The San-chize makes history, Jets shoot to 3-0

[Gamebook]

[NY Times 5th Down] [NY Daily News] [NY Post]

This game was interesting from the start of Sunday morning. The temperature was 66 degrees and it was rainy at the Meadowlands. A stark contrast from the conditions Mark Sanchez played college ball in at USC.

Sanchez once again answered the bell. He went 17 for 30 for 171 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. He hit Ben Hartsock (OSU graduate) for a touchdown off a beautiful play fake. He hit Jericho Cotchery 8 times for over 100 yards and another touchdown.

Basically what I got to see as CBS switched over to this game to show us the end, was the Jets defense pounding Kerry Collins and blitzing the Quarterback on any down in any situation. Rex Ryan is a lot like his daddy. They're for real. They're going to hang around all year. And they're going to do it in an entertaining fashion.

I'm excited to go to the sports bar this weekend and watch them take on New Orleans for what should be one of the better games of the weekend.

Does Sanchez remind anyone a little of Derek Jeter?

Giants shut out Bucs 27-0

[Game book]

Another week, another impressive victory for the New York Giants. Eli Manning went 14/24 for 161 yards and two touchdowns, to go along with no interceptions to highlight the Giants offensively. Manning was aided by his running game; Ahman Bradshaw went for 104 yards on 14 carries and Brandon Jacobs went for 97 yards and a touchdown.

Manning finished over 100 in rating for the second straight week. He's now the third rated passer in the NFL. The Giants might be getting great value on Manning's contract, as was recently discussed in a NY Magazine Article.

Steve Smith caught 7 balls, one that went for a touchdown. Mario Manningham added four catches. Sinorice Moss caught one ball for an 18 yard score.

Kerry Rhodes is my homeboy

I was checking my Twitter page today and what do you know, Kerry Rhodes RT'd me. It's official, the Jets are my new team.

This was in response to me saying: Your gonna pick off 2 Drew Brees passes come Sunday in N'awlins man.

All the times I sent Josh Cribbs a tweet, I never heard back shit. He didn't appreciate my encouragement. Things are looking up already for this former Browns fan.

Turning my back on my team for the last time

I'm done with them. Forever, and for good. I'm truly done being a Cleveland Browns fan. I'm not going to miss it.

Brady Quinn has lost his starting job. I don't need to speak on what kind of train wreck the organization is. I want Sundays to be fun again. The Browns don't deserve my devotion. So I'm going to pick a new team. I'm narrowing the field of fun teams to watch. When the Browns went away in 1996, I pulled for the Packers. Now I'm going to head to the sports bar every Sunday and pull for either the New York Jets, the New York Giants, the Atlanta Falcons, or Green Bay Packers. Organizations that do things the right way.

I like the Jets a lot. I like Mark Sanchez. I like Coach Rex Ryan. Although I've liked the Giants for a long time (since 2004 when I started dating a New Jersey girl), that would be kind of copy catting. I need my own new original team. So by this weekend, I'm going to select a brand new team. And I'm thinking it's going to be the New York Jets.

The Browns are something I'm going to leave in my rear view. And I don't care how fucked up that really is. I know a lot of lifelong Browns fans who feel the same way. Maybe someday, I'll come back. I reserve that right. But I'll never root for Eric Mangini. That franchise is snakebitten, and they won't be missed.

It's Sunday

Sick as a dog, but one thing can make me feel better. An NFL Sunday. The Browns head to Baltimore. The Giants are in Tampa Bay. Falcons vs. Patriots will be a good game.

Enjoy.

Five Pick Friday: The Flu Bug Hits

So I'm a day late with Five Pick Friday. I woke up Friday morning feeling as sick as I ever have before. This morning it was even worse. I'm pressing on, and I'm gonna get my five picks down before I lay down on my death bed.

The game everyone will have an eye on will be the FOX National game of the week: the Falcons travel to Foxboro to take on Tom Brady and the Patriots. Bill Belichick got shown up by a young QB last week, and I don't like the odds of it happening again. The Patriots will win this game.

The Jets welcome the Tennessee Titans to town. I think Tennessee finds a way to beat Rex Ryan's team. I don't think Jeff Fisher will be out-gunned by Ryan. The Titans win by a touchdown at the Meadowlands.

Another showdown with Pittsburgh and the Bengals that people seem to have an interest in as a big game. Folks, do you realize that Ben Roethlisberger has lost only 1 start in his life in the state of Ohio; dating back to his High School days? The Steelers will win this game.

The Indianapolis Colts go to Arizona. I like the Colts to win. And if I don't finish this post I'm not going to get it finished because I am literally struggling that badly.

Upset Pick: For this week's upset pick, I like the Buffalo Bills to knock off the New Orleans Saints. This is a winnable game at home for the Bills who should be 2-0 and the New Orleans defense looks like it can be had on the right day.

Last Week: 3-2 (Nailed the upset pick)

Overall: 7-3 (.700)

The 5 year anniversary links

I've been with my girlfriend for five years today. Hard to believe. She's grown from a young lady who used to give me a hard time about drinking too much and spending too much time on projects like this very blog to my best friend and someone who I'm sure will always be a fixture in my life. Just thought that after five long and wonderful years with someone; it was worth a mention even if this is a football blog.

Here's some links:

-A recap by Peter Kings of last night's exciting Monday Night Football game between the Dolphins and the Colts. [SI]

-Matthew Stafford is struggling early for Detroit. [ESPN NFL Nation]

-The Jets just seem to have Tom Brady's number. [Pro-Football Reference Blog]

-Wade Phillips & Jerry Jones after the Giants loss this past Sunday evening. [Kissing Suzy Kolber]

-Analysis on everything that is wrong with the Browns offense. [Cleveland Plain Dealer]

-Brady Quinn, still the starter for now. [PFT]

-The ever important power rankings. [ESPN NFL Nation]

-Hopefully, Brady Quinn can take advantage of a banged up Baltimore secondary (but he probably won't). [Cleveland Plain Dealer]

-Mike Lombardi's full weekend round-up. [National Football Post]

-Patrick Willis is the face of the 49ers franchise. [Pro Football Weekly]

-Kind of a sad day for me, Plaxico Burress is going away for a few years. [NY Times 5th Down]

-Ted Ginn Jr. had 11 catches last night, but the ball he didn't catch would have won the game for the Dolphins. [NFL Fanhouse]

-More fodder from the Giants 33-31 win over Dallas on Sunday Night. [The Blue Screen/NYDN]

-Finally, Larry Fitzgerald's brother got in some hot water over Twitter. [Deadspin]

Charting Brady Quinn

The Cleveland Plain Dealer has a really neat feature on QB Brady Quinn (which might be looking into things a bit much) but they actually chart every throw he has made. I'd recommend anyone who is interested in taking a deeper look at the quarterback's play to take a look at this each week. We'll re-post it here and go over it a little bit.

Charting Brady Quinn: A look inside. [Plain Dealer]

In New York another star is born

[Game Book]

I went to the sports bar before noon yesterday for the soul purpose of seeing this game. Okay, my roommate is from New York City so he had some rooting interest too. I have to say, I'd be riding an all-time high streak on ESPN's 'Beat the Streak' game right now if I hadn't picked against Rex Ryan and the rookie they're calling "Sanchise".

I thought that Bill Belichick would be way too much for Mark Sanchez and that Rex Ryan's strategy made him appear way in over his head. And once again the NFL showed me how little I know about it on some Sundays even after watching it for about 21 years religiously.

First off, let me say that it's not all Sanchez. New York is obviously buying into the system that Ryan has brought over. The son of a bitch will blitz you on any down, any distance, any situation. He has a lot of talent on that roster to begin with. I like every part of the roster except the receivers, and they're highly underrated. This is in stark comparison to the Cleveland Browns; who are obviously not buying into Eric Mangini's sell. Sanchez is a perfect fit in New York, and the guy does some good things between those white lines from what I've seen.

He has good mobility, his arm is the type that could allow him to play for 15 years in this game, and he makes good decisions. He made two throws in the third quarter of that game that were as good as you can make. For a rookie against the Patriots defense, that is quite a bit to ask. The talk is about his poise, and I saw it on Sunday. I thought through the first half that the Jets were too conservative and that since the Patriots hadn't done much on offense; the Jets had wasted an opportunity to grab momentum at home by not letting Sanchez throw more. It appeared to me that this actually worked to the Jets' and Sanchez's advantage in the second half as he came out gunning a little bit and it caught them off guard. When he fired the game's only touchdown strike to Dustin Keller, I had a feeling that the game was not going to go the Patriots way the rest of the day and it didn't.

In New England, they're shocked. Tom Brady got hit all day long and they're a miracle comeback away from being 0-2.

It's early in the season. Sanchez will have his tough days, they all do. But I like this Jets team to be a Super Bowl darkhorse if they stay healthy. There is reason to be excited if your a Jets fan and if you are a football fan who is watching for general interest, this team is a lot of fun. Bart Scott murders people, like him or not. Thomas Jones is a really good guy and a quality running back. Then you've got Sanchez and that big offensive line giving him time to make plays. It should be a fun team to watch all year long.

Giants spoil opener at New Cowboys Stadium

[Game Book]

The New York Giants once again delivered in a pressure situation and showed why they're quickly evolving as an elite team in the NFL. They spoiled the opening game at Jerry Jones' new palace in Dallas by winning on a last second kick 33-31.

This was a game in which the Giants got porous defense in their run stopping, allowing big yardage to Marion Barber and Felix Jones. They collapsed and allowed a late score with less then 4 minutes remaining to trail 31-30. But on this night Eli Manning was much better under center then Tony Romo, and that made the difference in the game.

Eli Manning was 25 for 38 for 330 yards and two touchdowns. He also led his 12th game winning drive in the the 4th quarter. He did it when the pressure was on. Mario Manningham made 10 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown. This guy looks to be evolving as a superstar and a surprise target that could make everyone forget about Plaxico Burress in time.

The Giants had to win last night with their passing game, and they were able to do so. Tony Romo gifted three interceptions to the Giants defense, one which resulted in a score. The Giants now sit at 2-0 while the rest of the division is at 1-1. New York's upcoming schedule would be condusive to another nice winning streak similar to how they began last year. The Giants will go to Tampa Bay and Kansas City, and then welcome Oakland to town before a showdown with the Saints in New Orleans. They look ready for these challenges.

Falcons, Ryan prevail over Panthers 28-20

[Game Book]

I paid a lot of attention to the Falcons this past sunday as they soared in their throwback uniforms past the Carolina Panthers to a 2-0 start.

Leaning heavily on tight end Tony Gonzalez and wide receiver Roddy White, Ryan went through a stretch where he completed 13 consecutive passes. He finished with 21 completions in 27 attempts for 220 yards and three touchdown with one interception. His quarterback rating of 122.2 was the fourth-best in 19 NFL starts.

“It was a good rhythm,” Ryan said. “I didn’t know it was 13 (straight). We did a good job of getting opening, running our routes at the right depth. Protection was very good. It was detailed.”

I'm not going to lie. I like a lot of things about this humble team. They take after their coach Mike Smith. Whom I knew so little about that I thought he was black until the middle of last season. As Peter King of SI points out, they're humble and effective at sneaking up on their opponent.

7. Atlanta (2-0). Talk about a team sneaking up on the league. The Falcons are the quietest 2-0 team in football, and maybe the quietest team period.

It wasn't all smiles for the Falcons in this one as they lost top pick DT Peria Jerry for the year. This is particularly interesting because the Falcons travel with a 2-0 record now to face what was considrered an offensive juggernaut in the New England Patriots. This is a game I'd absolutely love to have TiVo'd or be at the sports bar for.

I like Matt Ryan especially. I like Micheal Turner. I like Jonathan Babineaux and John Abraham. While this team may be short on flamboyance, they show up and play the game the right way. They're my darkhorse team right now to really make some noise in the NFC. We'll see how they fare in New England, as it could be a pretty good shoot out and give Ryan a heck of a test. I don't see Belicheck getting beaten two weeks in a row by a young QB, especially at home. It will be a tough draw for the Falcons.

Remembering when Sundays were fun as a Browns fan

It's funny because the last two weeks reminded me so much of 1999, 2000, and parts of 2001 in so many ways, but something is different. I draw a ton of perspective from Browns discussion forums like this one. I was a member of it back in 2000 and I stopped last season because I realized something about a large majority of our fans. They're part of the problem, a huge part. It's not all their fault. The Browns didn't win enough between 1999 and now to quench the fans thirst. Now they're pissed and they want blood and it's disgusting to sit back and watch even if I'm frustrated too.

Today's game was miserable. Absolutely excruciating to watch. It actually made me physically ill. I lost my appetite. My face became red and hot. My stress levels jumped and I couldn't breathe at points I was so mad. Then apathy took over. I realized I never really even expected us to win. I stopped being jealous of other real NFL teams. I just stopped caring and let it go. It's time to stop being life or death over this team. It's too evil to be that way, they are just too screwed up.

You know I remember well back in those first years when we got our team back, we were equally horrible as we are now. It was very similar. The one thing that made it fun week to week is that we were taking our lumps together. Tim Couch played identical games to the one that Brady Quinn played today (18/31, 161 yards, INT, sacked 4 times) but it was okay because things were just beginning. There was promise in the prospect so there was hope for the future. We knew one day that we'd get there so people looked for the silver lining in things, at least that was how it seemed to me. Fans were good to eachother. In 2002 we were rewarded with an up and down exciting season and Couch kept us in most games and with a little talent we got to the playoffs. 2001 and 2002 were a ton of fun. Even though 1999 and 2000 included only 5 wins, it was a lot of fun too.

But now you've got people coming down with a lot of venom about a Quarterback who just made his 5th start. Brady Quinn didn't play great today. As much as I love the guy, I won't sit here and say that he did. But he didn't allow almost 300 yards through the air to Kyle Orton. He didn't allow the huge plays from the Denver run game. I'm not going to make anymore excuses for him. The Browns are a bad team. There's few guys here that are part of the long-term solution. The coach and the GM are not part of the solution, they're part of the problem. The owner is probably part of the problem.

The fans are part of the problem. They'd run anyone out of town after 5 starts be it Manning, Montana, Elway, Unitas; it doesn't matter. No one would succeed in this current situation under this current regime. And the fans have allowed all the years of losing to skew their view on things. They're bitter, they're venomous, and they're part of the problem because now players press more, they don't play well because the homefield advantage is gone. Best fans in the NFL? Browns fans aren't even in the top 15 anymore. They're a joke just like their team. There's still some good ones, no doubt. But for the most part, the fans have had enough. One of my best friends who is a Browns fan won't answer his phone calls from me all weekend because he knows I want to talk Browns. That's how bad it's gotten. I honestly can say that next weekend I'm not centering my weekend around the Cleveland Browns. They aren't worth it. They're like a minor league team. Eric Mangini isn't fit to run a dairy queen and here he is shopping for the groceries and fining guys for water bottles. This man is a huge joke in what has been a lifetime of jokes since Bernie left town and the team was sold.

They don't deserve my allegiance anymore. I can't stand anything about them. Not the boring, predictable, vanilla offense they run. Not that every player we draft is a bust. Not the bad trades, the brutal coaches, the stupid looking brown colored pants. If you are a Browns fan, do yourself a favor. Find another NFL team or just be a general fan of the NFL. It's a lot more fun.

The best part about this franchise is now gone I realize. Go to that forum I linked above and read the threads. You can't find one discussion in there without snark, without sarcasm, without one fan flaming another or making personal attacks and all over what? A shitty football team? I swear it didn't used to be that way. I'd talk with other fans and they were happy just to have a team. They were happy to have a Quarterback; that even with one too many check-downs sometimes, especially early in his career; just a young QB that with a good team around him would have some promise possibly someday.

Not this bunch. Not now. Every loss, it's "Bench Quinn" or "Quinn Sucks". It's a broken record. It's compounded by the fact every time a player we pass up on in the draft (Mark Sanchez) booms and a player we take (today it was Mack, Quinn) bombs out. I've really had enough of it all. I don't wanna talk about the game much. We've got one fucking threat on offense (Braylon Edwards) and even he isn't anything great, pick whatever reason you want. Jamal Lewis is old and horrible most of the time. Josh Cribbs is not a receiver. We still don't have a defense, as evidenced today. You wanna blame the QB, Cleveland fans? Keep on doing it. It doesn't matter who is back there. Bring in the next guy, so you can run him out of town after five starts.

If you're a Browns fan and you're reading this; you're probably part of this huge joke fan base I speak of. Most Cleveland fans I know; if they're serious about the Browns; they're not good people. At least the ones that gravitate to The OBR. I've never seen so many Monday Morning fucking QB's. They're all a bunch of wishy-washy little bitch babies. You'd think the silver spoon was born into all their mouths. Our team sucks. Our drafts suck. Our coaches suck. And as of today our fans suck.

Next week, I'm not flying my Cleveland Browns flag. I'm not going to write a preview of our game. I'm not even going to talk about the Browns this week. I'm not getting up at 7 am on Sunday like it's Christmas morning. I'm not staying in the privacy of my house to watch the Browns so I can really focus on the game. I don't give a shit right now. I'm going to the BW3's down the street so I can watch the Falcons, the Jets, the Giants, and any other game that doesn't put me in physical pain.

And when the Browns come out and lay a fucking egg while laying -13 in points on the road to the Ravens, who were the real Browns; I'm not going to be physically ill about it like I was today. Nothing about this franchise is worth it. Best decision I ever made was not to renew season tickets. This Cleveland Browns organization is a Mickey Mouse operation and like I told a friend tonight, I'm going to die and it's still going to be this way.

It all makes me miss 1999-2003 (up until that last time we beat the Steelers on Sunday Night Football).

[Broncos 27, Browns 6]

Giants might become my new team

Giants/Cowboys on Sunday Night Football to open Dallas' new stadium. Read an excellent preview here.

-Follow the liveblog here.

Go Giants.

It's Sunday

Another Sunday. Hopefully this one ends with some memories that last a sports fan a lifetime. Browns in Denver where there's some history. May all the magic and all the force be on their side.

Week 2 Preview: Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos

Quite a history is going to be added to and a rivalry will be renewed when these two teams clash on Sunday in Denver. The most recent meeting between these two was another classic that ended in heartbreak for Cleveland fans. I was one of them in the crowd that night with my best friend and girlfriend.

There's a lot to look into when previewing this game. I'm quite nervous about it. Having to wait around all day for a 4:00 game played out west, well if your team shows up and lays an egg you have a wasted day of your life. I don't want this Sunday to be wasted on 3 hours.

Momentum

The Denver Broncos definitely enter with more momentum for this game, besides the fact that it is their home opener. As the Browns so often do, they'll play the role of the road underdog in what some are calling the 'Belichick Bowl'.

Denver comes off a game that was won in miracle fashion in Cincinnati in the final 30 seconds when Brandon Stokeley snatched a pass from the air and galloped into the end zone to show Bengal fans why they're in for a lifetime of heartbreak.

The Browns come off a game in which they basically got blown out and have a ton of questions coming from the media about their offense and playcalling philosphy. Their fans are in a rotten mood and all the losing is coming to a head once again without any optimism for tomorrow.

Denver will be able to play like a team with nothing to lose while the Browns will be most likely playing like a team that has everything to lose. When that happens, guys play a little tighter and when you play 'not to lose' football; you make mistakes and either get ran off the field or make a critical mistake to lose in heartbreaking fashion. Thus why the Browns will always be the Browns unless a miracle happens and the 'curse' goes away. Sunday will probably not be any different (sorry for the lack of optimism, it happens).

It's a game of playmakers in the NFL

The Browns will add Jerome Harrison to the mix on Sunday, but they're still out-gunned by the Denver Broncos. Even with Kyle Orton throwing the ball (and I've never thought he was anything special), the Broncos still have Eddie Royal, Brandon Marshall, and Knowshon Moreno are more attractive then Braylon Edwards, Mike Furrey, and Jamal Lewis.

On defense, the Broncos have D.J. Williams, Champ Bailey, and Brian Dawkins. The only Cleveland players on defense who are comparable in star status would be Shaun Rogers and D'Qwell Jackson. Another edge to the Broncos.

It's at Invesco Field at Mile High. And it is the Broncos

This is a place where historically the Browns don't play well. In fact, the Browns haven't played well against the Broncos in like, 20 years.

Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Browns are 0-4 against the Broncos, including a 34-30 loss at home last season and a 23-20 overtime loss in their last game at Denver on December 14, 2003. Denver leads the all-time regular season series 17-5.

And everyone knows our history against them in the postseason.

The last win for the Browns over the Broncos came on October 8, 1990. The Browns won that game 30-29 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Denver is currently on an eight-game winning streak over the Browns.

I'm pretty sure the Browns have beaten the Broncos one time in my lifetime (1982) in Denver. Enough of this, it's making me think defeat before kickoff even arrives.

Josh McDaniels will not end up a successful coach in the NFL

The guy is a walking disaster, so if he gets to somehow be 2-0 with this lackluster nightmare squad that he has created, so be it. Enjoy it while it lasts. By years end and in a few seasons, he won't be able to get a mop job around the NFL. Let's just hope Mussolini Mangini can best him on this one day.

Prediction:

I'm not feeling good about this game. Maybe I'll be wrong. I pray and hope.

Broncos 27

Browns 17

Now some good luck Motown for God's sakes:

You Knew the Stokeley miracle catch was gonna be Tecmo Bowl'd

Hat Tip: The Sporting Blog

Five Pick Friday: Cowboys set to open Cowboys Stadium

Hard to believe we're just 48 hours away from week two in the NFL. This is the weekend that Cowboys Stadium in Dallas will be opened. It will debut on Sunday Night football against the New York Giants.

Remember folks, I pick the big games here. The headline games are what I specialize in and I don't shy away from it. I've always gotten a kick out of FOX NFL Sunday's Jimmy Kimmel giving you three picks and it's always the three most obvious games to pick on the schedule. None of that here.

Let's get on with the picks.

I like the way the Atlanta Falcons look. They have the added advantage of playing two home games to open the season. They also have the added advantage of playing a team headed in the wrong direction fast, Carolina. They'll set things up for a nice showdown with the Patriots in week three by defeating the Carolina Panthers. I'm taking the Atlanta Falcons to beat the Panthers.

I kind of spoiled it, but another game everyone is talking about is the Patriots headed to New Jersey to the Land of the Sopranos to take on Mark Sanchez and the Jets. If the Jets pull this off, you might as well prepare for the Rex Ryan and Sanchez statue outside the Jets headquarters. But it won't happen. The Patriots have won 8 in a row at the Meadowlands over the Jets. They're going to make it nine, as the Patriots are my pick.

I never pick my team, the Cleveland Browns. It's a bad idea. They always break your heart. We've been over this before. I'm not going to pick them this week, and I'm going the other way emphatically. They travel to Denver where they haven't won in a very long time. They haven't beaten the Broncos in almost twenty years, spanning 8 games. The Denver Broncos make it a lousy Sunday for me by defeating the Browns. Shoot me.

The Ravents take on the Chargers in San Diego. Joe Flacco showed that he's ready to foot the bill on the offense for Baltimore a bit more this season but then again he wasn't facing the San Diego defense which is talented and fast. The Chargers will find a way once again, rebounding from a close call in Oakland.

Upset Special: I picked the Houston Texans to be a surprise team this year. They laid an egg in their home opener last week against the Jets. This week, they're going to shock some people by going on the road and beating the Titans in Tennessee. The Texans are my upset pick, 31-14 as they shut down the Titans running attack.


Last Week: 4-1
Overall: 4-1

Come Sunday, just fucking sling it kid

There is speculation running rampant about the Browns offense and Brady Quinn's lack of deep throws. Fans are grumbling already after Quinn's 4th start about the lack of deep throws that cut deep into the heart of the defense. It'd be nice to see, but it's understandable why these things aren't happening just yet. Patrick Mcmanamon talks about a possibility of why that could be:

Quinn is a guy who has been described to me as someone who will do his best to do what he’s coached to do. Coach advises him to change his grip, he’ll adjust and go with it. Coach advises him to throw nothing but outs, he’ll do the best he can at throwing outs. So if a coach advises him to throw underneath, take the checkdown and be safe, then he’ll do the best he can at that particular part of the offense.

This Sunday in Denver, I hope the Browns take the training wheels off for better or for worse. If they don't, I hope that Brady does some Kosar-esque audible and goes down shooting. If you're going down, go down firing every last bullet. Empty the gun. Challenge Denver's secondary (which features Champ Bailey & Brian Dawkins don't forget) and at least show the league some film that you'll try to burn them down the field a bit.

I believe in Brady Quinn's ability to fire some pellets when he has to. I've seen him play enough football dating back to high school and his days in South Bend that I know he has what it takes to fire the pigskin oval with authority when he chooses so. I agree with Mcmanamon's post that Quinn looked like he was being held back. He did not look like a Quarterback that was playing to win. He looked like a guy afraid to step out of an imposed shell last Sunday; and that was compounded by a Minnesota defense that will finish in the top 5 of the entire NFL.

I don't care if Brady Quinn fails and the Browns lose if they're making aggressive mistakes. Those things happen. But to lose because you didn't go gunslinging on occasion is a travesty. I realized that tonight as I watched NFL Network and a few legendary 4th quarters by Dan Marino and Brett Favre of all gunslingers to see. Quinn's got enough of an arm to make some challenging throws.

If the running game is stagnant at Invesco Field, see what you have in Brady's right arm. There are better defenses out there then Denver. If you have to throw it 45 or 50 times, do it. If he throws 2 or 3 interceptions because the gameplan and flow of the action took it there; so be it. At least you instill confidence in Quinn and give him the opportunity to be the player he can be.

I think back to a few times that the training wheels were taken off Tim Couch. Twice against the Tennesee Titans, once against the New York Jets, and once against the Steelers in 2000. All of those times because the Browns had no choice but to throw the ball a ton to keep up with the scoring, their QB responded and gave them a win. I know Quinn has what it takes to respond with similar performances.

So come Sunday at 4:00, I hope that we see Brady challenge down the field a bit. I don't care if there are mistakes so long as they are aggressive mistakes. Just sling it kid.

Madden 96 carnage

I miss this game more then I miss Frankenberry and Saturday morning cartoons in my underwear.

Hump day links

The whether is as cool as it has been in weeks, and we're halfway to the second weekend of football folks. It's really starting to feel like fall outside here in central Ohio. The leaves will be changing soon and you'll need some warm apple cider to warm you up. Here's a few noteworthy's around the Googlesphere that I found today:

-Breaking down Matt Ryan by the numbers. [ESPN NFL Nation]

-Are agents steering players away from Cleveland? [PFT]

-Andra Davis (former Brown) is looking forward to playing the Cleveland this Sunday when they travel to Denver. [ESPN NFL Nation]

-Braylon Edwards and Brady Quinn are working hard to get on the same page soon. [Plain Dealer]

-What QB's will be left standing at year's end? [National Football Post]

-"You are never going to hear me say I played well, especially when we lost." Read the rest of Brady Quinn's Wednesday press conference. [Plain Dealer]

-Full rundown and recap of the Browns first game. [Swerbs Blurbs]

-Mangini's press conference from today. [OBR Blog]

Vikings-Browns Highlights week 1

The Fix is in on the Raiders

So I'm watching MNF and the Raiders just got what should have been a 19-yard touchdown pass from Jamarcus Russell to a young receiver named Murphy. Ball was clearly hauled in for a touchdown. Up for official review, and the fix was in. I just knew it. The Raiders get no calls in this league. Even on a night when they're playing well and playing inspired football, they catch no breaks. This is why until Al Davis dies or sells the Raiders, they'll never be good again. The NFL is out to get Al Davis.

I knew before the call came in that the officials would screw the Raiders. It was such a terrible call, I had to let out a yell when the call came in. It was predictable. Rant over. The NFL screws the Raiders year in and year out. The officials should be ashamed of themselves. Shame on them.

Chris Collinsworth, the ladies man

Tell me this isn't priceless. Nothing says the 80's like Chris Collinsworth's buttered weave and him talking about 14-18 year old girls digging him.

Hat tip: to the mecca of course

We owe these guys one

Less than a week from today, we travel to Denver to face the Broncos. You know what comes with that. They'll be the standard John Elway talk. The reminders of The Drive, The Fumble, the close shaves with Super Bowl berths that they cost us. Also it'll be one of those uncomfortable 4:00 starts that takes all day to arrive and if you lose you feel like you ate up your entire day, and for what? For disappointment.

The Browns need this win. They need to somehow respond to the laying of an egg that they had in their home opener. Even dating back to last season, you've got a case of the Browns snatching defeat from the jaws of victory against those fucking Broncos. It seems like it's a plague.

These two squads aren't going to achieve anything noteworthy this season. A lot of people outside of Cleveland won't care about this game one bit because popular thought would leave most believing that this is a battle for a top 5 draft pick. If this were still the 1980's these would be the two teams everyone would avoid on Tecmo Bowl. A Browns fan doesn't care about any of that.


Browns fans around my age and older remember the pain and the heartbreak that this franchise has caused us. It almost feels like the pendelum must swing sometime soon in our direction doesn't it? In terms of this rivalry, things have to have an equal or opposite reaction. Sure we're on the road. Sure everyone is talking about our lack of talent. Sure, Denver is coming off of a big win in the closing minute in Cincinnati on what could end up the play of the year. Sure they didn't give up 90 yards rushing against the Bengals and Carson Palmer was held in check all day. There's questions all over about our roster.

But when you look back at history, you just feel like for once we might be owed something. Remember that this week as the hours tick away. The Browns might just take a piece of Denver this Sunday late afternoon. And the thought of that excites me.





Losses in Denver in my lifetime

January 17th, 1988 (AFC Championship, The Fumble)

November 13th, 1988

January 14th, 1990 (AFC Championship)

October 30th, 1994

October 15th, 2000

December 14th, 2003

Big Blue remains mighty in final opener at Meadowlands

[Game Book]

[New York Times 5th Down]

Eli Manning looked spectacular in this game. It was nice getting to watch a team I pretty much consider my 2nd team come out and look solid in week 1 after watching the Browns come out and do what the Browns usually do.

Probably safe to roll the credits now

Enjoy the Best of Derek Anderson. Look, the guy has a big arm. That was never the problem.

He is Purple Jesus

This guy is unbelievable. Bo Jackson of the new era.

Browns stormed 34-20 in home opener to Vikings

[Game Book]

[ESPN NFL Nation] [Terry Pluto - Cleveland PD] [Plain Dealer] [NFL.com]

This is not an easy game to react to and write about. The Browns lose another home opener to begin a season. The beginning of the official Brady Quinn era felt like so many eras we as Browns fans have already lived together. It felt a lot like 2001 at times didn't it?

At the end of the day, a lot of talk focuses on the Quarterback. That's the way it goes. Quinn got hit pretty hard at times. When he had adequate time to throw the ball he didn't do it extremely well. He finished 21/35 for the day with a TD and an interception, to go along with 205 yards through the air. The Browns were facing a top-5 defense in the entire NFL in Minnesota. They proved they could run the ball effectively on them.

I was not happy with Brian Daboll's playcalling in this game. Two Wildcat plays to Cribbs inside the 5 is pure disaster waiting to happen. Quinn fired a long touchdown to Braylon Edwards that was overturned via a challenge play. Let's not forget that the defense that bottled up Adrian Peterson in the first half of this game eventually allowed him to rack up 80 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Peterson's last TD run accounted for 62 of those yards and to see the play was an embarrasment. Peterson looked like a man among boys on that run.

Brett Favre had to do very little to be successful on this day. The Browns played in an inspired manner to carry a 13-10 lead into halftime. It was predictable that Minnesota would come charging back strong and they did.

Floyd Womack and John St. Claire played pretty porously on the right side of the line in pass protection. When Quinn tried to use his legs to buy time and make a play, he was partly effective in that he bought time; he simply struggled to make a play. I nearly lost it and broke things at my home when he fumbled and lost possession on what should have been a positive and very nice play. The interception to Edwards was a poor throw; but even more then that it was a miscommunication.

The offense lacks creativity; at least good creativity. Where are the screens? Where are the play action and long passes to Edwards in single coverage? Where is the quick outs to Furrey, Cribbs, and Massaquoi? Why all of the shotgun draws in predictable situations?

There isn't a lot more left to say. Fans of the Cleveland Browns are acting irrational on this night just as they did start to start and play to play when Tim Couch and every signal caller since him were under center. At the end of the day, this was the 4th career start for Brady Quinn against a very good defense. He split his reps in the offseason with Derek Anderson so not having top notch repoire with his receivers is understandable but by the look on Brady's face immediately following the game and in his press conference, you can tell he wouldn't accept that excuse.

There will be brighter days. And today could have been a lot worse. You live to fight another day in this league and if you keep working hard, good things will happen. I think the Browns have their QB and they'll get it right and surprise soon.

Browns RB James Davis questionable after a 1 car accident. Cleveland Browns rookie running back James Davis has been listed as questionable on the injury report after suffering a head injury in a one-car accident this morning while on his way to the team's training complex. Davis, who was impressive during the preseason as the Browns' leading rusher, is a sixth-round draft pick from Clemson. He was added to the injury report today heading into the Browns' opening game against the Minnesota Vikings. [National Football Post]

It's Sunday

It's Sunday! And it's the start of the 2009 NFL season. One of the most special days of the year. Anything can happen out there and everyone's in first place. We'll do it every Sunday until January. Leave all your Sunday comments here. Go Browns.


UPDATE: Good luck today, Brady.

USC vs. Ohio State in my hometown

Yes this is an NFL football blog but I live in a college town where Buckeye Football reigns supreme on Saturdays in the fall. The USC-Ohio State game that will take place tomorrow is a HUGE deal. People are starting tailgates at 5:30 AM. ESPN's College Gameday will set up shop on campus (a sign that your town is the talk of all of NCAA Football). And by the way, the National Championiship Trophy will be on the sidelines.

Need to read up on some keys to the game? Well I don't follow NCAA football X's and O's like I do the NFL. I watch, I do my best to know a few key players, I root, I drink. If you want keys to the game go to The Buckeye Blog. NCAA football is what it should be to me. It's fanfare. It's pizazz and a reason to celebrate on Saturdays in Columbus. It's something to do. It's entertainment.

Sunday's will always be a little bit more sacred and holy to me. NCAA football is like the appetizer to the main course. It will always be that way even if I do love it. But I'll get some pictures from Saturday's beer & circus here in the CBus and throw them up here on the blog.

Go Bucks. In Tressel (and T-Pryor) we trust. He's a good man.

The 2009 debut of 5 Pick Friday

First off, lets not forget what today is. Eight years ago today as a college freshman I lived September 11th in my own way. So if you could give a moment of silence or respect on a blog, that is what I'm doing right here. If your life was directly or indirectly affected by the cowardly terrorist acts that day, then I'd like to send my sincere condolences and I hope by talking some football we put a smile on your face.

Opening weekend here in the NFL. Let's pick us five winners that you can feel good about heading into your weekend. Remember: I'm not picking against the spread. We pick straight winners here.

The New York Giants open up at home against the Washington Redskins for the second straight year. This will be the final home opener ever at The Meadowlands; aka here on the blog as The Land of the Sopranos. Giants are favored by -7 in this one. I think it will be closer then that, as there is a lot of pressure on Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell to look decent from the onset. However, the Giants are my pick and a near lock for a win this week. They'll win their last home opener at their storied stadium and this is the 4:00 game I'm gonna watch Sunday.

Next up is the Cowboys headed to Tampa Bay to open their high pressure season. I'm going to go with another favorite here as the Cowboys will beat the Buccaneers. That defense is too fast for Byron Leftwich to do much against and I anticipate a tough year for the Bucs in general.

Lets head to the AFC for this next pick. The Kansas City Chiefs head to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. Matt Cassell is banged up, even though Chiefs fans are excited about him. The Ravens defense on that turf is going to be too much for Kansas City. You know if this game is featured in this part of the post, I'm not going with an upset. The Ravens will win this game.

A lot of people think that the Jaguars are going to play the Colts tough for the simple reason that they usually do. I do not subscribe to this theory. The Colts are going to win this game going away, they'll cover the 7-point spread and then some. The Indianapolis Colts win their home opener, book it and lock it.

UPSET SPECIAL: You know what? I don't like many dogs much this week. I shy away from picking the team from Cleveland; my team, any week. And I'm not going to do it here. Although Vegas thinks the Browns will keep it close (+4). I think Atlanta opens up with some disappointment. I think Tony Sparano will have the Miami Dolphins in good defensive form and cause problems on the road for the Falcons who I think are going to be a very good team this year. I'll pick the Miami Dolphins as my upset pick this week by a handful of points (more then a field goal).

Fucking Pittsburgh is so Fucking Lucky

[Gamebook]

This was a really entertaining, physical, and excellent football game to open up the NFL season. Pittsburgh matched the Titans in hard hitting.

And I kept thinking last night as I watched Pittsburgh hang with a juggernaut team that is still very solid in the Titans; Pittsburgh just seems to fucking luck out in every shape and form.

Those thoughts continued when Rob Bironas missed two field goals that would have made the difference in the game. They continued when I watched Troy Polamalu run around the field like a fucking maniac for a quarter. The thoughts continued when I saw Mewelde Moore make plays for Pittsburgh to help them win. Bad things don't happen to the Steelers. They just don't. If Polamalu is a Brown, that injury he sustained is a season ender; possibly a career ender. He'd never be the same. But he's a Steeler, so he's made of rubber and he'll be back in no time at all.

And Roethlisberger comes out after a long offseason and has what could be one of the finest games of his career all things considered. Threw for nearly 400 yards against a tough defense with no running game and a swiss cheese offensive line. Of course Jeff Reed hits every clutch kick, but no other kicker can do it in that stadium. The Browns kickers don't hit those type of kicks. The shots of one of the quietest and greatest owners in sports; Dan Rooney, were just rubbing it in. Isn't he a fucking Cardinal overseas or something?

And I'm reminded why the fucking Steelers aren't just lucky they're good. But they're definitely both damnit.

Some old memories

and

Week 1 Preview: Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns

Score Prediction:
Vikings 12 Browns 6


You know I really have went back and forth on this game. I want to say with my whole heart that the Cleveland Browns have some type of chance to win this game, to steal it week one from a superior team. But there are too many question marks and Minnesota has too much in their favor. You'll notice that my score is kind of awkward looking. There's been two home openers (2001 & 2003) that ended by an awkward 9-6 score where there were no touchdowns scored in the game by either side. So why not something similar to that? I think Minnesota will move it well between the 20's so we'll give them an extra field goal. Maybe something crazy happens if the ball ends up in Brady Quinn's hands at the end of the game and he gets some protection. The Browns are 1-9 in home openers since the return in 1999, so don't hold it against me too much for saying they won't win.


"All Day" Adrian Peterson comes to town
You know as a football fan it's a treat to get to watch this guy play, unless of course it's against your favorite team. In that case, it's a long day of sitting on the edge of your seat and waiting for him to make a run that ends the day for your squad. Like a good friend and fellow Browns fan of mine expressed, hold him to 105 yards on the ground and we have a chance. If he goes wild for 150-200 yards, we're going to lose. Holding him to 80-100 yards would be a huge victory within the game for the Browns. He's one of those rare runners like Barry Sanders who can have carries of 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 2, and then 75. I have a feeling he'll bust off a big one and hopefully he doesn't take it to the house. He's the number one key any time you play the Vikings and he could be entering an MVP type season.


The Mangini Factor
It's Mangenius' debut in Cleveland. One thing we have going for us is Mangini is a cocky SOB. He is a defensive coach and he's got Adrian Peterson coming to his back yard. Brett Favre comes to town after playing for Mangini last year and being a reason he might not be in New York anymore. This is not just another game for Eric Mangini. This is a game he wants very badly. Being from the Belichick coaching tree, and emulating himself after little Bill; you know he wants to stop one of the game's premier offensive threats in Adrian Peterson. It would be a nice feather for his cap. Now Mangenius doesn't have the firepower in players to just go out and do that; but if he can call a good game defensively he might be able to bottle up Peterson enough to give the Browns a chance. Don't expect many three and outs from the Vikings in this one. Mangini's early reputation is riding on this one. This is one where you have to depend on him and if he can stop Peterson you have to be glad Mangini is our coach.


Brady Quinn's opener debut
The cat is out of the bag. Brady Quinn will come out of the tunnel as the opening day starter for the first time in his career as a Brown. This has been long awaited. The guy is arguably already in the top 10 of all-time Cleveland sports athletes. It would be a hell of a memory if he could come out and somehow get the win. I expect the game plan on offense from Brian Daboll to include a lot of runs. They're going to try to make their offense their best defense in keeping Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre off the field. I'd expect 20 passing attempts maximum from Quinn. Lets hope he can hit 14 or 15 of them with no turnovers and maybe a score. This is not going to be a big offensive day for the Browns or Quinn. He needs to be efficient and organized. A lot of people are saying Brady Quinn will rely on only the short pass. I have news for you: Brady is going to be waiting in the weeds and he will shoot deep as he can do. If he can hit one downfield and stretch the defense in this game, or do it more then one time the Browns will present another big advantage the Vikings are not prepared for. I have faith in Brady Quinn this week. This is his 4th NFL start, so don't expect miracles at the same time.


The Williams Wall
This is a big reason the Vikings should be favored. Two giant defensive tackles that were supposed to be suspended for this game will play. That will make it tough sledding all day long for James Davis and Jamal Lewis. The Browns rushing attack already looks out of synch. The Browns like to run between the tackles. There won't be much room to do so.


Bottom line
The new season is finally here. The waiting is over. The excitement builds with every minute and this has already been the longest week ever. There is renewed hope with every new NFL season, and although it usually ends quickly for the Browns who knows. There is a few surprises every year and things that are never expected or taken into account before the first kickoff of the year. Anything in the realm of possibility can happen conceivably. Hopefully the Browns fight the good fight in the opener and the crowd is ferocious. At the very least you'll always remember the day that Brady Quinn squared off against maybe the greatest QB of all time in Brett Favre to start the 2009 season.

Tonight's gonna be a good night

The concert is blaring in Pittsburgh on NBC. Even though my team will never play on opening night, it's a good night of entertainment rooting against Pittsburgh. So kick back and enjoy it because we've got a long fall and winter of nothing but grunting and growling action.

The beginning of the 2009 season is finally here!

Thursday Season Opening Links

We'll do this as much as we can here on the blog. Here's the linkage:

-Excellent and detailed post about what Wes Welker does for the New England Patriot offense. [NY Times 5th Down Blog]

-Micheal Lombardi talks about Eric Mangini's handling of his 'secret' with the Cleveland QB position. [National Football Post]

-Drew Magary is getting fatter. And he writes a good column that is back every Thursday for the NFL season. [Deadspin]

-Arizona can't even sell out their home opener after a Super Bowl appearance. [Pro Football Talk]

-Excitement for the NFL season, well said. [Kissing Suzy Kolber]

-NYDN NFL Preview. [New York Daily News]

-The Cleveland Browns selected their Captains today. Brady Quinn not listed, damn. [Waiting for Next Year]

Some classic YouTube CBS NFL footage from when I was a kid in honor of kicking off another NFL season of my life.

One time for Cleveland, Brady

When I first really fell in love with football for the first time the Browns had drafted Tim Couch and just returned to the league. It was 1999 and I went through the wars with them every sunday and had pieces of my heart ripped by the Football Gods who torture Cleveland fans to this day. I learned then what it means to be part of a fan base and something greater then a guy who just flips the remote over at kickoff. There was a greater connection and something beyond.

The Browns have done so much over the years to lose my trust and the devotion I give them, but when they drafted Brady Quinn out of Notre Dame in 2007 I decided to give them one last chance. The Browns still have that chance to do the right thing; give the hometown boy his chance to take them back to the promised land and allow me my moment of happiness and gratification for all the time, energy, and dollars I’ve spent following this team and sports in general.

Brady represents the ‘last warrior’ in sports to me. He wants to play his entire career in Cleveland. Not only is he a good guy, a christian, a friend of friends of mine, a great leader, a guy from the area I grew up; but he is indeed a warrior. I remember an interview last season with Brady shortly after he’d been named the starter. They were asking Brady if something that had happened to the Browns had reminded him of “Any Given Sunday”, which is pretty much the Holy Grail of football movies. The reporter said ‘seen that one?’ and Brady quickly laughed and said that he’d seen them all. Of course he has. We’re talking about a guy who lives and breathes the game. He grew up on spirals and Tecmo Bowl.

In my opinion, this is somewhat of a last opportunity with me. I can be a fan of the sport while not really following one particular team or a player. I’ve already been given a wealth of memories and even if it doesn’t include a Lombardi Trophy for the guys in Seal Brown & Orange, I’ve still lived those memorable sunday mornings that will stay in my heart until I die. I feel like if things don't go right for the Browns in the Brady Quinn era, they never will. If things can't work out for this kid and he isn't the second coming of Bernie Kosar; then there never will be one.

So go get them this year warrior. Take what is yours and take your Browns to the land where legends have been. I believe in you.

We've got NFL football that counts! The offseason is over and customarily the World Champions get the thursday primetime opening night slot. So we're rooting against the Pittsburgh Steelers tonight. A lot of talk about what it's going to take for Pittsburgh to repeat and of course it's all surrounding Big Ben. [ESPN - NFL Nation]

The Nosebleeds 2009 Preview Post

ESPN has made it's fearless predictions for the 2009 season, so it's high time for us to do the same.

NFC

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
New York Giants (10-6)*

Dallas Cowboys (9-7)

Washington Redskins (7-9)

The Skinny: You know, this is probably the best division in football once again. You can make a case for any of the four teams to win the division and a strong case for 3 of the 4 to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. This is a do or die year for Dallas isn't it? I keep thinking that one of these years Dallas is going to gear up and win the whole damn thing. I thought Tony Romo had one of those type of years in him. They're running out of time and Wade Phillips is as well. It's hard to count out the Giants until they have a down year, but I think they'll struggle with the WR position consistency all year long. Manning won't let them fall too far however. They'll be a playoff team but the Eagles will take both games from the Giants this season allowing them to also steal the division. Things just don't work out for Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell in Washington. Unfortunate because both are likable guys in the league.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
San Francisco 49ers (6-10)

St. Louis Rams (5-11)

The Skinny: If you can get this division right, you're a true NFL fan (or just extremely lucky). I guess in a weak division I'll go with the hot hand and say Arizona gets itself in position for another playoff run. I think there's a chance that Steve Spagnuolo turns around the Rams quickly, but maybe that is next season. The Seahawks are an aging group and I could see them finishing dead last easily. I don't think that Jim Mora Jr. is going to have success there. The 49ers will be competitive; I think Mike Singletary is a good coach. They're a year away and need a Quarterback. By process of elimination I really like Arizona in the NFC West.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers (12-4)
Minnesota Vikings (9-7)*
Chicago Bears (7-9)

Detroit Lions (4-12)

The Skinny: I think the Packers are just going to have a special year. I thought last year they would as well but things fell apart on them. Aaron Rodgers is the real deal and that defense is going to play well. The Vikings have enough to make the playoffs with AD, Brett Favre, and a ferocious defense. Coaching will hold Minnesota back to a point. Brad Childress (Bald Clueless) is a disaster waiting to happen isn't he? Jay Cutler will lift Chicago at times but they don't have enough playmakers other then Forte. Detroit will be Detroit and in losing 12 games they'll still improve by four wins. Matthew Stafford reminds me a little of John Elway and it won't be this way forever for Detroit, but for 2009 they'll take lumps.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
New Orleans Saints (9-7)
Carolina Panthers (7-9)
Tampa Bay Buccanears (5-11)

The Skinny: I like Atlanta a lot on offense and defense. Matt Ryan should continue to be a big time QB. Drew Brees and the Saints fall just short of the playoffs once again. Carolina and Tampa Bay have down years for different reasons. Tampa is inexperienced at the QB position. John Fox's ship sailed last year and Jake Delhomme is too old to make another Super Bowl run. Atlanta will run away with this division and Mike Smith will get some consideration for Coach of the Year.


AFC


AFC East
New England Patriots (13-3)
New York Jets (6-10)
Buffalo Bills (5-11)
Miami Dolphins (5-11)

The Skinny: New England will run away with this division. Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez are a year away from being a force. They might snag a game from New England in the process but no one in this division will challenge the mighty Patriots who are a complete team with a dominant offense and veterans who know how to win. Miami takes a step back this season while finding their way at the QB position. Buffalo just doesn't impress me at all.

AFC West
San Diego Chargers (13-3)
Oakland Raiders (7-9)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)

Denver Broncos (5-11)

The Skinny: This is probably the worst division in football. Who knows how the bottom three will finish and in what order. I certainly think that Josh McDaniels has turned a team on the brink of the playoffs last year into a disaster squad. I do like Knowshon Moreno in Denver though. I think he'll have some huge games. I hope for the sake of football that Oakland can improve and they've got some pretty good under the radar players. Jamarcus Russell has talent but has Al Davis and bad coaching ruined him like so many other players? Kansas City will take their lumps and Matt Cassell will struggle to reclaim that magic we saw last year. San Diego will have a huge year and is the most complete team.

AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

Baltimore Ravens (9-7)*

Cleveland Browns (7-9)
Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)

The Skinny: You have to think that Pittsburgh will win this division again and not much else changes. I think it will be a bit more competitive. I could see Ben Roethlisberger having some injuries for some reason. Every time a team is a sure bet by everyone to get back to the Super Bowl and win it, they have a huge injury that causes problems it seems. Baltimore will feel the balance of power with Cincinnati and Cleveland able to steal games from Baltimore. The Ravens will get a better offensive year out of Joe Flacco and return to the playoffs as a Wildcard once again. The Browns will get some up and down play from Brady Quinn and have a year like 2001. They'll win some games they shouldn't and lose some they shouldn't.

AFC South

Houston Texans (10-6)
Indianapolis Colts (9-7)*
Tennesee Titans (7-9)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)

The Skinny: Houston will be the surprise team in all of football. They're going to have a great defense and Gary Kubiak will roll to NFL coach of the year honors. The Colts will have enough to get to the playoffs under a new head coach. The Titans will begin their slide almost instantaneously and the Jaguars will hit rock bottom as Jack Del Rio meets his demise.

Wildcard Playoffs
St. Louis Cardinals over Minnesota Vikings
New York Giants over Philadelphia Eagles
Houston Texans over Baltimore Ravens
Indianapolis Colts over Pittsburgh Steelers

Divisional Playoffs
New York Giants over Green Bay Packers
Atlanta Falcons over Arizona Cardinals
New England Patriots over Indianapolis Colts
San Diego Chargers over Houston Texans

Championships
Atlanta Falcons over New York Giants
New England Patriots over San Diego Chargers

Super Bowl
New England Patriots over Atlanta Falcons



Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak, Houston
MVP: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
Offensive Player of the Year: Matt Ryan, Atlanta
Defensive Player of the Year: Mario Williams, Houston
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Larry English, San Diego

Brady Quinn is Cleveland's starting Quarterback

As we reported days earlier, Brady Quinn will start on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings to open the 2009 season. But it's amazing what happens when you pick up and go to the gym for a few hours. You come back, and there's a whole shit storm opened up involving T.O., Pro Football Talk, etc.

Terrell Owens aparently twittered a congratulatory message saying "Congrats 2 Brady Quinn 4 Starting QB w/ Cleveland Browns" or something along those lines.

The writing was already on the wall to begin with, as Derek Anderson sulked and piss-babied around in interviews and hinted at this, plus Quinn was taking 1st team reps all week. In the end, this is going to be a great decision for the Cleveland Browns and I don't think anyone ever doubted that Quinn would out perform Anderson in winning this job; although the path to getting to this point wasn't exactly by the book thanks to Eric Mangini's antics.

Beating out Derek Anderson is hardly the end of the line if Brady Quinn is going to help this franchise and carve out a special career. This should only be the beginning. I just hope Brady stays healthy for the season, that is all there is any concern about in my mind. Everything else will fall into place.

Rainy tuesday links

-We're going to do a full NFL preview in this format before Friday. Enjoy this preview from a great Vikings/NFL blog. [Pacivist Viking]

-Speaking of the Vikings, the Williams' Wall will play Sunday in Cleveland. This is just terrific news when we say terrific we're dripping with sarcasm. [ESPN]

-Another take saying a lot of the same things in terms of Mangini not naming a QB. [Swerb's Blurbs]

-Browns players sense that Brady Quinn is the choice. [PFT]

-I wish that every NFL team had breakfast cereal. [Official Redskins Blog]

-Tough road ahead early for Matthew Stafford. [NFL.com]

-The New York Giants ESPN preview. Really thorough read. [ESPN]

-10 Bold NFL predictions. [FOX Sports]

Thats enough links for now. Gonna try to go workout even though its another miserable day here in Central Ohio. Remember this post? We'll come back with a few Madden-themed posts as part of our full service preview.

ESPN's much vaunted Power Rankings make their way out. To no surprise the Cleveland Browns are towards the very bottom, and picked to finish last in their divsion. The Pittsburgh Steelers were a unanimous first overall by all four writers surveyed. Such is the life of a Cleveland fan. Good to see the New York Giants getting so much respect, although I do not think the Giants are going to be quite that strong this year. [ESPN NFL Nation]

Deadspin's Cleveland Browns Preview

Deadspin has the 2009 Cleveland Browns preview up. It's pretty good, even though it's written by that turd Drew Magary. Not that he's not entertaining and good, because he is. Just a dick. Here's a part we especially liked:

The reason I used to love those old Browns teams was because they never made anything look easy. Bernie Kosar threw sideways. Earnest Byner had to plow through six defenders just to get a lousy four-yard gain. They relied on trick plays more than pretty much any other team in the NFL (a trait Bill Cowher brought with him to Pittsburgh once he became a coach). Every time the Browns scored 30 points, it felt like a miracle. They felt like the kind of team maybe I could play for one day. That's a stupid concept, but it's the kind of thing you imagine when you're young and retarded. They were a proud team defensively. And if you ever beat them, they'd at least make you hurt the next day for it.

Yeah baby! Blood, guts, and that Municipal Stadium turf! That's exactly the Browns I grew up on. Bernie, and Tecmo Bowl, and trick plays! We know exactly what he meant with this paragraph. Overall it's a great read, just not a traditional "preview" per say.

Quinn will start Sunday; but intrigue doesn't end there

It's funny to see the media talking heads speculate about Cleveland not having it's mind made up about a starting Quarterback yet. It's going to be Brady Quinn under center on Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, and he's got a tall order facing Brett Favre in his first season opener.

Some things we were told:

-Derek Anderson is indeed being a clubhouse cancer, starting trouble after not being named the starter. We won't get into what he said about losing the Quarterback competition, but we'll say that Anderson was accusing it of being a set-up job. Anderson said that Quinn was put in better game situations to win the competition and Anderson reportedly made a recent flippant comment within earshot of Eric Mangini that landed him in Mangini's office for the better part of an hour. The Browns are trying to shop Derek Anderson at this time due to him being a problem but they cannot get proper value for him. It is believed that they're trying to acquire a player for Anderson, not a pick.

-The depth chart put up in the team clubhouse today was put up; taken down, and then put back up without the Quarterbacks listed. Not real sure of the motive behind that, but this is what was told.

-The reason that no player on the Browns will say boo in the media, or make noise about inside information as to who is going to be the QB; is because Mangini had it reportedly implemented in their contracts that the life of the contract could be voided if team confidentiality was broken.

-Josh Cribbs is going to be the #2 wide receiver, and he's going to get a brand spanking new contract. The contract is most likely already done but has not been anounced at this time.

-Shaun Rogers was not injured. Mangini was holding him out of exhibitions because he could not afford to lose Rogers to injury.

Cadillac Williams is a warrior

Cadillac Williams has been through a real whirlwind in his NFL career after bursting on the scene as a rookie phenom running back in the league. Now he's climbed back to the top of the mountain.

Williams has been named the starting running back for Tampa Bay's regular season opener. You have to be happy for the guy and as a football fan you have to realize what an unbelievable feat this actually is that he's came back from what could have been a career ending injury and two torn patellar tendons.

If he can get to 1,000 yards, he is joining legendary status.

Collecting the Browns Season Previews

-"There are questions galore about the Browns, even if you assume Mangini is a great fit with this team. Will the eventual starting quarterback play well? Can they run the ball consistently? Who will catch passes besides Edwards? Is anyone going to step up in a pedestrian-looking secondary? Can this team win at home? Overall, there are too many unanswered questions to expect this to be a playoff team in 2009." [NFL Fanhouse]

-"There’s no doubt that this team has sleeper-potential, but a lot has to come together for the Browns to challenge for a playoff berth. Whether it comes from Quinn or Anderson, Cleveland must get better play from the quarterback position and they also need some of the young skill position players on offense to step up. Considering how tough their division is, the Browns are going to struggle to keep their head above water for a full 16-game season. But there’s no doubt that this team will be more competitive this year than they were in 2008." [Scores Report]

-(Re: SI's NFL Preview Issue) "Primary among these are the magazine’s annual predictions of doom (or Super Bowls) for the Cleveland franchise, which they foresee as finishing with a 2-14 record in 2009, just in time for owners to lock players out in a labor dispute and finally kill off any remaining interest in the world’s cradle of professional football." [OBR]

-"It'll take a Mangenius to fix all the mistakes by the lake -- and the floundering franchise hopes it has one in its new coach." [Sports Illustrated]

The Nosebleeds NFL Blog 2009 Cleveland Browns Prediction

Cleveland Browns 2009 Prediction: 7-9, 3rd in AFC North

I think this is going to be a year that parallels 2001, which was a year to really fall in love with the Browns, a fun year. It was Tim Couch's third year in the league. This is Brady Quinn's third year in the league. In that 2001 season, dictator Butch Davis took over the Browns and energized a team that nothing was expected out of and made them competitive. I expect Eric Mangini to provide some type of initial spark this year.

They'll win some games they shouldn't, and lose a few close ones that slipped away. But overall I expect this team to do a much better job of competing every week. They might even be in the hunt in the early going of the season, although the schedule lightens up in the second half of the year.

In the end I think a lack of real offensive playmakers at the RB, TE, and WR positions will damn the Browns chances at a big time season. However, I believe that heading into 2010 will look like a lot brighter prospect then many so called experts are expecting.

Cleveland Plain Dealer NFL Predictions

The Cleveland Plain Dealer staff has made their predictions for the 2009 NFL season. Two writers have the Browns going 7-9 while the other two writers have the squad finishing at 6-10. My prediction will be coming up later but I think the staff did a nice job on these predictions.

A lot of Patriots-Giants predictions for the Super Bowl. I don't think the Giants are going to be strong enough to come out of the East on top, but if they do they're probably a Super Bowl team.

1989: The Last time Cleveland defeated Minnesota

Let's hope that 20 years later there's a repeat performance with a little magic this coming Sunday.

Sports Illustrated slaps the Browns in the face once again

The SI predictions are out. They predict the Cleveland Browns to finish dead last in the entire NFL. I can say that while I don't know much about the new NFL, the Cleveland Browns will not be the worst team in the NFL and they'll win more then two games. The build up of this season reminds me so much of 2001, it really does.