Week 9: Cleveland Browns (3-4) @Houston Texans (5-3)

• Commander of Awesome

  

  like_that;961700 wrote:RBs are dime a dozen in the NFL. Drafting an RB with a first rd is a waste imo. RBs only go as far as their line takes them. We could have AP on our team, and he wouldn't be doing too well with the way this line is playing.

  Yup, don't want to waste a pick on a RB. As for Julio Jones, he has a problem staying healthy, did in college and has already missed games this season, has a pro bowl QB, one of the best lines, a pro bowl WR on the opposite side of him, and a running game. We have nothing of that. Guy wouldnt be doing shit here.
• like_that

  

  SportsAndLady;961707 wrote:It's about time we start lookin at offense...I said it was a mistake not to take Julio Jones in the draft at #6. I realize we had a lot of holes on the defense, but yeah lets just completely overlook all the glaring holes at offense!
  
  And now we're paying for it; because our offense fucking sucks.
  
  Hell, I'd take 3 straight offensive playmakers with our first picks in the 2012 draft.

  The Browns had way too many needs to pass up on taking all those picks from the Falcons. As COA stated, I doubt Julio does shit with the Browns, as the line doesn't even give McCoy or the WRs time to get open downfield. The Browns are def going to need to address the offense though. I wouldn't mind focusing on offense this draft, however if Vontaze is available, you draft him. He seems like the next big thing at LBer.
• killer_ewok

  

  I watched some of this game yesterday. The Browns looked awful. Again.
  
  There was some optimism about this team in the offseason. McCoy is not living up to expectations in this offense and all of the Juggernaut (Hillis) hype/enthusiasm appears to be over almost faster than it began.
  
  Where does Cleveland go from here? They're not going to land Luck. Veteran QB via FA or another young QB in the draft?
• Al Bundy

  killer_ewok;961847 wrote:I watched some of this game yesterday. The Browns looked awful. Again.
  
  There was some optimism about this team in the offseason. McCoy is not living up to expectations in this offense and all of the Juggernaut (Hillis) hype/enthusiasm appears to be over almost faster than it began.
  
  Where does Cleveland go from here? They're not going to land Luck. Veteran QB via FA or another young QB in the draft?

  I am disappointed in the QB, but there are much bigger needs to address than QB.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  the entire offensive system is the issue IMO. Shurmur's playcalling/system is absolutely terrible.
• georgemc80

  Having watched the Browns live yesterday, I have only one question. Why don't they get the ball in Josh Cribbs' hands more? He look to me as the most explosive player on the field regardless of uniform. Now I only watched one game, but he was by far the scariest Brown on the field.
  
  
  People around me were shocked at the way the Browns travelled. I understand the passion, having grown up in the Mahoning Valley. Fans represented Cleveland well yesterday during tailgating and the game.
  
  The Texans are a dangerous team at this moment. The defense is playing lights out since the Baltimore game. Arian Foster is proving he is not a one hit wonder. Ben Tate is an amazing complement to Foster. Schaub finds his TEs and RBs out of the backfield. I am hoping the offense explodes when Andre Johnson comes back.
• Writerbuckeye

  

  Commander of Awesome;961918 wrote:the entire offensive system is the issue IMO. Shurmur's playcalling/system is absolutely terrible.

  This. It's not all McCoy, although he's getting the blame (which is ridiculous). This is the worst OL I've seen for the Browns in 20 years or more. They're pathetic. I was counting on each snap during the first quarter of the game and I never got to 3 before a body was already in the backfield or hitting McCoy. And some of those play calls were 5 step drops, so you can imagine what happened there.
  
  Shurmur doesn't help by being the most predictable play caller since OSU's Bollman. He runs on first down about 95 percent of the time. Then the Browns are typically in second and long, and about half the time, he still runs again. The Browns are almost always looking at a passing down on 3rd down, and defenses adjust and stop them. There's no imagination, no misdirection, nothing that shows any kind of ingenuity at all.
  
  Combine that with the overall lack of talent, starting on the line, and you get an offense that can't score, and one that defenses tee up on play after play.
  
  With this next draft, I'd take a stud CB first and Richardson or a stud WR with the Atlanta pick. Then I'd get my middle LB, and for the 3rd pick on I'd be finding offensive linemen, and either a running back or another wideout, depending on what I selected in the first round.
  
  In free agency, I'd be focusing on fixing the line, too. If I had to overpay to get a RT and a RG, I'd do it.
  
  After that, I'd take a look at what I had left on the roster and try to sign people accordingly for depth.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  The lack of hot reads, McCoy isn't seeing the Blitz or the Blitz isn't being picked up, Guards being abused, RBs being terrible etc...
  
  The Browns were down 14 before McCoy even threw a pass, and the playcalling didn't help much after he did. I dont know why we can't running the ball, didnt use no huddle, or put McCoy in the shotgun where he is more comfortable. Hell its not like they resepcted the run game anyways. That's on the coach IMO not McCoy.
• Crimson streak

  

  I'm not completely giving up on McCoy. The only way I give up on him Is of we can get Barkley or luck. If those 2 guys aren't there when the browns pick I look at Blackman or the lb from asu
• Mulva

  

  BR1986FB;961679 wrote:You sure about that? Hardesty has proven he can't stay healthy (so has Hillis, this year) and I doubt the front office brings back Hillis with how much of a mopey/whiny "me first" type of flake he's turned out to be.

  Yeah, sadly they've managed to take the Madden cover boy and a 2nd-year 2nd-round pick and turn it into another position of need.
  
  8 positions might have been hyperbole, but I would say 2 linemen, a rush end, a playmaking linebacker and cornerback are all bigger holes. And if Hillis does get brought back then the number might legitimately be 8. I'm not ready to ship him off just yet, after seeing how the whole Cribbs situation played out. To my knowledge Hillis hasn't cleaned out his locker and said his goodbyes yet.
  
  Another running back I like a lot is Chris Polk out of Washington. If we go a different direction early and he's still there in the 3rd I'd jump all over that.
• HitsRus

  

  Shurmur doesn't help by being the most predictable play caller since OSU's Bollman. He runs on first down about 95 percent of the time. Then the Browns are typically in second and long, and about half the time, he still runs again. The Browns are almost always looking at a passing down on 3rd down, and defenses adjust and stop them. There's no imagination, no misdirection, nothing that shows any kind of ingenuity at all.

  ...longing for the days of Eric Mangini.
• BR1986FB

  The good news is, the Browns defense ranks #1 against the pass and #6 overall. The bad news is, who the Hell needs to throw when you can run for 250+ yards on this D? Most misleading scat EVER! SMH....
  
  http://blogs.cantonrep.com/freshbrownies/piling-on-belichick-shurmur-hh-wont-have-hh-this-week-either/
• ricola

  

  BR1986FB;961679 wrote:You sure about that? Hardesty has proven he can't stay healthy (so has Hillis, this year) and I doubt the front office brings back Hillis with how much of a mopey/whiny "me first" type of flake he's turned out to be.

  Hillis really screwed himself out of millions. Had he come out and played the year with a clear head, and "just played" instead of worrying about what kind of contact he was getting, he would have been re-signed, even with some of the injuries. Now, no way the Browns bring him back, and nobody else picks him up for any kind of money at all. He became a head case overnight
• Y-Town Steelhound

  

  Don't forget the Browns will still presumably have Brandon Jackson next year. I know he'll be coming off injury and isn't a franchise back, but he's very solid and certainly adds at least some better depth to the rotation.
• BR1986FB

  ricola;962946 wrote:Hillis really screwed himself out of millions. Had he come out and played the year with a clear head, and "just played" instead of worrying about what kind of contact he was getting, he would have been re-signed, even with some of the injuries. Now, no way the Browns bring him back, and nobody else picks him up for any kind of money at all. He became a head case overnight

  Part of that is his agents/family members getting into his head and the other part is winning that Madden thing. Probably the worst representative for a Madden cover ever....maybe Vince Young.