Week 7 NFL Picks-Some Good Matchups And Some It's Over Before It Starts

Week Six Monday Night Football saw a game that was pretty much even across the board when it was over. Darrelle Revis and Brandon Marshall battled all night in the end zone. Marshall had several scoring opportunities foiled as well as dropped. Matt Moore was pummeled by the Jets rush, forcing him to come up short on some of his passes. Revis picked off one of those passes and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. Its those little things that make a difference in winning and losing and it was the Jets who ended on top. The Week 7 lineup is probably split between obvious wins and it's anybody's guess.

Detroit's game against Atlanta this Sunday will be a crucial one since they are coming off a loss. It will be a test of their resilience and ability to overcome a setback. Playing at home is one on the plus side for them, although they are 3-0 on the road. The Lions had a problem stopping Frank Gore and will be facing another tough runner in Michael Turner. It is a glaring statistic that when Turner has a 100+ game and scores, Atlanta wins. Detroit's defense must stop Turner and put the ball into Matt Ryan's hands, which if Detroit is not careful could be tricky. Matthew Stafford has proven his ability to put it the endzone with Calvin Johnson. It didn't happen in the San Fran game because the 49er's did a good job checking Johnson in the endzone. Atlanta isn't San Fran defensively, so Stafford will be looking that way.

The Jets are playing for their playoff life. One thing in their favor is they have a defense that can tear the opposing team apart and create crucial mistakes, as they did in the Miami game. San Diego is not Miami when it comes to offense. Philip Rivers has only 6 passing touchdowns for the season, but the Chargers find a way to win despite, usually with the help of Nick Novak. The Chargers can move the ball offensively, but without Antonio Gates they are missing an important part of their scoring attack. There is a possibilty Gates will play, so watch out Jets. Revis will have to step it up again and the defensive line will have to apply the pressure. For the Jets offensively, Sanchez will have to avoid the critical mistake and Shonn Greene must have a good running game, San Diego's weak spot. If Santonio Holmes has a touchdown, the Jets will be competitive.

Seattle Seahawks shocked the Giants this past week. The Cleveland Browns are on the bottom in their division again after being bested by Oakland. This is an anybody's guess. The Browns will no doubt be missing Hillis, maybe, and continue to play silly games with the wide receiver position. Joshua Cribbs is still used sparingly in the passing attack, which baffles me. The Browns just need to let it all hang out and use Cribbs like the Steelers use Wallace. Colt McCoy can win if he is given the green light and a go to guy. The Seahawks will be without Tarvaris Jackson, weakening their offense even more. This is an opportunity for the Browns to get on the winning road. Whether they stay on it depends on their willingness to go for broke and do the obvious, out of the ordinary, move to Cribbs at wide receiver permanently.

Baltimore needs to take Jacksonville seriously even though it may look like a cake walk. Can Cam-do or Cam-not, that is the question? Stay tuned Sunday. Green Bay at Minnesota, not like it used to be with Farve, Minnesota that is, not Green Bay. The battle of the Titans against the Texans, a possible shoot out. I'm looking for a 100 percent pick this week with no surprises.

SUN, OCT 23                           TIME (ET) TV       LOCATION
San Diego at NY Jets L               1:00 PM  CBS    MetLife Stadium
Chicago at Tampa Bay L             1:00 PM  FOX    Wembley Stadium
Washington at Carolina W           1:00 PM  FOX    Bank of America Stadium
Atlanta at Detroit L                      1:00 PM  FOX    Ford Field
Seattle at Cleveland W                 1:00 PM  FOX    Cleveland Browns Stadium
Denver at Miami L                       1:00 PM  CBS    Sun Life Stadium
Houston at Tennessee L               1:00 PM  CBS    LP Field
Kansas City at Oakland L            4:05 PM  CBS    Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Pittsburgh at Arizona W              4:05 PM  CBS    U of Phoenix Stadium
Green Bay at Minnesota W         4:15 PM  FOX    Mall of America Field
St. Louis at Dallas W                  4:15 PM  FOX    Cowboys Stadium
Indianapolis at New Orleans W  8:20 PM  NBC    Superdome

MON, OCT 24                         TIME (ET)  TV     LOCATION
Baltimore at Jacksonville L        8:30 PM  ESPN   EverBank Field

Cleveland Browns Had Plenty Of Wasted Offense and Lose To The Titans

If you throw 61 times in a game and only connect for one touchdown, something ain't right. On top of that, if you achieve 25 first downs to your opponenets 13 and lose 31-13, something definitely ain't right. Add to that, time of possession for the Browns was over 36 minutes to the Titans 23 minutes and they could only manage two field goals and one touchdown out of all that offense. It just catagorically ain't right. Unless they come up with a solution, Cleveland is headed into an offensive sinkhole of their own making.

Colt McCoy was chased around all afternoon and managed 350 yards on 40 completions. His longest pass play was 27 yards. Nine of his completions amounted to gains of between 10 to 27 yards. The rest, 31 passes, amounted to gains on an average of 6 total yards. That will not get the job done. McCoy threw passes to just about everybody on the bench. Hillis didn't help the cause either with only 46 yards of rushing. Needless to say, the line definately didn't help the cause either, or maybe, the Titan defense was that good. I'll let you decide that one for yourself.

Matt Hasselbeck, on the other hand, only needed half a game to beat the Browns. Hasselbeck managed three touchdowns out of a total of 10 completions. The Titans did get a good running game out of Chris Johnson. He ran for 101 yards. The Titans only touchdown in the second half was on an 97 yard interception by Jordan Babineaux. The Titan defense was on the field a good portion of the game, but were steady as a rock through it all. They only allowed the Browns to score their one and only touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Browns seriously need a vertical threat. I don't know who is the problem when it comes to this missing feature, Mccoy, the line, the wide receivers, or the coaching staff. Probably alittle of everything, but I am going with the coaching staff. They have to unleash Colt McCoy and take shots down field. They need to make up their minds on Joshua Cribbs and utilize his speed as a wide receiver. If you want a go to guy, you got to throw to that guy. The opposing defenses are showing no fear of the Browns passing attack. Pin the opposing secondary's ears back and strike some terror into them. Do that, and maybe you will be surprised at what may happen. At least the fans will be, surprised that is.

Browns Top Dolphins 17-16 On Two Sensational Catches

It is said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." After their win against the Dolphins, Colt McCoy summed up their play this way, "We played like garbage for the most part of the day. As ugly as it was, it was a huge win for us." From a statistical point of view, the Browns looked like the Mona Lisa with a bad hair day, but from the vantage point of the fans, it was a beautiful win with some defining moments, one of them associated with Joshua Cribbs. Cribbs didn't return kickoffs or punts because of a groin problem, but on his spectacular leaping touchdown catch he must of had a miraculous recovery.

Colt McCoy was right about one thing, his play was ugly. He went 19-39 with 210 yards. For most of the game, exactly a little over 56 minutes, McCoy's passing looked like a person trying to throw a cracked wiffle ball. It is near impossible and ridiculously inaccurate. That pretty much described his attempts to target Cleveland receivers. Still, he got the job done with alot of help from Cribbs and finally, Massaquoi. Massaquoi hauled in the go ahead touchdown in the final minute of play.

The Browns defense got the job done. They totaled 5 sacks on Henne and 8 other hits. They caused Reggie Bush to fumble twice, one of which they recovered. With Miami on the Cleveland 47 and the game on the line, all Henne needed to do was complete a few passes to put them in field goal range. The Browns defense rose to the occasion and it was an interception by Mike Adams that sealed the victory.

Next Sunday, the Browns will be hosting the high flying Tennessee Titans, who are coming off victories against Baltimore and Denver. Baltimore dismantled Pittsbugh in their first game and took apart St Louis. What does that tell us about Tennessee? The Titans are dangerous. Colt McCoy cannot afford to have a 50 per cent completion rate in this one. Hopefully, Hillis will be back to take some of the pressure off McCoy, who can't handle the blitz very well.

Finally, the answer to the wide receiver issue is a groin pull away. Start using Joshua Cribbs as a wide receiver and he can have more of an impact than just being used as the kick-punt returner. He could be to the Browns offense what Wallace is to the Steelers, a viable long threat.

Week 3 In The NFL-Rivals Weekend

Indy Colts just can't get cut a break, but who really cares. They face the Steelers on Sunday. So, the hometown fans won't have much to cheer about unless Manning, due to frustration from watching the massacre, runs out onto the field and grabs the ball from Kerry to take the snaps. It's a good thing there isn't any snow to make snowballs, if you get my drift. The rest of the games are not as obvious when it comes to picking the winner. I was 14-2 in Week Two.

The Houston at New Orleans game features two strong offenses. Houston's number one rated defense against the pass will be put to the test by Brees, but he has the uncanny knack of finding the open man. To prevent that from happening, the Texans will have to keep Brees from leaving the pocket and gaining extra time. In the Dome, at New Orleans, I give the edge to the Saints.

The New York at Philadelphia matchup is a division rival game with no real clear winner. Michael Vick is scheduled to start, but whether he will finish this one will be up to the Giants defense, who will be looking to take him out. The Eagles will be looking to establish a running attack, but that is the Giants defensive strength. The Giants receiving core is battered, so they will be relying on Jacobs and Bradshaw to set the tempo. If that fails, Eli Manning will be hard pressed to establish any kind of passing attack making him an easier victim to the turnover.

The New England at Buffalo matchup is a good one to watch. The Bills have a strong run game with Jackson, so if they can keep Brady off the field, their chances of surviving definately increases. That being said, Brady doesn't need alot of time because he can strike quickly with the deep on talent receiving core he has to work with. Both teams can put up the points, but the Patriots will put up more.

Another rival game is Green Bay at Chicago. Jake Cutler will have to avoid the turnover if the Bears want any kind of chance to win this one. The Packers will be putting the heat on Cutler, so the Bear offense will have to get Forte involved more to prevent that from happening. As seen in the Saints game, the Packers secondary can be picked apart by a capable quarterback. Aaron Rodgers will be facing a tougher defense in the Bears than he has faced in the first two games.

Finally, the Washington at Dallas game. The question at hand, will Tony Romo survive, if he plays? The Dallas line will have to protect him alot better than they have in prior games. If they do, Dallas will come off the victor. The Redskins have a balanced offensive attack, so the Dallas defense will have their hands full. Rex Grossman has been getting the job done, but will have to avoid making that crucial mistake, which he has conmmitted three times in the past two games.

Its going to be a good weekend of NFL football. There are alot of evenly matched teams where it could go either way, and that includes the Baltimore at St Louis game, considering what happened to the Ravens last Sunday. It is also good to see the Detroit Lions finally giving their fans a legitimate reason to cheer. Jacksonville's new slogan, "You're darn tootin', we gotta blitz Cam Newton. One game to keep a close eye on is the Miami at Cleveland. Will the Browns make in two in a row? It's Henne-one's guess, so to speak.

SUN, SEP 25	TIME (ET)	TV	RESOURCES	LOCATION
Houston at New Orleans W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Superdome
NY Giants at Philadelphia W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Lincoln Financial Field
Jacksonville at Carolina L	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Bank of America Stadium
New England at Buffalo L	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Ralph Wilson Stadium
Miami at Cleveland W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Cleveland Browns Stadium
San Francisco at Cincinnati L	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Paul Brown Stadium
Denver at Tennessee W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	LP Field
Detroit at Minnesota W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Mall of America Field
Baltimore at St. Louis W	4:05 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Edward Jones Dome
NY Jets at Oakland W	4:05 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Kansas City at San Diego W	4:05 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Qualcomm Stadium
Arizona at Seattle W	4:15 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	CenturyLink Field
Atlanta at Tampa Bay L	4:15 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Raymond James Stadium
Green Bay at Chicago W	4:15 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Soldier Field
Pittsburgh at Indianapolis W	8:20 PM	NBC	Tickets | Travel	Lucas Oil Stadium
MON, SEP 26	TIME (ET)	TV	RESOURCES	LOCATION
Washington at Dallas W	8:30 PM		Tickets | Travel	Cowboys Stadium

Week Two-First Victory In The Book For The Browns

Can one person make that much difference in a way a team succeeds? If your name is Peyton Manning, apparently it does. The Browns were able to get on the road of victory after taking advantage of that fact. The Steelers beat up on a what-a-difference-a-year-makes 0-2 Seahawks. The Lions and Bills happily maintain their winning ways. New England, Green Bay, and New Orleans continue to offend or is it, continue to be offensive. There were some blowouts and there were some close ones. All-in-all it was a good weekend of football.

In one recent article by a certain sports website, the Browns were referred to as a "below-average team". Well, the below-average Browns walked away from Indy with a win with the help of Peyton Hillis. Hillis ran for 94 solid yards and two touchdowns. Colt McCoy had just an ok day throwing for 211 yards and one touchdown. The Brown's defense was more alert for this one and it was Reggie Wayne who got caught taking a nap on a third down interception by Usama Young.

On the negative side, the Browns had a serious case of the muffs, but fortunately only lost one of them. The offense is still missing that crucial piece of the puzzle called a premier wide receiver. I am still at a loss as to why Joshua Cribbs is not being used more as a wide receiver. Are they afraid he might get hurt or something?

Going against Miami this weekend, the Browns can prove they are more than just a below-average team. Colt McCoy has an opportunity here to have a greater impact with a Miami defense that is 30th against the pass, but that rating may be slightly deceiving since New England racked up huge passing yardage against them in the first game. No doubt the Browns will also try to test the waters of a weak-on-the-run Miami defense and establish the run game early with Hillis. It is definately a plus the Browns are playing at home on top of it.

All this having been said, Miami will not be a push over after losing their first two games. Chad Henne was superb against New England, but abysmal against Houston. It depends on what Henne will show up.

Week 1 of 2011-12 NFL Season Is Set To Kickoff

What did the final preseason game for the Browns reveal? Absolutely nothing. Now, it's showtime. The Browns will open the season against the Bengals, a division rival. It's an opportunity for Cleveland to make a statement, that they are here to play and here to stay. This weeks opening schedule to kickoff the season matches up teams who will be hotly contesting rivals. It almost looks like the playoffs are already beginning. You have New Orleans at Green Bay, Pittsburgh at Baltimore, Indianapolis at Houston, Minnestoa at San Diego, and Dallas at NY Jets. Well, maybe alittle like the playoffs.

No Brett Favre and no Peyton Manning to open the season. It just won't be the same. Indianapolis will be without Manning for the first time in 13 years. Kerry Collins will be taking the snaps against division rival Houston, who by the way are heavily favored to be the AFC South winners. Peyton Manning, being the competitive person he is, relishes that revelation like a horse fly on a fishing trip that just won't leave you alone and you can't get rid of, unless you kill it. If Collins is unable to pull off a Manning, Houston should take this one.

Green Bay and New Orleans are also heavily favored to take there divisions, and going a step further, popular choices to be facing each other in the Stuper Bowl. By the way, that is not a typo. Alot can happen between now and then and NFL predictions are like hurricane forecasts, they have an idea where it may go, but until it goes there, its anybody's guess. Green Bay should top out New Orleans in the opener.

Now we come to Pittsburgh at Baltimore. It's getting pretty tiresome seeing these two teams in the playoffs year after year and the predictions aren't helping any. Hopefully, in this season opener, the two of them will knock each other seriously silly so neither of them will be able to recover to their full senses in time for the seasons ending. Since that is highly unlikely, Cleveland and Colt McCoy are going to have to help us with this one and that would be a welcome change. I am giving the edge to Baltimore, only because it is a home game.

San Diego, no hands down, is picked to be the winner of their division, but like so many times before, that is where it ends for them. Minnesota doesn't figure into the final analysis even though Donavan McNabb is taking the snaps for them this year. They still look like last years team, just different quarterbacks. Philip Rivers and the Chargers should win the opener.

The teams that may surprise this year are the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions. Just a footnote out of history: They were the two teams that took their divisions with a losing record in the strike shortened season of 1982. Well, there was a strike this year, but happily all parties settled and the NFL is ready to play a complete schedule. Let us flip flop that idea. Maybe, these two teams will take their divisions with a losing record in a full season. Why not, Seattle did it last year. The Browns need a wide receiver, like Joshua Cribbs for example, to step up and they will be complete. Honest, I am not drinking any achoholic beverages as I am writing this piece. I am going to throw the Buffalo Bills in for good measure.

Finally, these are only some of the predictions found on Fox Sports. Other commentators heavily favor the New England Patriots as the Super Bowl Champions when all is said and done and that probably makes alot of people wish for a strike. No-Show Cinco and Bill Belichick are an unlikely fit in my books and if Moss decides to join the Patriots, watch out, No-show will be acting like an out of control brat if he doesn't get all the attention.

The Browns Blew Into Philadelphia And Lost To The Eagles 24-14

This game showed the Browns have a ways to go. The offense was a no-show, which brings us to the next glaring observation and an obvious problem.  The Bowns offense is in trouble against a team that knows how to play the West Coast offense. With that having been said, all of this preseason stuff is like watching the Weather Channel predict the track of Hurricane Irene. It changes day by day, hour by hour. At times it is pretty laughable and sometimes pathetic. Nobody knows exactly where it is going, until it goes there.

Colt McCoy threw his first interception of the preseason and couldn't put the ball across the goal line. The Eagle defense kept him out of sinc. The running game wasn't much of a help, but with the preseason nearing an end they were being shuffled in and out like a bad hand of five card stud. At least, Hillis is back into the mix. Now it is up to him as to what impact he may have. No stand out among the wide receivers in this one, except maybe Robiskie. The only two scores came late in the game on passes to Alex Smith and Chris Matthews. Joshua Cribbs was out with an injury and will remain out. That is an ouch.

The Browns may have lost, but the defense didn't look that bad. Two Eagle touchdowns came from quarterback runs and another off a short screen pass. A glaring weakness that needs to be looked at very seriously so future opponents can't exploit it.  The Browns Phil Taylor forced a fumble out of Vick on the Eagles 18 early in the game, but the Browns offense couldn't put the ball in for a score and the field goal attempt was blocked.

Where are the Browns going? The various prediction models show the possible track the Browns may take. It will change month by month, week by week. It may get pretty laughable and sometimes pathetic. You won't know where the Browns are going until they go there. So stay tuned, not to the Weather Channel, which turns people into zombies, and watch the Browns to see where they will go. My prediction, I will let you know.

Colt McCoy Wins And The Browns Lose To The Lions

Don't get concerned or excited, preseason games count as much as your check does before taxes, and it was only a Detroit Lions win after Colt McCoy left the game. There is something to be alittle concerned about and that is the antics of Greg A-Little. He is like a dog that has been left in the house to long and when it finally gets out, goes alittle crazy. Somebody needs to give him a bone to chew on, or maybe, the Browns should consider using him as a back-up punter.

Colt McCoy threw three touchdowns in only half the time on the field. While you might consider that impressive, remember it was only the lowly Detroit Lions they were playing in a preseason game. Still, it looks as if McCoy is fitting into the West Coast style of offense nicely where timing and accuracy are crucial. Where was the long ball threat the Browns badly need? The jury is still in deliberation on this one.

Tightend Evan Moore seemed to get more attention from McCoy in this one with two touchdown receptions. This combination could prove to be a valid threat when the season begins. The other touchdown toss from McCoy was to Greg Little and the little bit I have already wrote about him is sufficient for now. Where was Joshua Cribbs in this game? Only two receptions to show for his limited effort.

The running game is still up in the air, for now at least. Although, the one big highlight in the game came when Armond Smith blew past the Lions defensive line and out ran the secondary for an 81 yard touchdown in the third quarter. Unfortunately, the big run was overshadowed by his two lost fumbles.

Preseason number two is done, two to go. These games are just a look-see experience and entertainment to pass the time until the regular season begins. The Browns have alot to sort out in these next to games, but I think that scenario will continue into the regular season. Hopefully, they will be able to get their act together before time has passed and everyone will be saying, "Where did the season go." Pittsburgh will be looking to repeat the humiliation they handed the Browns in their final outing last season. The Browns have plenty of time to prepare for those rival confrontation. It would be nice if those two games would be for division domination and the playoffs. Dreams can come true.    

Browns Beat Packers As NFL Preseason Gets Underway

A win is a win, but preseason is preseason. The Browns beat the Packers at Cleveland Browns Stadium by a score of 27-17. The high-powered first-string offense of the Packers made only a brief appearance in the first quarter, as would be expected in the first preseason game. While on the field, the Packer offense was outshined by the Browns offense led by the "quarterback controversy is over" Colt McCoy. The big question mark of the Browns offense, the wide receiver position, may have found the answer.

Shurmur and his West Coast offense made use of an asset that has been there all along at wide receiver. Joshua Cribbs hauled in a 27 yard TD pass from Colt McCoy in the beginning stages of the Packer game. This is something I have adamantly suggested year after year for the answer to incorporating a long ball threat into the offense, Joshua Cribbs at wide receiver. In the past, Cribbs has only been used sparingly in that position.

While it is good to have an excellent kick-punt returner who can give you good field position, which Cribbs has done, it is even more vital to have an offense that can consistently put the ball across the goal line. I look forward to seeing more of Cribbs running patterns and chasing down McCoy passes.

The season of NFL football is under way and the Browns are off to a positive start. Alot has to be answered before the Browns can say they are a legitimate contender. Colt McCoy has secured the quarterback position and is looking like the leader the offense needs. Everything else is a wait and see. Still, the Browns could very well surprise us this coming regular season, but then, any surprise in the positive direction is welcomed with open arms by fans who have been disappointed for too many years.

What Is The Big Question Mark Facing The Browns As Preseason Begins Against The Packers?

Well, the world hasn't come to an end and I haven't heard of any significant stories regarding NFL players turning to a life of crime. The settlement has eliminated those concerns and fears. Now it is time to get down to football business. At least the Browns are entering this season with one less question mark to deal with, no quarterback controversy. Colt McCoy has secured that position on the roster. The big question mark looming in the Browns camp is at the wide receiver position.

It has been many years since the Browns have sported a wide receiver who will put up big numbers game after game. The quarterback controversy has played into that weakness somewhat because a receiver likes to know who will be throwing the ball to them on a regular basis. Added to that glaring fact, of the receivers on the roster, none have stepped into the crucial role of No. 1 go to guy. It would be nice to see the long ball threat as an option going into this season.

Joshua Cribbs would have been a likely candidate, but his duties have been split between returning kickoffs and punts, which he has done very successfully. Shurmur, with his west coast style of play, appears to be giving Cribbs a shot at wide receiver and that is a good thing. Cribbs was injured early in training camp, but has returned since. Another consideration is the newly acquired Greg Little. Little is alittle shacky in the personel department and is already showing he is a bit of a show-boater with his reverse dunk TD celebration that he named “Boomshakalaka!” Forget the Hollywood stuff and just concentrate on catching the ball, please.

The Browns kickoff preseason against the Green Bay Packers this Saturday, Aug 13 at 7:30 PM. Cleveland Browns Stadium will be the venue. Hopefully, the Browns will be able to shrug off the pounding they took in their final engagement against the Steelers last January. This year the Browns don't face the Steelers until December, so they have alot of season to prepare for their reengagement. Maybe, by then, Colt McCoy will stroll into Pittsburgh with a No. 1 wide receiver he can count on to make the big catch when it is needed. In order for McCoy to be successful, that is a necessary ingredient, along with a matching running threat.

NFL Strike 2011-What It Could Mean For The Browns And The World

There is talk of a shortened regular season for the NFL. The NFL is planning for a regular season as short as eight games. The eight-game season would start in late November and culminate with the Super Bowl in Indianapolis Feb. 12. What does it mean? It means fewer chances of winning the Power Points Game sponsored by The News Herald, for one thing. Ray Lewis said crime will go up if there is no NFL season, that's another thing.

Yes, with fewer chances to win money, people will have to turn to crime to supplement their income and amuse themselves. Las Vegas will have to become more creative. How about betting on how many banks will be robbed between the hours of 1 PM and 11 PM on Sundays and 8 PM and 11 PM on Mondays. Throw in the 7-Eleven's, Go-Mart's, Speedway's, Hess's, and every other convenience store. On top of that, NFL fans will have to find other reasons to drink beer and eat pizza.

Another point to consider, just think of the tension it will create between couples and family members as fans blankly stare at tv screens burnt out on searching for a fix and AMC reruns. Why, the very fabric of society will be strained. There would be outright panic, leading to the collapse of humanity, especially so in the vulnerable city of Pittsburgh. Why Pittsburgh? Pittsburgh is the nexux of NFL football. Just think, that guy who predicted the end of the world in 2011, may turn out to be right after all.

Cheer up Cleveland fans. There is a silver lining to this scenario. This may work in the Browns favor. The last time there was a strike shortened season, the Browns went to the playoffs, and they did it with a losing record of 4-5. That magical year was 1982. Unfortunately, they didn't go very far, but it could be different this time. The quarterback controversy is finally over, or Browns fans everywhere at least hope so. The Browns have a new coach and Holmgren promised he is going to give him a chance to prove himself. They have a couple new draft choices they are high on. Indianapolis here we come.

Well, it hasn't happened yet. Besides, there is always college football, and high school football. Oh, I almost forgot. If society implodes, and humanity tanks, parents won't be able to send their kids to college and the school systems will have to cut their football programs. It could be the end of the world. I have always said, when the Browns finally achieve the right to play in the Superbowl, the world would come to an end.

No More Quaterback Controversy And Looking To Next Season-Maybe

I think Browns fans everywhere are pretty much fed up with the start all over again routine that has been ongoing since the new Browns inception. Now it is being said Holmgren won't be quick to get rid of Shurmur if Shurmur struggles early. He'll probably give him more than the two years Mangini got. Are the fans being set up again with the "few more years before any real improvement
kicks in" scenario?

One area going into the next season that looks to be solid is the quarterback position. The quarterback controversy that has plagued the Browns these past many years is confidently a thing of the past. It is the one area that shows some promise. Now it is up to Colt McCoy to continue building on his abilities. But for any real success going forward means management needs to give him a receiving core to match. One with a deep threat. Add to that a solid line affording him a reasonable amount of time to deliver the ball. We don't want him to end up with rubber bands on his thumbs and knee braces to help him steady his legs.

This year's draft has yielded Greg Little at wide receiver and Jordan Cameron at tight end. The take on little is he has the talent to be an impact player with a knack for making the difficult catch in traffic, but not fast enough to be a big play threat. Cameron as a big target is a threat to get vertical up the seam and can rise up for the tough catch, but needs a lot of development as a route-runner on short-to-intermediate patterns and while locating softspots in the zones.

The question is will the Brown's turn Colt McCoy loose or will they rely heavily on a run offense limiting the long ball threat, which has been sadly missing? Another question is will the Brown's incorporate Joshua Cribbs more into the passing attack?

Maybe the Browns will surprise us and come out a legitimate contender this year and, maybe it won't snow on the east side of Cleveland this winter in the snow belt. I am getting tired of seeing the Steelers going to the playoffs year after year. It is time to bring back the old contentious rivalry between the Browns and Steelers of days gone past and kick some Baltimore butt. As for the Bengals, they are looking more like the Browns used to look. Yep, I said, used to look. Is this a forecast of the future?

Anyone who has lived in the Cleveland area knows when it comes to the weather you are better off just sticking your head out your door for an accurate update. Forecasting with any accuracy for one day is precarious enough let alone five days ahead. So it goes with their football team.

Week 17 NFL Picks-Will A losing Record Go To The Playoffs

Garrard was looking like a winner after he scampered 20 yds into the end zone taking the game into overtime, but alittle over a minute into the extra quarter he threw an inexcusable lame duck right into the hands of washington's Kevin Barnes that ended up on the Jag's 14, loser. I wrote that Peyton Manning should run with the ball and sure enough he did. It was the strangest thing to watch. What was even stranger? The fact that he slid to the ground just two yards from a score. Go figure. With the Jags loss the Colts are division winners. The Jets, having long used up their nine lives, suffered another loss at the hands of the Bears in a shoot out, but are still barely breathing thanks to the Jags. Baltimore whipped the Browns and can only hope the Browns can whip the Steelers this week. Chuckle, chuckle. Drew Brees over came two early interceptions and out lasted the Falcons in Atlanta. Michael Vick showed he was human afterall as the Vikings lashed the Eagles.

The final week of regular season has arrived. The playoff picture is much more clearer. New England has peaked at the right time and look strong going into the playoffs with home field advantage. Miami this Sunday will only be a warm up for the Patriots, but it is crucial they maintain their edge with a bye the first week of playoffs. Atlanta, barring any unforeseen occurrence, should have no problem with Carolina. New Orleans is hosting Tampa Bay, which favors the Saints if Brees can stay away from making the crucial mistakes that nearly did him in against the Falcons, but was able to overcome, fortunately. Tennessee is weak against the pass, which plays into the Colts strength, the Peyton Manning led offense. It was fun seeing Peyton run with the ball, something entirely unexpected, certainly by his opponents. Chicago at Green Bay should prove to be a bruising divisional game with nothing on the line except pride. Aaron Rodgers stuff will be tested against the Bears defense and vica versa.

There are four divisions undecided going into this week. Two of them are the AFC North and the big one, the NFC West, battle of the losing records. Pittsburgh at Cleveland, Cincinnati at Baltimore, and St. Louis at Seattle are the games of the week and winner will take all. Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu is listed as unlikely to play and with him out the Steelers are a different team. Colt McCoy was very shacky against Baltimore's defense and Hillis took some hits that left him ineffective. The Browns need to get Joshua Cribbs back into the game to increase their chances of pulling off a surprise at home, no matter how remote that appears to be at present. Sunday's weather doesn't look to be a factor other than cold. If the Browns can control the run and break up the Roethlisberger to Wallace combination their chances will increase. Good luck with that Cleveland.

Baltimore needs to be on their toes with Cincinnati, a lesson learned by the flatfooted Chargers. The Ravens defense can hold the Bengals offense in check, but their offense behind Flacco will have to excercise ball control to keep it out of Palmer's hands. That is where Ray Rice comes in. If Rice has a good game it will balance out Flacco, who is more than capable of moving his team through the air. The "Old cleveland Browns" will be pulling for a "New Cleveland Browns" victory over the Steelers. It's a strange world we live in.

Everyone will be watching St. Louis take on Seattle. If Seattle wins they will take the division with a losing record. If St. Louis wins they will have an 8-8 record going into the playoffs. Matt Hasselbeck is injured and is unlikely to start, which means Charlie Whitehurst is in, but Hasselbeck says not to count him out yet. The Seahawks have been clobbered the past three games. The Rams advantage is Steven Jackson. Sam Bradford is a mover and the Seahawks defense gives up alot of points. Bradford needs to stay away from mistakes and it will be a wrap. Anyways, neither team looks to go far in the playoffs.

 

SUN, JAN 2 TIME (ET)

Carolina 15 at 24 Atlanta 1:00 PM FOX W

Georgia Dome

Pittsburgh 28 at Cleveland 21 1:00 PM CBS W

Cleveland Browns Stadium

Minnesota 24 at Detroit 25 1:00 PM FOX W

Ford Field

Oakland 23 at Kansas City 21 1:00 PM CBS  W

Arrowhead Stadium

Miami 18 at New England 34 1:00 PM CBS W

Gillette Stadium

Tampa Bay 20 at New Orleans 30 1:00 PM FOX L

Superdome

Buffalo 27 at NY Jets 28 1:00 PM CBS W

New Meadowlands Stadium

Cincinnati 20 at Baltimore 24 1:00 PM CBS W

M&T Bank Stadium

Jacksonville 23 at Houston 20 4:15 PM CBS L

Reliant Stadium

NY Giants 27 at Washington 18 4:15 PM FOX W

FedEx Field

Dallas 23 at Philadelphia 30 4:15 PM FOX L

Lincoln Financial Field

Arizona 21 at San Francisco 20 4:15 PM FOX L

Candlestick Park

Chicago 24 at Green Bay 27 4:15 PM FOX W

Lambeau Field

Tennessee 17 at Indianapolis 36 4:15 PM CBS W

Lucas Oil Stadium

San Diego 27 at Denver 20 4:15 PM CBS W

Invesco Field at Mile High

St. Louis 23 at Seattle 24 8:20 PM NBC W

Qwest F

No Offense, No Surprise-Browns Get Trashed By Ravens 20-10

This season is looking all to familiar once again as the Browns continue their losing ways in a sad but not surprising loss to Baltimore. The trash talking Ravens pretty much had their own way on both sides of the ball. The final statistics verify that final and concise summary. Delhomme or McCoy, the outcome is all the same. The illusion of capable passing or running was not discernable. The unexplainable case of the disappearing Joshua Cribbs from the offense still remains unsolved. Man-Hougini dug down deep into his nearly empty bag of tricks for a brief moment to dazzle the home town fans one final time with a Massaquoi to Robiskie touchdown surprise. A precursor to his up coming concluding curtain call and escape.

Colt Mccoy showed up with no bullets in his gun and threw three interceptions. He accumilated only 149 yds from 15 completions out of 29 attempts. It all added up to a rating of 27.0. Definately not something you would write home about. Peyton Hillis didn't fair much better. He only had 35 yds on 12 carries. Hillis was used sparingly, touching the ball a total of 12 times running and only one reception. A far cry from previous games where he was the go to guy. All-in-all it added up to very little offense when considering possession time was almost split evenly between both teams.

Obviously Baltimore made better use of its time. The Ravens pounded out the majority of its offensive yards on the ground. Ray Rice ran for 92 yds on 25 carries. McGahee, Mclain, and Flacco added another 69 yds for a total of 161. Joe Flacco threw two touchdowns on a scant 102 yds of passing, but the glory goes to the trash talking defense led by Ray Lewis. In the days leading up to the game they taunted the Browns and scoffed that Hillis would not repeat his 144-yard performance against them in Week 3. The Browns failed at proving their taunts to be nothing but hot air. Ed Reed burned McCoy twice and delivered some of the games hardest hits.

It doesn't get any easier as the Browns close out their season against Pittsburgh, another defensively hard hitting team. What almost looked like a promising year turned out to be no different than all the rest. More than likely the Browns will finish 5-11. Joshua Cribbs remains a mystery. Man-Hougini continues to leave him out of the offensive scheme. Hopefully Man-Hougini will go out swinging with everything he's got. A win against the Steelers would give the fans some gratification and 6-10 looks better than 5-11. A parting gift perhaps before he makes his escape from the shackles of mediocrity called the Cleveland Browns. Next year things will be different. It will be a breakout year for the Browns, and there's this property along the the shores of Lake Erie near the Cuyahoga River I would like to sell you. A fantastic deal you cannot pass up.

Browns Run Short On Time And Lose To Bengals 19-17

Colt McCoy took the snaps, but the results were the same, another disappointing loss. Peyton Hillis was pretty much a non-factor running and totally missing from the passing game, which was a change from previous outings. The Bobbling Bengals, who looked terrible on defense, pelted the Browns with field goals. Cedric Benson went on a rampage while Carson Palmer sputtered. There were no turnovers by either team. The difference was the Browns total inability to convert 3rd down attempts and maintain possession. The Bengals controlled the clock with over 38 minutes of possession time.

Colt McCoy ended the game with a rating of 132.6. He completed 19 out of 25 passes and threw two touchdowns. The first touchdown started with one of the strangest looking line formations ever seen, which was probably why the Bengals defense was so baffled, they didn't know what to make of it. It would have been an opportune time to blitz McCoy with only three line men to protect him, but they didn't. The Bengals spread themselves out and McCoy put in the air to Robert Royal, who made a great catch in the end zone. The second was to Brian Robiskie late in the game, but too little too late. Phil Dawson added the other 5 points with only one field goal. Ben Watson was the go-to-guy with 7 receptions for 92 yards.

The big scorer for Cincinnati was Clint Stitser. He completed four field goals. Cedric Benson compiled 150 yards on the ground and scored the Bengals only touchdown. Palmer was so-so with 209 yards on 14 completions out of 23 attempts. No-Show-Cinco didn't have an impact and No-show-Wens left the game limping. Despite all of this, the Bengals controlled the clock and the game for the win.

The Browns were showing so much promise after beating the Saints and the Patriots. The hometown fans finally had something to cheer about. There was even talk of a possible playoff spot. The Browns then lost two tough games against the Jets and the Jaguars, won two more against the Panthers and the Dophins. Well, you know the history, no sense in repeating it. Through all of this, Joshua Cribbs remains a mystery. Is it his injury that has limited him or is it Mangini? The long ball had been missing and finally emerged in today's game a couple of times, if you can call the Royal and Robiskie catchs a long pass. The final games against the Ravens and the Steelers will be the toughest games of the year. Browns, make us believers again.

Browns Fade In Final Minutes And Lose To Jags 24-20

The Browns were overtaken in the final minutes against the Jags. Despite giving up the losing touchdown near the end, the Browns defense did everthing they possibly could to win this one and the Jags offense did everything they could to throw a bone to the Browns time and time again, to no avail. Dawson missed two 51 yard field goal attempts that could have made the difference in the score. Long kicks are tough, but making one is what sets the great ones apart. All chances for a playoff spot, remote as it were, are now a chewed up splintered bone.

The Jags offense threw four interceptions and put the ball on the ground twice. Garrard accounted for four of those turnovers. He was harrassed and manhandled by the Browns defense who sacked him four times. T. J. Ward had two interceptions and Joe Haden and Abram Elam each had one. Elam also gathered up a fumble for a touchdown in the third quarter. The only weak spot for the Browns defense was the running game where they gave up 133 yards to Maurice Jones-Drew and a touchdown.

Peyton Hillis was stuffed throughout the game in the running department, but seemed to be McCoys primary receiver in this one gathering up 6 receptions for 95 yards. Colt McCoy had a so-so game with 241 yards and a touchdown. The Browns are still lacking a key element in their offense, the long ball threat. Until they have that quick strike potential, they will not be a genuine threat. Mangini needs to show more confidence in McCoy's abilities and unleash him to explore that capability out. He needs to show more confidence in his receivers also, or find a receiver with that potential. The Browns were missing an important piece of their offensive puzzle in Joshua Cribbs.

Where do the Browns go from here? They go back home to play the Carolina Panthers and hopefully get back to winning. This game will be a good place to start. Go for broke Mangini, set the Dawgs free. Let's see some fireworks.