Archive for December, 2010

Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will dress against the Buffalo Bills, but only as the third quarterback. Jake Delhomme, who has started the last two games, will be starting today. Curse you, high ankle sprain! Other inactive players for the Browns include: wide receiver Jordan Norwood, linebacker Titus Brown, defensive end Brian Sanford, wide receiver Demetrius Williams, tight end Evan Moore, defensive end Jayme Mitchell, and linebacker Scott Fujita. Despite these inactive players, one has to appreciate how the Browns have manged to stay relatively healthy this season.

To get a better perspective on the Browns’ match-up with the Buffalo Bills, I spoke with Paul Miller of the blog Buffalowdown. Here’s what he had to say (which includes a game prediction that you may feel free to discuss in the comment section): 1. When I look at the weekly match-ups, the Buffalo Bills are no longer a “guaranteed win” for the opponent. What is the single biggest reason for the Bills’ improvement, despite a 2-10 record? – I could name multiple players that have lent a hand in the Bills’ improvement, but the single biggest reason for the Bills [...]

In addition to the work that I do here at Dawg Pound Daily, I have the opportunity to write a weekly column with the Blog Blitz section over at NFL.com. I’ll post an excerpt of my article, and you can follow the link to read the rest. Here is this week’s excerpt: Believe it or not, the Cleveland Browns have a shot at finishing the season over .500, something that hasn’t happened since the 2007 season. Here are the Browns’ next four match-ups: –at Buffalo Bills –at Cincinnati Bengals –Baltimore Ravens –Pittsburgh Steelers See what I mean? Currently at 5-7, [...]

First, there was “Bernie, Bernie“. Now, a song has been made about Peyton Hillis, the punishing running back who has burst onto the scene this season with Pro Bowl-like numbers. The song, called “Beware of the Juggernaut!” comes from New Browns Music, a site devoted to songs about the Browns and other Cleveland sports. Thoughts?

What were our honest expectations of the Browns this season? 5-11? 6-10? Maybe 8-8 at best? Head coach Eric Mangini has this team at 5-7 with four games to go, and there are a wide variety of improvements over the team that was 1-11 at this point last season. Yet, the talk continues to center around Mangini’s job security and the prospects of him coaching Cleveland in 2011 and beyond. Why is that? Why is Mangini’s job status dissected more than the team itself? The answer is simple:

I’ve got a Buffalo Bills fan playing in my fantasy football league, and the annual trash talking has begun. We’ve already had a request for his take on the upcoming Browns Bills game… surprise, he’s taking the Bills – here’s my take: The Bills may be slumping after blowing that overtime win against the Steelers two weeks ago (see Steve Johnson right). The Browns slumped too after blowing that overtime game against the Jets = Sometimes you leave too much on the field as the underdog in those battles to recover next week. Bills RB Fred Jackson has been installed as [...]

I think it’s safe to say that the Browns don’t look beautiful right now. They are not the poster children for textbook football, but this hasn’t resulted in the typical apocalyptic outcome of recent Browns’ seasons. Sure, the Browns are getting themselves into some pretty ugly football games, but, lo and behold, they’re winning. Saying “a win’s a win” is not something Browns fans are used to, due to the lack of any kind of winning, but I think it’s something we can all get used to.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme has already been named the official starter for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, but rookie Colt McCoy is determined to get back on the field this season. The young quarterback out of Texas continues to study game film and opponents and, most of all, hope that his ankle heals enough to allow him to play once again this season. Like McCoy, Browns fans are eager to see him build off the success of his first few starts, where he helped lead the Browns to victories over the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots.

In addition to the work that I do here at Dawg Pound Daily, I have the opportunity to write a weekly column with the Blog Blitz section over at NFL.com. I’ll post an excerpt of my article, and you can follow the link to read the rest. Here is this week’s excerpt: Despite the Miami Dolphins’ rather ordinary record (they are 6-5 going into their game against the Browns on Sunday), this is still a talented team that is capable of beating any other team in the league and still has aspirations to make the playoffs this season. So if [...]

Cornerback Joe Haden has been named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month award for November, becoming the first Browns defensive player to win the award since it began in 1996. In the month, Haden had 15 tackles, seven defended passes, and three interceptions, and, more importantly, he has inherited a starting role with Eric Wright nursing a knee injury. Even as Wright is returning to practice, it is obvious that Haden is going to make the coaching staff think about who gets what kind of playing time through the rest of the season. Running back Peyton Hillis might be [...]