2010 Browns

[GAC]

To those that are Brown fans on here..... HOW ABOUT THEM BROWNIES!!!

They dominated the Saints in N.O. two weeks ago, and yesterday really put it to the Patriots (who had won 5 straight). It really makes me lament them first three games where they had the lead gong into the 4th quarter, and lost all three by a total of 12 pts.

I looked at the Browns, going into this season, pretty much like I did with the Reds going into this year.... you've still got some holes, but you do have talent, and I wanted to see some improvement along that plane.

And the Browns, as well as the Bengals, have one tough schedule this year.

I'm liking what I'm seeing from McCoy. He's showing poise and leadership out there, and isn't making mistakes. Play this guy, see what ya got, and make Seneca the backup! Delhomme should have never been signed IMO.

And how could the Broncos get rid of a guy like Hillis? The guy is a train with speed and good receiving hands. Yesterday, a career-high 184 yards and two TDs. And in week #3 vs the Ravens defense, he ran for 144 yds and a TD. The Patriots had eight or more defenders in the box, and entering this week had allowed only 1.3 yards per carry in those situations (4th best in the NFL). Of his 29 carries, Peyton Hillis ran the ball 21 times for 133 yards and a touchdown on attempts between the tackles yesterday (72.4 percent). Only 49ers RB Frank Gore (69.5) had a higher percentage of his carries go up the middle than Hillis (65.4).

And you have to give credit to our offensive line too, and guys like Steinbach and Thomas.

I like what I'm starting to see from our receiving corp, especially with TE Watson. I still question the talent level in the WR area. Need to get Cribbs in there more. Glad we got Robiskie back, who was injured, but I still am uncertain about Massaquoi who shows inconsistency. Same with Stuckey.

But I like what I am seeing, especially from a imaginative offense play-calling standpoint.

We have another challenge coming to Cleveland this week in the Jets.

[cincrazy]

The Browns are a well-coached team, and they're fun to watch. They're the complete opposite of my Cincinnati Bengals. They don't have a scent of divaness to them, and I love it. I hope they start blacking out Bengals games around here so I can watch the Browns more. Even when they lose, it's competitive. They still need to upgrade in a few areas (most noticably WR) but they'll get there soon enough.

[Razor Shines]

I enjoy watching Colt McCoy play. He's not very big but he's tough and seems pretty smart.

[jimbo]

It's been an long and hard road, but as a Browns fan I finally feel like there is hope. This team is better coached and more disciplined than any of the teams under Crennel's watch, and I think they finally got the franchise QB they've been looking for since their rebirth.

I was a supporter of Mangini's and stood behind it even during last season. Here is a good article on Mangini in the New York Times. Excellent read.


His image problems followed him to Cleveland, magnified when he fined players for not paying for water bottles in hotel rooms, or when he sent his rookies on a 10-hour bus ride to Connecticut for his football camp. Players grumbled, and it seemed that instead of being humbled by his termination, Mangini had failed to change, that he was Belichick without the pedigree. But to Mangini, these incidents spoke instead to a lack of organizational respect.

“This place was a disaster,” said Rob Ryan, Mangini’s defensive coordinator, adding, “Vince Lombardi wasn’t going to come in here and win.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/sports/football/07mangini.html

[RedsBaron]

I'm not a Browns fan but I do like Colt McCoy and I am glad to see him playing well.

[TeamSelig]

Not a Browns fan (Bengals) and usually for some reason, I just HATE the Browns... I guess it's just the rivalry... but I've always just despised even watching their games.

I actually like watching this team though. Hillis is an animal... and I like watching McCoy play too.

[Redsfaithful]

Another Bengals fan checking in, just wanted to say I hope the Browns continue to improve. I feel a kinship with Cleveland fans, I figure they at least understand what it's like being a Bengals fan. And if it can't be the Bengals I'd rather see the Browns on top of the AFC North than Baltimore or Pittsburgh.

I dream of a day when it's the Bengals and Browns fighting it out for the AFC North and the Ravens and Steelers are terrible. Hope I get to see that at some point.

[GAC]

They don't have a scent of divaness to them, and I love it.

They wised up, over the last couple of years, and dumped those players. That's one difference I do see with this current group of players. And they love, and believe in, Colt McCoy. I'm not going to build the kid up too much because he's only played in 3 games, which is still a small window. But who were those three opponents? Pittsburgh, N.O., and N.E. All quality teams.

What I like about McCoy is that even as a 3rd string QB, it's his preparation. He's very meticulous and constantly watching game film, studying the opposition.

I read yesterday where both Delhomme and Seneca could be ready by Friday. I can't see Mangini not continuing to start McCoy based on what he has seen so far out of this kid. Mangini knows his job is on the line this year, and he has to show improvement. Jake is a dud, and I hated the signing. I like Seneca, but he's been a career backup. Your future, if you have one - and isn't that why you signed him to begin with? - is in McCoy. This kid has earned the opportunity to be in there every single game until he proves otherwise.


I hope they start blacking out Bengals games around here so I can watch the Browns more. Even when they lose, it's competitive. They still need to upgrade in a few areas (most noticably WR) but they'll get there soon enough.

I live in central Ohio, but have Directv. All my local channels, even though I'm closer to Columbus, are out of Dayton, which means I get Bengal games a majority of the time. And I do watch the Bengals. I don't have an outside tower (antenna), but use an internal rabbit ears one. And before they made that switch from analog to digital signal I got Columbus stations, especially channel 10 which shows Brown games, great. And my TV is digital, so I don't need a converter box, because when I go to antenna I get Dayton stations great. I was told that all the Columbus towers are south of the city, and my problem is geography (distance). If I put up a tower I could pick them up. I might do that at some point.

[WMR]

Nice tackle, TJ Ward.

[mole44]

Nice tackle, TJ Ward.
That was Eric Wrongs man, but I was wondering when someone would bring up Ward. Hell of a game today. At least its exciting being a Browns fan on Sundays again.

[Slyder]

I'm not a Browns fan but I do like Colt McCoy and I am glad to see him playing well.

I do too. I thought he was much better prospect than some of the QBs taken ahead of him, and thought that his "flaws" were seen becasue people were looking for anything after 4 years.

Yes I know he doesnt have the strongest of arms. But what does having a big arm mean when you have a 5 cent head? give me a guy with an above average arm and knows how to use it over a guy like JaMarcus Russell.

[BoydsOfSummer]

Like GAC said, I finally feel the organization is headed the right way. Really enjoying the season as well. I totally dig Hillis. That dude is a return to football that a Browns fan can really get with. Should be real fun next year, I expect nothing less than a playoff spot.

Played the Jets tough as nails today. They aint world beaters but they will put a hurting on you given the chance.

[bucksfan2]

Like GAC said, I finally feel the organization is headed the right way. Really enjoying the season as well. I totally dig Hillis. That dude is a return to football that a Browns fan can really get with. Should be real fun next year, I expect nothing less than a playoff spot.

Played the Jets tough as nails today. They aint world beaters but they will put a hurting on you given the chance.

I hope this isn't taken the wrong way but here goes.

What the Browns are lacking is talent. With the exception of their OLine they are a talent deficient team. They are playing well and hard right now but I just don't know how long that will continue. Hillis is a nice story, I just wonder how long his running style will play in the NFL. McCoy is a nice story, tough as nails QB, I wanted the Bengals to take him in the 2nd round, but again I want to see how he continues to develop and make adjustments.

It may sound wrong, but losing games like they did yesterday is actually better for the Browns. Play tough, good football but also improve that draft status. The Browns are a team that need an infusion of talent. They should be better next season, but playoffs next season is wishful thinking from this outsiders view.

[jimbo]

The Browns are a team that need an infusion of talent. They should be better next season, but playoffs next season is wishful thinking from this outsiders view.

This "talentless" team has just beat the defending Super Bowl champs, pummeled the team that many say is the best team in the AFC, and lost in the final seconds of OT to a team that is currently in a tie for the best record in the AFC. I don't think it's "wishful" at all to expect a playoff appearance next season.

[bucksfan2]

This "talentless" team has just beat the defending Super Bowl champs, pummeled the team that many say is the best team in the AFC, and lost in the final seconds of OT to a team that is currently in a tie for the best record in the AFC. I don't think it's "wishful" at all to expect a playoff appearance next season.

I don't see them being better than the Steelers or the Ravens next season. And it is very, very rare to see both wild card teams come out of the same division.

[kaldaniels]

I don't see them being better than the Steelers or the Ravens next season. And it is very, very rare to see both wild card teams come out of the same division.

Let's see how the final 2 games of the year against those 2 teams look...then I will be ready to make my prediction.

[cincrazy]

I hope this isn't taken the wrong way but here goes.

What the Browns are lacking is talent. With the exception of their OLine they are a talent deficient team. They are playing well and hard right now but I just don't know how long that will continue. Hillis is a nice story, I just wonder how long his running style will play in the NFL. McCoy is a nice story, tough as nails QB, I wanted the Bengals to take him in the 2nd round, but again I want to see how he continues to develop and make adjustments.

It may sound wrong, but losing games like they did yesterday is actually better for the Browns. Play tough, good football but also improve that draft status. The Browns are a team that need an infusion of talent. They should be better next season, but playoffs next season is wishful thinking from this outsiders view.

They're a well-coached, disciplined football team, which is a start. I totally agree, they need an infusion of talent, especially at the skill positions on offense. But they're clearly on the up and up.


Then again, I thought this a few years ago after their 10-6 season, and they simply imploded. So time will tell.

[GAC]

I hope this isn't taken the wrong way but here goes.

What the Browns are lacking is talent. With the exception of their OLine they are a talent deficient team.

I think you're overlooking their defense. They're young, and have two very talented and young CBs. They're only going to get better. I also think they need a DE to complement Shaun Rogers too.

As for their offense... they have talent, but need to complement what they have to make it better. They need a better down field threat in the receiving department. And I'd also like to see them get another quality RB to complement Hillis. I have always loved that two-back threat aka Mack/Byner. Keeps guys fresh.



I don't see them being better than the Steelers or the Ravens next season.

Two good clubs obviously. I don't think the Ravens are as good as some project them to be. Their offense is very inconsistent, relying heavily on an aging defense. And the Steelers could very easily be 5-4 this year if not for that "gimme" at the end of the Miami game.

I simply want to see the Browns improving on that plane. Their problem these last several years has been the "brain trust" behind this team and it's building. It's been very haphazard, without a consistent plan, goal. Especially when it came to the draft. For instance.... they'd waste a #1 pick on a QB, or a receiver, but ignore the O-line. They'd move to a 3-4 defense but not draft/acquire the guys that best complement it. Huge inconsistencies, almost like a crap shoot.

Myself, and a majority of Brown fans, think (hope) that Holmgren is in the process of changing that. But it's not going to happen over night.

But you're right, it is about talent. But the talent is out there. You just need the right guy to see, acquire, and put it together.

If they can do it in Pitt or Baltimore, then it can be accomplished in Cleveland.

[kaldaniels]

Keep an eye on Rubin on the Browns' DLine GAC...he is becoming a force.

[mole44]

Keep an eye on Rubin on the Browns' DLine GAC...he is becoming a force.The guy is money against the run, he's slowly starting to come around with his pass rush. IMO, he's a better 3-4 nose than Rogers. They need to start playing Rogers more at end where he can use is strength to rush the passer.

[GAC]

Keep an eye on Rubin on the Browns' DLine GAC...he is becoming a force.

I agree

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-1/Rubin-impresses-in-first-half/3bd399cc-e996-48f6-8358-6471e505d018

[Hoosier Red]

After the IU basketball game on Sunday, I headed to one of my favorite college watering holes to watch the end of the 1st NFL games before heading home.

I was pleasantly surprised to see "yes there were seats available" and "yes the Bengals and Raiders' games were both on in that room."(My friend is a Raider's fan.) What I had forgotten was that the bar(Yogi's) is the local Browns Backer club hangout, and though the Bengals game became unwatchable and the Steelers were pummelling the Raiders, we were in the midst of a huge celebration because the Browns were driving to kick the "winning" field goal.

"Too much time," I said as the Browns kicked off, but when the Jaguars foolishly took the ball out of the endzone, and attempted a return only to get tackled at the 15, the room was in full throat.

When David Garrard threw deep on first down, I looked at my friend, and said, "Stupid. There's plenty of time left, no need to panic." He agreed amidst the dog bones clanking on tables and fans woofing at the TV.

Then a 10 yard completion and he got out of bounds. Then the screen pass to Jones-Drew, he makes one guy miss, "Hey he's going to get them in field goal range," he makes another guy miss, oh my gosh he's going to score, then the tackle at the one. And two plays later, it was all I could do to keep myself from finding the sad trombone sound to play for the room as it seemed like everyone had been kicked in the nuts again.

Ahh Shaudenfreude. Alive and well.

[GAC]

That's the 2010 Browns Hoosier..... they can't finish games. Their defense plays pretty solid overall, but gives up the big plays at the most inopportune times.

I wanna say that losing all these very close games (6 to be exact) shows we are on the crisp of being a good team... or else we're simply cursed.

Mangini relied waaaaay to much on Hillis in this game, and the Jaguars were ready for it as they loaded up the box. Yet we kept ramming Peyton right up the middle. Very predictable, and very frustrating. I couldn't understand why they weren't swinging him out more - our any of our receivers - with the screen or short passes? Taking what they would give us.

My wife walked from the living room to the bedroom, where I was watching the game, and shut the door LOL It's a wonder the TV is still in one piece.

Cribbs is out, and we lost our #1 receiver (Watson) early in the game, though he did come back at some point in the 2nd half. But he still wasn't 100%. And then there was the ankle injury to McCoy. The kid has guts, I'll give him that.

But this game further showed me that we need that down field threat. We need to improve ourselves in the receiving corp in order to aid our running game and move some of those LBs back and off the line.

We've got the Panthers at home this weekend, a game we should win. Then we go on the road for 3 in Miami, Buffalo, and then Cincy. Miami is really banged up and a shell of itself. The Bengal's secondary is completely decimated. Now Buffalo, regardless of their record, I'm wary of. But still, there are 3 out of 4 games, IMO, we should win.

And we need some momentum, a moral boost so to speak, because we then come home to finish out the season as our last two games are with the Ravens and Steelers.

Can the Browns finish 7-9, which is showing improvement? Yeah, I think they can. But I'm thinking 6-10 is more probable. I think Mangini is going to have to have a really strong finish to save his job for next season IMO.

[kaldaniels]

Shocker of the day.

Mort says Mangini is out.

[edabbs44]

Shocker of the day.

Mort says Mangini is out.

Simmons said it best last week


Why you should pick the Steelers: Because the Browns have looked like crap the past three weeks. We're inching closer and closer to the Dirk Diggler-like return of a sobbing Eric Mangini as the Patriots' secondary coach (with Belichick as Jack Horner).

[Red Leader]

Shocker of the day.

Mort says Mangini is out.

Just to be clear, the reports are now confirmed. The Browns have fired Eric Mangini as their head coach. They are thought to be interested in Philadelphia OC Marty Mornhinweg.

[bucksfan2]

Let's see how the final 2 games of the year against those 2 teams look...then I will be ready to make my prediction.

Bad. Those last two games ended poorly for the Browns.

For Cleveland's sake I hope they get someone in who is a better HC than Mangini.

[Redsfaithful]

I take back everything nice I said about the Browns earlier in this thread. I think they have more talent than they have had in a while, but they're still a long way away.

They'd probably be a playoff team in the NFC West though.

[KronoRed]

Just to be clear, the reports are now confirmed. The Browns have fired Eric Mangini as their head coach. They are thought to be interested in Philadelphia OC Marty Mornhinweg.

More NFL recycling, wonder if he'll take the ball in OT next time :D

[kaldaniels]

Just to be clear, the reports are now confirmed. The Browns have fired Eric Mangini as their head coach. They are thought to be interested in Philadelphia OC Marty Mornhinweg.

Thanks for coming if my initial report was unclear???

Man the wheels fell off at the end of the year for the Brownies.

[Slyder]

How did McCoy look?

[Red Leader]

Thanks for coming if my initial report was unclear???


I wasn't doubting you or questioning your post at all. It was just that in your post it said that Mort said that he was out. I read that as this information was being floated out there, but he hadn't been officially fired yet. While almost everything Mort says can be taken to the bank, I just wanted to make sure that everyone understood that he truly had been officially fired and it wasn't just a "rumor" from an NFL insider.

[remdog]

I was sorry to see the Browns fire Mangini. From a Bengals fans' standpoint the Browns just got better. He was a terrible coach and even worse with his PR.

The Browns did something last year that the Bengals won't ever do and hired a 'football man'. But then Holmgren turned around and shot himself in the foot by not dumping Mangini immediately. (famous shrug)

Rem

[bucksfan2]

I was sorry to see the Browns fire Mangini. From a Bengals fans' standpoint the Browns just got better. He was a terrible coach and even worse with his PR.

The Browns did something last year that the Bengals won't ever do and hired a 'football man'. But then Holmgren turned around and shot himself in the foot by not dumping Mangini immediately. (famous shrug)

Rem

Mangini may have been one of the worst hires in the NFL in recent history. He was driven out of the NY Jets with some major issues. The Browns then hired him and Mangini proceeded to trade away some of the Browns best offensive weapons for "his guys" from the Jets.

[GAC]

Mangini proceeded to trade away some of the Browns best offensive weapons for "his guys" from the Jets.

Who were these offensive weapons? Edwards and Winslow maybe? Edwards couldn't hold onto a pass, neither could hold their tongues, and both were selfish players and a cancer in the locker room.

I'll take Watson at TE. We do need to upgrade at WR, but that immediate impact player(s) can be found in the draft. I have no regrets that those other two morons are gone.

And Offensive Coordinator Daboll better be hot on Magini's trail as far as finding a quick exit from this organization.