We Beat the Ratbirds! Cleveland Browns 24 - Baltimore Ravens 18

I guess the best way to motivate a guy is to double meme them the way I did Davone Bess last week.  Bess finally showed that spark which made me think that he could be a tremendous addition to the wide receiver crew, instead of the "Braylonesque" label I gave him last week.  And when the going was getting tough again Bess, along with one of my other favorite targets Greg Little made me eat my words.  

The team played a fantastic game behind Jason Campbell, and for the first time since 2007 I can go to bed tonight celebrating a Browns win over the Baltimore Ratbirds. 

I Think Chud and Norv Have Some Explaining To Do: Ravens (1-1) 14 Browns (0-2) 6

Does anyone else remember the promise of the exciting opened up Browns offense led by mastermind offensive guru Norv Turner?  Has anyone seen any difference between this offense and the same frustratingly poorly coached offense of 2013 and that of any year since 2008?

Dropped passes, poor 3rd down playcalling, disappearing pass protections, poor run blocking.  I could go on and on about what I saw on the offensive side of the ball, but what stuck out at me was the delay of game penalties.  In an era of uptempo offenses, this team looks pathetic.  There were three delay of game penalties making our third downs.  And I can't understand it because Brandon Weeden doesn't even have the ability to audible.

Well the defense played extremely well, but they can't overcome everything.  We are 0-2 and it's on this offense.  Sorry Norv, not that impressed yet.

It's Gameday, Why Isn't Anyone As Excited as Last Week?

Remember after week two in the preseason when fans were screaming about playoffs and how awesome we were going to look once this season starts?  Now every fan I've spoken to are convinced we are barreling towards 0-2.

Unfortunately after 15 years of dismal football in Cleveland, expectations don't last too long.  And this team hasn't given anyone any reason to be hopeful at all.  Today's game at Baltimore could be another heartbreaker, but if we pull off a win what happens then?

I think that we will have a better feel for what kind of team we have after this game.  Stay tuned for the post game meme this evening.

The Browns are 0-10 versus Joe Flacco

Well here we come again to another meeting with those nasty ratbirds.  I hope tomorrow afternoon's entry to this blog can be a little happier than last week's.  The trouble is that last week's loss knocks us down to 1-14 in season openers since 1999.  But this week has an equally troubling stat leading up to it.  The Browns are currently 0-10 when facing Joe Flacco.

It really doesn't give me much hope for tomorrow, but what's new?  Hopefully having Paul Kruger on this team will give us an edge in knowing everything the Ravens would be doing.  The fact is that both teams started very poorly, so who knows the Browns might actually put a good win together.  I just wouldn't bet on it.  

Good Riddance Ray Lewis, It Sucks I Am Still Going To Have To See Your Ugly Mug on ESPN

After the news broke about Aaron Hernandez and his alleged involvement in attempting to be a real life Tony Montana, it made me think of Ray Lewis.  While the jury is still out (pardon the pun) on Aaron Hernandez's fate, Ray Lewis found himself in a very similar situation.  Ray and friends have issues with person at a bar, person ends up dead, his blood ends up in Ray's limo.  Ray then walks away a free man, and goes on to have a hall of fame career.  Is it that much of a stretch to say maybe someone got away with murder?

So there you have it I think that Ray Lewis is a scumbag low life, and I'm not alone.  While I fully realize that comparing taking a person's life and saying that maybe what most guys call pass interference, was referred to as "smothering defense" when Ray did it may be in bad taste for a joke.  But no worse of a joke than the justice system in this case so I don't feel that bad.

But dammit Ray Lewis got away with everything on a football field.  He could hit guys early in pass defense, hold onto receivers, pretty much whatever he wanted.  Yet at the end of a tough day, Ray would be the first to complain that the referees were unfair.  And even that is a fineable offense for most guys, but Ray made a career out of it.  Hell, he is even saying the power outage at the Super Bowl was a ploy by the NFL to slow them down.

Anyways this Sunday will be the first game since Ray retired, and good riddance.  I will not miss you at all, or your dirty Ratbird buddy Ed Reed.    

Trash the Opponent Thursday: You Think We Looked Bad? The Baltimore Ravens

Did you see the World Champs last Thursday?  Or at least what is left of the World Champs after Joe Flacco's agent got ahold of the Raven's payroll.  It really was hilarious.  By now it is old news that Peyton Manning went all NFL history on the Ratbirds.  Most people now feel they are very fortunate to get the Browns at home this week, so that they can get their season back on track, but I hope this is really what to hope for out of the Ravens this season.  But three things about this game really cracked me up.

1. The Orioles kicked them out of their own stadium - It is customary for the defending champs to host the kickoff game, but instead the Orioles refused to move their game with the White Sox to accommodate the football game.  Since the two stadiums share parking, the nightmare situation couldn't be resolved.  So the Ratbirds were forced to play the game they earned on the road in Denver.

2.  They were spotted 14 points - Aside from the idiotic play of the year above, one of the Ravens touchdowns was provided by a Wes Welker muffed punt inside Denver 5 yard line.  This immediately gave the Ravens a Ray Rice touchdown.  This game should have ended 56-20, instead of 49-27.

3.  Flacco should have had to pay to watch the QB clinic put on for him by Peyton Manning -  Whenever a player highjacks his own team for the top dollar deal, others on the team suffer.  The Ravens were very much dismantled by Joe Flacco's new contract.  While there is no "I" in team there certainly is a "ME"

So guess what you dirty ratbirds, we are still in first place.  And if we look like we did last week, and you look like you did last week this will be a game worthy of a lot of drinks.

Tomorrow I'm saying a proper goodbye to Ray Lewis  

Peyton Manning Had a Bit of a Message For the Ratbirds Last Night

Thanks to Peyton Manning, Ratbird week is going to start early.  While next week leading up to the game this blog will be particularly cruel to those nasty Ratbirds, the Denver Broncos were particularly cruel to them last night.

Peyton Manning threw for seven touchdowns, showing the greedy Joe Flacco what happens when you steal all of your team's payroll.  Seven touchdowns is enough to tie the single game NFL record.  And a beautiful way to start the Ratbirds new era of defense without Ed Reed and that scumbag Ray Lewis.

Well Baltimore, I will see you next week.  Until then the Browns now have to look to take care of business.