Record-breaking Birthday Shurmurball Special

by Cleveland Frowns on October 14, 2012

Could anything be more Shurmurball than setting a new franchise record for consecutive losses on your starting rookie quarterback’s 29th birthday?

It’s the old so and so’s first game against an opponent that he’s faced before and it only takes one candle to start a dumpster fire, but there’s at least a chance that Shurmurball turns the tape to its advantage. Our NFL picks for the week are here and the rest is your open thread for the official last game of the Lerner Era. We’ll be back tomorrow as always to see about how it went.

  • Believelander

    While I’m not down with the ritualistic self mutilation and cyanide consumption around these parts lately, this post made me lols so hard the water I was drinking came out my nose and contaminated the rest of the glass. I still drank it. Laughter-brewed booger water > apocalyptic raging at inept franchises and omnipotent indiscriminate curses.

    Also Pete, no, there is nothing more ShurmurLernerHolmgrenball than losing today. Go out with a bang, as it were.

  • etc

    Holy cow. Dalton just rolled out and tried to hit the TE on a third and short. Fire Lewis!

    • Believelander

      Duh. My friends in Cinci have been saying that for 40 years and Lewis hasn’t even been there that long.

  • actovegin1armstrong

    Thank you so much Believe.
    Ladies and gentlemen, our motivational thought for the day, courtesy of a true Believelander.
    Come on Bupa and Biki, we need you, please post your optimistic; game day banter.
    Now Biki, if the Browns win the coin toss, what are the odds of a V-I-C-T-O-R-Y today?
    Bupa, how do you really feel about Trent Richardson?

  • actovegin1armstrong

    I wish I was near a tv.
    ESPN Gamecast said that Phil Dawson just made a tackle

    • ClevelandFrowns

      55 yard TD on a slant to a tight end. Just abominable safety play. TJ Ward is not helping Heckert’s case to survive the Haslam purge.

      • actovegin1armstrong

        Well with Phil Dawson playing Strong Safety what do you expect?

        • reggiebuckeye

          PFD makes that tackle.

      • actovegin1armstrong

        “Haslam Purge”
        I really like the sound of that!

      • etc

        Young wiffed on that play too, completely botched the tackle and pulled Robertson(?) off the TE. Hagg isn’t that bad, is he?

      • BIKI024

        Heckert’s 53 seems to be in much better shape than his old buddy Grigson’s 53 in Indy.. let’s see how we do against our old buddy Arians.. my guess the line is IND -3

  • Defenestration

    1st and ten on Bengals’ 30. I would feel much more comfortable if they sent in Phil for the FG right now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=517400620 Jason Hahn

    Sometimes I think John Navarre is out there… He was like 6’6″ and got every third pass batted at the line too…

    • Believelander

      Weird how, while a quarterback is involved in this happening, it’s a much larger indicator of the pass blocking.

  • Believelander

    Right now, 11 minutes, 4th quarter is where this team needs to take a step as a team. You just let them within a field goal. Now take the ball, drive it deep down the field and score a touchdown, go up by 10, and bury your opponent with a 2 score deficit and little time to come back. The Browns since forever, right here, have given the ball back and tried to force the opponent not to score.

    • Believelander

      Update: THAT is what winning teams do. They apparently took notes on how the Giants handled a Browns team that was hanging around later in the game – turn on the jets and BURY YOUR OPPONENT. Great teams put opponents away well before the clock expires. Bad and mediocre teams let teams hang around.

  • reggiebuckeye

    I hope this doesn’t change the fate of Super Pat.

    • etc

      Rookie quarterbacks don’t have a birthday every week.

  • BIKI024

    Happy Birthday Weeds! Mazel Tov on the win and a 92.7 QBR

    • actovegin1armstrong

      Congratulations to Weeden of course, go Browns and all that rubbish, move a little further down the draft board, with still no playoff hopes, but a win for our Beloved Browns is still terrific.
      Sorry that Frownie will not get his 0-16.

      Did you see any of the Russell Wilson Extravaganza?

  • actovegin1armstrong

    Even a blind squirrel with a headset….

    • Kamov

      I noticed that at no point did he attempt to drink with the headset on. Is… is he learning???

      • Defenestration

        I want a .gif of his little temper tantrum when they told him he couldn’t challenge the forward progress stoppage play. I’ve seen less petulance from a 2 year old who can’t have a cookie.
        BUUUUUUUUUT, more importantly… Browns win! Go Browns!

        • Believelander

          OMG that was epic. I’m 100% on Shurmur’s side on that. The refs were full of shit on that one. The ball carrier was falling forward when Billy Winn got under him and ripped the ball out. They determined postmortem that they had judged the play dead. He should have thrown the challenge flag just to lure an official over so he could scream in his face. If I was the head coach, my face would have been so much redder and my fatness would have been a one man study in plate tectonics.

  • Believelander

    Browns run on 3rd and mid with 2:17 on the clock and just outside field goal range, lose 2 on the play, run the clock down to the 2 minute warning. The irony is, if they run a slow developing play-action pass play, then punt on 4th down, they should be able to get the clock inside the 2 minute warning off the punt.

    Mysteriously, we run on third and mid with little to gain from the conservative call inside enemy territory, but pass on third and mid a few minutes earlier around our own 30 with more to gain (40 seconds off the clock) and more to lose on a gaffe on the pass call.

    #Shurmurball continues to make my brain hemorrhage trying to comprehend the ‘logic’, but strong win from the Browns team today.

  • Bryan

    Weeden: 3rd game with 8 or more yards per attempt. More than McCoy all last year. Has a huge second half. After starting 9-19, finishes 8-10 and leads a HUGE touchdown drive to give the team control.

    One fluky interception. That was it.

    If anyone does not acknowledge this guy is a clear upgrade at the most important position, they you are just bitter. Weeden has potential. Let’s enjoy it.

    Montario!

    • rodofdisaster

      I didn’t realize the QB issue was still a topic open for discussion. The only reason it stays open is because they are 1-5 and because the TV broadcast keeps showing Colt on the sideline.

      • BIKI024

        that’s the only reason? how bout Frownie’s constant comparisons to DA? He’s gonna need to put together a few more days like today, maybe consecutively to convince the majority that Weeds may have what it takes to be the QB for the next 5 years. but he def played solid today, look forward to seeing what he can do against a Colts defense that’s in rebuild mode. i was watching the Jets completely manhandle them all day long. Our OL should be able to matchup well, definitely a winnable game.

        • rodofdisaster

          Disliking Weeden and calling for McCoy are two separate (although admittedly linked) issues.

          I don’t think anyone, including this Texas homer, can look at Brandon Weeden and say that he isn’t better suited to the position physically. Now, if you want to lose sleep over the “did he get enough of a chance” argument go right ahead but I would point to today’s KC-Tampa game as evidence that this line of thinking would just be maddening.

          Is this to say that Weeden will ultimately be successful in leading the Browns to the playoffs? I don’t know. What I will tell you is that he’s making the defense have to defend the entirety of the field which is something Colt simply hasn’t been able to do.

          As long as we aren’t here to proclaim Weeden as markedly accurate and athletic, I’m ok with it. He makes good throws and bad ones. Today had quite a few good ones.

          Shurmur needs to be less stubborn and help the kid out. He simply insists on throwing the football rather than running it and that’s extremely tough on an inexperienced QB. He really loves to force players to suit his plays and play-calling.

          • BIKI024

            i agree with you completely. i was only trying to agree with Bryan that Weeden has potential and not a #dumpsterfire like some people around here seem to think he’s jumping headfirst into..

            afterall this was “Weeden’s first start against a team with some tape on him. Remember D.A. in his second game against the Bengals in 2007?”

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=517400620 Jason Hahn

            Until he adjusts to being under center and stops getting 5 passes batted per game, he will be far inferior to McCoy in my book.

          • BIKI024

            @Jason Hahn – i’ll trade 5 of those balls Colt couldn’t dream to make today over those 5 batted balls all day. now let’s see if he can bring it b2b and we can start trusting the guy a bit more..

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=517400620 Jason Hahn

            I’ve seen maybe 2 or 3 passes completed all season that I’m unsure Colt McCoy could have made. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a huge McCoy fan, but the 29 year old man who can’t figure out how to throw the ball over the defensive line is not an improvement. At least not an improvement worthy of the 22nd pick.

          • ClevelandFrowns

            We can all agree that all three Weeden touchdown passes were on blown coverage, correct?

          • BIKI024

            how many batted balls today? didn’t notice that many

          • BIKI024

            i didn’t realize they kept track of TD’s verse blown coverage or tight coverage. TD’s are TD’s; a win is a win. baby steps for the Baby Browns.

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=517400620 Jason Hahn

            You seriously didn’t notice all the batted balls today? Wow… How about the first one that was intercepted? Did you notice that one? That’s twice this season it’s happened because he doesn’t know how to throw over the line from under center.

          • Cranky M

            @ JasonHan: you said this exact same thing last week, and i explained that you were completely wrong about the “2 or 3 balls” Colt couldn’t throw for a vast multitude of reasons. Do i really need to go through them again?

            If you can’t acknowledge that Weeden is a huge upgrade from McCoy, you’re either stubborn or….something worse. Far inferior to Colt? That’s just absurd….

          • BIKI024

            yeah, that was a great play by the defense.. tipped balls happen. fortunately didn’t cost us the game. but if you are already convinced that Weeden has no potential, then good luck to you sir

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=517400620 Jason Hahn

            Whatever, Cranky M. Huge upgrade is a huge overstatement. He’s definitely not a first round pick upgrade. If you wanted someone to throw the ball down the field, I hear DA might be looking for a job. I know he’s backing someone up somewhere. Remember him? The bum we gave a contract and released a year later? But if being able to throw the ball far is all you need to get a job, Jamarcus Russell is available too. That’s Brandon Weeden, only Weeden is older than DA. Brandon Weeden cannot hit a fade. I’ll give you he can remarkably hit wide open passes to Josh Gordon who makes great catches on poorly thrown balls. Weeden is not the answer.

          • Believelander

            Hey Jason Hahn, how many years have you been working as a professional NFL talent evaluator to be able to say definitively that Weeden isn’t Cleveland’s answer at quarterback? That after less than half a seaso, you know he’s already a bust? Actually, you and Frownie and tmbrad (I think is his name) can pool all your Pro NFL experience and write for us about how none of these rookies will ever be good in the NFL. Please do.

            Edit: Biki, I felt more like the Weeden INT was a bad job out of our offensive line – watch the replay of John Greco watching the ball gracefully arc from Geno Atkins’ hand, 3 seconds in the air, and into the outstretched waiting hands of the other linemen.

            Aside from what the sheer volume of tipped passes suggests about our pass blocking, help your quarterback out and knock down any tipped ball to avoid interceptions. He could have probably blown air at that thing and knocked it off course, but he just kind of stands there like a sentient piece of meatloaf, unwilling or unable to do the basic thing.

          • Believelander

            @Frowns: yes, we can all agree that all 3 of Weeden’s 2 touchdown passes were on blown coverage. The one to Watson was actually a nifty play call. They stuck him in to block and release on a play action pass then go across the formation to the weak side all the way from the strong side tight end position. The defense bit beautifully on the phantom strongside power run, leaving nobody in position to recover when Watson squirted free all by himself.

          • Bryan

            Totally agree Rod. As Bikie noted, my comment is directed at the many people here who seems to think Weeden is terrible. I think, after 6 games, he is already better than what we previously had AND he show real upside. To me, this is real progress. We are finally in a position where our QB is at least good enough to let other parts of the offense progress, and therefore be evaluated.

          • BIKI024

            the Three Joshes came thru huge as well. Gordon and Cooper made some HUGE grabs for Weeds, and of course we know how big of an impact Cribbs made. But wow, that Gordon catch was slick, one-handed, great stuff. hopefully more to come.

  • BIKI024

    FWIW, the combined record of teams the Clownies have lost to is 18-12, with no one lower than .500..

    and oh yeah, Clownies up to 9-3-1 ATS in last 13.. A.B.C

    • ClevelandFrowns

      Yes, the Browns can’t beat good teams. Ever. We get it.

    • Petefranklin

      So you’ll take over 4 wins to double up?

      • BIKI024

        no thanks

  • Alexb

    while it was good to see montario running well i called that Richardson was gonna get dinged with all the workload. This is exactly how Hillis started his decline except that until the point he got dinged he had a few MONSTER games against first rate defenses. But he was also running behind Vickers…….which brings me to Marecic, can someone please start a benchMarcic drive? Maybe start a website “benchMarecic.com”. Something, anything ……that guy is terrible. They can’t even count on him to catch a soft screen…..McCoy was hitting Hillis 40 yds downfield, how can Marecic start in this league when he can barely block and can’t catch a screen? It wasn’t just today either.

    • Petefranklin

      He’s just awful. Stone hands Vickers? How bout those hands Owen has. Worst move Heckart has made… not signing L.V. and wasting a fourth on Marecic.

      • BIKI024

        “wasting a fourth” good grief, the guy has hit on several undrafted guys and many latter round picks yet you’re going to harp on the 4th rounder that we “wasted”.. Marecic dropped a ball, but he had some key blocks today, you should check the all-22.. we only use the FB in like 16% of the plays, so they rolled with Marecic

        • zarathustra

          Whoa there dude. The guy has hit on several undrafted and late round guys? Who? I’ll be the first to say that it is unfair to slam heckert for one fourth round pick not panning out, but your claim is complete nonsense. My guess is you’ve been celebrating a profitable day. Perhaps the nonsense you speak is just the plant talking.

          • BIKI024

            yes, while of course it’s early, there are several guys we are getting key contributions from that weren’t drafted in the first 3 rounds or via FA/Supplemental Draft:

            Pinkston, Robertson, Fort, Winn, Wade, Hagg, Stephens, Skrine, Benjamin, JMJ, Gordon, Cooper and Cameron.

            and of course his guys from early rounds are pretty solid contributors as well:

            Haden, Ward, Sheard, Taylor, Hughes, Lavauo, Schwartz, Little, Richardson, and Weeden

          • Warburton MacKinnon

            umm, Gorden was a pick in the supplemental draft,a second rounder to boot. Several others you list were undrafted free agents. I don;t think Heckert is great,but I don’t think he sucks. He hit’s on about 50% of his picks which I would think is about average,otherwise he wouldn’t still be employed. Also the jury is still out on Ward,Lavauo,Hughes,Sheard,Taylor, Shwartz,Little and Weeden. Yes they have all done some good things but not a single one of those I listed is consistently good, which means they could all still end up being poor draft picks.

          • Petefranklin

            Key contributers to 1 win? All of those guys except Haden, Trich and Sheard, and maybe Billy Winn, would be buried on the bench if this team weren’t so bad or had actually tried to sign a free agant or two. The Oline guys do seem to be getting to the point of decency though since Weeden is still walking upright.

          • BIKI024

            @Warburton, yes, i said guys he picked up via FA/Supplemental Draft or not in first 3 rounds. bottom line, is that teams that win in the league have a 53 with a majority of homegrown guys, and this is the first year we’ve hit that and we’re giving the young guys meaningful reps which should help them progress to become legit contributors on a consistent basis.

            the objective of the front office was to rebuild a roster so that it was built to last. a few more veterans would not make us a playoff team. so just like the Cavs get a free pass for rebuilding “the right way”, it seems like we finally have a foundation of talent that should develop together and that will give us a chance to win as they continue to build chemistry together. as Coach Sam says, chemistry goes a long way, and the only way you build that is through continuity of the roster via the draft.

          • Petefranklin

            @Biki so are you saying that not having a veteran receiver around is a good thing? Deon Branch was very available before the Pats gladly took him back. How much further along would Little and Gordon be with a true vet to learn from?

          • BIKI024

            @petefranklin – and why on earth would Deion Branch want to sign with the Browns?? to be a coach? he can do that after he retires. you guys think we can just snap our fingers and sign FA’s, like they have no say in the matter.

            and it’s not like Branch is doing much anyway, so who knows if he would’ve been any improvement. dude has lost a step

        • Believelander

          For one, Biki, go away. That fourth round draft pick was a waste. If we only use the fullback on 16% of our snaps like you say, why would you spend a middle round pick on one? To save $500,000 per year off what you’d have to pay Vickers? You want 4th round picks to play, not come in and have 2 dropped passes and 1 catch for -2 yards per game, and have their halfback beat them to to the point of attack.

          For two, stop being so DEFENSIVE about your man love crushes for Holmgren and Heckert. Pete was actually complimenting him for a job well done – saying that missing on a mid round pick and releasing a fullback was the worst move of a GM’s tenure means that GM has probably had a really solid tenure. Jeez. Lighten up.

          • BIKI024

            lighten up? LOL. defensive? give me a break buddy. you’re absolutely right, if this guy is going to continuously rip Heckert for Marecic, that’s the least of his problems.

          • bupalos

            While I can’t think of anyone at the end of the 4th round that year making an impact for anyone, I also can’t see a single good reason for that Marecic for Vickers swap. I guess they thought Marecic could catch. Whoa lordy.

          • Petefranklin

            Continuously?? By the way there were some solidly rated linebackers available at the time of Marecics pick if I recall correctly. And I do kind of like Heckart, or at least his defensive picks. I just dont like that he doesn’t seem to have plan B,C,D on draft day only plan A.

          • Petefranklin

            Jaquizz Rodgers was available along with a few other NFL caliber RB’s andWR’s.http://booboosue.blogspot.com/

          • Petefranklin

            Sorry bout the address it was supposed to have all the players picked in that draft

          • etc

            Wikipedia to the rescue
            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_NFL_Draft

            Marecic was a Julio Jones pick, I didn’t realize that. So he was free. It still wasn’t the best possible pick at the time but it’s a late 4th rounder…

      • Believelander

        Interestingly, Marecic’s hands actually seem to be made of some sort of combination of soft foam and Crisco. Footballs bounced off Vickers’ hands, they noodle through Marecic’s. If you put the two together, you could have the best (worst?) hands of any fullback in the history of forever.

  • Believelander

    Josh Gordon: 12 catches, 274 yards (22.83 average), long 71, 3 TD.
    Justin Blackmon: 13 catches, 119 yards (9.2 average), long 19, 0 TD.

    Tom Heckert dat balla gon be G to the M’in for his nizzo fo rizzo Joe Bannizo next Aprizo

  • Believelander

    So I was sitting around staring at a cloud of sports-related numbers, as I am wont to do at 3 AM. During my quest for clarity, I was trying to find some balance to the people drawing dire (or jubilant) conclusions based on Brandon Weeden in his first 6 career games. For the record, I am not stating that Weeden won’t suck – he could very well end up being Derek Anderson. But for everyone claiming right now that he can’t do this can’t do that can’t do the other throws interceptions blah blah blah COOL IT. He’s a rookie on a low-talent NFL team learning on the job. He’s picking up the majority of the offensive workload.

    So I was curious how he compared to some others who were tossed right into the fire in their NFL career, as well as some who got to sit. I grabbed some metrics that are useful for comparing small sample sizes to larger ones (as well as being generally good indicators), then threw in attempts per game, noted which season it was they became the starter, and noted who, if anyone, they got to sit behind.

    Brandon Weeden 2012 (1st season): 38.5 att/game, 55.8% comp, 6.6 avg, 3.0 TD% < 4.3 INT%, 68.1 RAT. Mentor: none
    Colt McCoy 2010 (1st): 27.8 att, 60.8% comp, 7.1 avg, 2.7 TD% < 4.1 INT%, 74.5 RAT. Mentor: Jake Delhomme/Seneca Wallace?
    Peyton Manning 1998 (1st): 34.5 att, 56.7% comp, 6.5 avg, 4.5 TD% < 4.9 INT%, 71.2 RAT. Mentor: none. Also Archie Manning.
    Matthew Stafford 2009 (1st): 37.7 att, 53.3% comp, 6.0 avg, 3.4 TD% < 5.3 INT%, 61.0 RAT. Mentor: none
    Matt Ryan 2008 (1st): 27.1 att, 61.1% comp, 7.9 avg, 3.7 TD% > 2.5 INT%, 87.7 RAT. Mentor: none
    Ben Coedtouchyburger 2004 (1st): 21.1 att, 66.4% comp, 8.9 avg, 5.8 TD% > 3.7 INT%, 98.1 RAT. Mentor: all universe defense+running game.

    (OK those last two guys were blips on the rookie radar. Let’s bring this ship back down to Earth)

    Eli Manning 2004 (1st): 21.9 att, 48.2% comp, 5.3 avg, 3.0 TD% < 4.6 INT%, 55.4 RAT. Mentor: Kurt Warner/Archie Manning. Hadn't sunk in yet.
    Alex Smith 2005 (1st): 50.9% comp, 5.3 avg, 0.6 TD% (not a typo) < 6.7 INT%, 40.8 RAT. Mentor: none

    (that was fast)

    Jay Catler 2006 (1st): 27.4 att, 59.1% comp, 7.3 avg, 6.6 TD% > 3.6 INT%, 88.5 RAT. Mentor: Rex Grossman. Super Bowl bound team. (Also fumbled a crazy amount in this 5 game sample size. In his first full season in 2007, he was the same QB, with an 88.1 RAT, 3.3 INT%, and a load of fumbles).
    Drew Brees 2001 (2nd): 32.9 att, 60.8% comp, 6.2 avg, 3.2 TD% > 3.0 INT%, 76.9 RAT. Mentor: Doug ********ing Flutie (that guy rocked).
    Philip Rivers 2006 (3rd): 28.8 att, 61.7% comp, 7.4 avg, 4.8 TD% > 2.0 INT%, 92.0 RAT. Mentor: Drew Brees.
    Tom Brady 2001 (2nd): 27.5 att, 63.9% comp, 6.9 avg, 4.4 TD% > 2.9 INT%, 86.5 RAT. Mentor: Drew Bledsoe.
    Aaron Rodgers 2008 (4th): 33.5 att, 63.6% comp, 7.9 avg, 5.2 TD% > 2.4 INT%, 93.4 RAT. Mentor: Brett Favre.

    A couple of things are clearly apparent: a lot of great QBs who start as rookies struggle, but not all do. There seems to be a mystical tuning fork right around 28 average pass attempts with a successful neophyte QB, with a few outliers. Brandon Weeden’s pass attempts in his 5 losses: 35, 37, 43, 52, 35. Pass attempts in 1 win: 29. Weird. Tuning fork.

    Another apparent truth: Brandon Weeden doesn’t have nearly as much time as any of the above who became really good staple NFL names. He’s the same age as Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith. Dude’s got to hit the jets, for sure, and he could end up being Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, or worse. But the last apparent fact: nobody knows, and he has all the potential to be in the group of studs, so please stop saying like you KNOW that he’s going to be a dud.

    Oh, and stop calling him Derek Anderson 2.0. It makes me want to eat uranium. The fact that you people can’t come up with 2 names out of our 714 starting QBs since 99 that had an impressive throwing arm is depressing. Reminds me of the conveyor belt of guys who reminded you of Scooby Doo’s undersized, over-matched nephew Scrappy Doo. Can we stop trying to run a QB out of town now that we finally MIGHT not have another season of P-P-PUPPY POWER? Thanks.

    • Warburton MacKinnon

      Ok,Weeden is not quite the second comining of Anderson,on that I will agree,even though Weeden seemed to be just that early, except you know Anderson won a lot of games his first year as a starter. In a way I wish Weeden was that good,as in winning games screw the stats.
      Also of the QB’s listed that whent on to be succesful/good, did they have a good coach..well Weeden does not,nor did Colt last year. On the bright side Weeden has more weapons, In any event our head coach still sucks,please stop giving him excuses.

      • Believelander

        I clarified the post to state my stance that I feel that both Weeden and McCoy have been thrown under the bus by the poor system and game plans. The last thing I want is for Ask Pat to have any excuses. I bear no ill will toward the guy, but he can go be a mediocre play caller somewhere else, thanks.

    • bupalos

      It’s just too small a sample to worry much about, but you do realize that while the numbers here may suggest nothing to freak out about, they do suggest Weeden is the worst of this bunch including McCoy but excluding Stafford. And Stafford has had 1 good year so far, just like someone we won’t mention.

      I continue with my take on Weeds: I’m more intrigued than I thought I would be on draft day, but I haven’t seen much to dispel the idea that this guy has a freak-out gene that is going to need some serious stem-cell type treatment. And by the time it kicks in it may be time for him to retire. But it’s starting to look like the potential was perhaps worth the 22.

      • Wiseoldredbeard

        If he can keep down the ints, he could be very worth it. Who was at the game and how fun was it? I can only imagine it was great.

  • Believelander

    Phil Dawson stepped into tenth all time in field goal percentage in front of Matt Stover. Salut, Matt.

  • GrandRapidsRustlers

    I think it is time to use the power of the Internet and Twitter for good and send Phil Dawson to the Pro Bowl.

  • Beeej

    1. Blown coverage in the secondary is often a result of the QB getting enough time to throw the ball. Look at Weeden’s protection on his TD/long passes.
    2. I move to name the trio of Cooper, Gordon, and Cribbs to “The Flying Js.”

    • Wiseoldredbeard

      Are we progressing towards a day where a bomb is in the air and we assume that it will be caught (not dropped!)? That was a great pitch and catch in insane wind. Not yet willing to enshrine Gordon, but he has playmaking ability and speed that no one since Braylon has had on our team. He also has hands. With that deep threat, if Little and Cameron can live in the middle of the field, and Cooper can squirt around as a safety valve, we could start seeing some more 300 yard games. Go Browns. I had forgotten how good watching a W feels…

  • bupalos

    I really badly want Shurmur to convince me that it would be ok to stay the course with him, and it shouldn’t take much because I don’t think you need any kind of exceptional coach to win in the NFL, any more than you need a great punter or long-snapper.

    But his slobberingly over-satisfied reaction to that win is yet another red light. You just won your first game on a handful of blown coverages and a couple kick returns and tipped balls. The motto for this team until further notice should be “NEXT PLAY.”

    • BIKI024

      Good grief, “slobberingly over satisfied reaction”???? it’d be one thing if he was still rejoicing in the postgame presser, but there’s nothing wrong with showing some emotion after any win in the NFL, let alone the first in 11 months. And it’s not like he showed Pete Carrollesque emotion. Just like Joe Haden said yesterday, it’s good to show emotion as it can keep the young guys motivated.

      I don’t know if you watched his postgame but i would bet anything that the message all week will be of the “NEXT PLAY” variety.

    • Wiseoldredbeard

      Agree that his elation was a bit much, but what is with the perpetual citaion to errors by the other team to explain any success that the Browns enjoy. “Won … on a handful of blown coverages and a couple of kick returns and tipped balls”? What does that even mean? Arguably the two biggest plays of the game were the pick six and the strip sack. Gimme a break.

      The Gordon TD was the result of great O-Line play (time), and a superfast/underappreciated WR who got behind the D because they undercommitted. The Watson TD was a well called playfake that worked because our run game was doing well. Good offenses cause blown coverages.

      Give credit where it is due.

    • Hopwin

      Did you happen to read Peter King’s ardent defense for Shurmur? Hasn’t had crap to say about the Browns in the past two years and now Shurmur is coach of the week, has the quote of the week and a plea from King to Haslem on his behalf.

      • NeedsFoodBadly

        Peter King never mentions the Browns in his column except to show how little thought he actually gives them in any given season.

        Which makes me salty, but then again, the Browns haven’t been nationally relevant for awhile, so why SHOULD he pay attention to them? Just wish he’d keep his uninformed opinion to himself and say nothing at all.

  • smittypop2

    Browns won, Notre Dame won a squeaker (and is number 5 in the BCS!!!) and the Yankees went down 0-2 (with the second biggest jerkoff in the bronx breaking his ankle/cue AROD for number 1). THIS WAS A GLORIOUS SPORTS WEEKEND!!!!

    • BIKI024

      I revel in Yankee losses as much as anyone, but individually it’s hard for me to dislike the players. Jeter had a great season, much better than most people thought. I wonder how the injury is gonna affect his BA with the ladies.

      • smittypop2

        Yes, it is very hard to dislike AROD. I am sure Jeter will improve his BA with the ladies now because he will have more free time.

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