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

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.

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.

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.

Browns Narrowly Escape With A Win Over The Panthers 24-23

It was delightfully cruel to send former Panther quarterback Jake Delhomme out against his previous team. Although, the delightfully almost turned into frightfully when Jake blew a decent lead and nearly threw the game away with a costly pick that went all the way for a Panther score late in the third quarter and the lead. Jake tentively recovered in the fourth to beat his former team with the help of a Dawson field goal and a Kasay last ditch effort missed field goal.

The star of the game was not Delhomme, but Peyton Hillis. Hillis turned in another strong effort scoring all three touchdowns and grinding out 192 combined yards. He was the go to guy once again and remains the top target of Brown's quarterbacks. Delhomme spread the passes around to six different receivers and threw for 245 yards. It was good to see Robiskie and Massaquoi get an increase in production as they combined for 11 catches and 102 yards.The offense threw a few surprise plays into the mix, which was good to see. One was a Hillis pass attempt that fell short of its target in the end zone. If successful, it would have been the play of the game.

Carolina played a decent game. Jonathan Stewart put in a 98 yard game. Mike Goodson ran for 55 yards and racked up another 81 yards from catches. Goodson also scored the Panthers only offensive touchdown on a 26 yard run. Clausen got beat up by the Brown's defense and still managed to make a game of it. Their defense hung in tough and had two picks. One by Captain Munnerlyn for 37 yards and a score.

The Brown's are back on the winning track. Hillis continues to be the workhorse of the offense both in running and receptions. It was good to see Mangini using some imagination in the play calling. I saw a couple of plays that could have been big ground gainers if they were successfully executed. Mangini should continue to throw in the surprises. It was also good to see the wide receivers more involved. Still, the long ball is lacking and to be a legitimate offensive threat you must have in your possession the potential for quick strick capability. Joshua Cribbs was back retrieving kicks and punts, but was missing in the overall offensive scheme where he needs to be and possibly that potential quick strike. A team will not make it to the playoffs on running alone. Miami is next on the list.

The Browns Bark Is Bigger Than Their Bite-Lose to Kansas City

Here we go again Brown's fans, here we go. Wimper Wimper. Week Two, another weak showing and another killer interception. One bright spot out of the whole game was the 65 yard reception-touchdown by Joshua Cribbs. Other than that, the Browns made only one trip to the red zone with a poor third down efficiency to match and were a no-show in the second half. Mangini needs to stabilize the offense by making up his mind as to who is going to play what. Uncertainty wreaks havoc on a teams cohesion.

The Browns defense stood tough and it was the nose of the ball that finally sealed the Browns fate. The defense didn't allow one offensive touchdown and had two picks. The secondary limited Matt Cassel to 176 yards, but the line gave up 132 yards on the ground to Jones and Charles. Dawson's missed field goal could have been the clincher but there are just to many variables in a game to say that with any certainty.

Quote, "It's not good football," Mangini said. "It's not smart football. It's not winning football. We can't play that way." Mangini should have said, "It's not good coaching. It's not smart football. It's not winning football. We can't coach that way." Attitude reflects leadersip. It's the task of the coaching staff to organize the talent it has chosen into one cohesive unit where each of its parts enhances the other. Mangini needs to go back to what began the four game win streak last season.

The Browns needed to win these first two games because it is only going to get worse from here with a tough, no-breather schedule ahead. Meanwhile, the Steelers continue to find ways to win and the Bengals field goaled their way to victory. So, where does that leave the Browns? It leaves them at the bottom of the barrel, in the cellar, ground zero. You can't get any worse than that. What's it going to be Mangini? Can you pull off a Houdini and come back from the dead?
 
Question: I wonder if Jake Delhomme's injury really kept him out of the game or it was an opportunity for a look-see what Seneca Wallace could do? Just a thought.

Browns Lose To Lions-Chicago Next But Not Least

Wow. The Cleveland Browns lost to the Detroit Lions in preseason game number three 35-27. Does this mean the Lions are looking like a powerhouse this year or are the Browns going to do a repeat of last year? Fumbles, fumbles, and more fumbles can be a teams undoing. It's only pre-season.

Jake Delhomme is a quarterback with heart and he demonstrated that again in this game. After being facemasked and slam-twisted to the turf, Jake got up from the ground, brushed it off ready to continue play. Just another day on the job, business as usual. Delhomme was 20-25 with 152 yds and one touchdown pass. He's just having fun.

Joshua Cribbs made a great catch along the sidelines in this game. Will Cribbs see more touches this year as a wide receiver? Last year Cribbs was the Browns one constant. He was their biggest yardage producer and showed his versatility in any situation. Looking for Joshua Cribbs to have a great year no matter what position he finds himself in. They should think of changing the name "wildcat offense" to "wilddog offense" in the Browns case.

The Brown's finished the season last year with a winning streak of four. They have one more preseason game to play and then it will be off to Tampa Bay for the season opener at Raymond James Stadium. Hopefully the fumble thing will be worked out along with all the other little mishaps so the Browns can continue the winning streak(preseason games don't count). They will be a winner this year, just how much of a winner remains to be seen, although I did say Super Bowl XLVI in an article last season. Is that a bit of a stretch? Does it snow on the eastside of Cleveland in the snowbelt?

Terrell Owens In A Brown's Uniform-You Have Entered The Twilight Zone

The Cleveland Browns have been disfunctional for too many years now since their remake. Last year they imploded with disfunctionality, but ended the season with a flicker of hope and a tiny strand of decency. Read an article recently where Joshua Cribbs talked about bringing Terrell Owens, the master of disfunction, to Cleveland.

Sure Owens has put up impressive numbers through his career and sure he may be a hall of fame candidate at some point, but he also has a reputation for causing disruption on an offense. Something the Browns do not need at this fragile time in their reconstruction, unless through some unexplainable transformation and rehabilitation over these past months, Owens has become a team player.

The Browns need team players on their roster, like the acquisition of Jake Delhomme. True, it was just an article and just something Cribbs randomly suggested, but when it comes to Cleveland anything that can happen will happen. I haven't seen anything further on the subject, so this may just end up to be idol chatter, like the possibility of an oil platform in the Gulf exploding and becoming one of the biggest environmental disaster in history.

Picture Jake Delhomme In A Brown's Uniform-Number 17

How many Brown's fans out there think the Jake Delhomme aquisition is a good one? I know there is probably some nays and some yays. One thing for sure, Jake Delhomme is a very likeable fellow on and off the field. He takes performing well seriously. You can discern it by his demeanor on the field of play during a game, whether it is the excecution of a great play or a mistake resulting in a setback.

Delhomme probably is his own biggest critic. He is honest and forthright about his own shortcomings and you can tell he wants to win for the team. He is the ultimate team player and not just out to glorify himself in order to get to the next level in his career. He has the game heart of a Brett Favre, meaning he loves the game, and the winning attitude of a John Elway, meaning he never gives up on the idea of a victory. Sorry Brown's fans, I have always admired John Elway's winning spirit regardless of his ability to administer the debackle of a Brown's championship season.

Whether Delhomme will raise the Brown's to the status of a playoff contender and winner remains to be seen. The Brown's definitely ended the previous season moving in the right direction. Mangini finally smartened up and used Joshua Cribbs versatility properly. Looking for good things out of Cribbs in the 2010 season. Hopefully the off season moves and changes will continue that winning momentum into the next. If Cleveland is to ever bring home a championship trophy, I believe it will be through the Cleveland Browns.

Final question to ponder. What would you think of Terrell Owens possibly wearing a Brown's uniform in 2010?

Browns Defeat Jaguars 23-17 And End Season With Four Straight Wins

Celebration in Cleveland as the Browns win their fourth in a row and eliminate Jacksonville from the playoffs. It was cold, cold, and really cold in the Cleveland Browns Stadium, but the victory melted away for good any ice cycles the fans had accumulated from the first half of the season. Weather cold as it was in Cleveland definitely impacts a game and without a doubt it affected game play today. It was the running game of the Browns once more that carried the team to victory with some good defense thrown in.

Jerome Harrison proved his worth once more with another hundred plus yard run effort. Harrison carried the ball 33 times for a total of 127 yds and one touchdown. Joshua Cribbs added another 47 yds on 6 carrries includung a touchdown scamper of 14 yds in the second quarter. Cribbs longest run of the day was 25 yds. Chris Jennings contributed 38 yds on 9 carries. Cribbs and Harrison have proven themselves to be a one two punch and a knockout.

What can you say about the passing game, which has been for most of the season lame. True, the freezing cold weather will affect a passing game drastically, so I will give Anderson a pass on this game and maybe, it was the Browns game plan to utilize the strong running game of Harrison and Cribbs. Derek Anderson had only 86 yds on 7 completions out of 11 attempts and one interception. Phil Dawson was perfect with three field goals and two extra points accounting four 11 of the 23 points.

The defense harassed Garrard through the whole game sacking him three times and hitting him another ten times. Garrard ran for forty yards, which would indicate pressure and coverage were good causing him to run all over place. Garrard had 202 yds on 22 completions out of 39 attempts. The Jaguars couldn't close out a fourth quarter surge.

It was a happy ending to a terrible season. Fan expectations will be higher going into next year and Holmgren's challenge will be to fulfill those higher expectations. The running game looks to be in place. The quarterback position still remains a big question mark going into the Holmgren take over. We will see what happens in the days ahead. Season over for the Browns, now the playoffs will begin. Who will it be in the Super Bowl?

The Browns Excel Over The Chiefs 41-34

The Browns are coming on strong down the final stretch, defeat the Chiefs. It was only lowly Kansas City today, but a victory none-the-less. Jerome Harrrison and Joshua Cribbs were firing on all pistons with five touchdowns, a total of 30 points of the 41 the Brown's scored. If you put there yardage together they had over 600 yards of body pounding forward motion. It was a good thing because Brady Quinn was misfiring with two interceptions.

Jerome Harrison had a 71 yard run for a touchdown and accumilated a total of 286 yds on 34 carries. An average of 8.4 yds a carry. Add 3 TD's to his production and Harrison was impressive. This kind of show solidifies his place at running back for the rest of the season and into the next.

Joshua Cribbs, the Browns top offensive producer, once again stole the show. He set a new NFL record with 2 kick off returns for TD's making a total of 8 for his career. Cribbs first was 100 yds and his second went for 103 yds. Cribbs is a key player for the Browns and has proven his flexibility to play many positions, quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and special teams. I have spoken many times about how Mangini needs to incorporate that into the game plan.

Kansas City didn't sit down and gave the Browns a scare near the end. The Brown's defense couldn't stop Matt Cassel or Jamaal Charles all day. Cassel had 331 yds of passing and two TD's. Charles had 154 yds of running and one TD. A decent day by standards, but fades into the background compared to Cribbs and Harrison.

The Browns are now 3-11. Next week they play the Raiders and then end the season with the Jaguars. The Browns can put an exclamation point on their season by winning these two final games and carry a streak of five into next year. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, one game at a time. A final note, Harrison broke Jim Brown's single-game team rushing record. It was a day of records.

Scenarios In Which The Browns Might Beat The Steelers

The weather looks to be cold with snow for the Thursday Night NFL game between the Browns and the Steelers. The stadium will be filled with alot of Steeler fans if the old pattern holds true. The current mood of the Brown's fans may affect how many of them will show up. What the heck, it is a Thursday night game, Steelers and Browns, the Dawg Pound should be a happening place at least. The question is: Can the Browns do it, win one for the hometown? There are a few scenarios that would give the Browns a slight advantage.

Scenario number one: The Browns might win if there is a blizzard. A blizzard would level the playing field, in which case, neither team will have the edge and it would give the Browns a fighting chance. This situation I would give to the Browns since they are the home team.

Scenario number two: The Browns use Joshua Cribbs in an expanded role. Joshua Cribbs has proved his worth and Mangini needs to recognize how he can use that to his advantage, either in an increase in ball carries or using him more in the wide receiver plan of attack. How about the way Miami uses its running backs? Cribbs can throw and he can run. Do this and I give the edge to the Browns.

Scenario number three: Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, and Troy Polamalu don't play. The absence of these three pivotal players would weaken the Steelers significantly. This would give the Browns a superior position in offense and defense. The victory will go to the Browns.

No doubt there are other scenarios in which the Browns might have the edge. The Browns offense has proven it can score TD's. The defense has proven it can hold its own. The Steelers are in a deep slump. Given these factors, now is the time to strike. See you Thursday night when the Steelers come to Cleveland for an AFC North showdown. Dress warm, it's going to be cold.