On the upside.
The Browns are at home.
Browns face 1-9 Carolina that will be led by a rookie QB who is 0-4 as a starter while completing 48% of his passes.
Jake Delhomme played for Carolina last year and therefore should have some ideas about how to attack that offense.
On the downside:
The Browns are banged up with McCoy and Fujita out, and key players Josh Cribbs, Shaun Rogers, Ben Watson being doubtful. Furthermore the Browns are coming off a devastating loss last week vs Jacksonville and could be ripe for a major emotional letdown.
Even considering the injuries and a potential letdown, the Browns should pull this one out
BL Predicts
Browns 24
Carolina 21
The Brown Log is 4-6 year to date in predicting the winner.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
A Thanksgiving tribute: Rocky Belk
Holidays are a great moment to put life into perspective. We Browns fans can get pretty wrapped up in wins and losses, our Ohio heritage demands it.
Yesterday however, after noticing a spike over these last months in "Rocky Belk" google searches landing on this blog, I decided to do a google search myself on Belk. Unfortunately what I discovered is that ex-Browns receiver Rocky Belk tragically passed away last July at the age of 50 years old. For fans who followed the Browns in the 80's, Belk was a sort of comet who flashed across Cleveland. In one year he got very little playing time, but many Clevelanders noticed him because he scored two big touchdowns including one long TD pass from Brian Sipe against the despised Pittsburgh Steelers. Belk's NFL career lasted only one year with a total 5 catches and 2 touchdowns. By comparison to other pro football players, his career can reasonably be labeled as average.
Reading Belk's obituary however it's clear that Rocky Belk went on to achieve true hero status as a school teacher and social worker. Read what the citizens of Arlington, Virigina had to say about Belk after his untimely passing:
Can we summarize a man's legacy, his life's work, in a memorial plaque? It would be kind of cool for students that knew him to tell those coming in that ask who was this Rocky Belk and what did he do? Those that knew him could tell them that Rocky Belk from Gum Springs followed his dreams and made it all the way to the NFL working every step of the way and after he got there he never stopped giving back. What motivated him was simply his love for the children he taught.
In the end, for those that knew him, it really doesn't really matter whether a plaque with Rocky Belk's name inscribed on it is put out at the horseshoe kiss and drop where the Longbranch students start their morning; because in the end every child and parent that Rocky touched will remember him at that horseshoe full of hale and with a big,easy,giving smile.
Football players bring great joy to us fans by their magnificent feats of athleticism and courage, however let us not forget on this Thanksgiving day, that as great as it is to have witnessed Brian Sipe, Greg Pruitt, Bill Nelson, Marion Motley, Jim Brown, Doug Dieken or countless others fill our Sundays with memories, that the real heroes in our world are the people who go out without recognition day after day and help others.
So on this Thanksgiving Day, let's thank God that folks like Rocky Belk touch our world and remember, they are the heroes.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
BL Live Blog: disgusting loss
+6 on turnovers and the Browns lose???????
The Brown Log has been generous in it's praise for Coach Mangini in the last few weeks. Today a game the Browns absolutely should have won was instead lost. And 100% of the blame must fall onto Coach Mangini. A simply disgusting display takes the Browns to 3-7
BL Live Blog: plenty of time
Can the Browns D come up big one more time. They have been incredible all day
BL Live Blog: Browns D is tired
The Browns D gave us 6 turnovers and the O did almost nothing with them. Is it any wonder the Defense is worn out? If Jacksonville scores and ties the game it appears the only way the browns can win is if our defense scores. But our defense is completely worn out.
BL Live Blog: pathetic
Browns should be up by 20.
Colt needs to understand that if he's hurt as he appears to be, he does his team no favor by playing. We haven't moved the ball in the air the last three series.
Colt needs to understand that if he's hurt as he appears to be, he does his team no favor by playing. We haven't moved the ball in the air the last three series.
BL Live Blog: Frustration
Colts ankle might be hurt.
We have no passing game.
The Browns D keeps giving the O the ball.
And we still cannot lock the game up.
We have no passing game.
The Browns D keeps giving the O the ball.
And we still cannot lock the game up.
BL Live Blog: 3 and out
Browns could have set a clear course towards a win by capitalising on Wards intercept. Instead we have to keep playing the clock and fight for field position. Looks a lot like early season losses to Tampa and Atlanta.
BL Live Blog: stunning
Elam is our MVP today.
I wonder why Jacksonville choose not to review the play.
I wonder why Jacksonville choose not to review the play.
BL Live Blog: tip of the hat
Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to your opponent. Nice drive by Jacksonville. The Browns played well on D.
Tight game, down at half.
BL Live Blog: Elam
Beautiful read and intercept on the trick play by Jacksonville. Elam gets better every week and that kind of play can be a game changer.
BL Live Blog: time and reps
Colt and Massaquoi made different reads on the 3rd and long. Chances are Massaquoi read it wrong and should have gone long. He had single coverage.
BL Live Blog: Q1
Tough Q1 but the Browns are showing signs of life on Offense but look sluggish on D.
BL Live Blog: lauvao
You gotta like #66 Shawn Lauvao's play today. He is really playing hard at RG. Watch him
BL Live Blog: Fujita
I didn't realize how huge Scott Fujita was to the complex scheme the Browns have run year to date on D. The Browns have set up in very conventional formations so far today. Strategy or do we miss Fujita, who in effect was the QB on defense.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
BL Predicts: Week Ten vs Jacksonville
The Browns are banged up and on the road but after 4 games against the leagues best team, the Brown Log believes beating Jacksonville won't be easy, but the Browns are up to the task. Look for Ryan's D to confuse the mediocre Jacksonville offense and look for Colt to really explode in the first game he will play against an average D.
BL Predicts
Browns 30
Jacksonville 10
The BL has a 4-5 record year to date
BL Predicts
Browns 30
Jacksonville 10
The BL has a 4-5 record year to date
Thursday, November 18, 2010
It's only a game
I remember when Derek Anderson attacked Browns fans as a whole based on the insults he endured from a few Browns fans. That got me mad, you can't label a group based on the behavior of it's worst element. But it's hard not to feel ashamed when I read about the 8 year old Jets fan who was assaulted by a so called "Browns fan" after last Sunday's game. What an awful story (see attached link).
It is only a game folks........
It is only a game folks........
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Learning to live with fumbles
Knowing how much Coach Mangini hates turnovers on offense, it must be damn hard for him to digest that it is not possible to coach emerging star fullback Peyton Hillis out of his fumbling. I've read that each week Hillis does special drills designed to get him to hang onto the ball and no matter the effort, every week Hillis coughs up a ball. I've often compared Colt McCoy to Brian Sipe, in the case of Hillis there is another reference point in Browns history that is very similar. Mike Pruitt ran like a linebacker but he also had smallish hands and often fumbled. Forrest Gregg hated Pruitt's fumbling so much that he sat him for the better part of two years. When Sam Rutigliano arrived, he decided to put this force of nature into motion and Mike Pruitt was a key part of the Browns resurgence.
It's the same story with Hillis. 250 pound players with speed and agility are rare. Keep giving him the ball, his one fumble per game is more than offset by the damage to opponents that he does on the ground on all the other plays in which he doesn't fumble.
It's the same story with Hillis. 250 pound players with speed and agility are rare. Keep giving him the ball, his one fumble per game is more than offset by the damage to opponents that he does on the ground on all the other plays in which he doesn't fumble.
Injuries trip up Browns vs Jets
Great game played by the Browns today against the Jets but injuries to Fujita, Cribbs and Brown in the end cost us the game. It's that time of the season where depth is going to begin to play a factor. The Browns have a bit less talent than most NFL teams but the coaching has been great of late, and the team was coming together. That all starts to come apart when the inevitable injuries start to pile up. Here is hoping that Cribbs in particular won't be out long.
BL Predicts: Week Nine vs the Jets
This blog has missed the last two upset wins, predicting the Browns to lose against the favored Saints and Patriots. This week the Browns are still underdogs but they are playing at home and they are on a hot streak. The wins against the Saints and Pats both had large elements of surprise, as the Browns coaches used winning and often surprise tactics to take it to their favored opponents. My gut says that this week it's back to reality. There won't be surprises and perhaps young Colt might finally start to make some rookie mistakes. Other factors are that the emotional state of the team might be a bit down after the scary lockerroom collapse of Marcus Benard, and he likely won't play which will hurt the Browns ability to put heat on Mark Sanchez. It will probably be close but look for the Browns luck to run out this week.
BL Predicts
Browns 15
Jets 27
The Brown Log is 3-5 year to date on predictions.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Fantastic win!
Colt McCoy is 2-1 as a starter, and more importantly he has demonstrated leadership and good sense.
Coach Mangini is maturing as a coach and the team is coming together. Two wins in a row against leading teams.
Great day for the Browns.
Coach Mangini is maturing as a coach and the team is coming together. Two wins in a row against leading teams.
Great day for the Browns.
BL live blog: Browns wideouts contributing today
It looks like McCoy and Massaquoi in particular really put a lot of work in during the bye-week.
BL Live blog: End of Q1
Browns play their 5th straight brilliant quarter of football. 10-0 Cleveland.
BL live blog: Hillis fumbles
You have to take the good with the bad. Hillis is an imposing back who can wear out a D. But he also fumbles too much. Hopefully this fumble doesn't drain the early emotional advantage the Browns had gained.
BL live blog : Browns get the ball back
If the Browns can score again it starts to look like a blowout.
Let's see if Colt and Hillis can keep it up.
Let's see if Colt and Hillis can keep it up.
BL Predicts: Week Eight vs the Patriots
It is difficult to imagine the Browns coming up with a gameplan that will allow the team to overcome the talent gap they have vs the Patriots.
Putting pressure on Tom Brady is the key but that won't be easy. The Browns have also had an extra week to prepare, and that may give young Colt McCoy the edge he needs to put the ball in the endzone a few times.
Hard to imagine a W no matter in spite of the afterglow of the Saints win and a long bye week.
BL Predicts
Patroits 35
Browns 17
The Brown Log's record year to date is 3-4
Putting pressure on Tom Brady is the key but that won't be easy. The Browns have also had an extra week to prepare, and that may give young Colt McCoy the edge he needs to put the ball in the endzone a few times.
Hard to imagine a W no matter in spite of the afterglow of the Saints win and a long bye week.
BL Predicts
Patroits 35
Browns 17
The Brown Log's record year to date is 3-4
Monday, November 1, 2010
Randy Moss to Cleveland?
Fat chance. The Browns have shown that they intend to build a team
around character even if it means diluting the talent pool. The Brown
Log has often disagreed with this Ted Stepien-like strategy of
character over playing ability, because it's damn near impossible to
find 53 choir boys even in relatively puritan professions, let alone
pro-football. For example, trading Kellen Winslow as part of the
Browns "character cleansing" program was clearly an error. All of
that said, Moss is clearly a very troubled young man, whose personal
problems could easily create a cancer inside what appears to be a
rapidly improving Browns team.
around character even if it means diluting the talent pool. The Brown
Log has often disagreed with this Ted Stepien-like strategy of
character over playing ability, because it's damn near impossible to
find 53 choir boys even in relatively puritan professions, let alone
pro-football. For example, trading Kellen Winslow as part of the
Browns "character cleansing" program was clearly an error. All of
that said, Moss is clearly a very troubled young man, whose personal
problems could easily create a cancer inside what appears to be a
rapidly improving Browns team.
So, there is no way Cleveland will sign Randy Moss, and that is
exactly the right strategy.
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