Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns: Week 1

• Commander of Awesome

  

  Sorry Cincy fans, the Browns should have the GOAT back from the season opener.
  
  Browns coach Pat Shurmur: LB Chris Gocong, TE Benjamin Watson will return to practice today
  
  by Nate Ulrich on September 7, 2011
  
  in Cleveland Browns,NFL,Pat Shurmur
  
  Browns coach Pat Shurmur met with reporters this morning before practice. Here are some highlights from his chat with reporters:
  
  Weakside linebacker Chris Gocong (pinched nerve in neck) and tight end Benjamin Watson (hip) will return to practice today, Shurmur said. Gocong has been sidelined since Aug. 8, and Watson has been out since Aug. 28. Watson was expected to come back today, but Gocong's return was uncertain.
  
  Will Gocong be able to play Sunday in the Browns' regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals? "Yeah, he's practicing today, and that's the first step," Shurmur said. "So we'll see how he responds to today's practice, as we go through tomorrow and then Friday."
  
  
  Offensive lineman Tony Pashos is still wearing a walking boot, Shurmur said. Pashos, the projected starter at right tackle, surfaced at practice Monday with the boot on his left leg.
  
  Shurmur said Pashos has a sore foot. "They're trying to ge that foot to settle down a little bit," Shurmur said. "We'll kind of diagnose where he's at probably tomorrow and see where we'll go." Oniel Cousins as listed as Pashos' backup on the team's depth chart.
  
  Rookie Jason Pinkston is still working with the first-team offense at left guard, but Artis Hicks and John Greco also are in the mix, Shurmur said. No one has officially been named the starter in the spot vacated by Eric Steinbach, who's out for the season after undergoing back surgery. "We haven't finished deciding," Shurmur said. … "We've got a little bit of a rotation (at left guard)."
• Commander of Awesome

  

  Offensive lineman Tony Pashos is still wearing a walking boot, Shurmur said. Pashos, the projected starter at right tackle, surfaced at practice Monday with the boot on his left leg.
  
  This isn't good and the general rule of thumb is if you don't practice on Wednesday, then you don't play on Sunday.
• BR1986FB

  Shocker! Pashos potentially missing a game. Heckert should've pulled the trigger on a legit, young RT awhile ago.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  BR1986FB;886322 wrote:Shocker! Pashos potentially missing a game. Heckert should've pulled the trigger on a legit, young RT awhile ago.

  I know, we've been saying that since the end of last season. SMH.
• Writerbuckeye

  

  BR1986FB;886322 wrote:Shocker! Pashos potentially missing a game. Heckert should've pulled the trigger on a legit, young RT awhile ago.

  This.
  
  I just vented on the OBR when I heard about Pashos. This front office has dicked around and not fixed this glaring problem for two years now. All they've done is come up with one patchwork solution after another.
  
  If McCoy ends up getting hurt because the right side doesn't do its job, every Browns fan should write the front office and hold them accountable. There is no excuse for being in this situation after two years and two drafts and free agency periods. I don't give a rat's ass what your rebuilding plan focuses on.
• Terry_Tate

  

  Bengals fan checking in. This may sound ridiculous but I actually think the Bengals could win this game. Not saying they will or I expect them to, but if the running game is going and the defense plays well they'll be in it late. Dalton doesn't need to win it for them, he just can't lose it. I like Greg Little, but the Browns WRs are nothing special and the Bengals have shown they have a tough run D this preseason against teams first strings, so I could see the Browns being held to 14-17 points. It will just depend on if the Bengals can move the chains consistently. Even though the Bengals may be lucky to have 4 wins this year I'm still looking forward to seeing this very young team grow during the year.
• like_that

  

  Terry_Tate;886590 wrote:Bengals fan checking in. This may sound ridiculous but I actually think the Bengals could win this game. Not saying they will or I expect them to, but if the running game is going and the defense plays well they'll be in it late. Dalton doesn't need to win it for them, he just can't lose it. I like Greg Little, but the Browns WRs are nothing special and the Bengals have shown they have a tough run D this preseason against teams first strings, so I could see the Browns being held to 14-17 points. It will just depend on if the Bengals can move the chains consistently. Even though the Bengals may be lucky to have 4 wins this year I'm still looking forward to seeing this very young team grow during the year.

  Doesn't sound ridiculous at all. It could definitely happen.
• Terry_Tate

  

  I'll go ahead and throw out a prediction as well: Browns 16, Bengals 13
  
  Both teams struggle to find the endzone.
• BR1986FB

  Writerbuckeye;886567 wrote:This.
  
  I just vented on the OBR when I heard about Pashos. This front office has dicked around and not fixed this glaring problem for two years now. All they've done is come up with one patchwork solution after another.
  
  If McCoy ends up getting hurt because the right side doesn't do its job, every Browns fan should write the front office and hold them accountable. There is no excuse for being in this situation after two years and two drafts and free agency periods. I don't give a rat's ass what your rebuilding plan focuses on.

  The thought of Oniel Cousins or Greco trying to block Dunlap on that side doesn't give me the warm fuzzies.
• swamisez

  

  Carlos Dunlap had a great second half of the year. I am interested to see if he can produce when teams game plan for him.
• Footwedge

  like_that;885660 wrote:SMH, might as well prepare for a 3-8 start for the Browns now. You are the same poster who made a thread bragging about the Cavs preseason record smh, and also said they would be in the playoffs smh.

  LOL...You sure do shake your head a lot. And actually, the Browns should be 9-2 after 11 games....now that Peyton is on the pine.
• like_that

  

  Footwedge;886855 wrote:LOL...You sure do shake your head a lot. And actually, the Browns should be 9-2 after 11 games....now that Peyton is on the pine.

  Yes your delusional predictions deserve that many head shakes.
• BR1986FB

  Footwedge;886855 wrote:LOL...You sure do shake your head a lot. And actually, the Browns should be 9-2 after 11 games....now that Peyton is on the pine.

  I already called the Browns knocking off Indy, with or without Manning. 9-2 is probably a bit overambitious though.
• like_that

  

  3.2 days, 76.81 hrs, and 4608 minutes until kickoff on Sunday.
• stroups

  

  swamisez;886829 wrote:Carlos Dunlap had a great second half of the year. I am interested to see if he can produce when teams game plan for him.

  
  Dunlap will be productive if he can stay healthy but I am interested in seeing Michael johnson this year. That guy has had a pretty good preseason
• Writerbuckeye

  

  Footie, if the Browns go 9-2 to start the season, I'll buy you a six pack of your favorite adult beverage. Hell, I'll buy myself several six packs, too, because I'll want to celebrate the hell out of that. :laugh:
• Azubuike24

  

  I actually like the Bengals as well. Maybe not to win, but some of the predictions are a bit overwhelming. Not sure why people believe the Browns offense will blast the Bengals' D, which is still a top half unit in the NFL. I also think if the Bengals revert to the running game, like 70% of the time, they can control the clock. Their pass blocking sucks and that hurts Dalton (and their entire corps of WR's and TE's), but they have some absolute mashers on the line. Even without Bobbie Williams, they have guys who can run block.
• BR1986FB

  Madden sim...
  
  http://espn.go.com/espn/thelife/videogames/easims12/_/gameId/6906061/madden-12-ea-simulations
• Commander of Awesome

  

  Wow I found myself wishing there were more stats from the sim game...
• BR1986FB

  I personally think this is a "must win" game for the Browns.
• like_that

  

  BR1986FB;887929 wrote:I personally think this is a "must win" game for the Browns.

  
  Me too. It will set the tone for the season. Just like last season those first two games were huge. If they start 2-0 that whole season is a different story.
• BR1986FB

  like_that;887932 wrote:It will set the tone for the season..

  Precisely. Losing the first game won't make or break their season but the national perception is that one team (Browns) is headed in the right direction while the other (Bengals) is not. A loss in this first game would be like taking a needle to a balloon.
• gerb131

  

  I think the Bengals are going to be a bit better than people are giving them credit for. I think they give Cleve all they want but come up short like 27-23. Dalton will get better and it will be a different story later in the year.
• lhslep134

  

  Got my McCoy jersey in the mail today, psyched to wear it this weekend.
• like_that

  

  Just got in Cleveland. Can't wait for the game tomorrow. Any bar suggestions for tonight?