn't rush the ball very well," he said. "People are going to try to take the run away because that's what we do. We're not going to run the ball four or five times and abandon it because that's what we do. "We're going to keep doing that because that's what we do and if we do that, teams are going to have to honor the run game and that's when play-action passes show up." The Browns scored 17 points off of the three Raiders turnovers. Hoyer said he expects that teams will continue to try to take away the running game. "I think teams know that's what we're going to do," Hoyer said. "We're just one guy off in busting some big runs. I think we made some improvements since the Jacksonville game and that's what you have to continue to do." One of the offense's biggest problems against the Raiders was on third down. The Browns converted just 2-of-12 in the game. "It was frustrating at times for sure," Hoyer said. "I think, just watching the film, we've got to be better on third-downs and things like that, but I think, like I talked about last night, when you can hang in there and be mentally tough...things aren't going well. Things aren't going well. Defense is playing well. Then boom, we get an opportunity to make a few big plays, and we're up 23-6. "It was good. I think, if anything, it shows that there's more than one way to win a game, and we're more than capable of doing it whichever way it plays out." Hoyer struggled with accuracy issues against the Jaguars as he completed just 39 percent of his passes. Against the Raiders, Hoyer improved to 68 percent. On the season, Hoyer improved to 125-of-218 for 1,714 yards for a completion percentage of 57.8 with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. "I think we hit more passes, and that was critical," Hoyer said after game. "We didn't abandon our game plan. That was the biggest thing. They were taking the run away and we didn't panic and abandon the game plan. We hit some play-action passes and those were big plays for us." Despite the poor showing in the running game, Hoyer threw for over 200 yards for the seventh-straight game with 275 yards on 19-of-28 attempts, including a touchdown. Hoyer is the first Browns quarterback since Brian Sipe in 1983 to start the season with 200 or more yards in each game. On the season, Hoyer is 18th overall, with a 91.0 rating, but is 13th in the fourth quarter with a 92.5 rating. However, he is 27th in the NFL on third down with a 69.5 rating. Hoyer knows he and the offense, overall have to be more consistent. "Yeah, you have to be consistent. You have to be more...a better sense of urgency and realize that we're not just a team that people underestimate anymore," he said. "We're 4-3. People are going to play hard. You can't just go out there and think that we're going to creep up from behind some people. I think we're just got to continue to get better each week. I think we got better from Jacksonville to this game, and we've got to get better from this game to Tampa."
The Browns claimed tight end Ryan Taylor off waivers from the Ravens, reports the Baltimore Sun. Taylor spent his first four seasons with Green Bay, catching eight passes for 45 yards and a touchdown.
No. You said Mack was not first round material, and that he is "years" away from making an impact in the NFL... ...The only reason I even remember it is because you were the only guy that felt that way.
Actually, I think that was me saying it about Blake Bortles. #prophet Seriously, though... I re-read some of those old draft threads and Irish only ever said Barr was a better prospect and better all-around linebacker. So unless it's buried somewhere in this behemoth (390 pages), we'll have to give him props. He nailed that one.
How sad is it that 200 yards per game (3,2000 for a season) is a benchmark around here? There are 17 quarterbacks on pace to throw for more than 4,000 yards this season. So besides being one of the worst third-down passers (read: not clutch), he's also regressed as the season's wore on. Hoyer's first three games: 64% completion, 716 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 97.5 QB rating (opponents record: 12-10, .545) Hoyer's last three games: 50% completion, 707 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 80.9 QB rating (opponents record: 5-17, .227) Yikes.
I wasn't a fan of Mack in the Top Ten either. Can't say he wasn't a first rounder and I don't think Irish felt that way either because we were in agreement on him - one of the few things we agree on.
Last 3 games........hmmmmmm That would be 2 and 1, right? I blame that on Hoyer. Damn guy can't win em all. Dump him, bring back the Monday night twins Weeden and Colt. Seriously SAS, focus where you want to and find the stats to support it. Good Job. If we didn't have Johnny and instead we had Weeden as a back up how would you feel about your QB? The guy has piloted the team to their best record in years. Is there no joy in that for you? I expect we will come out of this weekend at 5 and 3, and still you will point out all the deficiencies of Hoyer's game. So what do you want? Plug in Johnny and take our chances when we are staring at the distinct possibility of a playoff berth? As a Browns fan for more years than I'd care to admit, I am ecstatic about how the season has gone thus far. I am enjoying the ride. Hoyer won't make anyone forget he's not Bret Favre, but what about winning games upsets you? I just don't get it. While I recognize and accept Hoyer's shortcomings, i also recognize an opportunity to be a playoff team, and understand that while Johnny "may" be our future, he is not our present. Your fixation on getting Johnny into the games ignores the reality that this team wins as currently constituted. Hoyer, warts and all remains our best chance at winning this week, and until that is not longer true, deserves our support and respect. I assume you play fantasy football, and as such recognize that you play the guys who give you the best shot to win "this week". That's the nature of the game, and while Johnny may well get the keys next year, or have to come in this year, you wouldn't start him until he was playing, or you would risk losing until he did start. Why would anyone do that? The same holds true for Hoyer/Manziel. If you want to win this week, you play the guy you think gives you the best chance this week. If we fall out of contention, then other priorities gain importance, like seeing what you have in that guy on the sidelines. Simple. So who would you start "this week"?
Ugh. I don't have teh patience to split the quotes. For that matter, I misspelled "the" just now..... don't care bout that either. Point 1: Who is he throwing the ball to? How many teams would our receivers make, much less start on? Our best threat is a TE that is almost a lock for the injury report every week. Point 2: Teams have a good amount of tape on Hoyer now. Yes, they are catching on to some things that he is doing. Point 3: He misses Mack. Mack was great for the running game, the running game was great for the play action, Hoyer is pretty good at the play action. Let's combine the points and see what we have. (I am conceding here that Hoyer is no top tier QB, though I never said he was, I simply am no believer in Manziel.) We have an undrafted QB who has only a handful of starts under his belt that is throwing to a group of receivers that would not make most teams in the NFL. His best option (supplemental draft because he is a "troubled soul") is banned, his second best option (4th round) is always hurt, his third option is an undrafted 5'7" WR, his 4th a 5'8" undrafted, his 5th has some size at 6'2', but also undrafted...... Now that the NFL has a little tape on our dynamic offense, they are poking holes in it. Shanny needs to adjust some things to cover that. Couple all that with losing a probowl center that the team had no back up plan for, sliding the starting RG to C effectively placing 2 backups into the OL in the snap of a femur. This combination has a winning record in the National Football League.
I remember those conversations. They were some damn good ones leading up to the draft and I am looking forward to more of that this off-season.
People around here act like Mack is the reason Hoyer is struggling...so funny....lets remember Pitt and Tenn 1st half...how did the offense do once Mack was hurt....I was reading on here we didnt skip a beat...still ran the ball all over Pitt. Heres a question....almost any QB in the NFL culd play the position if every circumstance was perfect...we can run the ball at will, WRs get great separation and hey have great protection....well wake up cause thats not the norm so now we are seeing why Hoyer was a career journeyman
On to another note. I just read on Dawg Pound Nature that the Browns are close to trading the Buc's for Jackson. It said that we do need another WR to pair with Gordon when he comes back. It also said that there is no WR as good as him in the draft. It would cost us our 2nd rd. pick. The main hold up right now is that we play the Buc's this week. The article also said that the cowboys have called about Manziel. We said no. The other 2 positions that the article said we needed was OL and DL. So hold on boys, Farmer may be dealing! I would jump all over Jackson as long as he's signed beyond this year.
Not true SAS, and that's the weakest "out" I've ever read in my life....Where else WOULD it be but in those pages?? c'mon. I was just tryin to get a little dig on a long time football draftnik buddy...not a big deal. I know I didn't imagine those specifics I mentioned..."years away" "no immediate impact"..... so I don't know what to tell ya...I do know this much. I love those mock drafts, and I talk as much shit as anybody. So I'm positive that I've left myself open to the critics and draft freaks like me to call me out on stuff too. Strongly opinionated people are going to be wrong sometimes. Even me (as hard as that may be to imagine ).....but I can promise you this. If and when I do get called out about some smack I was runnin back in April that I was way wrong about, I will own it...lol! I won't try to paint it in some different light....I'll own it.
Again, I will look sometime today to try and find this conversation, but I do not ever recall saying he was not first round material or exactly that he was "years" away from making an impact...Why would I have him ranked in the top ten of the first round if I was saying he was not first round material? I do recall saying I had several players ranked higher than him...again, I need to search out the conversation...when I have time, I will bring it out whether I you are right or wrong in calling me out on it..You know me, I don't cowher to thought of being wrong. I am more than man enough to stand up to my statements. I simply don't recall the specificity of the statements you are claiming. There were some in here that thought he should be drafted #4 overall and I disagreed...I know for fact I had Manziel, Watkins and Bridgewater in my top 3, then I think I had Jake Matthews #4...after that I think I had a conglomeration of Anthony Barr and Mike Evans, then Mack and Robinson were after them, then I think Ebron and maybe Ebron and Fuller to round out the top ten..I simply can't remember every detail.. I'll get back to you...
Not to hemhaw around this.. What does the weapons have to do with his accuracy? The lower round-not drafted receivers are being schemed wide open. It doesn't matter where they are drafted, they are over achieving and it is Hoyer's job to deliver accurately, Hoyer is the one underachieving here. I simply don't know why "we are 4-3" is an excuse for mediocre QB play to be acceptable. I understand if you don't believe in Manziel, that is a legitimate beef. But excusing Hoyer, to me, isn't. I have said all along, I would love for Hoyer to grow each and every week and become a QB that makes Manziel irrelevant. The problem is, he is regressing each week and that worries the hell out of me with the hardest part of our schedule beginning in 2 weeks...Yes we are 4-3 against less than adequate opponents, what happens when they are adequate?
I'm back.... My time in the buckeye state was great! I went to the game on Sunday (but left my voice at the stadium! ) I gotta say, Sunday was a good time!!! I was great to be at the stadium and actually experience Cleveland Browns Stadium having "home field advantage", The fans were fired and the noise level in that place was nice to hear! I heard Pettine thanked the Dawg Pound for causing a couple delay of games and false starts.... and to that I say "You're Welcome, Sir!" Onto the game, I've been a supporter of Hoyer this season, afterall, he's been winning games, and that is the bottom line in the NFL, WIN GAMES!!! With that being said... what I saw on Sunday, was a QB that was inaccurate! There was one 3rd and short play where Hoyer put the ball so far in front of Benji, that he had to dive for it, falling to the ground, and not getting the first. If Hoyer just delivers an accurate throw, it was a first down! The throw to Cameron that gave him the concussion... I put a lot of that on Hoyer too, he hung Cameron out on that play and it cost this team!!! If Hoyer continues his inaccurate, erratic play.... we SHOULD be able to beat the bad teams (i.e. Tenn, Oak, T.B.) but we'll lose a couple to teams we have no business losing too (I'm looking at JAX).... and we'll get crushed by Cin on Thursday Night! I just really hope Hoyer can get it together or else Primetime is gonna get ugly for our beloved Brownies!
Heading into the draft, there was a lot of talk about the depth and quality of this year?s group of wide receivers. Such talk often turns into hot air when the players actually take the field in the NFL, but it looks like the pundits were on target with their assessment of the wideouts entering the league in 2014. Chase Stuart of the New York Times points out that nine rookie receivers had at least 75 receiving yards in Week Eight as this past week saw standout performances from Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks, John Brown, Martavis Bryant and others as rookies played major roles in passing games across the league. The Week Eight exploits left this year?s crop of rookie receivers with 38 combined touchdowns in the first eight weeks of the season. That?s more than the combined touchdown total of receivers from any other year with the 2010 group ? Antonio Brown, Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant and company ? coming in second with 37 touchdowns. It?s also more than rookie receivers in the 2006, 2007 and 2008 seasons had for the entire year and on pace to top the 58 touchdowns last year?s rookies scored to set a new NFL record. The rookie wall looms for some players, but last year?s results suggest that teams and players have been able to find a way to keep rookies producing past the point their college seasons were over. If that holds, this deep and talented group should wind up shattering last year?s record and raising the bar for expectations about what the future will hold for them.
Is anyone else starting to feel like Cameron is becoming more of a question mark than an elite TE? He's got talent, but he can't stay on the field. It seems like there are quite a few TEs around the league who could be equal to or maybe even better than Cam,and Big Money is being spent for part time work. Maybe it's just a series of unfortunate events, but some guys just seem to be unable to stay out of Harm's way. Is Cam one of them? Is he becoming trade bait, with his injury frequency? I wouldn't expect anything to happen in season, but if he never gets healthy this year, he may be a sweetener for a deal on draft day. Not irreplaceable IMO.
