Earlier this month the Browns’ brain-trust stated there would be an open competition for the starting quarterback spot and that Colt McCoy would not be labeled as the starter from day one of training camp, he would have to earn it. That’s fine by me. I think competition breeds excellence. Personally, as our quarterback depth chart stands right now, I think McCoy wins that battle. But there is a proverbial wrench being thrown into the mix, and it comes by way of the NFL Draft in April.
The Browns are sitting very pretty with the #4 overall pick, as well as the #22 pick in the first round thanks to the brilliant draft day trade of 2011 with the Atlanta Falcons. Sure, Julio Jones is a very talented player, but we managed to get a pirates bounty for an unproven rookie coming out of college, and it affords the Browns what they need most, more talent.
There is currently quite a bit of talk that the front office is very high on Robert Griffin III from Baylor University. The Heisman winner is ranked as the #2 quarterback in the draft (no surprise there) and many pundits have him going #2 overall. RGIII’s ascent has been rapid, I am sure many football followers had barely heard of his name before his unbelievable college season this past year. And I have to say he impressed me quite a bit with his ability to throw the ball down field with great accuracy. But I want to state this right now; I am vehemently against trading up to the #2 pick o take RGIII.
The Browns need to look at this draft realistically. Are the Browns just a quarterback away from being a playoff contender? The answer is most definitely NO. I know that quarterbacks are the keys to the offense, but the Browns have so many holes that no one quarterback can make those holes look smaller. This was a team that was 28th in the NFL in rushing yards per game at less than 100, and was tied for the NFL lead in dropped passes by receivers. I just do not see how a rookie quarterback can come in and succeed with those two areas so glaringly lacking. The dropped pass issue MUST be fixed, that is inacceptable. The rushing game was hampered by injury to both the stable of backs and a few offensive linemen, but nonetheless needs to provide more support to whoever is the quarterback in 2012.
On defense the Browns took a substantial step forward in my opinion, only twice did they give up 30+ points, and were consistently in each of the divisional games they played. The passing defense finished 2nd in the NFL, while the rush defense was almost dead last. My point in outlining the deficiencies on both sides of the ball is to reiterate that a quarterback, especially one unproven at the NFL level, is not the answer in this draft for the Browns. Not with the quarterback likes of Matt Barkley, Aaron Murray, Tyler Wilson, E.J. Manuel, and Geno Smith coming out of school in 2013.
I have been on the Justin Blackmon bandwagon for a few years now it seems. And his performance in the Fiesta Bowl against Stanford only reinforced the way I felt. 8 receptions, 186 yards, 3 touchdowns. He looks every bit of the real deal. My only concern is that he will be gone before pick number 4. The Browns top priority should be Blackmon at number 4. If, however, he is gone by then here is the scenario I am hoping for:
Trade – the possibility to trade down is there, although that might make most fans cringe. I am not saying trade down to the middle of the round, but trading down a few spots and taking either Trent Richardson (RB from Alabama) or Morris Claiborne (CB from LSU) would provide an instant playmaker on one side of the ball. Note also, with the likely impending departure of fan favorite Peyton Hillis, Richardson would fill a huge need.
Stand pat – the Browns could also stay in the #4 spot and take either Richardson at four, or reinforce the offensive line with either of the two top rated tackles Ryan Kalil, or Reilly Reiff. I am not huge on taking offensive lineman that early however, especially not when you have your cornerstone left tackle, Joe Thomas, locked up for a long time.
Depending on which side of the ball the Browns go with in their first pick, which opens up possibilities for their second pick later in the first round. It would be my preference to target a linebacker with this pick, namely Courtney Upshaw from Alabama or Vontaze Burfict from Arizona State. Last year in the draft we addressed the defensive line with two solid picks, and this year the focus should be on the line backing corps which desperately needs speed and tackling presence. I would also target a linebacker here because I firmly believe that if we do not get Blackmon with the #4 pick, either Michael Floyd, Alshon Jeffery, or Kendall Wright will be around for our pick early in round 2, and those three wide outs are just a tick below Blackmon but still very talented.
With all of that said, trading up in the draft would go wildly against Tom Heckert’s draft pedagogy as he comes from the “trade down and stockpile draft picks” school of thought. With a plethora of picks, and early picks at that, I feel like this is a perfect time for the Browns to address their biggest need, and that is talent. The Browns lack talent in a few key places, and that probably cost them 3-5 wins in 2011. Put talent around the core you have; give Colt one more shot with a playmaker wide receiver; and if it does not work in 2012 then bring in a quarterback in 2013 with a skill position talent already around him.
Showing posts with label Colt McCoy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colt McCoy. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Monday, November 21, 2011
No Need For Luck
Sunday’s win for the Browns, over the Jacksonville Jaguars, was the first step Colt McCoy took in telling the front office “I can do this.” Sure it was an “ugly” win, and yes he did have the interception in the red zone, which is an absolute no-no, especially when you are a team that already struggles to score period. But, McCoy rallied, himself and the troops, and brought the team back and threw what would eventually be the game winning TD to Josh Cribbs.
I have said all along that it is difficult to judge or compare McCoy to a west coast offense quarterback because the Browns simply do not have the weapons for him to throw to, and at times this year they have not had the offensive line either. McCoy currently ranks 20th in the NFL in passing yards, and of the 19 quarterbacks ahead of him, only 3 have fewer interceptions throw on the season. And, four, have doubled the amount of interceptions he has thrown. He (McCoy) takes care of the football; his red zone interception against the Jags was his first red zone INT of the season.
With all of that being said, he made up my mind on Sunday. It may have been ugly, or a struggle, or not flashy, but he proved that, if we get him some weapons on the outside, he can be a viable quarterback, and he can win you games. It has been a struggle, but McCoy has slowly gotten his completion percentage up to 60% on the season. Clearly, that pales in comparison to the staggering 72% clip that Aaron Rogers is completing, but, has him completing the second highest percentage in the division and only 3 percentage points behind Ben Roethlisberger.
There are a few signs of hope, mainly Greg Little, and Josh Cribbs, but it is clear that the Browns lack speed, size, and reliability on the outsides. Greg Little is showing that he has 1st round talent, but still shows inconsistency (see the deep ball down the right side in the 1st half that Little should have caught) and that is exactly NOT what the Browns need. Cribbs, on the other hand, has impressed me with is improvement as a receiver. We know he is electric on special teams, but the knock has always been he is unpolished as a receiver. This year he looks like a legitimate wide receiver, and he proves ever week that the more you get the ball in his hands the better the results on the field.
The Browns have two first round draft picks in the next draft, and there is some serious talent coming to the NFL, especially at the wide out position. The Browns would be best suited to use those picks on talent that can come in and help this team right away, as opposed to packaging them both for the first overall pick and taking Andrew Luck. It would not matter if we had Andrew Luck or Aaron Rogers right now, they would not have the necessary weapons to stand out in this offense. The improvements are there, but the Browns need talent at skill positions, and they have two chances to improve those positions in the first round.
I have said all along that it is difficult to judge or compare McCoy to a west coast offense quarterback because the Browns simply do not have the weapons for him to throw to, and at times this year they have not had the offensive line either. McCoy currently ranks 20th in the NFL in passing yards, and of the 19 quarterbacks ahead of him, only 3 have fewer interceptions throw on the season. And, four, have doubled the amount of interceptions he has thrown. He (McCoy) takes care of the football; his red zone interception against the Jags was his first red zone INT of the season.
With all of that being said, he made up my mind on Sunday. It may have been ugly, or a struggle, or not flashy, but he proved that, if we get him some weapons on the outside, he can be a viable quarterback, and he can win you games. It has been a struggle, but McCoy has slowly gotten his completion percentage up to 60% on the season. Clearly, that pales in comparison to the staggering 72% clip that Aaron Rogers is completing, but, has him completing the second highest percentage in the division and only 3 percentage points behind Ben Roethlisberger.
There are a few signs of hope, mainly Greg Little, and Josh Cribbs, but it is clear that the Browns lack speed, size, and reliability on the outsides. Greg Little is showing that he has 1st round talent, but still shows inconsistency (see the deep ball down the right side in the 1st half that Little should have caught) and that is exactly NOT what the Browns need. Cribbs, on the other hand, has impressed me with is improvement as a receiver. We know he is electric on special teams, but the knock has always been he is unpolished as a receiver. This year he looks like a legitimate wide receiver, and he proves ever week that the more you get the ball in his hands the better the results on the field.
The Browns have two first round draft picks in the next draft, and there is some serious talent coming to the NFL, especially at the wide out position. The Browns would be best suited to use those picks on talent that can come in and help this team right away, as opposed to packaging them both for the first overall pick and taking Andrew Luck. It would not matter if we had Andrew Luck or Aaron Rogers right now, they would not have the necessary weapons to stand out in this offense. The improvements are there, but the Browns need talent at skill positions, and they have two chances to improve those positions in the first round.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Bye Week Blues..
So the Browns have a bye this week, which means I'll have absolutely nothing to do on Sunday, except of course, listen to CBS analysts drool over the Patriots vs. Jets game. But I digress, since the season is a quarter of the way through, I decided to look at where the Browns are and make my assessment.
2-2 is nothing to scream about, and honestly it would look a lot better if the week two win had come against a Peyton Manning led Colts, but a win is a win and you take them however you can get them.
Through four games it look like Heck&Holms hit a home run in last years daft, and pair it with their first draft it looks like not just a solo homer either. In 2010 they took Haden, Ward, Hardesty, and McCoy, all of whom started week 4 for the Browns. This year they weren't flashy but solid in adding Taylor, Sheard, Little, Marecic, Pinkston, and Skrine. Right there is 10 players who we have all seen on the field this year.
As I just stated, the 2011 draft wasn't flashy, we didn't get that big, shiny name everyone thought we would with the 5th overall pick, but we may have made the best trade in Browns history. The trade the brass pulled off with the Atlanta Falcons was what might make the Browns a great football team. Instead of taking Julio Jones we added 4 draft picks, including another 1st round pick in 2012. That should have Browns fans really excited! (I'll get back to this later)
Looking at stats, here's something I found really interesting...
Here's the stat lines for two AFC North quarterbacks:
1) 49%, 973 yards, 7 TD, 3 INT
2) 58%, 984 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT
Quarterback #2 is the starting quarterback for your Cleveland Browns and quarterback #1 is Joe Flacco. Everyone wants to judge McCoy and wonder if he is the franchise quarterback, but it's clear to me, given those stats that he can be. Flacco has many more weapons at his disposal on the outside than McCoy does.
Those stats bring me back to the two first round draft picks point I had earlier. It's easy to see the browns need a wide receiver who can make catches in traffic, win jump balls, and stretch a defense. And it is hard not to like Justin Blackmon out of Oklahoma State University. He is 6'1", 215 pounds and has the best hand in college football. Don't believe me? He won't the Belitnikoff award last year, as a sophomore! I know the front office has said they like the wide outs we currently have, but it would be hard not to like Blackmon lining up with Little on the outsides.
And since I'm on next years draft, and we have two first rounders, if you haven't seen LSU's defense play yet, you need to! I would love to see cornerback #17, Morris Claiborne, lining up opposite Joe Haden for years to come!
Ok, back to this years team..
Browns fans have been all in a tizzy with this Peyton Hillis situation, and the fact that he hasn't been rushing for large amounts of yards. The fact is, and all of us Browns fans will have to get used to this, that the days of grinding out yards for four quarters are gone! Holmgren is a west coast guy, Shurmur is a west coast guy, they throw, a lot! Those short, quick passes are like glorified hand offs.
It is nice to have a guy like Hillis who can drain clock when you have a lead, but those methodical, boring drives we've come to know and love are over! It's almost like we were brainwashed watching the old regimes, and that's what we've come to know. But that is not what Shurmur does, he throws, and throws some more. Luckily for us, Peyton Hillis has better hands than most of our receivers so we can continue to find ways to get him the ball!
With all that said, this team would probably look a lot more fluid offensively had the lockout not hijacked the new coaching staffs training camp work. We are getting to the point now where the coaches would have been by preseason had they been able to work with the players on the playbook over the summer. I feel like coming out of the bye week, the offense, should look much better from here on out. Which is good, because starting week 12 we have to run the gauntlet. We'll find a lot more out about this team in the final 6 game of the season.
2-2 is nothing to scream about, and honestly it would look a lot better if the week two win had come against a Peyton Manning led Colts, but a win is a win and you take them however you can get them.
Through four games it look like Heck&Holms hit a home run in last years daft, and pair it with their first draft it looks like not just a solo homer either. In 2010 they took Haden, Ward, Hardesty, and McCoy, all of whom started week 4 for the Browns. This year they weren't flashy but solid in adding Taylor, Sheard, Little, Marecic, Pinkston, and Skrine. Right there is 10 players who we have all seen on the field this year.
As I just stated, the 2011 draft wasn't flashy, we didn't get that big, shiny name everyone thought we would with the 5th overall pick, but we may have made the best trade in Browns history. The trade the brass pulled off with the Atlanta Falcons was what might make the Browns a great football team. Instead of taking Julio Jones we added 4 draft picks, including another 1st round pick in 2012. That should have Browns fans really excited! (I'll get back to this later)
Looking at stats, here's something I found really interesting...
Here's the stat lines for two AFC North quarterbacks:
1) 49%, 973 yards, 7 TD, 3 INT
2) 58%, 984 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT
Quarterback #2 is the starting quarterback for your Cleveland Browns and quarterback #1 is Joe Flacco. Everyone wants to judge McCoy and wonder if he is the franchise quarterback, but it's clear to me, given those stats that he can be. Flacco has many more weapons at his disposal on the outside than McCoy does.
Those stats bring me back to the two first round draft picks point I had earlier. It's easy to see the browns need a wide receiver who can make catches in traffic, win jump balls, and stretch a defense. And it is hard not to like Justin Blackmon out of Oklahoma State University. He is 6'1", 215 pounds and has the best hand in college football. Don't believe me? He won't the Belitnikoff award last year, as a sophomore! I know the front office has said they like the wide outs we currently have, but it would be hard not to like Blackmon lining up with Little on the outsides.
And since I'm on next years draft, and we have two first rounders, if you haven't seen LSU's defense play yet, you need to! I would love to see cornerback #17, Morris Claiborne, lining up opposite Joe Haden for years to come!
Ok, back to this years team..
Browns fans have been all in a tizzy with this Peyton Hillis situation, and the fact that he hasn't been rushing for large amounts of yards. The fact is, and all of us Browns fans will have to get used to this, that the days of grinding out yards for four quarters are gone! Holmgren is a west coast guy, Shurmur is a west coast guy, they throw, a lot! Those short, quick passes are like glorified hand offs.
It is nice to have a guy like Hillis who can drain clock when you have a lead, but those methodical, boring drives we've come to know and love are over! It's almost like we were brainwashed watching the old regimes, and that's what we've come to know. But that is not what Shurmur does, he throws, and throws some more. Luckily for us, Peyton Hillis has better hands than most of our receivers so we can continue to find ways to get him the ball!
With all that said, this team would probably look a lot more fluid offensively had the lockout not hijacked the new coaching staffs training camp work. We are getting to the point now where the coaches would have been by preseason had they been able to work with the players on the playbook over the summer. I feel like coming out of the bye week, the offense, should look much better from here on out. Which is good, because starting week 12 we have to run the gauntlet. We'll find a lot more out about this team in the final 6 game of the season.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Just Win Baby
It was one of those games that you should win. At home, against a team that hadn't won a game yet, and traveling into a raucous environment. But for 55 minutes it looked like, well, something you would typically see out of a Cleveland football team.
It was one of those frustrating ones to watch. And it looked like opportunity slipping away from us. The defense had done it's part, playing twice as long as the oppositions defense, and giving the team a chance to win. But the offense, that's what was so frustrating, and it took a huge blow before the game even started. Peyton Hillis was sent home with strep throat a couple hours before the game started, and you could just hear the whispers swirling around this on, "it's the Madden curse." On top of that, the wide receivers were non existent for the first three quarters and Colt McCoy was struggling to get the offense going.
Down 16-10 late in the 4th quarter I felt myself getting that mad feeling knowing what could have been if the Browns would have played to their potential. Then even more angry realizing we were about to lose to a team that was 0-for-the-year, on our home turf. Embarrassing, no excuse, unacceptable, just some of the thoughts running through my mind. Then I took a deep breath, realized I am a Browns fan, and began to accept it.
When we got the ball back on our own 20-yard line with less than 3 minutes to go needing a touchdown to win, there was no reason to believe we could gain 80 yards in that amount of time with the way our offense had been playing.
But as I watched with those thoughts spiraling in my head, my speculation about Colt McCoy began to come to fruition. I liked the Browns decision to draft McCoy, despite the fact he was "undersized" an lacked the "prototypical" arm strength coming out of college, I liked him because he won. He left the University of Texas as the all time winningest quarterback in NCAA history.
Sunday, he proved that. He struggled, the receivers struggled, the whole offense struggled throughout the day. But, when it mattered most, when his team needed it the most, he rose up to the challenge, he took the pressure, and his team, and put it on his shoulders. His numbers at the end of the day weren't flattering: 19/39, 210 yards, 2 td, 1 int, 71.5 passer rating. But the one thing that trumps all of those statistics is Ws.
And rookie wide out Greg Little put it best after the game, "I think the greatest statistics in the league are wins and losses. I don't think Colt cares about his completion percentage. You win the game, so that's all our team cares about anyway. He just stayed composed and made a lot of good plays. He was just very vibrant and upbeat and you could see that pouring out of him in his eyes. He made it happen for us."
That look in his eyes? That is the look of a winner. Someone not afraid to be "the guy" with the ball in his hands with the game on the line. And for the first time in as long as I can remember, the Browns seem to have found that guy.
It was one of those frustrating ones to watch. And it looked like opportunity slipping away from us. The defense had done it's part, playing twice as long as the oppositions defense, and giving the team a chance to win. But the offense, that's what was so frustrating, and it took a huge blow before the game even started. Peyton Hillis was sent home with strep throat a couple hours before the game started, and you could just hear the whispers swirling around this on, "it's the Madden curse." On top of that, the wide receivers were non existent for the first three quarters and Colt McCoy was struggling to get the offense going.
Down 16-10 late in the 4th quarter I felt myself getting that mad feeling knowing what could have been if the Browns would have played to their potential. Then even more angry realizing we were about to lose to a team that was 0-for-the-year, on our home turf. Embarrassing, no excuse, unacceptable, just some of the thoughts running through my mind. Then I took a deep breath, realized I am a Browns fan, and began to accept it.
When we got the ball back on our own 20-yard line with less than 3 minutes to go needing a touchdown to win, there was no reason to believe we could gain 80 yards in that amount of time with the way our offense had been playing.
But as I watched with those thoughts spiraling in my head, my speculation about Colt McCoy began to come to fruition. I liked the Browns decision to draft McCoy, despite the fact he was "undersized" an lacked the "prototypical" arm strength coming out of college, I liked him because he won. He left the University of Texas as the all time winningest quarterback in NCAA history.
Sunday, he proved that. He struggled, the receivers struggled, the whole offense struggled throughout the day. But, when it mattered most, when his team needed it the most, he rose up to the challenge, he took the pressure, and his team, and put it on his shoulders. His numbers at the end of the day weren't flattering: 19/39, 210 yards, 2 td, 1 int, 71.5 passer rating. But the one thing that trumps all of those statistics is Ws.
And rookie wide out Greg Little put it best after the game, "I think the greatest statistics in the league are wins and losses. I don't think Colt cares about his completion percentage. You win the game, so that's all our team cares about anyway. He just stayed composed and made a lot of good plays. He was just very vibrant and upbeat and you could see that pouring out of him in his eyes. He made it happen for us."
That look in his eyes? That is the look of a winner. Someone not afraid to be "the guy" with the ball in his hands with the game on the line. And for the first time in as long as I can remember, the Browns seem to have found that guy.
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