NFL to review Suh’s hit on Browns Delhomme
[picappgallerysingle id="9550156"]
The key to any success the Cleveland Browns will have on the field this season will depend on a healthy QB Jake Delhomme, but that could be difficult if he receives too many more hits like the one administered by the Detroit Lions DT Ndamukong Suh. During the second quarter Ndamukong Suh tackled a scrambling Jake Delhomme first grabbing his face mask, then trying to remove his helmet and then finished off the tackle by slamming Delhomme to the ground.
There is a fine line between an aggressive play and a dirty play. I admire a player who gives 110% on the field but Suh was over the top on the play. Here we are three days after the play and there still hasn’t been a ruling on the play by the league office yet. I wonder if the league would have waited this long had the same hit been applied to Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Brett Favre.
Browns backup quarterback Seneca Wallace called for Suh’s suspension yesterday, I doubt that will happen but I thought he at least should have been ejected from the game. I would expect nothing less than a 25,000 dollar fine on Suh.
If you havent seen the play, you can watch it right here.
Despite loss, Browns offense looks good
[picappgallerysingle id="9581345"]
The Cleveland Browns lost 35-27 to the Detroit Lions on Saturday but Browns fans have every reason to feel optimistic with their offense heading into 2010. Free agent QB Jake Delhomme has been better than advertised this preseason, completing 78% of his passes in the first two games and followed that production up with another solid start on Saturday. Delhomme completed 20 of 25 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown before being replaced by Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy. The Brown’s version of the West Coast Offense plays into Delhomme’s quick release and accuracy. The only downside for the Browns was the fact that they committed three turnovers, three fumbles.
There were some other bright spots on offense as well. I’ve said it as soon as the Browns acquired him, and as I watch these preseason games, it is becoming more and more evident to me that Peyton Hillis has got to play a significant role in the Browns offense this season. I’d like to see him get 10-12 touches a game. In 11 touches yesterday, he accounted for nearly 70 yards and a touchdown.
KR/WR/RB Josh Cribbs is really showcasing some great receiving ability in the preseason and should offer the Browns some great opportunities for a receiving corps that is thin in experience.
On the downside, RB Jerome Harrison really did not run with any authority and when you take away his longest run of 9 yards, he rushed for 25 yards on 10 carries. I expect Montario Hardesty will see the bulk of the workload at running back when he’s fully healthy again.
All in all, I thought it was a strong showing for the Browns offense and if yesterday was any indication, they should be able to move the ball well this year and keep themselves in games, unlike years past.
Browns Hardesty says he’ll be ready
[picappgallerysingle id="8673963"]
Cleveland Browns RB Montario Hardesty told reporters yesterday that he’ll be ready to go when the Cleveland Browns open their season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 12th. Hardesty spoke with reporters after practice Wednesday and said that he always sets high goals for himself. “I want to be a star. I’m going to work to be a star, definitely. I’m going to be the best that I can be and I’m going to make sure I can contribute as a Brown this year”, Hardesty said.
Hardesty suffered a bone bruise in his right knee prior to the start of training camp and when news of his injury got out, Browns fans held their breath. Hardesty was a productive back at the University of Tennessee and was showing great promise in off season workouts. However, Hardesty brings a history of injuries with him to Cleveland. He underwent a torn ACL in his right knee, he has had surgery on his left knee, as well as suffering a high ankle sprain and a stress fracture in his foot.
Browns fans are hoping that his injuries are behind him and they will get to see production like this on the field in 2010.
Is Colt McCoy’s career in Cleveland over before it started?
[picappgallerysingle id="8673517"]
Many Cleveland Browns fans were excited when the Browns were able to land QB Colt McCoy in this past years draft, but is his career over in Cleveland before it has a chance to begin? The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that McCoy is one of 8 players which are on the bubble right now to be cut outright. According to the report, RB James Davis is on the list as well.
Now McCoy has been dealing with a sprained thumb and the leaking of this news to the newspaper might be the Browns simply wanting to light a fire under McCoy, I certainly couldn’t imagine the Browns giving up on McCoy after just two games.
During Brown’s OTA’s this summer, McCoy was said to have looked good, and the plan all along was to bring McCoy along slowly.Browns president Mike Holmgren said during the off season that he had no plans to play McCoy this season.
It was widely speculated prior to the draft that Cleveland would be the best place for McCoy to land with the Browns running a west coast style offense, McCoy’s questionable arm strength but good accuracy. He has failed to showcase any of that in the pre-season so far but I can’t imagine giving up on McCoy so soon. Veteran Jake Delhomme has looked good so far as well as Seneca Wallace but why would you simply toss aside someone like a Colt McCoy after only a couple games?
Rest assured that if the decision is from Eric Mangini, it will have to be signed off on by Holmgren, and given his track record for developing quarterbacks, if Holmgren okays his release, it was a wasted draft pick. However, I think this move is being pulled simply to light a fire under McCoy. If not, what a waste of a pick.
Eric Schmidt is the Lead NFL Blogger for RantSports.com where he writes and edits RedZoneTalk.com, your one stop place for up-to-the minute NFL News.
Despite Browns loss, Delhomme looks good again
The Cleveland Browns took a loss in their game Saturday night against the St. Louis Rams 19-17, but once again QB Jake Delhomme looked pretty good. Delhomme completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards in horrible conditions. Delhomme did have a fumble, in fact the Browns had 5 fumbles total but that can be blamed on the monsoon-like conditions the game was played under.
One player the Browns traded for this off season had a nice showing as well. The hard running RB Peyton Hillis had 12 carries for 51 yards. I like the move to acquire Hillis. He is a very versatile back who blocks well and has great hands out of the backfield. This years draft pick, Montario Hardesty sat looking on from the sidelines with his knee iced.
Another player I was happy to see the Browns acquire in the off season was TE Ben Watson. Watson should have a great year with the Browns. As, the Browns continue to sort out their wide receiver situation, Watson will remain a constant in the middle for Jake Delhomme to utilize. While he was with New England, Watson never recorded more than 49 receptions in his 6 year career, and I look for him to eclipse that mark this season.
And why wouldn’t you get excited about a TE that can make a catch like this-
