Squarely in AFC playoff picture, Browns need to keep it rolling at home vs. Texans It?s the little things, right? Anyone catch the Dolphins-Bills game on Thursday night? A few times during the broadcast the NFL Network showed the AFC Playoff picture because both the Dolphins and Bills, at 5-3 apiece, are in the mix for a wildcard berth. Down the left side of the screen the division leaders were listed and next to No. 4 was a lovely orange helmet. You couldn?t help but smile. The Browns are not only ?in the hunt? of the AFC playoff picture, but squarely in the mix. It?s the little things. Entering Sunday, the Browns have had 10 days to bask in the glow of that Thursday night victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Like the second meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 12, the Browns dominated the entire game. The outcome, shockingly, was never really in doubt. How did the Browns follow up the victory over the Steelers? A 24-6 stinker of a loss down in Jacksonville. That begs the question: Can the Browns deal with success? Success hasn?t fallen upon this franchise very often since 1999. The Browns have had tastes here or there, but it never lingers and it is usually followed by disappointment. If things are truly going in the right direction for this franchise, these final seven games will not be a disappointment. It begins Sunday in Cleveland against the Houston Texans. On the surface this appears to be an easy victory. The Texans are starting Ryan Mallett at quarterback. No way this guy comes into Cleveland and torches an improving Browns defense. Careful. No way the Browns lose to Jacksonville, right? If the Browns can continue playing well, as they have the last two weeks, that?ll be a sign that this team is able to deal with success. For 10 days, all the Browns heard is how they?re in the mix, how they?re for real, how they?re finally a good football team. Careful. The Steelers threw 12 touchdowns passes in two games and then lost to the one-win Jets last Sunday. Those previous two examples illustrate that this league is quirky and no team should ever feel complacent. Of course the Browns are saying all the right things, but what matters is the play on the field. The Browns got back to running the ball against Cincinnati to the tune of 170 yards. This was a welcomed sight considering the previous three games the Browns rushed for 158 total. The Browns need to stay out of obviously passing situations because J.J. Watt. In an era of offensive-first football, Watt has become a household name thanks to his impressive play. He?s a joy to watch ? when he isn?t battling orange helmets. Meanwhile, defensively the Browns should employ the same strategy as they did against the likes of Mike Glennon and Derek Carr. Ask Mallett to beat you. Chances are he won?t. In addition, after the first six games where opponents gashed the Browns on the ground, they have allowed 76, 113 and 86 yards rushing the last three games. This shouldn?t be a difficult game for the Browns to win. The Texans aren?t a great football team. That said it could very well come down to the fourth quarter. Thankfully, another positive wrinkle to this season has been the home field advantage for the Browns. It?s mid-November. The Browns are leading the AFC North. It?s time for FirstEnergy Stadium to be rocking, reminding older folks of the good ol? days at the Municipal Stadium. These past 10 days have been fun. Hopefully, the Browns players didn?t enjoy it as much as the fans. Stay in your lane, Browns. If so, expect Monday to have a victorious feel to it.
The Morning Kickoff ? Welcome, winter: It?s always amusing to see the reaction of new Browns players to the first Cleveland snowfall. It?s just that this season, with the Browns in first place at 6-3, the change of weather takes on more meaning. ?We have to use the weather to our advantage,? said Cleveland native Donte Whitner, who began his NFL career in Buffalo before returning home this year. As the Browns stepped on the practice field Thursday to prepare for Sunday?s game against the humidity-honed, dome-spoiled Houston Texans, a fairly brisk snowfall greeted them. ?That was the second time I?ve seen snow,? said rookie receiver Taylor Gabriel, from Mesquite, TX. ?It wasn?t too bad. But they say it?s downhill from this point forward.? Rookie guard Joel Bitonio, who played at University of Nevada in Reno, NV, and hails from Long Beach, CA, said, ?I heard we get some pretty crazy stuff around the lake. Joe (Thomas) told me there?s been some pretty crazy games. I?m excited for it. I think for a lineman it helps us out because it slows everybody down. ? ?Not from my end,? said rookie running back Isaiah Crowell, of Columbus, GA. ?I?ll be honest with you, I?m not looking forward to it at all,? running back Ben Tate, formerly of the Texans, said on Tuesday. It?s Cleveland: Shortly after he was hired, coach Mike Pettine talked about ?weather-proofing? his team, particularly the offense. That means being able to move the ball and score no matter the conditions ? wind, rain, snow, cold. There?s another benefit to facing down harsh weather. ?I feel it?ll make us tougher,? linebacker Barkevious Mingo said. ?Last year we didn?t practice outside much.? That amazing oversight explains a lot about the Browns? collapse last season. They were 4-5 and lost the last seven games, not coincidentally, when the weather turned cold. ?You?ve got to practice in it,? said quarterback Brian Hoyer, who learned everything about the NFL during his three years with the New England Patriots. ?Unless we were playing (on Sunday) in a dome or somewhere south, we were practicing outside, unless it was lightning. ?(If not), it makes you soft. To me, you?ve got to practice in it as long as you can.? I can still hear quarterback Jason Campell complaining about the weather last year, loss after loss. Let it snow: Hoyer said that he ?loves? playing in snow. ?Three reasons,? he told me. ?First, because of the humidity, the ball tends to be drier and it actually stays pretty grippy. Secondly, when the snow accumulates on the field, it slows down the pass rush. And third, the DBs don?t know where the receivers are going and they tend to slip chasing them around.? I suggested to Hoyer that what separates Brady from Peyton Manning is his having to play so many games in his career in the cold and snow in Foxboro, MA. Many of Brady?s greatest games have come in the months of December and January in the worst weather conditions -- when the games mean the most. ?When it started snowing, you would have thought Tom Brady was at Christmas morning,? Hoyer said. ?We get lake effect snow here. They get those things called nor?easters. Those are lake effect on steroids. There was one time we had our power knocked out for three days. My wife had to stay in a hotel. Tom loves it. You have to be able to embrace it. If you?re afraid of it, it?ll eat you alive.? The last great Browns teams of the 1980s pre-dated the advent of the indoor practice facility. Those teams had no other option but to practice outdoors in the bitter cold of November and December. And that?s when those teams separated from the pack of pretenders. The Browns? five playoff teams from 1985 to 1989 were a combined 20-10-1 in the coldest months. They ran the ball and they played defense. That?s the formula followed by Pettine with this team. ?I think any team that?s run-first -- some of the games in cold weather it?s hard to throw at all -- so I think for us it benefits us,? Bitonio said. ?I think we?re ready. I think we have a good thing going and when the weather hits, I think we?ll have a good system in place.? Whitner said, ?I think it?s all a mindset, really. If we embrace the Cleveland weather, the Cleveland culture, and understand that the weather is on our side, then it?s easier to go out and play.? The Browns should have four of their next five games in cold weather. They are home Sunday against Houston, have a game in the Georgia Dome against the Falcons, and then play in Buffalo and then home against Indianapolis and Cincinnati. So let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
TWO MAJOR BREAKING NEWS STORIES!! One terrible, one really good... First, Phil Taylor has been placed on IR Second, Arian Foster has been ruled OUT for this Sunday's matchup against YOUR CLEVELAND BROWNS!!
And the D-Line big uglies keep falling . . . o Armonty Bryant o John Hughes o Phil Taylor o Calvin Barnett (Practice Squad) *WALL* Looks like we'll find out if Jamie Meder can play with the "Big Boys".
OK, NOW it is being reported out of Houston, they don't know where reports are originating about Foster. The official team stance remains a game day decision and nothing has changed since declaring him as such.
Since our defensive line is looking well depleted, I started looking at defensive lineman coming out in the draft. Before I stated that Bama WR, Cooper is the exception to that I came up with a list of guy's that I'm interested in at this point. I started with D-Line then OLB's then added some other guy's that I'm intrigued in. 1. DT- Leonard Williams, 6-4 290 4.88/40 USC 2. DE- Randy Gregory, 6-5 242 4.76/40 Nebraska 3. DE- Alvin Dupree, 6-4 267 4.63/40 Kentucky 19 sacks 4. DE- Shane Ray, 6-3 245 4.45/40 Missouri 10 sacks OLB's 1. Vic Beasley, 6-2 235 4.45/40 Clemson 2. Shaq Thompson 6-2 231 4.46/40 Washington 3. Benardick McKinney 6-4 245 4.58/40 Mississippi St. Heisman candidate! My favorites so far of this group is Gregory, Dupree, Beasley, Thompson and McKinney! Williams has to be there I know because he is the only DT so far on my list. But I wouldn't mind Gregory and Dupree also. If OLB was a spot we would go for then McKinney is my man. He is a beast! Can play run, pass and get after the QB. Along with Cooper I wouldnt mind... 1. WR Kevin White, 6-3 209 4.49/40 West Virginia 2. WR Jaelen Strong 6-4 212 4.55/40 Arizona St. 3. WR/TE Devin Funchess 6-5 230 4.7/40 Michigan Just some names I'm throwing out here. But I would love to get Mckinney, Gregory and Funchess in our top 2 rounds. OLB, DE and TED!
ESPN's Adam Schefter stated on SportsCenter Friday that Arian Foster (groin, questionable) is unlikely to play in Week 11 against the Browns. Technically, coach Bill O'Brien is calling Foster a game-day decision after he practiced "a little bit" on Friday. Multiple reports surfaced Friday that Foster will be out against Cleveland, giving Alfred Blue the start. "Right now it does not look promising," Schefter said of Foster's potential availability. "Signs not encouraging." Schefter expects a "heavy dose" of Alfred Blue against the Browns. Although Foster has had a great season when healthy, he has shown up on the weekly injury reports with four separate ailments. Blue will be an RB2 if he gets the nod at Cleveland. The Browns' defense is a recommended fantasy streamer against Houston's Ryan Mallett-led offense.
Photos/Getty Extra Points ? Nobody knows: Recovery from the concussions recently suffered by tight end Jordan Cameron, safety Tashaun Gipson and special teams core player Johnson Bademosi demonstrate how unpredictable the head injuries can be. Gipson suffered his concussion in the last game and he may be able to return for Sunday?s game against the Houston Texans. Cameron has been ruled out for the third game in a row, and Bademosi for the second straight game. Gipson, who complained of headaches after players returned from a mini-bye weekend on Tuesday, advanced to the next stage of NFL protocol and was cleared to practice on Friday. He was limited, and was listed as questionable for the game. Coach Mike Pettine was cautious, however, about penciling in Gipson, who leads the NFL in interceptions with six and is first in Pro Bowl voting among safeties. ?We?ll know more tomorrow,? Pettine said of Gipson?s game status. Meanwhile, Cameron?s prolonged recovery from his concussion ? reportedly his third head injury in two years ? has now caused some conversation about whether the fourth-year tight end would see the field again this season. ?You don?t know,? Pettine said. ?It?s a tricky thing. You can have a guy be without symptoms a day or two and then they come back. It?s obviously a touchy subject. Some will take longer than others. We?re not sure where Bademosi is (in returning) ? Jordan ? the severity of Gip?s. They?re all different in degree.? Shut down tackle: Defensive end Phil Taylor will need a second surgery on his right knee and is lost for the season. Taylor returned from a five-week recovery from arthroscopic surgery to play in the Cincinnati game and make an impact in the run defense. He went down late in the game. Pettine said Taylor ?has an issue unrelated to the (first) surgery? that ?needs to get corrected.? Billy Winn takes over Taylor?s spot at left end, joining nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin and right end Desmond Bryant on the starting defensive front. The only reserves are nose tackles Ishmaa?ily Kitchen and Sione Fua. Taylor?s spot on the active roster was taken by linebacker Keith Pough, who was promoted from the practice squad. Hold your horses: Pettine was not buying unconfirmed reports out of Houston that running back Arian Foster (groin) would not play. Foster missed the entire practice week, but was listed as questionable by the club. ?The NFL, the injury stuff, I don?t think you can chase it,? Pettine said. ?I?ve been through that. If a guy?s going to be out, you believe it when you see. We?re prepared to go against him. We?re prepared if he?s not. I think it?s an issue if you get too wrapped up in what?s going on on the other sideline.? Foster is second in the NFL with 822 yards rushing with a 5.1 average and 10 overall touchdowns. If he doesn?t play, it would complicate the task of quarterback Ryan Mallett, who will be making his first NFL start. Foster?s replacement is Alfred Blue, a rookie sixth-round pick from Louisiana State. Blue has made one replacement start for Foster and has 234 yards rushing on 68 attempts (3.4) with no touchdowns.
I like on more name up there ILB Denzel Perryman, 6-0 242 4.70/40 Miami (FL) I also like McKinney, but for ILB, not OLB in our scheme... MY "perfect" draft would include the Bills missing the playoffs and picking in the top 15, obviously the Browns winning a couple of games and pick in the late 20s and this is what my 2015 draft would look like for the first few rounds: 15 overall (from Bills) Kevin White WR, West Virginia 25 overall Benardrick McKinney ILB, Mississippi State 58 overall Devin Funchess WR/TE, Michigan 89 overall Shawn Oakman DE, Baylor 111 overall (from Bills) Nick Martin C/G, Notre Dame 122 overall Terry Williams DT, East Carolina The first two would have an opportunity to start, but McKinney would have to unseat Kirksey. Just an FYI, Those are the positions they would play in a base 4-3 in the NFL...For our scheme, Gregory will be an OLB and McKinney most likely an ILB, I definitely don't see him as a 3-4 rush linebacker. On another note, imho, you will have to trade into the top ten for Gregory...I don't know if this team wants to invest the picks to do that for another rush LB. This is a kind of "pick your poison" for rush linebackers. Many different types of players to fill the role. I'm not a runaway fan of any. I love Gregory's skill set, but again, I don't see any possibility of making it out of the top ten. Funchess is an intriguing guy. Think Jordan Cameron without as much "project" attached to him. A team should be able to see production right away in a good scheme. Cameron came in with us knowing it would take time to reach potential, now he is sidelined with the dreaded concussion bug. 3 in 2 years means he cannot be counted on...this last one may be season ending..After the recent research developments, if I were him, I would be thinking long and hard about retirement!
It's always been my opinion that an OLB in a 3-4 needs to weigh in the 255-265 range and be around 6'4" or have arms like an orangutan. I was not a fan of the Mingo pick because he is a featherweight, and I said at the time that he would get abused in the run game. Well...... he's a featherweight, and gets abused in the run game. I don't see Vic Beasley or Shaq Thompson being any different in our 3-4.
