Cleveland Browns: Comments on Comments

This Article on ESPN.com gives a Black Friday shopping list for the Browns.  Then it lists wins.

Two of the three listed items are already here.  In fairness, the article did stipulate that the big receiver not get suspended, so I guess they want somebody less vulnerable than Gordon, and I get that.

But the quarterback part amounts to McCown-bashing.  A quarterback with these receivers, this running game, and this defense can't be blamed for throwing for 400 yards twice and losing.

Verily, he got beat down, so I guess you could reference injuries, but what quarterback in the NFL could take that kind of abuse longer than he did?

Verily, he must be replaced, because of his age.  He's at last emerged as an elite quarterback, only too late in his career.  He's a bridge to the future.

But Manziel's book isn't closed yet.  This was a political setback, but he's never been suspended, and just toasted the Steelers for over 350 net yards in Pittsburgh.

All the same, if a franchise guy is there when they draft, they'll have to take him.

That's not the only way to find your stud (or at least insurance) either.

Ask Pat Kirwan: In today's NFL, each year there are two to four younger guys who have ridden the bench for 2 or more seasons, and are ready to start.

Tyrod Taylor is the best current example.  Many of us will remember Kelly Holcomb.

These are guys who had talent, but were flawed in various ways coming out of college.  NFL coaches and the quarterbacks they understudied, along with thousands of scout-team, pre-season, and garbage-time reps have ironed the kinks.

Pat McManomon does a Les Levine reciting Johnny's overall statistics to make him sound ordinary, but again: For a guy with his five games worth of experience, the first two shouldn't count at all, and his most recent start should count double.

This even applies to the massively more experienced Josh McCown.

To this day, I still hear people talking about his horrific season last year and his career statistics.

Even for this guy, his starts this season, with this team, most accurately reflect how good he is right now, doesn't it?  

Maybe Marty wasn't being a blockhead when he said "statistics are for losers".  Maybe this is what he meant.

As a real analyst, I find the majority of analyses I read shallow and devoid of context.  

For Johnny, stats have to be weighted as I described.  For an old-timer like McCown, you throw out all but his last three seasons before you crunch any numbers.

Then for both, you must consider the supporting casts they had, and seek the broadest trends you can as the most reliable indicator of probability and measure of---

Never mind.  But you can't just take a big shovel and put it all in a blender and serve up whatever comes out!  

Yeah, Pat, go ahead and give me the stats on Elway, either Manning, Big Ben, Aikman, Young etc. after five freaking starts give me a break.

Richard Pietro does his own somewhat more abstract analysis.  He suggests that Johnny should be released, and that the spectre of his emerging as a star with another team is "beside the point".

Richard fills in a lot of blanks.  Mike Pettine's reluctance to start him must mean that he wasn't good enough.

He cites old reports on his partying and lack of film study in college.  He attacks the word "partying" as taking too lightly the dire and profound implications of addiction (see my last blog please just stop it Rich!)

Here again, Johnny has been doing his homework this season.

This guy obviously missed all his plays this season, because he describes a player identical to the one we saw last season.

Another part of analysis is to see what is in front of you clearly, without either rose or shit-colored glasses on.

A few blogs ago, I talked about how Johnnybashers seized like epileptics onto his second half vs Cincinnati, and immediately threw out all the improvement he'd shown to that point.

Then he tore the Steelers a new one, see?  

Ask the players, including the "sources in the locker room" speaking in confidence:

They don't care much about a party during the off week.  Many of them did the same.  All they care about is whether or not he does his homework and is serious NOW.

There is no division here, and no need to release one very talented quarterback (and start over yet again) just to make uptight people like this writer happy.

But if this guy was here now and I could afford it, I'd buy him a nice glass of chardonnay and discuss it with him.

In this one from Fansided, Rodney Stokes bemoans Johnny's misbehavior too. Rodney is actually pretty fair overall, but says he was in College Station two weeks prior partying.  I know he was there, but the partying part is an assumption.  Not that I'd care.

Rodney thinks he should remain locked in Berea til the season is over, period.

I'm sure Josh McCown visits his family or even his alma mater now and then.  But nobody notices.

Like many others, this writer sees dire consequences and a road to hell.

Rodney is a younger guy, though.  He was raised politically correct, so I can't pick on him.

In general, Browns fans get extreme.  Sweeping generalizations.  Kill em all and let God sort em out!  Cut him!  Fire him! Worst EVER!  

It bugs me.  One of my own brothers is like that.  

It's the losing, of course.  Read my blogs.  I said 7-9 at worst!  Tony Grossi wasn't much different.

I remember: Top five defense, I predicted! Dominating run game, adequate passing game.

It's THEM, you know?  THEY read that, and made sure each and everything I said was wrong.

I have to apologize to Browns fans, as I apologize to other victims of the last two market crashes.  You and the Browns are all collateral damage.  THEY always do anything it takes to stick it to me.

But I digress: I know Ray Farmer has done a couple dumb things, but he's done more smart things on-balance, and the jury is out on ALL of his draft picks, the oldest of which are second year players.

The talent of most of his free agents is proven.  The guys he extended or did not release are all good players.

I can't say the same of the coaches.  I've gathered from former players and Head Coaches that these problems are more schematic than talent-related.

I'm not qualified to express an opinion here, but this is what a real analyst does, you see?

I do express opinions, sort of.  But not until I hear from various more expert and inside sources that I've learned to trust.  

For example: The Buffalo Bills' defense is much better since it's bye week than before.  Ryan simplified it.  The players love it.  Pettine runs the same general system.  The same solution might apply.  So I'm waiting to see if Mike Pettine is as adaptable as Rex Ryan, see?

I want Mike to succeed.  He's really smart.  Continuity is almost critical.  Farmer is an easy scapegoat, and his removal wouldn't cause anywhere near the disruption, but if Mike goes, it's more chaos.

So I'm rooting for him.  As an emotionally detached analyst immune to his likeability and obvious brains.

DeFilipo too.  He has to have had a lot to do with making Josh McCown and Johnny M look like Carson Palmer with this crew.

Still, where did the running game go?  Here again, I must repeat myself: Same offensive line.  Same lead back. I heard from not only Doug Dieken, but others, so I express the opinion: The changes you made haven't worked.  Go back to what did.  Don't get proud, or you'll get fired, Flip.

One reason big receivers are so popular is their ability to block.  A good analyst doesn't ignore this.

The Browns' offensive challenges this season (as I've heard from Dieken et al as well) relate to this:

Gary Barnidge is a so-so blocker, but has emerged as such a formidable receiver that they have to use him, and split him out a lot.  Jim Dray is left in the dust, and I know from ProFootballFocus that he's just a so-so blocker himself (ps in-line and in space are different).  The Browns have no true in-line blocking tight end, which is one reason they've used Cam Erving that way so often.

Calls for more Duke Johnson ignore the fact that, at this point, his appearance on the field triggers a blitze unless he moves to the slot.  Defenses run-blitze to neutralize him.

It's not as simple as many think.  Tony Grossi, to his credit, groks this, because he's wondered in print if Duke might be more effective as a slot receiver.

Bowe and Hartline are the only big receivers here, and Hartline is skinny.  All the Browns primary wide receivers are microbes.  They lack both bulk and reach.  The cornerbacks they face have edges on them, let alone safeties, and sending them after linebackers is suicidal.

Here is a personal opinion.  This is just me, ok?  The Browns almost always run left.  Even when a run starts out to the strong side, by design it cuts left almost immediately.

That's why defenses shoot gaps to Mack's left.  They know where any run will go, and if it's not a run they're on the quarterback anyway.

This is inexcusable to me.  Flip, try running RIGHT sometimes, ok dammit?

I don't need the experts for this opinion.  If I saw it, defensive coordinators saw it several games before I did, and came up with the perfect solution like I did that much sooner too.

Drives me nuts.  I'm clueless and I outsmarted the Browns offense...

Say, Mike.  I could use a job.  I can spell my name right and everything!

I Retract the Manziel Stuff

I won't question the Browns' collective decision to bench Johnny Manziel after he was caught partying again...

However, it's a political move.  Kenny Stabler chain-smoked and drank like a fish.  He's just the most prominent star quarterback.  Brett Favre comes in second, but he came later, so he had to fix himself.  This was fairly common.

Josh Gordon's last suspension was for having a few drinks on a plane after the season was over.  It's just ridiculous.

I quit smoking by getting an electronic cigarette and "vaping".  Now, one restaurant chain after another is banning that!

Johnny might or might not have a problem.  Some people never get addicted to alcohol.  Are any of you young people aware of that, or have they brainwashed you?

I'm fine with Josh McCown.  I'm just disappointed that Manziel won't get his opportunity to prove what I'm pretty sure he would have proved.

Now, he has to prove he can not enjoy a beer for a long, long time.  Political correctness is like a plastic bag over your head.  It's suffocating all of us.  It's taking our freedom away. 

It's like cancer.  It never stops.  It's not enough that Johnny quits partying all the time, no.  No, he has to quit partying ever, including one freaking night on his bye week!

I'm confident that Josh Gordon will return next season, but not that he'll be perfect enough to avoid another suspension.

He might take an alleve for a headache or something.  He might test positive for eating a McDonald's hamburger with poppy seeds on it.  

I'm suffocating just talking about this.  I feel like the only sane person in America.  I can't believe you all just accept this crap.

I guess they had to do this.  As it was, women's groups had him convicted and sentenced to castration for preventing his nutty girlfriend from jumping out of his car.  They probably knew what was coming off the TMZ video too, and got ahead of it...for political reasons.

But "old video"?  Ok they were angry too.

What now?  I don't know.  Tony Grossi will look like a genius, since the Browns are more likely now to draft another quarterback in the first round.

Tony thinks it's because Johnny will always suck, which is wrong.  But now, he might get a couple starts, if that.  His status will be unresolved.

He might show enough to be part of a draft day trade, or else have to compete with the new guy (behind McCown).

Oh well.  Unfortunately, they'll probably stomp the Ravens.  They'll probably win a couple more games too.

That's how it works here.  You win just enough to screw yourself out of a franchise quarterback.

McCown shouldn't really start.  He's not fully healed, and is libel to get hurt again, worse.

I suppose that makes winning less likely, except that Mike and company might decide it's politically expedient to decide Manziel has been sufficiently chastised after two games or so...

It's just disgusting.  Land of the free, home of the brave hahaha

Early Prediction: Johnny Manziel

Craig Lyndall said this:I think they’ll still need a quarterback other than Johnny Manziel and it would be so Brownsish for him to play just well enough to make them second guess it.

This seems to be the predominant view of Johnny Manziel.  Craig could be right, but I lean the other way.

Time to mention Roger Staubach again: Before Johnny did anything at all this season, Roger said he could do everything Russell Wilson does.  Several other real experts (notably former quarterbacks) have made similar statements, mentioning Drew Brees as well.

Staubach himself is notable.  He was a vertically-challenged scrambler himself.

Russell Wilson started for four years in college, including his last two in a pro-style system with a thick playbook.

Manziel (sorry to restate this for about the 20th time--but I seem to be the only non-ex-quarterback who knows it so far) ran a wild and crazy playground offense with no playbook to speak of.

Aside from his height (btw he's taller than Wilson) and partying, the one legitimate concern about Manziel was his mental hardware.

Many quarterbacks like him fail because no matter how hard they study or practice, they can't read through progressions under fire.

Johnny never had to in college; not as quickly as a pro does, especially in a West Coast-based system.  His Texas A&M  offense was built around his scrambles and ability to throw accurately on the run.

You can read back in my blogs here, all the way to that draft.  I was never a Johnnybot.  I was close to throwing the towel in on him myself, until he went to rehab.

But now, he has proven that his mental hardware is NFL-ready.  With a few stumbles and missed opportunities such as any inexperienced quarterback can be relied on to make, he's been doing it all season.

It's a new skill for him.  It's not natural for him, and is contrary to his scrambling instincts.

That's why he has to keep doing it in live games for the rest of this season.

But you see, I've seen that, along with those natural instincts that let him turn disaster into touchdowns, he can make the right calls at the line, and the right reads from the pocket.

Why hasn't Craig seen this?  Why can't Tony Grossi?  Why is the standard for this second year, first-time starter so much higher than for any other quarterback?

How good can he become?  I don't know.  But obviously, he's already shown that he can be a top ten quarterback, and very soon.

Faith throws?  Pat Kirwan really doesn't like Johnny, no matter what.  He said he'd cut a quarterback who said that.

That stunned me, since Pat knows perfectly well that any timing offense requires a quarterback to throw to designated spots at designated times, whether he can see the receiver or not.

The very fact that Johnny is making them is a sign of progress, since many young quarterbacks will stubbornly refuse to make those throws until they can see the receiver, which screws up the whole offense and makes them eat the ball.

Maybe Craig listens to Pat.

I will say right here and now: If he doesn't get hurt, Johnny Manziel will develop into another Russell Wilson, if not a Drew Brees.  

And I'm in good company.

Late addition: Read this article from the Bleacher Report.  Excellent.

Cleveland Browns Reset

Most of us with cerebral cortexes are hoping Mike Pettine can turn this ship around, at least a little, in the second half.  We have to feel that way, because the biggest problem the Browns have had is turnover.  Jimmy Haslam doesn't want to fire anybody again.

Tony Grossi was uncharacteristically caustic as he suggested five changes the Browns should make during the bye week.  

I more or less agree with most of what he said.  I'm not sure a four-man front would do a lot, though.

In another article I can't find again, the writer suggests that Mike Pettine learn one more lesson from Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan.

Ryan simplified his defense during his own bye week, and it improved dramatically.

The Ryan/Pettine system has the defensive linemen reacting to blocks, rather than focusing on gaps.

The writer believes that offensive coordinators are exploiting this, and that the players have to think too much (can't play fast).

I can't dismiss this, as he cites comments to that effect from some of the Bills players.

I heard the assistant coaches explain that Justin Gilbert was a healthy scratch because he practiced poorly.  I respect that.  Tony says the Browns should start Gilbert, but that wouldn't be fair to the guys who out-worked him.  Gilbert shouldn't start until he earns it.

Tony left out modifications to the run-blocking scheme.  Whatever they were doing last year under Shanahan worked, period.  They should return to that, period.

Joe Gilbert picks apart a number of Browns issues in his film room.  The Steelers penetrated the line to blow runs up in the backfield.  As Tony reveals, the Browns coaches were taken by surprise when the Steelers attacked gaps rather than two-gapping, despite the Steelers stated intention to make this exact change.

On the other side of the ball,  Joe talks about the defender's inability to get off blocks.  But is it inability or the scheme?  Remember, they're supposed to "read" blocks.  Are they required to let the offensive linemen lock onto them?

I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that Joe is selling the talent here short.  Try it, Mike: simplify it.  Turn them loose.

Here's another issue with the running game that gets overlooked:  The microbe receivers will never be good blockers.  Blocking is overlooked a lot for wide receivers, but it matters.  Cornerbacks and safeties tackle running backs too.

Tony also thinks the Browns should play Dwayne Bowe more.  Maybe that's the Gilbert thing again, and he's lazy in practice.

Nice job, Ray.  I try to defend you, but when you guarantee guys like this astronomical money, I got nothing.

Wide receiver is a little different though.  Can't you play him a little, Mike?

I hope they fix some of this over the bye.  Johnny is still pretty raw, and could use all the help he can get.

But here we go again: This isn't political.  Pettine isn't starting Johnny as a distraction.  McCown doesn't really give him a better chance to win.

It's a tie.  The first round kid wins the ties.

But they're right about one thing: Johnny Manziel could save Mike's job.

Johnny Manziel: Surprised?

First, I kind of think it was Josh McCown who told Mike that Johnny should start-not the other way around.  

Last week, all these pundits talking about "tanking" if Johnny starts...

Most of these guys hardly pay any attention to the Browns, and just re-state whatever they hear the most.  

Tanking?  How ignorant.  It's like the second half vs. Cincinnati closed the book on a second year quarterback with three career starts!  Are you kidding me?  You finally saw what you expected to see for one half of one game, so you clap your hands together and say "Glad that's out of the way.  So which quarterback do we draft?"

As I often say, I was ticked off when the Browns drafted Manziel.  Not because he was too small, but because he'd need to learn the position in the NFL almost from scratch, and because I'm not sure he even had a playbook in college.

But once they had him, I retained my doubts, but kept an open mind.

After his atrocious performances as a rookie, I was even more skeptical, but:

You don't write off a quarterback after one season.  You don't go overboard criticizing him.

Lazy check.  Confused check.  Immature check.  But give me a break, now it's arm strength, accuracy, and intelligence?  In a league featuring Russell Wilson and Drew Brees Manziel can't overcome his size?

Likewise, immature guys grow up.  Lazy guys sometimes hit the books after they flunk once.  And nobody who ever scouted or met him questioned his intelligence.

Josh McCown thinks Johnny is doing fine.  I agree.

He is still very inexperienced.  No reasonable person can expect him to be perfect at this point in his career.  Nobody with a brain will start chanting for McCown as soon as he has a bad quarter or half.

And he will.  Defensive coordinators have enough film on him now.  He's going to see a whole bunch of stuff he's never seen before.

But now he's got six games.  He should be measured not by his overall performance, but by how well he plays the last couple games vs. his first two.

Nor will he be as good then as he will be when he returns next season.

It's important to factor this in: Both Josh and Johnny have done what they've done with undersized receivers, a negligible running game, and a crappy defense.  And it's impressive, do you understand?

The coaches and yes, Ray Farmer, know this, even if Les Levine and other MMs can't grasp it.

I do believe, now, that the Browns won't need to take a quarterback in the next draft.  I now believe that Johnny Manziel will overcome, yet again.  And that Josh Gordon still exists, and is still under contract.

If Johnny Manziel (see I keep repeating "Johnny Manziel" in case he searches "Johnny Manziel") were to listen to my advice, I'd suggest that he talk to Wilson and Brees.  These other two liliputions could give him a lot of pointers about operating in the pocket in the land of giants.

Facing the Ravens off the bye is perfect, because they're not very good at all.

During the off time, I hope Flip and Mike tweak the offense a little to help Johnny out.  He's proving that he can succeed from the pocket.  He needs to stay there the majority of the time, not just because that's how you succeed most consistently and remain healthy, but because he needs the reps to make it second-nature.  But he should run around on purpose every third or fourth pass play too, where he can do some serious damage.  And actually win actual games.

In conclusion, Mike Pettine I'm glad you finally listened to Josh and me.

Go Johnny go.

Now read this carefully: Glance over this blog and try to find the words "great, best, playoffs, Hall of Fame, elite, or franchise".

I wrote what I wrote. Nothing more.

Manziel and McCown

A lot of pundits are talking about Johnny's second half last Thursday.  The Bengals kept him corralled in the pocket, and he accomplished nothing.

That's true, but it's not all his fault.  Unlike most of these guys, I count dropped passes as accurate and timely, and blame the receivers.  I don't pretend the pass never happened.

It also matters that Manziel is inexperienced, and can't be fairly judged by one half of one game against a formidable defense.

As Les Levine really needs to try to fathom, reciting his statistics thus far is rather stupid, since these include most of two games last season in which he was still a punk, and totally unprepared.

Even isolating his statistics for this season is dumb, because he is still inexperienced, and very early in his growth curve.

Nor is it very smart to assume that Josh McCown necessarily would have done better.  Maybe.  Maybe not.

And does an injured Josh McCown give the Browns the best chance to win in Pittsburgh?

Maybe.  Maybe not!

There's a whole lot of assuming going on around here.  This isn't all about the quarterback in the first place.

Either quarterback must work with the same receivers and alleged running game.  

In fairness, against all odds the career backup has ranked among the top tier of quarterbacks this season despite these challenges.

Talking heads keep expecting his wheels to come off, and he keeps surprising them.

Johnny can't meet that standard YET.  But he's generally done pretty well, and here's the deal:

He'll get better.  Josh won't.  He's healthy.  Josh isn't.  At this point in time, Manziel vs McCown is a much tighter race than most of you think, and starting the healthy kid is the logical move...Mike.

Of Pittsburgh in general, they retain plenty of offensive firepower even without Big Ben or Belle, but their defense isn't as good as those of the last three teams the Browns faced, once you set the HYPE aside.

Manziel could beat them, just as McCown could.  They can't do what Cincinnati did.  Their secondary can't stay with these receivers as long, so when a quarterback squirms and wriggles loose to buy a few more seconds, it can go deep in a hurry.

Johnny can't yet read coverages as well as McCown, but this  "creative" stuff comes naturally to him.

That's why Mike Pettine is a blockhead, just like Mike Hargrove and Marty, for insisting that the injured and still vulnerable old vet has to start over the healthy kid if he can crawl into the field.

It's just plain dumb. Terry Pluto, as he so often does, concurs.

Kosar, Billick, and the Browns

I agree with Brian Billick, who in this article by Craig Lyndall said that the Jimmy Haslam shouldn't fire anybody.

Tony Grossi and Doug Dieken, among others, offer some ideas of what's wrong with this team.

Injuries at cornerback and safety haven't helped any, and I suspect something was wrong with Joe Haden even before he got knocked silly.  This can't explain ranking last against the run, but this, combined with the lack of a consistent pass rush, has a lot to do with all those big numbers enemy quarterbacks are piling up.

Tony thinks a four-man front would work better. It might.

Doug Dieken says Shanahan's outside zone scheme is much better suited to the athletes on this offensive line than the system Flip has installed.

Is Flip a blockhead too?

It's a timing offense, but both quarterbacks hold the ball too long.  As Mike said, Johnny missed a couple of first reads.  But then as he immediately conceded, the Bengals did a good job of taking the first read away most of the time.

This has much to do with how small the receivers are.  It's hard to trust a guy who can't outmuscle or outreach a cornerback.  This becomes more acute in the end zone.

Everything would work better if the Browns could just run the ball and, I believe, if Duke Johnson was used on most downs.  The blocking scheme and this are technically Flip's job.

I don't hate the guy.  Until the last two games, the offense was pretty good despite its flaws and handicaps.  He deserves credit for that.

But absent a BIG reversal of fortune and at least four more wins or so, Jimmy Haslam will have a hard time standing pat.

The same people who were bashing him for firing people will be bashing him for not firing people.

I've been here before.  Jimmy will need to do something, just to appease the ignorant masses.

Enter Bernie Kosar.  In this article by Darryl Ruiter, Bernie says he can fix it, and wants to.

Haslam could fire Flip and hire Bernie.  Bernie might have been talking about a front office slot, or possibly even head coach, but offensive coordinator makes more sense.

This could get contentious, though.  Mike Pettine would probably be ticked off at having an assistant coach thrust on him.  Especially one who would insist on doing things his own way.

I get it.  Coaches choose their own staffs and design their own systems.  Bernie Kosar is a local icon and a direct threat to Mike's authority.  If I were Mike, I would oppose this.

However, it could still work.  Lock Bernie and Mike in a room with a white board for a couple hours and see what works out.  Leave it up to him.

Mike Pettine wants first and foremost to win.  Bernie is an offensive genius.  

We who've listened to his analysis and color commentary are amazed by his ability to dissect and predict plays in real-time.  He himself is a winner.

If it's done diplomatically, there's a good chance that Mike Pettine himself might hire Kosar.

Until now, Bernie was reluctant to actually work in football again, but this has clearly changed.  He has publicly told Jimmy Haslam that he is available.

For all I know, Bernie wouldn't want this job, but we all know he'd be great at it.

For Haslam himself, it would be smart.  Local yokels and even some permabashers would ease up on the bashery a little, temporarily.

Imagine it: Bernie is going to run the offense!  We have a reason for slight optimism!  Good for Mike Pettine!  Maybe he'll fix the defense now!

Jimmy.  Bernie.  Mike.  Pick up the phone.

Late insertion: It does seem that Bernie would prefer Head of Football Operations.  He'd like to be like his former teami-mate, Doctor Evil Ozzie Newsome.

Ozzie worked his way up through personnel.  I have no idea of whether or not Bernie has an eye for talent, though--other than at quarterback.

Would he work with his head coach as, gossip aside, Ray Farmer has?  Would he listen to his scouts, and learn what he probably doesn't know about personnel?

I've been sort of defending Ray Farmer (on that note, look for Gilbert to play more after not sucking too much vs Cinci).  I don't believe he should be fired.

But Kosar is interesting, and Ray has made some mistakes, like Dwayne Bowe's guaranteed salary.

It's TOO SOON TO JUDGE his draft picks, but he hasn't been perfect.  If Haslam has to make a move, using Ray as the fall guy would be the least disruptive.

It's doubtful, though.  Bernie?  Jimmy?  I just don't know.

Browns Hysteria

When you think with organs other than your brain, you're prone to get extreme.  

The Browns one-sided losses to the Rams and Bengals pushed some commentators beyond reality.

1: The Browns have a lot of talent overall.  They're a little short at wide receiver, but they're average or above everywhere else.

Yes, including quarterback--based on what McCown has done this season.

The fact that these guys have screwed up and underperformed doesn't negate that talent.

Guys like Randy Starks, Brian Hartline, Carlos Dansby etc were all proven commodities.  Duke Johnson is a bum now?  Want to kick Desir, Erving, Benjamin, Barnidge, the rest of the offensive line, and all the new and old safeties to the curb now too?

Some clowns started second-guessing Ray Farmer as soon as he made his first move.  Captain Obvious wants you to know that a wide receiver catches more passes than a cornerback, so you should never trade down and always take the receiver.  Even if the scouting consensus on the cornerback is that he has the rare ability to cancel out that receiver single-handedly.

Maybe Ray misjudged Gilbert's psychology, because that's what's wrong with him.  Physically, he might have more ability than any cornerback in the NFL.

Manziel is a work in progress, but his arrow is pointing up, at a steep angle.

...ok ok Dwayne Bowe ok you got me.  I might have signed him, but paying him that much?  Really?

But I digress.  It's too early to lynch Ray Farmer, especially when a GM should be judged by his overall performance.

Players don't want to come to the Browns!  Ray can't pay the elite free agents enough.  

You've got to look at Mike Pettine here.  When too many players screw up too often, and fail to develop, you've got to look at the coaches first.

That's inconvenient.  It's way more complicated than saying everybody sucks so fire them.

Look at all the draft guides!  I wouldn't have drafted Danny Shelton, but just about everybody else would have!  If you call that a screwup, Ray has a lot of company!

And I don't care how high a guy was drafted, only a running back can be a star out of the gate.  

There is talent here!  It's just not performing well!  Why?

2:  I agree with Andrea Hangst.  Duke Johnson needs to be used a whole lot more.  It doesn't even matter if a defense tries to focus on him.  Nobody matches up with him!  

I'll bet some clowns are already calling him a bust!

Now I know that Johnny missed some reads on Thursday.  That's inexperience for you.  He might have seen it, but not trusted what he saw.  It's common for young quarterbacks to hesitate, because they know how sneaky defenders are.

He'll get better.

I can't believe that Mike Pettine is dumb enough not to start Manziel now, regardless of whether or not McCown can last a couple plays before getting re-injured.

I hope he's just being mysterious to keep the Steelers guessing.  I hope.

Mike Pettine: Wake Up Before You Get Fired

Mike, I can't believe you talked about Johnny staying in the pocket more.

(Late insertion: just read Mike's statements on that comment.  It was about missed first reads (and holding the ball).  My criticisms of Mike on that basis are premature and unfair)

Look, I get it: The pocket is the best place for an NFL quarterback, where he can access both sides of the field, plant his feet, and his protectors know where he is.

But what about Russell Wilson, Mike?  What does Pete Carroll know that you don't?

You remind me of another Browns head coach named Chris Palmer.  Tim Couch was a shotgun quarterback.  At a time when the rest of the NFL was going more and more to the shotgun, Palmer put the rookie almost exclusively under center.

Couch made some of his biggest plays after being chased out of the pocket, showing a real ability to think and throw on the move.

Chris didn't care.  No rollouts.  No shotgun.  Tim Couch had great talent, but was battered out of the NFL.

Palmer was a blockhead, Mike.  So are you.  Listen to DeFelipo.  We know he wants to do some different things with Johnny, and it seems clear that you don't want to let him.

"Settle him down"?  I wasn't able to watch the game.  I just saw highlights of his best plays.  Some of those were off scrambles, and some from the pocket, but I never saw him flee the pocket until he had to, and I can't see what you're even talking about.  Is he supposed to throw it away rather than buy a little more time or a few yards with his feet?

In fact, Josh McCown has made a lot of plays on the move himself, so I guess you need to "settle him down" as well!

As Mike Hoag wrote, Manziel was victimized by his own receivers.  Especially Gabriel.  Especially in critical situations.  Of all people, Dwayne Bowe was the only guy who didn't drop at least one accurate pass.

Mike wonders why you abandoned the run completely in the second half.  Through the first half, it was competitive---thanks in large part to Johnny's running around.  In the second half, he did like you said and stayed in the pocket.  Congratulations.

And if you tell us today that Josh McCown will start next week if able to crawl into the field, I will join the lynch mob and bring the rope.

Gary Davenport really nailed this down.  Manziel showed that he belongs in the NFL, and can make things happen when he's not stifled by a blockheaded Coach.

You DO need to find out if you need yet another new quarterback before the draft.  Let the old veteran heal while his adopted son tries to make him proud.

Hey! Since you're letting Josh do your job anyway, how about listening to what I'm positive he and Flip are telling you about rollouts, pistol, shotgun, and read-option?

Russell Wilson has been around for awhile now, and still isn't a true pocket passer.  If Chris Palmer coached the Seahawks, that little guy would be a career backup.

I'm so disappointed in you, Mike.  I had no idea you were so rigid and intransigent.  I told everybody you would adapt your schemes to your personnel.  You make me look dumb, Mike.

When Kyle Shanahan left and Flip was hired, I had high hopes for creativity and adaptability on offense too.  I never thought you'd just pick his brain a little and then lock him in the basement!

I can't defend Mike Pettine any more.  I still hope that Jimmy Haslam doesn't have to fire him, but man...

Remember Don Shula, Mike?  He won a Super Bowl with Bob Griesy, a brutal running game, and a no name defense.

Then he got Marino and the smurfs, and ran a diametrically opposite offense.

That was a long time ago.  Can't you learn something from that?

Best wishes, Mike.  But WAKE TF UP!!!

Go Johnny Go

I must extend my condolences to Marty---I mean Mike Pettine.  Apparently Coach McCown has decided for him that he wouldn't be as effective as Johnny Manziel at this particular time.

No doubt Mike asked him "Can't you throw left-handed or wear a big pcv pipe or something?"

Well, good for Coach Josh.  He's extremely tough and gutsy, but not egotistical or selfish, and stepped aside for his protege.

It's the smart thing, as I'm sure he tried to explain to Mike Schot--I mean Pettine.

Anyone who's had cracked or broken ribs can tell you, it takes awhile for them to heal.  Unlike an arm or leg, they can't be immobilized, and are in constant motion as you move or breathe.

Josh will probably rush himself back, but what he ought to do is absolutely nothing for two weeks to let the cracks begin to fuse, and then very carefully ease his way back for at least two more weeks.

Even then, he'd probably get them reinjured.

But for now, here comes the kid.  Against the team that humiliated him last season.  In front of a national audience.  Against the seventh-best defense in the NFL.  At home.

One can understand--this time--why assistant coach Mike would prefer the old veteran.  This one is big.  Really big.

An inexperienced young quarterback has to be terrified by this tough defense on this big stage, and without Hawkins or Hartline to boot.

NAH! This former wide receiver was an instant sensation at quarterback and never looked back.  He LOVES pressure-packed situations, and lots of witnesses.

He's had several days, including last week, to practice with the ones.  Before that, he practiced with the receivers who will replace Hawkins and Hartline.

Maybe even Dwayne Bowe!  (I repeat: they should have released him, ate his ridiculous and stupid salary, and retained Pryor.  However, I know he can still play, and its thursday night football for him, too).

But especially Gabriel.  These microbes really stick together.  The 6'0" quarterback and the microscopic receivers.  Call it a Napoleonic conspiracy.

Johnny sure loves The Rabbit, doesn't he?

I strongly suspect that the little guys (including Manziel) talk about how they can teach these big goons a lesson when they get their chance.

Now it's thursday Night, and Here's Johnny!

He knows everybody on the planet wrote "L" for him in indelible ink.  He knows that half his running game is his short passing game because his team for some reason just can't run the ball.

I just happen to know, for reasons I can't disclose at this time, that on thursday night, vs the Cincinnati Bengals, Johnny Manziel could WIN.

Laugh at me now but believe me later.

I doubt it.  The Bengals could be the most talented team in the NFL.  I'm just saying: Johnny might have abandoned the money-sign, but it hasn't abandoned him.

I'm rapidly cooling on Mike Pettine, but not on DeFellipo:

The Browns could upset the Bangles here, BECAUSE OF Johnny Manziel.

To Mike and Marty's astonishment.

I watched a little Mike and MIKE today.  Non-Golic Mike thinks it's obvious that the Coaches want nothing to do with this player who was forced on them by Jimmy Haslam.

No doubt he's a big fan of Rhona LaCanfora.  As you know, this is crap.  Josh McCown was doing about as well as a quarterback could in this situation, and there was no reason to rush Manziel.

Still, Mad Mike is feeding that BS mill when he talks about starting a seriously injured McCown over the healthy kid.

It's hard to blame these talking heads for thinking Mike Pettine hates Johnny.

Brian Billick said that he wouldn't use any man coverage against Johnny.  He expects Johnny to throw interceptions, and he'd use a zone to bait traps for him.

He could be right, but he assumes a lot.  Manziel has never been prone to interceptions.  Aside from his lack of pro experience, I'm not sure what Brian saw on film to give him that label.

The Mikes and him have all sorts of thoughts on Manziel that have nothing to do with reality.

I hope he hears it all.  I hope he, Gabriel, and Benjamin are getting angry.

I can't predict a Browns victory tonight, but wouldn't be too surprised.

The Browns just need to play up to their potential for TWO halves, and find some magic.