Brian Hoyer Probably Just Won Himself a Few More Shots

Yes this is true.   After the Browns 31-27 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Brian Hoyer became the only of the 19 guys to start a game for the Browns to actually have a winning record.  Although that feat may only last a week, what a great week to get that win.  This was a tough week as a fan, seeing the way that the beginnings of "Blow For Bridgewater" were shaping up I never expected a win.

Instead guys like Josh Gordon, Jordan Cameron stepped in and changed this offense's fortune.  And as of now Chud has not committed to Hoyer for anymore games, but he would be a fool to sit him now.

And while this win has probably dampened the chances of having a #1 overall pick next year, I think it is also important to note that the Vikings team that we just beat had three first round selections in last years draft, and it doesn't seem to be working out too well for them right now.

Defensively I think the team was solid, the offense sputtered heavily in the 2nd half and left the unit on the field far too much.  And they kept the team in the ballgame, allowing for Hoyer to lead a 4th quarter game winning drive (something Brandon Weeden has yet to do).

Joining Hoyer, Gordon, and Cameron was Buster Skrine and John Hughes putting up the best games of their young careers.  Great job Browns, way to get yourselves out of the winless column.  

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.  

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  

It's Finally Here!

Well it has been a long offseason.  It seems like a long time since Pat Shurmur was handed his walking papers after yet another disappointing Browns season.  And a lot has changed since then.  We were all expecting Chip Kelly to come in and run the Browns, yet that didn't happen.

Rob Chudzinski took over the reigns and with him came an army of hope in the form of Norv Turner and Ray Horton.  Then things got ugly as owner Jimmy Haslam's personal business became national news.  Then things got even worse when Mike Lombardi was hired as the GM, despite his rocky relationship with the Browns fans.  Then things looked up as the Browns pursued a couple actual veterans in Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant.

In a nutshell no one knows what to expect.  The starter's play in the preseason was either awful or exceptional.  But there are question marks nearly every where.  Was Brandon Weeden's lackluster season last season a product of a poorly organized offensive scheme, or is he just not that good?  After Joe Haden who on this team is capable of covering an NFL receiver?  What happens if something happens to Trent Richardson?  Will our pass rush actually work?  Can we run block?  Will Josh Gordon and Greg Little pull their heads out of their rears and become true professionals?

To me it sounds like too many questions that need answered positively to have any hope for post season this year.  So let me post what I believe to be the most important question that needs answered this season.  Are we heading in the right direction?  If that answer is yes, I will be fine with it.  

Trash the Opponent Thursday: The Indianapolis Colts

The Cleveland Browns will face off against the Indianapolis Colts this Saturday at 7:00pm.  This is the third preseason game, so this is the one that is being hailed at the "dress rehearsal."  This is considered the most important of the preseason matchups due to the large number of snaps that each of the first stringers will see.  Most of the veterans will be likely shut down until the regular season after tonight.

To me this is the game that if the Browns look solid in, will really raise my opinion of what to expect this season.  While I know that preseason isn't a great barometer for what to expect, it is nice to have seen the Browns first stringers outplay other team's first units so far.  Which brings me to the Colts.

While I have been pleasantly surprised that I haven't had to be very mean to my beloved Browns, it just makes it worse.  As on Thursdays I plan on having a bit of fun at our opponent's expense.  Today's target will be these Colts.

First off the Colts are coming off a 11-5 season, in which they were actually significantly outscored.  This has never happened before in the NFL.  What that stat means is that they never beat anyone convincingly last season.  And what do you need to win close games in the NFL?  You guessed it a little bit of Luck, which happens to be the name of their quarterback.

Andrew Luck was likely the most touted quarterback to come out of college since Peyton Manning.  For nearly three years NFL scouts have been salivating for this kid to make it to the pros.  Luck really had a lot of Luck in his first year, finding ways to squeak by opponents.  But eventually winning ugly goes away and in my opinion I think the 11 win season of a year ago was a bit of a fluke.  But after seeing Andrew Luck's first touchdown in week two of this preseason I can see that Luck is contagious.  I hope it runs out on Saturday.