New Prediction: 12-4

After further review, I now believe that the Browns will lose 4 games.

I haven't even looked into the Texans yet. I just know that they turn the ball over, and of late the Browns defense forces turnovers, so we got that going for us...

This is my first opportunity to observe a live game. I've come off the road and illegally parked in front of Gman's, and got it set up so that he, Bub, Gman and I will go to Eman's and watch the Browns annihilate the Texans.

Finally able to see some highlight replays on the internet, I've confirmed that Chud and co. recieved my emails and are doing as I'd instructed with the finess-blocking stuff. However, if Kevin Shaffer is out, they'll have to trim this down a little. Tucker, while still pretty mobile, is at this age more a mauler-type, and whoever plays right guard is not as agile as McKinney. Both can execute a finesse game--just not as well, and there could be some old-fashioned power-blocking on the right side.

I'm weary of the Jamal Lewis-bashing. I can't be definitive about the "slow to the hole" etc. stuff, as I haven't seen any games. But I doubt it. He came here with this baggage; this reputation. Any time an injured player leaves one system for another, and heals, and is 27 years old, and loses 15-20 lbs...

I am used to hearing the baggage mindlessly brought back every time he only gets 1-3 yards twice in a row. Lewis historicly, and expecially against the Browns, typicly gets stifled early. He'll average maybe 2.2 ypc, and then starts breaking loose for longer runs as the defense tires and he sees how they're reacting to him. When he gets that 100-plus yards, often half or more of them are gained on 1-4 runs.

Damage is damage, whether it's all at once or in evenly distributed pieces. The worst case with Lewis is about two yards. Rarely ever a stuff or a loss. Most teams will take that. Doesn't seem like it, but second and eight really is better than second and ten or twelve.

As for the future, however, I really, really, really wish that Jerome Harrison were allowed more opportunities. Even some of the aforementioned individuals repeated the propaganda that it was because he still needed to work on his blocking. And I repeated that Jason Wright got the nod over him because of his greater experience, and the fact that he's damn near a CLONE of Earnest Byner.

Hey, but the thing is, Harrison is a much-heavier Gregg Pruitt! He's the youngest and newest back, with massive upside. He's THE home-run hitter among the running backs, and he can line up anywhere, including wide.

...but maybe they think he'll fumble. That could be it.

The offense has great leadership in Winslow and, yes, Jason Wright. These guys come through when the chips are down and will not go down. Braylon Edwards can't be a leader til he stops dropping passes--regardless of how many great plays he makes. Through the first five games he proved that he could catch anything near him, and then he regressed. That's inexcusable. If he's on my team, he'd better not give me any advice, or dare to say anything about handling pressure.

I look foreward to more agressiveness on defense. The defensive line isn't bad, if the individual talents and skill-sets of the players are used right.

The issue is the system. It will never work consistantly until all three of them can take on and then shed blocks--especially the nose tackle. By design, it keeps the goons off the linebackers. Yeah, ok I get that. But Roye is chronicly injured and playing hurt. Smith is fine, but older and needs relief as well. The DE backups are much, much better one-gappers than two-gappers.

Shaun Smith is a very good player...INSIDE. Playing him at defensive end is dumb. His speed is limitted and he lacks reach. He's a leverage player who is best used at nose tackle. Rather than concede any part of the scheme in order to adapt to what talent is here, until the last couple games, they've doggedly stuck with the two-gap stuff.

Now, despite Smith being wasted at DE rather than where he belongs, at least they've finally, at long last, said "Ok. Just shoot the gaps and try to make a mess."

We know what the offense can do. We know what Cribbs will do. We know that the defense is a few pieces short of matching either, so the best thing to do is turn every down into a brawl.

This is what a smart boxer will do. If the other guy is too quick, and picks you apart on the fly--you close and trade punches. Maybe you can't get there--you take big shots on the way in. You get cut up and look bad. But it's all you got. If you stand there and let him control everything, you're not just chicken. You're stupid. And you'll get a lot stoopidder real soon.

This defense may not be Muhammud Ali yet, but Ernie Shaffers knocked out 56 guys and only lost about seven fights--to only the toughest of them. We can be Ali next season, after Savage does some more magic. For now, let's be the peanut.

BANZAI!