Much Improved

[Horn of Lake Erie]

Everyone here is so damn pessimistic. A loss is a loss, obviously. But, do I feel a lot more like there is promise for our #2 youngest NFL team? Definitely. When you lack your two top CBs, even Dalton will run rounds on you. Minus the stupid penalties and the fumble with the lack of having any starting CBs, every aspect of our game looked solid. You all can say whatever you want, but in the end this is true.

[Tour2ma]

I agree with the OP... we improved.

 

Wheeeden (dropped a "e" for each TD today) obviously showed something today. After being wild high again early he started giving receivers a chance to catch the ball and for the most part they did. While I'm still not seeing him come off his primary as often as he should, at least he was hitting them after settling in. Unfortunately they are getting hit as well as he's still starring them down... almost got Cribbs killed in that last drive. Still immobile under pressure (which puzzles me since he does OK in designed roll-outs)... still goes down too easily... but he did deliver a couple nice balls with pressure in his face.

 

Of the WR's MoMass in particular looked good, but then he's our only polished route runner, and clearly is the most able to read the D correctly and adjust accordingly. Little needs to work more on routes and less on celebrations... his gyrations early and late were embarrassing. Gordon is still looking for his game. Apparently Benjamin has been designated for streaks and reverses only. Where is Norwood?

 

He played well, but is Watson our only TE?

 

TR looked like a #1 today... especially catching the ball and running in the open field. He showed some "shiftiness" today that tells me he's healing and/or getting his feel for the game back. Ogbo's fumble-itis reared its ugly head again. Where are Hardesty and Jackson???

 

Marecic? No comment...

 

The O-line performance seemed mixed... I'll have to watch a replay focusing on it, but I think I'm safe in saying Schwartz is gonna flunk week 2. He really "olayed" the DE on one sack and we seemed to power to very little gains when we ran right.

 

D-wise it was pretty much a week 1 repeat minus the turnovers.... i.e. a lotta yards surrendered. Missing Haden and Brown obviously hurt. Skrine was over-matched. Patterson was decent, but needed to be better than decent. Not much of note out of our Safeties this week.

 

LB play led by DQJ seemed decent, but not inspirational this week... excepting DQJ with his INT and great hit on the receiver crossing.

NOTE: After the above hit the a$$-hat color man called it "a fine-able hit on a defenseless receiver"... total load of shit... it was a perfect hit right to the receiver's chest plate/ under his chin and was delivered by DQJ with his head up... he saw what he hit... AND it separated the receiver from the ball... FROM THE FRIGGING BALL!!! It was a textbook hit... if it's fined, and I doubt it will be, I may never watch another game.

 

D-line seemed good again to me, but as with the O-line I need to look at the game tape.

 

Lastly we have to remember that we were a punt return TD from a tie game at the end.

[VaporTrail]

Norwood was out due to some injury.

[Browns149]

If C- is your rating of the team as a whole, I agree, but Weeden definitely played better than that. We lost the game because of

 

• Penalties
  
• Pacman's Return TD
  
• Ogbannaya's Fumble
  

 

Our secondary played like shit, but the only person there today who'd start on another team is TJ Ward.

all the missed tackles didn't help either

[philbert79]

If C- is your rating of the team as a whole, I agree, but Weeden definitely played better than that. We lost the game because of

 

• Penalties
  
• Pacman's Return TD
  
• Ogbannaya's Fumble
  

 

Our secondary played like shit, but the only person there today who'd start on another team is TJ Ward.

 

Spot on, Vapor... The penalties killed CLE's drives and sustained Cincy's; that CAN'T happen. The punt return put them in an early hole; one that turned out to be insurmountable. Though the fumble netted no points for the Bengals, the Browns were looking good on that drive. That could've been at least 3 points for the Browns, but the way they were playing, it could've been 7. Who knows.

 

The D-Line was much improved today. D`Qwell played well again. The secondary struggled, mostly because of inexperience and lack of talent. When they throw nickel and dime corners on the outside and a 3rd string FS up the middle, they're asking for trouble.

 

All that said, if the Browns could just put all of it together for a couple weeks, we could be cheering for a respectable team.

[VaporTrail]

Spot on, Vapor... The penalties killed CLE's drives and sustained Cincy's; that CAN'T happen. The punt return put them in an early hole; one that turned out to be insurmountable. Though the fumble netted no points for the Bengals, the Browns were looking good on that drive. That could've been at least 3 points for the Browns, but the way they were playing, it could've been 7. Who knows.

 

The D-Line was much improved today. D`Qwell played well again. The secondary struggled, mostly because of inexperience and lack of talent. When they throw nickel and dime corners on the outside and a 3rd string FS up the middle, they're asking for trouble.

 

All that said, if the Browns could just put all of it together for a couple weeks, we could be cheering for a respectable team.

 

Yeah, the momentum was in our favor when he Ogie caught that in stride. That being said, it's not going to be until week 7 or 8, when all our starters return, that we see a coherent defense, imo.

[roach]

Frankly, the defense wasn't awful but two bad blitz calls led to two touchdowns.

 

Really? The defense wasn't awful? What is your definition of awful?

[kvozel]

I wish I could be like all you Pollyannas (Definition for the Challenged) , but the reality is the Browns suck. I know there are people here older than me, but I have been a diehard Browns fan for over 50 years (I actually remember the '64 Championship game you so long for). After today, I'm guessing I'm not going to attend a Super Bowl.

 

Flame me and curse me all you want, but get your heads out of your asses..... An improved performance means nothing (ok, make your case, but I don't believe it). We lost. That means we didn't win ! There's nothimg in the NFL that awards the Lombardi Trophy to the most improved team (which we are not even close to being). Do I know what the problem is? Probably not, but I have ideas. Do I know how to fix the problem? Maybe not, but Randy leaving is a step in the right direction.

 

I side with "the bitchers", but I understand the loyalty of the Pollyannas, the problem being reallity. Let's talk about improvement at the end of the season when they make the playoffs and move to the second round. Oops, guess even you guys don't believe that.

 

Flame away, it is an alternative to being a champion.

[Dick Mellon]

Really? The defense wasn't awful? What is your definition of awful?

I dunno who is good or bad yet.

CLE and CIN both fielded top 10 defenses last season in Points per Game.

I would not expect either of these teams to suddenly suck, although that could be the case.

 

But anyways, I will wait for the game to be edited down to the 20 minute condensed version before it's worth my time to watch it.

Some people either have a agenda or don't know much about the game.

Well, I'm not a fan of either team, but I didn't watch the hole game yet, so WTF do I know.

Cincy is not even suppose to compete and is suppose to play for last place.

I think you must be reading last years newspaper.

CIN was supposed to suck last season.

Then CIN went to the playoffs.

I dunno what "experts" are picking CIN to suck this year.

Maybe it's the same group who picked CIN to suck last year.

 

I would think that with a top 10 defense and Dalton and Green in their second season that CIN would be pretty good by now!

But then WTF do I know!

[Westside Steve]

Improvement?

We lost by 7 instead of 1.

So....

WSS

[jrb12711]

I wish I could be like all you Pollyannas (Definition for the Challenged) , but the reality is the Browns suck. I know there are people here older than me, but I have been a diehard Browns fan for over 50 years (I actually remember the '64 Championship game you so long for). After today, I'm guessing I'm not going to attend a Super Bowl.

 

Flame me and curse me all you want, but get your heads out of your asses..... An improved performance means nothing (ok, make your case, but I don't believe it). We lost. That means we didn't win ! There's nothimg in the NFL that awards the Lombardi Trophy to the most improved team (which we are not even close to being). Do I know what the problem is? Probably not, but I have ideas. Do I know how to fix the problem? Maybe not, but Randy leaving is a step in the right direction.

 

I side with "the bitchers", but I understand the loyalty of the Pollyannas, the problem being reallity. Let's talk about improvement at the end of the season when they make the playoffs and move to the second round. Oops, guess even you guys don't believe that.

 

Flame away, it is an alternative to being a champion.

 

First off that must of been really neat to see the browns actually win a championship. I'm 22 and right now I feel the same way that I'm not going to see a super bowl.

 

Let me say that I actually don't think people disagree with you. At the end of the day it's all about putting a +1 in the W column. BUT, we have to start somewhere. This team was so bad 2 years ago that I truly believe the Alabama's and LSU's of the world could have competed against the team. What I saw today was a shell of a team that can seriously compete in today's NFL. A QB who can make the tight throws as well the strikes down the field. I saw a RB bulldoze and makes moves at the second level which make you go "damn!". If you take away the senseless penalties and add the starting CB's, who knows how that game ends up. It's frustrating to see the losses, but this is the first time in a long time I've felt we're going to turn that corner and compete.

 

You're right though, that hope means nothing if it never amounts to wins. Weeden could look like Manning but it's all about winning. But if we keep playing offense like we did today and get to full strength, we will.

[USFBrown]

Some of you guys are really jack asses. By your accounts everyone but the Giants sucked last year because they won the Superbowl. Who cares about the improvement they showed through the playoffs.

 

Because you know... improvement means nothing. We should go from zero to domination or else who cares.

[thenew23]

To me, today was a HUGE improvement by the offense.

 

Weeden and Richardson both looked like 1st round picks, playing in only their 2nd nfl game. I give them both A's. I mean just look at the stat lines. Richardson is going to be the real deal, and gives me much more optimism about the rest of this season. Weeden as well. Looked more comfortable, threw with confidence, and did not make any big mistakes with the football.

 

We still need to see improvement from Little, as far as consistency. And, still waiting for Gordon to do something, but that's a stretch b/c he missed all of camp.

 

O-line played average. Run blocking started poor, but got better.

 

On D...

 

Today proved how good Haden is. Without him, our secondary got exposed. Ward played well, and Patterson played decent. I thought Brown was hurt b/c I never expected Skrine to start. Today was the first day I was wishing for Sheldon Brown to be on the field. I believe it would have made a world of difference as Skrine just got beat too much. He and Brown should have at least done 50/50.

 

D-line played great in run D.

 

I was kind of missing LJ Fort today. I understand putting Fujita back in, of course, but I trully think starting Fort would be the right move for the future of this defense. Kid looks like a gamer.

 

Overall, a tough loss but at least we had some fun watching it. If we can tighten up the D, and keep getting TRich the ball I think we're going to win a few games. We're only 1 game back right now...

[5150k9]

Who the fuck are you?

 

 

Shut the fuck up, you mindless pessimistic pussnapkin.

 

 

You are why people hate Cleveland fans, you disgusting piece of gutter trash.

 

Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Love this post, says alot with very few words.....Nuff Said

[Tim Couch Pulls Out]

I wish I could be like all you Pollyannas (Definition for the Challenged) , but the reality is the Browns suck. I know there are people here older than me, but I have been a diehard Browns fan for over 50 years (I actually remember the '64 Championship game you so long for). After today, I'm guessing I'm not going to attend a Super Bowl.

 

Flame me and curse me all you want, but get your heads out of your asses..... An improved performance means nothing (ok, make your case, but I don't believe it). We lost. That means we didn't win ! There's nothimg in the NFL that awards the Lombardi Trophy to the most improved team (which we are not even close to being). Do I know what the problem is? Probably not, but I have ideas. Do I know how to fix the problem? Maybe not, but Randy leaving is a step in the right direction.

 

I side with "the bitchers", but I understand the loyalty of the Pollyannas, the problem being reallity. Let's talk about improvement at the end of the season when they make the playoffs and move to the second round. Oops, guess even you guys don't believe that.

 

Flame away, it is an alternative to being a champion.

 

 

The reality is that we won't be contenders this year, and possibly not next.

 

 

That's the reality. So forgive us "pollyanna's" for realizing that, and not calling for an implosion of the FO and roster yet again.

 

How does the saying go? "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

 

Yeah, keep calling for everyone's head every year and see how long it takes to get to the playoffs.

[Tour2ma]

Norwood was out due to some injury.

Sufferred in pre-game? Unless that's the case the FO may have a fine coming as he was not on the week's injury report.

[BadNewsBrowns]

Weeden looked good hopefully it keeps it up and takes more command of the offense.

 

What a breath of fresh air seeing T-Rich make some plays.

 

I'm quickly becoming less and less of a Greg Little fan.

 

Dude makes one catch and poses like Hulk Hogan as if he made some huge play.

 

Catches a touchdown and dances like a freakin idiot, oh well what do you expect from a receiver.

[USFBrown]

Weeden looked good hopefully it keeps it up and takes more command of the offense.

 

What a breath of fresh air seeing T-Rich make some plays.

 

I'm quickly becoming less and less of a Greg Little fan.

 

Dude makes one catch and poses like Hulk Hogan as if he made some huge play.

 

Catches a touchdown and dances like a freakin idiot, oh well what do you expect from a receiver.

 

Its hard to act like you've been there before when you haven't been there before...

 

He was probably really excited. Touchdowns are a rarity on this team. Maybe next time he'll be a little more composed.

[VaporTrail]

Sufferred in pre-game? Unless that's the case the FO may have a fine coming as he was not on the week's injury report.

 

Never mind, he was on the inactive list, not injury list.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54626/inactives-for-bengals-browns-and-ravens

 

QB Thaddeus Lewis, WR Jordan Norwood, RB Brandon Jackson, FS Ray Ventrone, LB James-Michael Johnson, OT Oniel Cousins and LB Tank Carder.

[djdawg2010]

Yeah, us Debbie downers have to watch this shet every week. One week it's the offense who sucks, the next week it's the defense! I wouldn't doubt that USF couldn't beat this team, although I'm pretty sure FSU could.

The DB's out there look like a Bunch of bumbling idiots out there. The browns need to blitz on every down and just take their chances. Sorry asses!

 

 

And that is what pisses me off! One week the offense sucks, and the next week it's the defense! Can the Browns play a complete game on both sides of the ball for once??? It's been the same shit since 1999! I don't want to hear excuses like "well Haden is out!" Bullshit! Good teams find away to get other guys to step up in the absence of a star player! Last time I checked, football was a team sport! MAN THE F*** UP ALREADY!

[Zombo]

Weeden = Tim Couch

 

... Because Tim Couch was throwing for 300+ yards, 2 TDs and 100+ passer rating in his second start in the NFL...

 

Zombo

--With a little more touch and experience, Weeden is going to be the best QB we have had in a long, long, time. Looooong. Long long. Long.

[hoorta]

I wish I could be like all you Pollyannas (Definition for the Challenged) , but the reality is the Browns suck. I know there are people here older than me, but I have been a diehard Browns fan for over 50 years (I actually remember the '64 Championship game you so long for). After today, I'm guessing I'm not going to attend a Super Bowl.

 

Flame me and curse me all you want, but get your heads out of your asses..... An improved performance means nothing (ok, make your case, but I don't believe it). We lost. That means we didn't win ! There's nothimg in the NFL that awards the Lombardi Trophy to the most improved team (which we are not even close to being). Do I know what the problem is? Probably not, but I have ideas. Do I know how to fix the problem? Maybe not, but Randy leaving is a step in the right direction.

 

I side with "the bitchers", but I understand the loyalty of the Pollyannas, the problem being reallity. Let's talk about improvement at the end of the season when they make the playoffs and move to the second round. Oops, guess even you guys don't believe that.

 

Flame away, it is an alternative to being a champion.

 

I feel your pain Keith. Yeah, they don't give out awards for "most improved team". Right now, the improvement hasn't resulted in a win- and I don't know if we can win with Shurmur as the coach.

 

Weeden and Richardson were much better yesterday. Did you really expect them to play like Aaron Rodgers and Jim Brown in their second games? Incidentally, that 320 yard performance set a record for a Browns rookie qb. No one (except the unrealistic dreamers), expected the Browns to be a Playoff team this year. Get Haden and Taylor back- and I really believe this team can be competitive. There's wins to be had the rest of the way out- starting with Buffalo this Sunday.

[Canton Mike]

1) If you consider the Browns hopeless, then go post on another Team's board. This one's for BROWNS Fans!

2) I have followed the Browns faithfully for some years (I'm 66 & cheered the drafting of Jimmy Brown) & I see a LOT of positives. BTW, there are many GREAT & TRUE Browns' Fans here far younger than I. I salute them & wish them MANY Super Bowl wins. I also expect to see some SB wins before I kick the bucket.

----We have a new incoming Owner with a passion for the Game AND Winning.

----If you opened your eyes at all yesterday, you should have seen some of what Weeden & Richardson bring to this Team. Richardson positively affects far more than "just" the running game. Weeden brings a strong arm AND touch. Both seem to learn quickly & both are very self confident without being arrogant.

----Most important, IMHO, is that this YOUNG Team will grow as a UNIT. In the past, we have plugged in far too many "over the hill" free agents. There was no continuity or chemistry being built. The key is that a Team is being BUILT...We are not just throwing band aids on broken parts.

 

If you want to spout nothing but negativity & resort to name calling, please leave or at least learn to spell.

 

Mike

[Mark O]

Yeah, us Debbie downers have to watch this shet every week. One week it's the offense who sucks, the next week it's the defense! I wouldn't doubt that USF couldn't beat this team, although I'm pretty sure FSU could.

The DB's out there look like a Bunch of bumbling idiots out there. The browns need to blitz on every down and just take their chances. Sorry asses!

 

 

Guess what chachi...you don't "have to watch every week". If you hate this team so much and are this pissed off about a football team that you have ZERO control over the outcome of the game...go find another team to root for or just don't watch and come back when we're good again (sooner rather than later in my opinion) and claim that you've been a fan forever. Otherwise...shut the fuck up...

[ballpeen]

Guess what chachi...you don't "have to watch every week". If you hate this team so much and are this pissed off about a football team that you have ZERO control over the outcome of the game...go find another team to root for or just don't watch and come back when we're good again (sooner rather than later in my opinion) and claim that you've been a fan forever. Otherwise...shut the fuck up...

 

 

 

I was thinking it was Joanie.

[Mark O]

Joanie...chachi...either way...

 

Tired of the whining, especially the "I have to watch" crap. The team showed some improvement and was sure a whole hell of a lot better on offense than we were at any point last season. Hopefully we will show that same type of offense again this week and it wasn't just a one game aberration.

[hoorta]

1) If you consider the Browns hopeless, then go post on another Team's board. This one's for BROWNS Fans!

2) I have followed the Browns faithfully for some years (I'm 66 & cheered the drafting of Jimmy Brown) & I see a LOT of positives. BTW, there are many GREAT & TRUE Browns' Fans here far younger than I. I salute them & wish them MANY Super Bowl wins. I also expect to see some SB wins before I kick the bucket.

----We have a new incoming Owner with a passion for the Game AND Winning.

----If you opened your eyes at all yesterday, you should have seen some of what Weeden & Richardson bring to this Team. Richardson positively affects far more than "just" the running game. Weeden brings a strong arm AND touch. Both seem to learn quickly & both are very self confident without being arrogant.

----Most important, IMHO, is that this YOUNG Team will grow as a UNIT. In the past, we have plugged in far too many "over the hill" free agents. There was no continuity or chemistry being built. The key is that a Team is being BUILT...We are not just throwing band aids on broken parts.

 

If you want to spout nothing but negativity & resort to name calling, please leave or at least learn to spell.

 

Mike

 

Nah- I wouldn't ask our new Nabob of Negativity to leave- you see a lot more of this on Cleveland.com I hate to stereotype, but this is the sort of stuff you'll see from certain corners should the Browns beat the Bills Sunday. "Well the Bills aren't very good, either." Like Buddy Ryan said "ain't no Coastal Carolinas in the NFL." We beat them by 20 "shoulda beat 'em by 30." And so it goes.

[slowburn]

This team ain't lying down for anybody.. They were two plays away from beating the Eagles and a single

 

special team breakdown cost them the game against the Bengals. Once they find a way to win I think

 

we will have a team that can build on their new found confidence and win a few more ball games than

 

expected. The horses are there to compete. They merely need get their head and asses wired together.

 

It's time for the leaders of this team along with the coaches to reinforce the notion that this team

 

DESERVES, as much as any other team in the league, the exhaltation of leaving the field on Sunday

 

knowing they played their nutz off and earned a victory.

[Dick Mellon]

The team showed some improvement and was sure a whole hell of a lot better on offense than we were at any point last season. Hopefully we will show that same type of offense again this week and it wasn't just a one game aberration.

No, it's not just one game.

You are seeing improvement.

I hope yinz can ignore the final score and give credit to CIN. They are a good team.

Neither CLE nor CIN is gonna be an easy win for PIT and BAL this season.

 

Weeden looked very good for a 28 year old rookie.

Give him a few years to develop (on a team that has gone through 17 starting QB's in 14 seasons.)

 

The most serious issue at hand is the 100+ yards in penalties.

Maybe you can pawn that off on the shitty refs . . . . I dunno. . .

Or maybe CLE has some serious discipline and coaching problems.

[The Gipper]

No, it's not just one game.

You are seeing improvement.

I hope yinz can ignore the final score and give credit to CIN. They are a good team.

Neither CLE nor CIN is gonna be an easy win for PIT and BAL this season.

I dunno, that win by Baltimore over Cincy last week looked pretty easy. 44-13?

But I do think that was a Fluko.

Weeden looked very good for a 28 year old rookie.

Give him a few years to develop (on a team that has gone through 17 starting QB's in 14 seasons.)

 

The most serious issue at hand is the 100+ yards in penalties.

Maybe you can pawn that off on the shitty refs . . . . I dunno. . .

Or maybe CLE has some serious discipline and coaching problems.

 

Are you truly just now realizing that the Browns might have a coaching problem? How droll in your sense of humor.