EEEWWWWW!!!

Kristopher Knox in the Bleacher report came up with the first intelligent fantasy analysis of Cleveland Browns fantasy sleepers I've read.  

To me, Kris was only pointing out the obvious, but that's rare these days.  Basically,  due to last season's record and the players' histories, you really can't (and don't need to) draft any Browns' player high.  However, when looking for number twos and threes in lower rounds, there is value.

I especially liked that he asserted that the Browns defense could be a top ten fantasy value.  I'm certain that many will scoff at this because they are ignoramusses, but...well I guess enough said.

It's an attacking defense with an elite front three and a top flight front seven.  It will attack from every position and angle unpredictably.  Due partly to it's question marks in the secondary, and partly due to an unavoidable risk factor, it will yield some big plays.

However, by intent and design, it will create turnovers and negative plays--and a lot more of these.  It's much faster than any defense the "new" Browns have had, which will enable it to actually score some points on those turnovers.

Objective people see domination, versatility and depth in the trenches and at OLB, and speed/athleticism at ILB.  Lost in this is Joe Haden.

While we'll have to wait and see how one cornerback slot and free safety play out, Haden has the ability to take on the opponent's top reciever without help.  These guys are hard to find, and most teams don't even have one.  Even if the other cornerback isn't that hot, the free safety will be better situated to help him and the slot corner.

Anyway good for Kris.  I read a lot of crap on the Bleacher Report but he's ok.

This just in:  In the wake of the Indianapolis drubbing, the Dawg Pound Daily's Peter Smith analyzed what's wrong with Brandon.  I was unable to watch or even listen to the game, which apparently was good luck.

Weeden is still locking onto recievers, and Peter says he's been doing it all along.  This is getting old.  Maybe the guy is afraid that if he looks away, he won't be able to re-acquire his target or something, but you just plain can't do that!

And you know that Turner is riding him constantly in practice, reminding him.

Peter also mentioned how he handles pressure from inside.  To be sure, I knew the Colts would target the right guard position, where Gilkey and Cousins shared time with the first unit.  In point of fact, every defense will try to pressure this offense up the middle, and the rookie and the so-so player in there made it worse in this game.

Now I begin to doubt that Weeden has the psychology to become a franchise guy.  I could well be wrong, but it sounds as if Weeds started out completing six in a row, and then took some heat in his grill...and thereafter remained jittery and tense.

Locking onto recievers and throwing off your back foot is reversion.  As I've said before, one of the reasons boxers train so diligently is to embed muscle-memory into their nervous systems.  This is so they can recover their balance and throw punches when stunned--which is often.

You just know that Turner is yelling "LOOK AWAY!" and "RESET YOUR DAMN FEET!", and that Weeden is doing these things in practice.

But maybe he's like the boxer who just forgets everything he ever learned the moment he gets hit.  How to describe this...

Here's how it's supposed to work:  BANG! Ouch ok jab-jab close in--

Here is how it's not supposed to work:  BANG! Oh shitohshitoshit--

But this is just a semi-educated guess on my part, and certainly way too early to give up on a second-year quarterback.

Peter kept mentioning "near his legs", and I guess quarterbacks are paranoid about their legs.  I hadn't realized that, but it makes sense.  Weeds does do fine with lateral pressure when he gets it, and only gets shook up by pressure in his grill.

Your legs can flex sideways but not backwards.  I reckon that's probably it.  Quarterbacks have to stand erect to throw, which really exposes their knees.

Well as I said, it's early.  The Detroit Lions blew the Patriots out of the water this week too, so we're not all gonna die.

Smith also repeated that this is Weeden's season to grow into the role, or not.  At least one guy besides me in this town gets that: He's a second-year player, and unless he just completely sucks, you give him all the rope you can before you give up on him.

I disagree with Peter and almost everybody else about Jason Campbell--he'd be a winner on this team with this talent.  But even I wouldn't yank Weeden until I know for sure that he's just not going to get it; 

That he won't start throwing without his feet set and locking onto recievers every time he gets pressured.

And Chud is absolutely right: They needed this, and thank God it didn't count.