BL Live Blog: 4th quarter = character

Will the Browns show character and hold their lead or will they fold
again in week 2?

The entire season may ride on the answer to that question. 87% of
teams that start the season 0-2 do not make the playoffs.

BL Live Blog: Second half blues?

The Browns played an awful second half last week, as the Bucs adjusted
at halftime. Will this week be a repeat?
On D, the opening drive, KC marched right down field. However one
thing I like about Ryan's D, is that in key moments, the defensive
players make good reads. On the 3rd and goal, the Browns D had 11
players running to the ball. It's clear that as the season
progresses this group will get better.

BL Live Blog: Great heads up play by NT Rubin

Nice tip by Roth leading to the intercept

BL Live Blog: Touchdown!

Two important things to note on the TD

- Unlike Delhomme last week, Seneca Wallace did not let the
interception drain his confidence.

- Eric Berry bit hard on the play action, leaving Cribbs in single
coverage.

BL Live Blog: First bad decision by Wallace

Seneca Wallace makes his first bad decision this game and like
Delhomme's bad decision last week, the Browns pay dearly.

BL Live Blog: Browns 98 yard TD drive

The run game comes alive and Seneca Wallace shows judgement all drive
long.

Well done!

BL Live Blog: TJ Ward

If you want to have some fun watching the Browns, something that is
not easy to do so far today, focus on number 43, TJ Ward, on defense

This guy clearly understands the game, makes fast reads and moves to
the ball without hestitation. It is also clear he is having fun out
there

BL Live Blog: Why do the Browns keep throwing deep?

The Browns keep throwing deep because the Chiefs are daring them to.
Single coverage.

So far, the Chiefs look smart

BL Live Blog: Ughh...

It's ugly so far, the Browns can't run or pass.
Chiefs are ignoring our outside receivers

BL predicts: Week Two vs Kansas City

The home team wins 57% of all games in the NFL and last week the Brown Log wrestled with whether or not to pick the Browns to win on the road. In the end, optimism won me over and I made a bad choice. Cold water in the face!

This week we are faced with a similar dilemma. With the luster of a wonderful but meaningless preseason having worn off in 30 ugly minutes of football in Tampa Bay, the Brown Log pendulum has swung from glorious optimism to total pessimism.

What was most scary in the Browns first game were the following:

-The deer in the headlights look on Jake Delhomme's face after his first interception. Delhomme looked like every ounze of self confidence just flushed out of his face.

-The inability of the Brown's outside receivers to do much of anything. As Rich Gannon pointed out on the broadcast Sunday, even the long TD pass to Mohamed Massaquoi was effectively a blown play by Tampa's Free Safety, who had read the play perfectly and took a bad angle to the ball. I really doubt with Eric Berry roaming the secondary for KC that the Browns will be able to bust anything deep on the Chiefs.

-Peyton Hillis has a very serious case of fumble-itis, and if he cannot hold onto the ball, he really has no value to the Browns (although I bet he is a fine human being)

-The Browns did well in the first half but they kept Tampa off balance mainly by confusing the Bucs with tricks. We threw a bunch of knuckleballs at Tampa. 2 man or 1 man defensive lines and zone blitzes from every angle, Wildcat offense a few times, Seneca Wallace and Josh Cribbs on the field at the same time for a play or two. But in the second half Tampa adjusted and the Browns were unable to do anything. By the end of the game the Browns D was back to a standard 3 man line most of the time and the Wildcat disppeared as Mangini hoped to drain the clock and hold onto his 4 point lead.

With Delhomme out this week, Seneca Wallace might give the Browns a charge, but do look for KC to really stack the line of scrimmage up with 8 men in the box. It could be a long day for our Brownies.

The only factors that cause me to think twice are the fact that KC played on Monday Night last week and so they have a day less rest than the Browns plus we are playing at home after all......

I hope I am wrong this week but I think it will be a very long day for Cleveland

BL Predicts

KC 24
Cleveland 12

Spalding!

During preseason, Josh Cribbs said he was eager to "shock the world" with the Cleveland Browns exciting new offense. In the words of Judge Smails, "Wellll. We're waiting". How did the Browns "O" look today. "Right in the lumberyard Danny".

One game into the season and the Browns are in crisis

Bottom line is that we would have won the game if Jake Delhomme doesn't make one incredibly stupid pass at the end of the first half. Delhomme didn't play like a veteran when the pressure was on.

That said, other hall of shame moments include

- Mangini's bad decision not to call time late in the 4th quarter on 4th and 3, which led to confusion and a penalty.
- Peyton Hillis fumbling in the red zone
- Mangini leaving an obviously injured Delhomme in the game in the 2nd half
- The right side of the Browns line couldn't handle Gerald McCoy

No reason to be 0-1, but 0-1 we are.......................

BL live blog: Peyton Hillis fumbles........

if the Browns lose this game it will because we gave it away on
turnovers...

there is a reason perhaps why Denver gave up on Peyton Hillis. 2
fumbles so far