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.

Week 4 NFL Picks-Will The Former Losers Continue To Be Winners

A change of scenery is good. It's refreshing. It's engaging. It gives the eyes a different perspective and challenges the senses. The scene of the NFL maybe under going a change. Although Green Bay, New Orleans, New England, and Pittsburgh are familiar landmarks, it is good to see former downcasts like Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, and Oakland entering as possibles in the playoff scene of NFL football. And, one thing this young season has shown us is the top choices are all very vulnerable. So, with this welcomed change the picks should get more difficult. I was 12-4 in Week Three.

Buffalo's offense has been a running and passing juggernaut and going up against Cincinnati should not change that. It's a good thing because the Bills are seriously lacking a defense. If their offense should faulter, the door may open for the Bengals, who must strike quickly to take advantage. In order for Cincinnati to have even a remote chance of making it a competition, their running game with Benson must be relied upon or hope their better defense can force a mistake deep in Buffalo territory. Buffalo has been playing smart ball. Just look at how they kept Brady from getting back on the field in the last minutes of play.

Detroit will be tested this week in confused, don't know what I am supposed to do Dallas. Maybe, the Dallas offense should all wear detailed diagrams on their wrists, showing exactly where they are supposed to be on any given play. Or better yet, on each down Tony Romo should do it the old fashioned way in the huddle and draw on their jerseys where he wants each one of them to go. If Dallas achieves some resemblance of order on their offense, the Lions will have their hands full. It could be the battle of the tightends or the slaughter of the quarterbacks.

Cleveland was fortunate in their meeting with the Dolphins. Two great catches was all they needed and realistically was all they had all game long. Peyton Hillis will be back on the field and should have an impact on what the Browns will do. Protecting Colt McCoy from the blitz will be crucial or it will be a long day for the Browns in the negative, but the presense of Hillis should keep the Titans off balance. And what can you say about a team who loses to the Jaguars one week and beats the Ravens the next. The Titans have been a surprise and are dangerous, even without the dominant running game of Chris Johnson. Tennessee has been defensively good. All in all, the Browns and Titans look eerily similiar. Cleveland, get Joshua Cribbs involved, he is the trump card in this game.

Darren McFadden has been shredding opponents defenses and New England's defense doesn't look to be an exception. New England will go to the run more against an Oakland defense that has been giving up yardage on the ground, which will also take some of the heat off of Brady. It is highly unlikely Brady would have two weeks in a row where his picks equal his touchdowns. Ball control and time of possession will be key for Oakland, keep McFadden on the field and Brady off.

SUN, OCT 2	TIME (ET)	TV	RESOURCES	LOCATION
Detroit at Dallas L	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Cowboys Stadium
Carolina at Chicago W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Soldier Field
Buffalo at Cincinnati L	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Paul Brown Stadium
Tennessee at Cleveland L	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Cleveland Browns Stadium
Minnesota at Kansas City L	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Arrowhead Stadium
Washington at St. Louis W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Edward Jones Dome
New Orleans at Jacksonville W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	EverBank Field
Pittsburgh at Houston W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Reliant Stadium
San Francisco at Philadelphia L	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Lincoln Financial Field
NY Giants at Arizona W	4:05 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	U of Phoenix Stadium
Atlanta at Seattle W	4:05 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	CenturyLink Field
Miami at San Diego W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Qualcomm Stadium
New England at Oakland W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Denver at Green Bay W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Lambeau Field
NY Jets at Baltimore W	8:20 PM	NBC	Tickets | Travel	M&T Bank Stadium
MON, OCT 3	TIME (ET)	TV	RESOURCES	LOCATION
Indianapolis at Tampa Bay L	8:30 PM		Tickets | Travel	Raymond James Stadium

Good Start to the Season-Steelers Over Titans Thursday Night

You have twenty dollars in your pocket, but suddenly you realize the money is gone. A feeling of dread comes over you. You become frantic. You try to figure out where it went and how you could have lost it. If you have ever experienced that scenario than you know how Hines Ward must have felt when he realized he had lost the ball so close to the goal. The look on his face said it all. The loss was temporary, the Steelers went on to win in overtime with a Jeff Reed game ending 33-yard field goal. Final score, Steelers 13 Titans 10.

Did it look like Tennessee's punt returner, Cortland Finnegan, was afraid to fair catch the ball? Several punts rolled an extra 20 yards because he let them bounce giving his team poor field position. Something the coach might want to address. Tennessee's first half good, second half, not so good. When they were blitzing Rothlesburger he couldn't do anything. In the second half Tennessee's defense sputtered and Roethlisberger dominated. Tennessee's only TD was a Kerry Collins pass to Justin Gage. Tennessee helped Pittsburgh's cause by squandering two field goal attempts, one missed and one blocked.

Ben Roethlisberger had a good night. He was 33 of 43 with 363 yds passing. His only touchdown pass was a 34 yarder to Santonio Holmes. The Steeler's running game was stiffed from the start to the end. Troy Polamalu was certainly pumped up. He made a circus style one handed interception. He was all over the place and in just about every play until an injury sidelined him. Cris Collinsworth kept on saying it had to do with some play last year involving Chris Johnson. He supposedly stuck the ball in Polamalu's face when scoring a touchdown. They showed the replay, but I didn't see it. Adds to the drama I suppose.

All-in-all it was a good start to the 2009 football season, spectacular fireworks and a close game. Somewhat on the boring side, but that is generally the way it is in low-scoring defensive games. Looking forward to sunday's games. Especially the home opener of the Cleveland Brown's who will be hosting the Minnesota vilkings. Just a side note, the Brown's could have beaten the Steelers last night.