Hey Brian: Yeah, Right

Brian Hoyer points out that Josh Gordon is not a savior.  He goes on to say that if you like your plan, you can keep it, global warming is causing global cooling, and that he has a bridge for sale cheap.

It's the night before Christmas, and Brian can't sleep.  He peeked, and he knows that he's getting his favorite toy back.

If you've been watching the Browns, they've been throwing deep passes more in an effort to back the safeties off the line to free up the running game and short routes.  

They've had to do this since Cameron went down and they lost Alex Mack.

The problem has been that he's throwing to microbes who can't outmuscle or out-leap coverage.  As I've mentioned before, Hoyer has been extremely lucky not to have thrown more interceptions.

Defenders are reading vertical first with these fast liliputions and staying ahead of them, so there's rarely been any vertical separation, and without that step or two, even a perfect pass doesn't have much of a chance.

Gordon will change everything.  They can try to cover him the same way, but he won't need any separation.  He'll have the ball or the interference penalty with the exact same passes.

Not that this is all Josh does.  In fact, he's a lot like Julio Jones.  He'll take short ones to the end zone too.  

Ben Tate:  Quit bashing him.  He had a bad run, but he doesn't suck.  The young guys are just a little better, with more upside, and now they can use the third back on special teams.

Nor was he a free agent "miss".  He was signed before the draft, and Farmer couldn't count on snagging two stud rookies at that time.  Nor was he paid anywhere near what was projected--he was a good value for his compensation.

The decimation of the front seven is alarming.  Dansby can't be adequately replaced, and the Browns might even change their fronts because of it.  Sheard was probably the best all-around OLB on the roster.  

Mingo will of course play more, but so will Eric Martin.  He's better than advertized.  Tank Carder may also be emerging as a solid inside linebacker--I got my fingers crossed, anyway.

As for Mingo, he might still be used the same way, and not blitze as much as he covers.  Despite (overstated) loss of Phil Taylor, the Browns may still be able to get pressure with 4.

I have no idea what fronts they'll run now.  With Dansby, there were lots of 4-3 looks with Kruger at DE.  Then still run that, but it depends on Tank  Carder. 

Eric Winston can definitely rush the passer.  Can he cover and mirror?

Regardless, I expect Pettine to make the most of what he's got left.

Terry Pluto did a great job of pointing out how the best players really do play here.  The unknowns see this.  They see real opportunity.  It inspires and motivates them.  Meritocracy works.

I've been waiting a long time for Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine.

Go udfas.