I think confidence matters and you can look at it two ways.  One..... their confidence took a hit last night and will need to be built back up.  And two.... given the way they were rolling the first two games, their confidence took a much needed hit last night

I played the line and linebacker so I have a hard time grading routes. Bernie did say several times that the receivers were rounding their routes and weren't where they were suppose to be. Did anybody else see that? Or was he just being nice to Weeden.

 

Luck is damn good but Reggie Wayne is one hell of a security blanket, and that makes him look great. Wayne catches everything thrown his way.

Wayne was also matched up against Leon McFadden in his NFL game debut. If anything was "not fairs" it was putting McFadden on Wayne his first time out. Welcome to the NFL, young man.

 

Weeden struggled. If Richardson stayed in for more than two series, perhaps he could bailed out Weeden more often. BTW, Colts DBs covered our wideouts pretty tightly, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps its because the WRs were rounding their routes or maybe Weeden was just throwing into coverage too often. Even if he didn't the WRs had too many drops, especially on third down. Field position sucked. Bad day all the way around, although I thought our front seven did pretty well even though Sheard sat this one out. Groves did a good job in his absence. I think Sheard might have been a better defender of Luck's rollouts and runs.

 

Weeden and the wideouts (sounds like a lounge band) need to rediscover their route, timing and delivery this week against Chicago. Coach Chud he may give them a few more game reps this week to work on those things.

With Dion Lewis out resign Josh Cribbs (just released). I always thought he should be coming out of the backfield anyway. If healthy he could do that.

I wish Josh Cribbs could at least retire as a Brown.  I seriously doubt that the Browns management have much interest, considering that they originally showed him the door.  He played with passion and disregard to his own body.  I wish the Browns could have been a good team for his prime... for Dawson too.

Interesting idea. Cribbs is probably the best special teams player out there. He could be the kickoff returner and gunner.

^ was... He can't even make a team

^ was... He can't even make a team

 

And the Raiders, no less. The Raiders may be the worst team in the league this year.

 

But I doubt the Browns could devote a roster spot to someone in such a limited role.

Josh can still get yard on kick-offs, but he lost the extra step which allowed him to take it to the house.  He still would be very serviceable as a gunner, but you typically want to reserve that role for players that can legitimately back-up another position if need be, and Josh really can't do that anymore.

I hope Cribbs invested his money wisely.  That was a quick fall from "Pay the Man" to unemployed!

I hope Cribbs invested his money wisely.  That was a quick fall from "Pay the Man" to unemployed!

 

Sounds like he's already into his post-NFL career........

 

I hope Cribbs invested his money wisely.  That was a quick fall from "Pay the Man" to unemployed!

 

Sounds like he's already into his post-NFL career........

 

 

Like I said...I hope he invested his money wisely! ;)

I definitely stole this from a list I saw on the internet, but I'm diggin' my fantasy football team name this year....

 

"Weeden My Brownies"  8-)

I definitely stole this from a list I saw on the internet, but I'm diggin' my fantasy football team name this year....

 

"Weeden My Brownies"  8-)

 

Ive seen "Weeden my pocket"

If I was a Lions' fan, I would have went with "My Jim Schwartz Are Dirty"

If I was a Lions' fan, I would have went with "My Jim Schwartz Are Dirty"

 

LOL! May the Schwartz be with you!

If I was a Lions' fan, I would have went with "My Jim Schwartz Are Dirty"

 

In my dynasty league I've used K9 Corps for years with a logo that matches my ink (pissed looking canine in a Browns helmet with a bone).  Otherwise, having Ziggy Ansah on my draft list, if I ended up getting him I would have to go with "Spiders from Mars".

I would have to go with "Spiders from Mars".

 

Who are you? Ziggy Stardust??

I would have to go with "Spiders from Mars".

 

Who are you? Ziggy Stardust??

 

As I said, I'm hoping to draft Ziggy Ansah.  :)

 

(We get to keep our entire team at the end of each season.  Before each season, there is a four round draft of rookies and guys not on a roster at season's end.)

A couple of surprising cuts so far -- Nelson and Slaughter. Apparently the Browns weren't waiting for them to heal. So we wasted a draft pick on Slaughter....

 

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2013/08/31/report-browns-cut-wr-nelson/#.UiJW9u7G3mk.twitter

^ I think this draft might fit Mike Lombardi's draft record well...

"@MRidenourABJ: Sounds like Janoris Slaughter will be practice squad candidate. Said rookie DB Josh Aubrey came out of nowhere & earned their trust"

 

They're down to 53, but some of the blogs suggest the Browns will pick up some cast offs from other teams which means the Browns would cut some more players.

 

EDIT: Oh and they cut both kickers. Good thing the Browns didn't resign Pro Bowl kicker Dawson... WTF???

One needs a scorecard to follow the Browns roster moves today. Here:

 

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2013/09/01/tracking-the-browns-roster-moves/#.UiOJYJtOFWA.twitter

 

And still no kicker!

 

NFL Network's Ian Rappaport tweets...

"@RapSheet: You can learn where a team thinks it is talent-wise by looking at waiver claims: Browns (6), Jax (7), KC (7) speak volumes. NE with 4, too"

 

More....

"@MaryKayCabot: #Browns now have 9 '13 undrafted rookies: Aubrey, Hazel, Martin, Wallace and newcomers Gray, Johnson, Lewis, Magee, and Milton."

Yay, we have a kicker! Boo, it's Billy Cundiff....

Quite the trade up. Billy Cundicf for Phil Dawson.

Billy Cundiff? Really.....

Was there a better option?

Not 4 days before the regular season kickoff, no. I realize the kicker isn't on the top priority list, but given that this particular position has been one of the top offensive producers for this team over the last few seasons, I would have expected maybe a little more effort than 'meh...who's next on the alphabetical list'

 

I guess Banner and crew expect to score a touchdown every time they get within 20.

I realize the kicker isn't on the top priority list, but given that this particular position has been one of the top offensive producers for this team over the last few seasons, I would have expected maybe a little more effort than 'meh...who's next on the alphabetical list'

 

I guess Banner and crew expect to score a touchdown every time they get within 20.

 

I don't think you have to worry about FG's inside the 20, regardless of who they sign.  We could get the kicker from Iggy to knock those down.  It is more like the situations where we are facing fourth down inside the 40.  I'm hoping that not having the "Sure Thing" Dawson crutch might incentivize the coaching staff to not play to the field goal and actually go for the gusto

Billy Cundiff for his career is 23.8% from 50+ yards. 5 for 21. And 3 of those 5 he made was way back in 2003, so hes been struggling since that year.

 

Phil Dawson is 70.6% for 50+ yards but has gotten better with time and has gained the trust to where he has been able to attempt more. In the last two years phil is 14 of 15 from 50+, 93.33%. The one he missed was because of a bad snap, so not even his fault.

Billy Cundiff for his career is 23.8% from 50+ yards. 5 for 21. And 3 of those 5 he made was way back in 2003, so hes been struggling since that year.

 

Phil Dawson is 70.6% for 50+ yards but has gotten better with time and has gained the trust to where he has been able to attempt more. In the last two years phil is 14 of 15 from 50+, 93.33%. The one he missed was because of a bad snap, so not even his fault.

 

When they didn't resign Dawson my first thought was "well that's a few close games in the loss column for the Browns."

We paid Phil $3.8 and $3.2 mill in the past two years.  He took $2.2 to sign with SF.  He wanted a shot at the Super Bowl

That's because they franchised him the last two years since they didn't want to sign him to a multiple year contract. His agent was asking for a 3 year 7.2 million dollar contract and the "The Big No Show" only wanted to sign him for two years. Well, No Show got his way but ended up paying him almost the same amount that they were asking for three years.

R u guys still talkin about the kicker? Come on now.$20 bucks says he has no impact in this game.  Now if we want to dedicate energy to sports, the tribe is in a pennant race and its sept 5

R u guys still talkin about the kicker? Come on now.$20 bucks says he has no impact in this game.  Now if we want to dedicate energy to sports, the tribe is in a pennant race and its sept 5

 

My reply:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,6445.msg672244.html#msg672244

We paid Phil $3.8 and $3.2 mill in the past two years.  He took $2.2 to sign with SF.  He wanted a shot at the Super Bowl

 

I agree.  Phil deserves a chance to kick in games that matter and get the recognition that he deserves.  I defintely hope the best for him.

I really don't know what expect tomorrow after that preseason.

You can expect to see a whole lot more of Trent Richardson.  30 touches easy (or else something went wrong....... or we blew them out).

 

Here's what I'm gonna be looking for:

 

DEFENSE

-Can we effectively and consistently get to the QB?

-How many TFLs do our LBs get?

-Can the CB opposite Haden make the Dolphins pay for picking on him?

 

OFFENSE

-Is Weeden making quick reads, hitting his receivers in stride, and not getting rid of the ball too late?

-Is our OL getting decent 'push' on our running plays?

-Can Benjamin fill the void left at 'deep threat' with the suspension of Gordon?

Great video of downtown Cleveland during the breaks. Some of the best I've seen. Only good thing about this game.

 

Downtown midtown by 1af0298d3cb7af591d07a811b33f5489, on Flickr

Hts121, I sent out an Amber Alert during the game for Richardson for you.

 

New clowns, same circus. The execution on offense was horrific and the defense gave up 200+ yards in the second half. Oniel Cousins needs to be waived today. The receivers still can't catch. Weeden still can't throw. And the coaches still can't coach. WTF was up with no Richardson?? I am so glad 4 p.m. has arrived so I can now watch an NFL game.

 

This is the 15th year of the Browns since the NFL put a team back here in Cleveland. My suggestion? Give it back!! I'd take a pocket full of lint instead of this shi*t.

At least the Browns are in first place after the first week .;)

i didnt see most of it, but statistically if they could just reduce the sacks and turnovers, not an unreasonable expectation, they will be a lot better. the red zone is another matter, but those opportunities would only improve.

 

ah well, about what i expected. i really didnt expect them to win most of the stat sheet war, so thats something to build on.

 

 

BTW I changed my poll vote to 4-6 wins.

 

Can the Browns play the Indians so at least one Cleveland team can win for a change? But I'll bet the universe would rather collapse in on itself than let that happen!

^ if they would play each other, they should play rollerball.

 

 

Great video of downtown Cleveland during the breaks. Some of the best I've seen. Only good thing about this game.

 

Downtown midtown by 1af0298d3cb7af591d07a811b33f5489, on Flickr

Indeed. The shot taken parallel out from lake was stunning. The announcers commented several times on how beautiful it was. Not much to say about the Browns, except I can probably catch a pass better than Little!

Different year, coach, owner; Same Browns.

 

Blargh. Well It made going to 9YOs soccer game, way less painful.

 

 

You can expect to see a whole lot more of Trent Richardson.  30 touches easy (or else something went wrong....... or we blew them out).

 

Crap

 

Here's what I'm gonna be looking for:

 

DEFENSE

-Can we effectively and consistently get to the QB?

Sure can and did... for the first two and a half quarters.  Either our guys got gassed or the coaches pulled them back in the second half

 

-How many TFLs do our LBs get?

Sheard and Kruger made a mess of the backfield all game long

 

-Can the CB opposite Haden make the Dolphins pay for picking on him?

Hell no.  This is why I was a proponent of taking Miliner (or Mathieu in a later round).  Then they drafted an OLB and spent big money in FA on an OLB, both of whom I like, but neglected solving the giant hole opposite Haden.  Skrine is NOT a starting NFL corner.

 

OFFENSE

-Is Weeden making quick reads, hitting his receivers in stride, and not getting rid of the ball too late?

No, no, and no.  His reads were somewhat better than last year, but still too slow.  I don't think it is a mental thing.  It is that his footwork is not fast enough.  He takes too long to set up in the pocket and it limits his ability to hit the hot routes when other teams send the pressure.

 

-Is our OL getting decent 'push' on our running plays?

Meh.  It wasn't bad overall and looked great on the first few drives.  The pass blocking (the line's strength) was what really looked bad today.  And it wasn't just the line losing their battles.  Some of it was schematic.  We were playing against one of the premier pass rushers in the league, who you know the Dolphins are going to set in a wide 9 (out beyond the TE), and you don't put your blockers in a position to contain him.   

 

-Can Benjamin fill the void left at 'deep threat' with the suspension of Gordon?

Nope

 

I've been saying for years that the Browns need to upgrade their stock of stickum.  Two of Weeden's picks were off his receiver's hands.  The defense had a trifecta (Robertson, Haden, Ward) of dropped INTs.  It's plays like those that create those crucial swings in momentum.

 

I'm disappointed, but not dejected.  Gordon is a huge part of this offensive system.  If they look like this when he gets back, then I will start looking at 2014 mock drafts. 

Weeden deserved every INT thrown today, rifling 100 MPH heaters from 8 yards away high and outside, he's lucky he didn't throw a couple more picks with him staring down WR's then tossing scatterball's.  He left so many yards on the field by not hitting guys in stride and where they didn't have to leave their feet, etc..  It's a matter of time before he hits the pine then quits football, maybe he can go back to college and play another sport against kids.

 

Luckily this year looks like a good year for QB's, though I'd still consider taking a run at Kirk Cousins, the guy we should've drafted to begin with.

You throw the ball 56 times you will most likely lose the game. You can only pass protect for so long. It's pretty simple.

You throw the ball 56 times you will most likely lose the game. You can only pass protect for so long. It's pretty simple.

 

Um... that game plan seemed to work out just fine for Miami.  They ran the ball 20 times for a whopping 23 yards.  They had better pass protection in the 2nd half of the game.