Week Two Picks-Will It Be Offense Or Defense?

The quarterbacks ruled Week One. Will they continue their domination going into Week Two? A few of them may, like Brady, Rodgers, and Brees, but Cam Newton had his day in the sun, and jury is still out on Henne-who. The defenses of New England, Green Bay, and New Orleans were offensive, what will Week Two reveal? The Cleveland Browns need to do only one thing? What is that one thing? And the Pittsburgh Steelers need to continue doing only one thing? What is that one thing?

The Packers are going to rain on Cam Newton's parade this week when they bring relentless pressure on the rookie quarterback in the form of Matthews and company. Newton will have no where to throw and no where to run. On the otherhand, Aaron Rodgers should continue his winning ways with a deep on talent receiving core. The Saints first game revealed a vulnerable secondary, so they will have to step up their pressure on Cutler via the pass rush or it may be a long afternoon, forcing the Saints to abandon the run and rely strictly on Brees to equalize the score, which he has the ability to do.

The Cleveland Browns start the season once again on the bottom, so they need to reverse their direction and that can only be accomplished with a win. Mistakes and miscues dominated their game play both on defense and offense. Indianapolis was extremely inept in their first game and that was understandable because they are suffering from an identity crisis with Peyton out. They are like a boat without a rudder. Cleveland is favored to win, but I am not so sure. Kerry Collins could have a Henne day. Pittsburgh needs to continue their losing ways, but facing Seattle, in Pittsburgh, and looking like a dog that just got its tail stepped on, unlikely.

San Diego is taking on New England this week. Could it be another shoot out? The Chargers barely survived their meeting with the ho-hum Vikings and they will be in hostile territory. The key to victory for them will be how much pressure they put on Brady, but even if they accomplish that, Brady adapts quickly, making a victory a long shot. Philip Rivers will have to be on the top of his game to overcome the point differential. Philadelphia is visiting Atlanta. Michael Vick will be returning home to what will be an unfriendly environment. Anyway you look at it, it is going to be a dog fight. The game is favored to be run dominant, but I think it will be decided by the pass.

SUN, SEP 18	TIME (ET)	TV	RESOURCES	LOCATION
Kansas City at Detroit W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Ford Field
Oakland at Buffalo W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Ralph Wilson Stadium
Tampa Bay at Minnesota L	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Mall of America Field
Chicago at New Orleans W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Superdome
Baltimore at Tennessee L	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	LP Field
Cleveland at Indianapolis W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Lucas Oil Stadium
Jacksonville at NY Jets W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	MetLife Stadium
Seattle at Pittsburgh W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Heinz Field
Arizona at Washington W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	FedEx Field
Green Bay at Carolina W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Bank of America Stadium
Dallas at San Francisco W	4:05 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Candlestick Park
San Diego at New England W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Gillette Stadium
Houston at Miami W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Sun Life Stadium
Cincinnati at Denver W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Philadelphia at Atlanta W	8:20 PM	NBC	Tickets | Travel	Georgia Dome
MON, SEP 19	TIME (ET)	TV	RESOURCES	LOCATION
St. Louis at NY Giants W	8:30 PM		Tickets | Travel	Metlife Stadium

The First Week Of NFL Football Was A Real Eye Opener

Does explosive or inept describe the game play of the first week of the NFL? Were the offenses that good or were the defenses that bad? The new kickoff rule, did it take away some of the thrill? All good questions. In any rate, the first week of football was very entertaining from the first kickoff of the New Orleans at Green Bay opener to the final play of Denver at Oakland closing the week out.

Now, to answer the question about the new kickoff rule. It really doesn't matter unless you are playing in Denver where the kickoffs were going into the stands. Well, maybe not quite that far, but pretty close. Randall Cobb's kickoff return of 108 yards in Green Bay is proof the thrill of a monster return is still ever present. Maybe, the returners will take more chances at bringing the ball out of the end zone creating longer runs like Cobbs.

Some of the offenses ran up big numbers like New England, Miami, Buffalo, Houston, New Orleans, and Green Bay. Probably, no surprises here with quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers and their ability to methodically take apart a secondary. But the fact that their own teams defenses were also shredded reveals an apparent weakness, an Achilles heal that other seemingly lesser teams can exploit to overcome the offensive juggernaut they face. One simple mistake could tilt the game in any direction, like the Saints and Packers game proved.

The Cleveland Browns disappointed again in a game they should have won despite themselves. They were caught daydreaming and A.J. Green waltz into the end zone like he was on "Dancing with the Stars." Shurmur complained that the Bengals did something illegal, but the fact still remained, the Browns defense that was on the field didn't have a clue and Green tippy-toed past the secondary. The only bright spot for the Browns this week was the fact the Steelers looked even worse than they did, and who got obliverated by the Ravens. The Browns can only go up from here. Cleveland plays Indianapolis this week, thank goodness.

I was 100 percent on the picks I made this week. This coming week I will be making my picks for the whole schedule. I glanced over it and the only game that looks like a sure win is Detroit over Kansas City, but despite everything said and done it was only the first games of the season. Glad the strike got settled.

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.