Cleveland Browns finally make a good decision
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After totaling 180 yards against the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns have finally made a wise decision and will likely stick with RB Peyton Hillis as the starter for next week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer via Twitter, Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini will likely stick with Hillis as their starting running back next week.
This move makes perfect sense. Peyton Hillis WAS the Cleveland Browns offense yesterday. The Browns only accounted for 301 total yards, and Hillis recorded 180 of those yards, that is 60% of the Browns offense.
You simply cannot discount a 144 yard rushing day against the Baltimore Ravens defense and now here come the Cincinnati Bengals who have a soft run defense. This is a very smart move by Mangini, who isn’t known for very many smart moves. I don’t look for Jake Delhomme to play this week either, and Seneca Wallace is not exactly striking fear into the heart s of opposing defenses. Then again, who expected him to.
Cleveland Browns fall to Ravens
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The Cleveland Browns let a game slip away yesterday against the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns led the Ravens at the start of the fourth quarter on the strength of a Seneca Wallace to TE Ben Watson touchdown pass, but then allowed the Ravens to score 10 unanswered points.
One bright spot for the Cleveland Browns was the game turned in by RB Peyton Hillis. 100 yard rushing games against the Baltimore Ravens are very uncommon and yesterday, Hillis rushed 22 times for 144 yards and a score. He finished the day with a very impressive 6.5 yards per rush average. Hillis also recorded 7 receptions for 36 yards. I was very high on Hillis when the Browns acquired him from Denver and have thought all along that Cleveland needs to get him involved in the game plan more, yesterday with the absence of Jerome Harrison in the lineup, he got his chance against one of the best running defenses in the league and showcased just exactly what he is capable of doing.
With Hillis as a featured back and an actual quarterback who is a legitimate passing threat, the Browns could get their offense really rolling.
Baltimore exploited the Browns weak pass defense as Anquan Boldin torched the Cleveland secondary for 8 receptions for 142 yards and three touchdowns as Ravens QB Joe Flacco rebounded from a horrible game in week 2.
Wounded Cleveland Browns limp to Baltimore
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A wounded Cleveland Browns lineup will be limping in to play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday afternoon. It was revealed this week that Cleveland Browns QB Jake Delhomme has a high ankle sprain and he is listed as doubtful. Last night, it was reported that LB D’Qwell Jackson will be placed on injured reserve, missing the rest of the season. Browns WR Brian Robiskie will miss Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury. DT Shaun Rogers will also be out. WR/KR Joshua Cribbs has been officially downgraded to questionable status.
The move to put Jackson on the IR was somewhat surprising. In training camp Jackson had suffered a torn pectoral muscle but the Cleveland Plain Dealer had reported that he was making progress and could be back on the field within a few weeks. Jackson also missed 10 games in 2009.
After moving Jackson to the IR, the Borwns signed former Ne England Patriots WR Sam Aiken.
Cleveland comes into Baltimore a 11 point underdog and if Cribbs cannot play, it is going to be a long day for the Browns. Cribbs is one of the only primary weapons that the Browns have on offense as far as a receiving threat. I fear this will turn into a very long afternoon for the Browns as they will struggle to reach their season average of 14 offensive points against a very stout Ravens defense.
I called Cleveland Brown’s QB Jake Delhomme’s injury last week
Just prior to the Cleveland Browns game against the Kansas City Chiefs last week, I suggested that Cleveland Browns QB Jake Delhomme might have the dreaded high ankle sprain, and now it has been confirmed by Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Prior to the start of last weeks game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Adam Schefter tweeted that the concern wouldn’t be whether or not that Delhomme would be facing the Chiefs, but whether or not he would be able to face the Baltimore Ravens this week. His Tweet and the Brown’s silence on Delhomme’s ankle injury led me to believe that he indeed had a high ankle sprain.
These injuries are the kiss of death for running backs, sometimes the injury lingers the entire season. They are even worse for quarterbacks when the injury is suffered because whether it is the leg you push off of or the leg you drive through on your delivery, it will effect the delivery of the ball. Now you are starting to see perhaps why the Browns were interested in Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb. This is something which could linger for weeks, and the Cleveland Browns aren’t giving any information regarding Delhomme other than to say he is progressing.
So it appears that Seneca Wallace will be starting again this week and into the foreseeable future. Given Wallace’s production last week at home against a weak Kansas City defense, don’t expect much this Sunday on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. At what point does Colt McCoy see the field this season?
Cleveland Browns looking to trade for Eagles Kevin Kolb?
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It is now being reported that the Cleveland Browns contacted the Philadelphia Eagles last night about the availability of Kevin Kolb in a possible trade for the quarterback. This is a curious situation for the Cleveland Browns moving forward. It does give some concern over just what the current situation is surrounding Jake Delhomme’s ankle injury and perhaps the lack of confidence in Seneca Wallace.
Further than that, what does this report say about the Cleveland Brown’s confidence in rookie Colt McCoy and his possible future with the Browns organization? The Browns new GM, Tom Heckert was the GM for the Philadelphia Eagles and perhaps his familiarity with the Eagles organization led Heckert to make the call, but Browns President Mike Holmgren had to have been involved at some point.
Holmgren is known for his ability to develop a quarterback, and now does this move signify that the Cleveland Browns are not sold on Colt McCoy’s future development? The Philadelphia Eagles told Cleveland that Kolb was unavailable . I think this signals just how bad things are in Cleveland currently. This team is fresh off losing two games they should have won, and the offense is a mess. Kolb might be considered an upgrade at quarterback for the Browns, however, he struggled mightily to get the Eagles offense rolling in the preseason and the Eagles have more offensive weapons than the Cleveland Browns have currently.
Nothing will be resolved in Cleveland until the firing of head coach Eric Mangini takes place. But it certainly is interesting that the Browns inquired about Kevin Kolb. You have to wonder what Colt McCoy is thinking this afternoon after finishing the preseason on such an upbeat note.
