SB Nation Cleveland: All Posts by Ryan Altonhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48841/cleveland-fave.png2012-12-10T08:30:10-06:00https://cleveland.sbnation.com/authors/ryan-alton/rss2012-12-10T08:30:10-06:002012-12-10T08:30:10-06:00Rookies lead the way as Browns win 3rd straight
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<p>The Browns did something their fans are simply not accustomed to seeing on Sunday -- won easily. Ryan Alton recaps the big win over the Chiefs.</p> <p>The questions on a lot of people's minds going into this week, where the Browns were favored by a touchdown for the first time in who knows how long, were "Can the Browns avoid a letdown against a banged up <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> team?" and "Will the Chiefs have anything left emotionally after enduring a horrific tragedy and winning big at home last week?" On the first play of the game, it looked like the first answer was a resounding "No" and the second an emphatic "Yes", as Chiefs running back <span>Jamaal Charles</span> took a routine hand off from former Cleveland quarterback <span>Brady Quinn</span> and raced 80 yards untouched into the east end zone to greet the Dawg Pound. One play. Chiefs 7, Browns 0. Ugh. </p>
<p>After some choice words and feverishly checking to see if the guy I was playing in the fantasy football playoffs had Charles on his team, I collected myself and convinced my inner child that there's a reason NFL games are sixty minutes long. There was plenty of time for the Browns to bounce back from such a disastrous start, I thought to myself bitterly. As it turns out, the Browns starters, namely <span>Brandon Weeden</span> and <span>Trent Richardson</span>, didn't even need all sixty minutes to put the Chiefs away, as backup quarterback <span>Colt McCoy</span> and <span>Montario Hardesty</span> came in the game to run out the clock with the Browns up 30-7. It was the first time the Browns scored 30 unanswered points since 1991. Wow!</p>
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<p>For the second week in a row, the Browns beat a team they should've beaten; only this time, they get major style points. Sparked by <span>Travis Benjamin's</span> 94-yard punt return for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter to give Cleveland the lead for good, the Browns were actually fun to watch. That is not a line that should be taken lightly, given the Browns propensity for boring their fans to sleep in recent seasons. On this day, however, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur decided to buck the trend.</p>
<p>The punt return was actually a trick play where the Browns return team tricked the Chiefs into thinking they were going to block the punt and left one of the Chiefs gunners uncovered. When the Chiefs saw Josh Cribbs come up into the box and leave Benjamin deep, they brought the gunner in for max protection on the punt instead of just tossing it out to him for what would've been a sure first down. This left Benjamin free to catch the punt and time to run with it. That was all he needed as he raced down the left sideline on his way to breaking Eric Metcalf's old record of 93 yards for the longest punt return for a touchdown in Browns' history. No flag on the play. Just points. </p>
<p>The Browns offense, aided by some fortunate drops by the Chiefs' defensive backs, was able to move the ball fairly easily, although they struggled for much of the first half to put points on the board. As time wound down before halftime, Shurmur got conservative and seemed happy to take a 10-7 lead into the half, knowing they were going to get the ball back to start the third quarter. A move that was typical of the Pat Shurmur Era up to this point in <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Cleveland Browns</a> history. According to Richardson, however, offensive coordinator Brad Childress came in and challenged the offense at halftime by telling them that they were capable of playing better than they had up to that point.</p>
<p>Whatever Childress said worked, as the Browns got the ball to start the second half and marched right down the field and scored a Richardson touchdown set up by a sweep to Cribbs in the "Wildcat" formation to give the Browns a 17-7 lead. On Thursday, defensive coordinator Dick Jauron had commented how former Browns and current Chiefs offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was prone to run some trick plays and that they would be ready for them. What Jauron didn't mention was that perhaps that was because Shurmur and Childress had been installing their own trick plays on offense all week to reveal against the Chiefs.</p>
<p>After a <span>Tashaun Gipson</span> interception off a deflection by <span>Sheldon Brown</span> only led to three points, thanks to some questionable calls by the officials which negated two touchdown plays, the Browns reached back into their bag of tricks to catch the Chiefs napping once again. As the third quarter was nearing its end, with the Browns up 20-7, Brandon Weeden took a snap on third and nine and pitched it left to <span>Greg Little</span>, who had motioned from the right slot into the backfield. Little, the former running back (as a sophomore) at North Carolina, took the pitch and rumbled down to the Kansas City one-yard line. Two plays later, Richardson was in for his second touchdown of the day to put the Browns up 27-7.</p>
<p>It became clear to me during that drive that Shurmur is finally beginning to trust his young team enough to put them in situations that will maximize their contributions to the team. He and Childress are putting the Browns in position, literally, to win games. Benjamin backed up as a returner and darting around the edge on a double reverse, Cribbs out of the Wildcat, and Little carrying the ball out of the backfield on a sweep... Each play worked thanks to beautiful execution by all 11 guys on the field. But they were conceived and implemented because the team is growing and the coaching staff is growing comfortable with them.</p>
<p>What you have, as a result, was a fun, healthy, stomping of an inferior team in front of your home crowd and a three-game winning streak jammed-packed with momentum like a snowball rolling downhill. But perhaps more importantly, what you have is hope in December, if you're one of the coaches trying to prove you deserve a chance to stick around another year... or, if you're one of the fans trying to prove to yourself that your team is finally giving you something worth cheering about. For now, let's leave it at that.</p>
<p>There's a famous scene in <i>Star Wars</i> where Harrison Ford, playing the rebellious outlaw Han Solo, is attempting to avoid enemy spacecraft so he purposely flies into an asteroid field knowing anyone crazy enough to follow him would be committing suicide. The ever resourceful protocol droid C-3PO tries to remind him that the chances of their own survival through the asteroid field do not weigh in their favor before Solo cuts him off with his famous line, "Never tell me the odds!" When it comes to playoff scenarios, it seems the Browns are currently navigating an asteroid field. My suggestion: Don't tell me the odds Browns fans, just enjoy the ride!</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/12/10/3750156/browns-chiefs-2012-highlights-trent-richardson-montario-hardesty-travis-benjaminRyan Alton2012-12-07T08:14:27-06:002012-12-07T08:14:27-06:00Quinn, Hillis return as Browns go for 3rd straight
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<p>There will be plenty of familiar faces in town this Sunday as a favored Browns team goes for their third straight win. Ryan Alton previews the matchup with the Chiefs.</p> <p>It's that time of year again. The weather is getting colder, the holiday rush is on, NFL teams are clinching playoff positions and, outside of Cleveland, the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Browns</a> (at 4-8) are a relative afterthought. Though they are on a two-game winning streak and have moved up in many Power Rankings, while the national spotlight focuses solely on the wildcard race and whoever happens to be playing quarterback for the <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Jets</a> this week, the Browns are basically playing out the string.</p>
<p>Be that as it may, the Browns have a golden opportunity to win a third straight game this week at home against some familiar faces. The <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas City Chiefs</a>, led by head coach Romeo Crennel, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, quarterback Brady Quinn, and (back-up) running back <span>Peyton Hillis</span>, come to Cleveland tied for the worst record in the NFL. Compounding their on-field struggles is the reality of having to deal with the horrifying fallout from the suicide of Chiefs linebacker <span>Jovan Belcher</span> and his brutal murder of Kasandra Perkins, the mother of his three-month old daughter.</p>
<p>It's impossible to quantify the damage that this tragic event has done to the Chiefs organization but one can only imagine the effects are beginning to take their toll inside the locker room. Surprisingly, the Chiefs were able to block out the tragedy and win their second game of the season only 24 hours later against the visiting <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Carolina Panthers</a> last Sunday. Much credit goes to them for being able to band together in the face of extreme adversity and play what was arguably their best game of the season.</p>
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<p>Coming into this game, however, it's a mystery as to what we could expect from the maligned Chiefs. On one hand, it's probably a good thing for them to get away from Kansas City and the reminders of what happened there. Perhaps, last week has given them perspective and galvanized their purpose heading into this final month of the season. On the other hand, the emotional effects of what transpired may be beginning to take their toll on the players and coaches alike and a major let down may be in store. While they were able to come together and beat the Panthers, they may not be emotionally collected enough to build off that momentum against the Browns. We'll find out Sunday.</p>
<p>Motivating the Browns to play hard shouldn't be a problem. The team has won their last two games and is finally showing the ability to <a href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/12/3/3721496/josh-gordon-browns-raiders-brandon-weeden-trent-richardson-2012" target="_blank">beat the teams they're "supposed" to beat</a>. Pat Shurmur's growth as a head coach is becoming as evident as the growth of his young players. They are learning how to win and to close out games together. The execution is improving and the game is beginning to slow down for the rookies starting at the key skill positions like quarterback <span>Brandon Weeden</span>, running back <span>Trent Richardson</span>, and wide receiver <span>Josh Gordon</span>. I said after the Oakland game last Sunday that the Browns are taking the necessary steps toward legitimacy. The next step in the process has to be forward and that includes beating the 2-10 Chiefs at home.</p>
<p>While much attention is being focused this week on the Browns' former players and coaches returning for a shot to hand it to the team who cast them off, the Browns' players should be focused on shutting down one of the best running backs in the game in <span>Jamaal Charles</span>. Charles brings a quickness and elusiveness that the Browns haven't seen from any of the running backs they've been able to beat this season. On Thursday at his weekly press conference, Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron compared Charles (222 rushes for 1,055 yards, 3 TDs) to the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Baltimore Ravens</a>' <span>Ray Rice</span>. While Charles isn't quite as much of a factor in the passing game that Rice can be, he is just as much of a threat to get the ball and take it the distance on any given carry due to his vision and speed through the holes.</p>
<p>And he seems to get better as the game goes on. According to ESPN's <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11307/jamaal-charles" target="_blank">Fantasy Spin</a>: "Once Romeo Crennel allowed Charles to run the ball 20-plus times a game, the results followed. Charles now has had five games in which he has rushed for 100-plus yards, including three of his past four, and here's the common bond: 23 or more carries in each." Needless to say, the Browns run defense will have their work cut out for them in stopping the Chiefs on the ground. And while Browns fans might be left with the memories of Peyton Hillis' dismal 2011 season lingering in their minds, let's not forget that he can be a force in short yardage situations and lay the wood when he wants to. Something tells me he may be a little extra motivated this week.</p>
<p>Working in the Browns favor, however, is the fact that the run defense has improved considerably since defensive linemen Phil Taylor and <span>Ahtyba Rubin</span> have returned to the lineup. According to <a href="http://blogs.buffalonews.com/press-coverage/2012/12/nobody-stuffing-runners-better-than-bills-second-half-of-season.html" target="_blank">Tim Graham of <i>The Buffalo News</i></a>, since Week 9, the Browns are ranked first in the league with 65.7 rushing yards allowed per game (3 games, 197 yards). During that same span, the Browns are ranked fourth in yards per carry at 3.4 (three games, 58 attempts, 197 yards). It will be incumbent on them to get off the field on third down and not let Charles and Hillis eat up chunks on the ground. The Browns have to force Brady Quinn to beat them through the air by shutting down the run game and getting out to an early lead.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/evansilva/status/276725226228809728" target="_blank">According to Evan Silva</a>, Senior Editor of Rotoworld.com and senior writer for NBC Sports, <span>Brady Quinn's</span> combined career stats the week after he passes for over 200 yards, as he did against the Panthers, is a 44.2% completion percentage with 4.47 yards per completion, 0 touchdowns and one interception. Needless to say, there is a reason he is on his third team in four years and was the backup to <span>Matt Cassel</span> to begin the 2012 season. Not helping matters for Quinn is the fact that the Browns secondary is completely healthy with cornerback <span>Dimitri Patterson</span> and safety <span>Usama Young</span> returning to practice this week. If the Browns can shut down the run and force Quinn to pass, it could be another ugly day on the lakefront for the Ohio native and former Browns QB.</p>
<p>Obviously, things have to go right for the Browns on the other side of the ball as well. Brandon Weeden had his best game, statistically, as a pro quarterback last week in Oakland. He needs to continue to get comfortable and build on his recent success. Not throwing any early interceptions would be a big step. Though he's proven to have the resilience to bounce back from early miscues, it would be nice to see him come out and have a complete game without making some of the mental errors he's made early in games the past few weeks. Offensive coordinator Brad Childress noted to the assembled media in Berea on Thursday that Weeden is "improving using terminology, calling plays in the huddle and understanding them." This suggests that Weeden is completing a normal learning curve which all rookies have a tendency to go through in their first season. The fact that Weeden is six years older than most rookies is immaterial. He's still a rookie and he's getting better.</p>
<p>With many of the Chiefs defensive players, including cornerback <span>Brandon Flowers</span> and linebacker Derrick Johnson, missing or limited in practice this week, the opportunities should be there for Weeden and company. Also, the emergence of improving wide receivers Josh Gordon, <span>Greg Little</span> and tight end <span>Benjamin Watson</span> making plays in the passing game, and a steady dose of running backs Trent Richardson and <span>Montario Hardesty</span> on the ground, should help the Browns continue their winning streak into the month of December. The last thing in the world this team and coaching staff can afford is to take a step backward by dropping a home game to the lowly Chiefs. While the rest of the NFL landscape is worrying about quarterback carousels and playoff scenarios, maybe Cleveland can start to feel good about its football team once again.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/12/7/3738870/browns-chiefs-preview-2012-trent-richardson-brady-quinn-peyton-hillis-brandon-weedenRyan Alton2012-12-03T07:55:51-06:002012-12-03T07:55:51-06:00Finally! Browns snap road losing streak
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<p>At long last, the Cleveland Browns picked up a win on the road. Ryan Alton reviews the rookies, the defense, and Shurmur after the Browns finally capitalized and won a game that they were expected to win.</p> <p>Finally! Watching the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> line up in the "Victory Formation" with one second left on the game clock, it was finally safe to breathe knowing there was nothing between them and a win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Oakland Raiders</a>. Finally... after a <span>Sheldon Brown</span> interception at precisely the right time to thwart the Raiders chance to score or take the lead late in the game... after a beautifully and masterfully executed 94-yard scoring drive to put the them up two scores... after a desperate and meaningless touchdown drive to bring the Raiders within 3... after an onside kick that sailed untouched out of bounds to leave time for one last snap... Finally! The Browns won a game they should have won. Finally, they won on the road for the first time since Week 2 of the 2011 season... since Pat Shumur's first victory as a head coach in the NFL. Finally! This team is beginning to do the things that they should.</p>
<p>With both teams sitting at 3-8 heading into this week, it was hard to call it a "must-win" game for either franchise, but the more I think about it, it absolutely was a "should-win" game for the Browns. The Browns are the better team, plain and simple. They're just young and have played like it for much of this season. There comes a point in time, however, where being young and inexperienced can no longer be an excuse. It was time to put down the crutches and walk.</p>
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<p>After 11 games, this young team needed to start finding a way to close out games and win, especially against inferior opponents. Beating the Charlie Batch-led, turnover-prone <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> at home last week was a huge Step One. Taking the show across the country and winning in a hostile environment appropriately dubbed "The Black Hole" was Step Two. Doing it after committing mind-numbing mistakes like <span>Brandon Weeden's</span> early interception to Raiders safety <span>Matt Giordano</span> inside the red zone... or a missed chip shot field goal by "Mr. Reliable" <span>Phil Dawson</span> (albeit on a sloppy field) was Step Three. It's safe to say the Browns are taking the necessary steps toward legitimacy.</p>
<p>In all fairness, the Raiders didn't play as terrible as they've shown a tendency to do at times this season, but they didn't play well enough to win the game. They made far too many mistakes at exactly the wrong times in order to breathe life into the Browns. Penalties, turnovers, dropped passes, and poor execution. It is a formula for losing that looks all too familiar to the trained eye of someone who is used to seeing their own team go down that dastardly road. It was time for the Browns to stop being THAT team. It was time for them to win this game... and they did.</p>
<p>After Weeden's early miscue that took sure points off the board, the Browns defense seemed to back off from their suffocating style they had employed the previous two weeks and reverted back to their early season "bend-but-don't-break" style. It worked as the Raiders were only able to get a field goal in the first half. <span>Buster Skrine</span> struggled in the secondary for much of the day and the Browns couldn't quite seem to get the pressure on Raiders quarterback <span>Carson Palmer</span> that they needed. But overall, the play was solid when it needed to be, especially from Brown, who had several pass breakups, some nice open field tackles and the clutch interception when the Browns needed it the most.</p>
<p>The Browns offense was able to bounce back from Weeden's early struggles and gash the Raiders for some big plays downfield, none more beautiful than the pass to <span>Josh Gordon</span> for a 44-yard touchdown down the left sideline for a 10-0 advantage the Raiders would never overcome. There is no doubt Weeden had an up and down game and made some terrible, bone-headed throws. In all honesty, he's lucky he only threw two interceptions. He stood in the pocket and got batted around for most of the afternoon by a fierce Oakland pass rush.</p>
<p>Despite that, he was able to make plays when he had to keep the Browns offense on the field. The pass to <span>Greg Little</span> to convert on third down deep in their own territory as the crowd was barking at his back just after the Raiders had scored on a perfect pass from Carson Palmer to <span>Rod Streater</span>... the scamper and toss to a wide open <span>Trent Richardson</span> down the sideline to convert on 4th-and-2 earlier in the game... and the overall ability to know when to throw the ball away and live to see another play are enough to have some faith in the rookie gunslinger from Oklahoma.</p>
<p>Part of what makes Weeden special is his ability to shake off the bad plays and bounce back to make things happen when his team needs him to. People are quick to point to his age when criticizing him but it may just be that and his life-experience which allows him to overcome mistakes and not get too rattled as the game goes on. His even-keel temperament and demeanor is exactly what the Browns need in the quarterback of this young offense.</p>
<p>Sure, the accuracy and turnovers are concerning but those are things that can be corrected with experience and preparation. Reading a defense and making all the right pre-snap reads is something that will come to him with time. The ability to forget about the last play, stand in the pocket and complete a huge pass while getting smashed by a defensive lineman is not something that can be coached or taught. If I'm Joe Banner, when I sit down to make my end of the season evaluations, I'm looking around the league and at the incoming draft class and I'm seeing there's hope for Weeden after all.</p>
<p>Finally, much credit goes to Pat Shurmur and offensive coordinator Brad Childress for a beautifully called game. Shurmur, too, is learning how to win in this league. There's no denying he has been met with much frustration from the fans and media for his conservative play calling and questionable management skills, both of which are hard to overcome for a team trying to find itself. But this week, credit is given where credit is due. Shurmur and Childress put together a game plan that took advantage of the Raiders' weaknesses and finally put their team in a position to win the game. And it showed.</p>
<p>Having the guts to go for it on fourth down instead of giving the ball back to the Raiders when you're only up by three, especially after being denied on the play before... being aware of the injuries piling up in the Raiders' secondary and attacking them by lining up with three receivers... utilizing Montario Hardesty's quickness by having him come off the bench for a change of pace, so that Trent Richardson would be fresh enough to cap off the final drive and score a touchdown while running precious time off the clock late in the game... Really, what more could you ask from your head coach? Shurmur called a beauty and it set the Browns up to win the game.</p>
<p>Finally! In a game the Browns should have won... IF they did what they had to... IF they took the next step... IF they cut down on penalties, could overcome early gaffes, convert when they needed to, make more plays than their opponent, and execute the game plan... IF they could do what winning football teams do... they would win. And they did.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/12/3/3721496/josh-gordon-browns-raiders-brandon-weeden-trent-richardson-2012Ryan Alton2012-11-30T08:01:59-06:002012-11-30T08:01:59-06:00How Browns can snap road losing streak vs. Raiders
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<figcaption>Jason Miller</figcaption>
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<p>The Browns have not won a road game since Week 2 of the 2011 season. Will that losing streak end in Oakland? Ryan Alton previews the keys to a game he thinks Cleveland should win.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> are going to Oakland on Sunday to play the Raiders in what seems to be a battle of two lowly teams trying to put the finishing touches on another season of despair and discontent. Both teams have a record of 3-8 and it would be hard to blame either of them if they were to vie for a higher draft pick in April at this point, considering there's virtually no shot of either team competing for a playoff spot.</p>
<p>But this is the NFL and while there may not be a postseason berth to play for, professional athletes are playing for themselves and their teammates. They simply have too much pride to give up just so the powers that be can be in a better position to draft their eventual replacements in a few months. While fans may want the team to lose for their own selfish reasons, though you may be hard-pressed to find anyone to actually admit it, players simply don't operate that way. They may not exactly be buying in to the seemingly hollow words of their coach at this point, but they're still aware of the circumstances that could result if they don't give each and every game from here on out their A+ effort.</p>
<p>Therefore, I expect both teams to come out and put forth a good fight but I absolutely expect the Browns to be able to travel out west and beat the Raiders in the famed "Black Hole" on Sunday. However, in order for that to happen, <span>Brandon Weeden</span>, first and foremost, has to play better than he has in the past few weeks. With the weather forecast calling for strong winds and heavy rain, asking Weeden to step his game up may be a tall order, but he has no choice. Even though he was a 1st Round draft pick just this past year, the heat is on him to start proving to new owner Jimmy Haslam and new CEO Joe Banner that they shouldn't start looking in a new direction at the game's most important position just yet.</p>
<p>Helping Weeden is the fact that there doesn't seem to be as rich a crop of quarterbacks eligible to declare for the draft in April as there was with <span>Andrew Luck</span> and <span>Robert Griffin III</span>, otherwise the pressure would really be on. But it still doesn't change the fact that Weeden has to prove he can win in this league and start stringing together some solid performances to put on his short resume as an NFL starter.</p>
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<p>In Oakland, Weeden has to find a comfort zone (not exactly the easiest place to do that) and start making better decisions and more accurate throws. He has to be able to avoid turning the ball over without being afraid to turn the ball over. Oakland's 23rd ranked pass defense should aid him in that cause. But if, for some reason, he struggles like he has in the past few weeks, the worry that is beginning to creep up around Brownstown about Weeden will begin to get more and more traction as the season nears its unfortunate end.</p>
<p>If the weather is indeed a factor, it will limit Pat Shurmur's ability to get too creative with the play-calling, which under normal conditions would be a sight for sore eyes. In any event, we should see a heavy dose of the running game led by, but not limited to, <span>Trent Richardson</span>. Early in the year, I was of the mind that Shurmur was throwing the ball too much and not utilizing the strengths of Richardson in the ground game enough. Since then, Richardson is ranked second behind only <span>Arian Foster</span> of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Houston Texans</a> for carries amongst NFL running backs. That's alarming considering the fact that he is still, <a href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/29/3708174/trent-richardson-injury-browns-2012" target="_blank">by his own admission</a>, not 100% healthy yet after suffering a minor rib injury a few weeks back.</p>
<p>The decision by Shurmur to give Richardson as many carries as he's getting would be understandable if they didn't have a guy behind him who is capable of spelling him and taking on some of the load. Fortunately for the Browns, they do in former second-round pick <span>Montario Hardesty</span>. In the few times that Hardesty has seen action since Richardson's injury, he has provided a spark to the Browns running game. He doesn't have the same patience or toughness that Richardson brings to the table, but he has a speed in hitting the hole that we have seldom seen from Richardson this season. If ever a team were to employ a "running back by committee" ground attack, they could do much worse than Richardson and Hardesty.</p>
<p>In my opinion, offensive coordinator Brad Childress and Shurmur need to find a way to get Hardesty more touches throughout the course of the game from here on out. Not only can he provide a burst and a change of pace to throw off opposing defenses, but he will secure longevity for the star running back that the Browns invested so highly in last April. It makes no sense to have a guy with the talent that Hardesty has to waste away on the bench while a less than 100 percent Richardson is struggling to average more than 3.5 yards per carry.</p>
<p>With the weather calling for rain and wind, the keys to victory for the Browns and Pat Shurmur are to run the ball with a mix of Richardson and Hardesty and put Weeden in situations where he can get comfortable throwing to an improving young corps of wide receivers. It sounds simplistic but if you combine that plan with the way that the Browns defense has been lighting up opposing offenses lately, the Browns should easily cede the higher draft slot to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Oakland Raiders</a> on Sunday. Truth be told, if conditions for this game were normal, I'd be calling for a blowout... or I'd be pretty ticked if the game somehow stayed close. But under the circumstances, just win baby.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/30/3709526/trent-richardson-raiders-vs-browns-preview-2012-brandon-weeden-montario-hardestyRyan Alton2012-11-27T07:30:38-06:002012-11-27T07:30:38-06:00Contrast between Shurmur, Tomlin reiterated in win
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<figcaption>Matt Sullivan</figcaption>
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<p>Ryan Alton delivers a postmortem on a rare win over the Steelers -- a Sunday that showed off an improving and dominant defense, as well as the stark contrast between Mike Tomlin and Pat Shurmur in a game that was far too close for comfort.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Browns</a> BEAT the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Steelers</a>! There may come a time, hopefully in the not too distant future, where those five words carry as much weight as the weatherman predicting two to three inches of lake effect snow across Northeast Ohio from November through March. But these days, the Browns beating the Steelers might as well be the Storm of the Century. It's a REALLY big deal and everyone can remember where they were and what they were doing when it happened.</p>
<p>However, Sunday's 20-14 win over the hated, yellow-clad, towel wavers from Western Pennsylvania felt more like the type of storm that, while still packing a punch, didn't nearly live up to the hype it was given. After all that build-up and excitement, you're left peering through the window saying, "That's it?" I should preface this by saying a win is a win and Browns fans will gladly take them however they can get them... especially over the Steelers. But one day soon, settling for a win the way the Browns seemed to on Sunday shouldn't be the bar we have set if we ever want to witness greatness from our football team. And I do. Besides, and I can only speak for myself, I would be doing my psyche a disservice if I chose to ignore the things that concerned me as the game unfolded. Be that as it may, the Browns beat the Steelers. It's worth repeating. For now.</p>
<p><b>The Good...er... Great...</b></p>
<p>The Browns defense is not just good. They are becoming dominant. This may sound hyperbolic but the Browns are playing the type of defense that hasn't been seen in Cleveland in a generation. No one talks about them because the team is losing but it's hard to ignore the facts.</p>
<p>The Browns held all four of the Steelers running backs to a combined 49 total yards rushing on 20 carries. To put things in perspective, this marks the first time the Browns have held two consecutive opponents (Dallas and Pittsburgh) under 65 yards rushing since 1989. By taking away the run, aided by the Steelers' inability to hold on to the football, the Browns forced third-string quarterback, <span>Charlie Batch</span>, to try to win the game through the air. Fortunately, that also proved to be a disastrous enterprise as Batch threw three interceptions on the afternoon.</p>
<p>The Browns' eight takeaways against the Steelers are the most by any NFL team since the <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Saints</a> did it against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams" class="sbn-auto-link">Rams</a> in 2001. The last time the Browns had that many takeaways in one game, I was 12 and the Browns were on their way to their third AFC Championship game in four years. It was on September 10, 1989 when, coincidentally, they blew out the Steelers 51-0 in Pittsburgh to open the season. That was another one of those moments where I remember where I was and what I was doing. There have only been a handful since.</p>
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<p>With five games to go, the Browns have intercepted the ball thirteen times compared to nine all of last season and have recovered twelve fumbles compared to eleven in 2011. The Browns, led by a now-healthy rotation along their defensive line, are also averaging 2.5 sacks a game and are on pace to finish the season with 40 total sacks, which would be eight more than they had last season.</p>
<p>Amazingly, the Browns have been able to register these totals without the services of starters <span>Scott Fujita</span>, <span>Chris Gocong</span>, Phil Taylor, and <span>Joe Haden</span> for much of the season due to injuries and off the field related issues. Rookies like <span>James-Michael Johnson</span>, <span>Billy Winn</span>, <span>John Hughes</span>, <span>Trevin Wade</span> and <span>Johnson Bademosi</span> have all come in and helped fortify the defense when they've been called on. Also, second year players such as <span>Craig Robertson</span>, <span>Jabaal Sheard</span>, <span>Buster Skrine</span> and the aforementioned Taylor are key cogs in defensive coordinator Dick Jauron's scheme.</p>
<p>It's not out of the realm of possibility that the Browns are perhaps an elite pass rusher and/or a corner away from being one the league's most dominant defenses for the next decade. With the focus on offense in the 2012 Draft and what appears to be another high draft pick in 2013, the Browns have a golden opportunity to add a big piece to an already ferocious defense. The only question that remains is whether Jauron will be around next season to continue to build on what he's started. While much of the staff may be replaced, it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Browns to somehow find a way to keep Jauron on board.</p>
<p><b>The Not-So Great...</b></p>
<p>Don't get me wrong.... It's great that the Browns beat the Steelers. But in fairness, when an opponent turns the ball over eight times, it's a downright crime that the Browns didn't embarrass the Steelers by a margin of victory larger than the one they did on Sunday. Perhaps it will come across as selfish, or like wanting your cake and eating it too, but for all the times the Steelers have made a living embarrassing the Browns, I guess I expected more. I know beggars can't be choosers. I get it. But the Browns almost did that thing again where they lose a game they should win. That awkward moment when you think you have a game won so you take your foot off the gas... It's happened far too often since Pat Shurmur became the head coach and it has become a cause for growing concern.</p>
<p>"We scored enough points to win the game", Shurmur explained to the media after the game. That statement sums up the Browns in the Shurmur Era perfectly. Far too often, the Browns haven't scored enough points to win the game because they are young and inexperienced and can't overcome the little things that matter during the course of game which often determine the outcome. So when an opponent (not just any opponent, by the way) like the Steelers come in to your house and gift wrap eight turnovers, many of which came deep in their own territory, you have to put your foot on their throat and capitalize. The Browns were unable to do that for much of the game on Sunday. Fortunately, they "managed" to win the game much like a turtle manages to cross a four lane highway during rush hour. I suppose, given our recent history, that's good enough. Right?</p>
<p>There is no excuse to be down at the half after having recovered three fumbles inside Steelers territory. And there is no excuse for fans to have to sweat out the entire fourth quarter because the team is only up by six and can't find a way to create more breathing room in a game the Steelers historically find a way to win. Citing the age and experience or lack thereof for the Browns is becoming an all too convenient excuse for this team and its fan base. At some point, we have to stop and begin to expect better. Perhaps this win is just a necessary stepping stone for the team to the point where the Steelers are... where winning is expected. But the Steelers gave the Browns a golden opportunity to really put a strong foot forward and they almost fell in a ditch.</p>
<p>Browns fans have often longed for type of fiery no-nonsense approach that head coach Mike Tomlin brings to the Steelers. It is reflected in his players and the way they typically play the game of football. The Steelers were playing with their third quarterback in as many weeks and all four running backs fumbled the ball. Still, you didn't hear Tomlin make excuses for his team. "That was an ugly performance. That is ours. We own it," exclaimed Tomlin after the game. "We are not looking for comfort. We were highly penalized; we turned the ball over. When you do those things you are going to lose. I don't care who is playing quarterback."</p>
<p>There are certain expectations and standards to live up to with a coach like that. You are expected to win and to beat inferior opponents, especially when they are handing you the game on a silver platter. You don't simply hope to score "enough points to win the game." The difference in styles couldn't be clearer. The Browns have a young and inexperienced team budding with talent while the Steelers are aging and seemingly playing on fumes. Yet, the Steelers have a winning record while the Browns are enduing their fifth losing season in a row. The time for excuses has just about run out, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Fortunately, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam spent four years in Pittsburgh watching Tomlin's attitude permeate the Steelers' locker room. It came through once again after Sunday's embarrassing defeat. "I am surprised it was that close given the turnover situation," Tomlin admitted. I agree Mike, that about says it all right there. After four months watching Shurmur permeate the Browns, it should be no surprise what's coming to Cleveland after the season. Maybe then, a win over the Steelers won't be as historically significant, but then maybe it won't feel so much like a let down either.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/27/3696294/steelers-vs-browns-2012-brandon-weeden-injury-mike-tomlin-pat-shurmurRyan Alton2012-11-16T08:55:50-06:002012-11-16T08:55:50-06:00Can Browns begin successful stretch run in Dallas?
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<figcaption>David Richard-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Browns face the Cowboys in relative good health after the bye week, but can they shore up first-half mistakes and start a successful stretch run in Big D?</p> <p>There's a saying in Cleveland that goes, "Bad football is better than no football at all." Isn‘t there? Well, there should be. For as frustrating as it gets watching the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> sometimes, there's nothing quite like the bye week to come along and put things in perspective and make you yearn for a meaningful football game to watch on Sunday afternoon. Sure, if you're like me, any football is great, especially if you have a vested interest in a fantasy football league... or five. But there's nothing like the experience that comes with watching the team you care about. Even if it ends in disappointment, more often than not. </p>
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<p><i>Related:</i> Ryan Alton assesses the Browns at the Bye | <a href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/9/3621564/trent-richardson-brandon-weeden-browns-pat-shurmur-joe-banner" target="_blank">Part One</a> | <a href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/12/3634716/mike-holmgren-cowboys-browns-trent-richardson-joe-banner-brandon-weeden" target="_blank">Part Two</a></p>
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<p>The Browns, and their fans, went into the bye feeling the disappointment of 25-15 loss to the rival <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Baltimore Ravens</a>. And frankly, it's been a long two weeks of searching for answers to what went wrong in that heated affair. But, as NFL players will tell you, the most important game is the next game. And fortunately, that is now just hours away. Still, many questions loom as the Orange and Brown take their talents to Dallas to play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> on Sunday. </p>
<p><b>How will <span>Brandon Weeden</span> respond from the Ravens performance? </b>Aside from his Week 1 rookie debut against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a>, Weeden had the worst game of his short NFL career against Baltimore. He played timid and looked befuddled, though he managed to engineer five scoring drives. Unfortunately, those drives ended in field goals not touchdowns. The only time he threw the ball near the goal line that Sunday was when he hit <span>Josh Gordon</span> on a quick slant for the go-ahead score... until it got call back due to an illegal formation penalty on <span>Chris Ogbonnaya</span> (This message has been brought to you from the makers of ‘Only in Cleveland‘).</p>
<p>Weeden looked in that game as if he was scared to make the game-changing mistake as he did earlier in the season against the Ravens when he threw a pick six to Ravens corner Cary Williams, which ended up being the difference in the game. What's more is he still ended up throwing two picks in this latest meeting, one of which to Williams. When asked this week where Weeden needs to improve over the last seven games of the season, head coach Pat Shurmur didn't mince words. "Don't throw interceptions. Done. End of story." </p>
<p>In addition to not throwing interceptions, however, Weeden needs to stop <i>worrying</i> about throwing interceptions. Clearly that inhibited him in his last outing and it's just something that rookie quarterbacks tend to do. If I'm Pat Shurmur, I'm less concerned with the inevitable interceptions made by a rookie quarterback best classified as a "gunslinger." I'm more concerned with the lack of reads and quick check-down throws Weeden made during five trips inside the red zone against the Ravens. Neither of the interceptions Weeden threw resulted in points for the Ravens. But all five trips into the red zone without a touchdown resulted in 15 points instead of 30. There's your ballgame. </p>
<p><b>Will the communication problems that existed against Baltimore still exist?</b> Adding to Weeden's struggles against Baltimore was the inability for Shurmur and offensive coordinator Brad Childress to get the plays called in on time, which resulted in several blown time outs. Numerous other times, the offense was running up to the line of scrimmage to get the play off on time because the play clock had ticked down to single-digits by the time Weeden broke the huddle. This forced Weeden to hurry up and get the play off without having the ability to make the proper pre-snap reads of the defense or to audible into a play that was more favorable given the formation of the Ravens defense.</p>
<p>This week, playing on the road in a dome, communication is even more crucial. It was reported on Thursday that the Browns practiced indoors with music blaring to simulate the noise distraction they will likely face in Dallas on Sunday. </p>
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<p>Prior to practice, Childress addressed the media's questions about streamlining the play calling and communication during the Baltimore game. "I just think we had communication issues whether it be a little indecision or whether or I wasn't speaking clearly or Pat (Shurmur) wasn't speaking clearly, or we were caught on the last play, which you can do sometimes. Sometimes you're irritated about what happened on the last play or what happened officiating-wise," Childress explained. "I feel like it kind of reared its ugly head here recently and hopefully we don't have to go through that again.'' </p>
<p>Yes, hopefully, Brad. Your jobs kind of depend on it. Frankly, I can't stand the excuse of how they were stuck on the last play or on "what happened officiating-wise." Coaches preach having a short memory to their players all the time and that you can't control what calls are going to be made throughout the course of a game by the officials. Yet, somehow Shumur and Childress couldn't get the next play in on time because they were too busy bickering over what happened on the previous play? </p>
<p>Another thing coaches should do is try to lead by example. This display of incompetence does not inspire confidence in their leadership to the players, to the fans, or to the two men who hold the keys to their futures -- Jimmy Haslam III and Joe Banner. </p>
<p><b>Will Joe Haden play with a strained oblique?</b> The Browns had to endure a painful stretch (no pun intended) at the beginning of the season without Haden while he served a suspension for violating the league's policy against performance enhancing drugs (Adderall). During his absence, the Browns went 0-4. Now, after missing practice this week due to a strained oblique muscle he suffered on Wednesday, there is a chance he could miss Sunday's game. If that is the case, the Browns chances of winning just dropped dramatically. </p>
<p>With Haden playing this season, the Browns defense has given up an average of 17 points per game. Without Haden, that number increases to 30.5 points per game. Dallas (4-5) is averaging 20.9 points per game this season led by quarterback <span>Tony Romo</span> and receivers <span>Dez Bryant</span> and <span>Miles Austin</span>. If Haden is out, Romo will surely look to exploit that hole in the Browns secondary. </p>
<p>Even if he is able to play, it doesn't sound like Haden will be at 100% so it wouldn't surprise me for the Cowboys to test him early. Hopefully, with the rest he's getting in practice this week, he'll be able to recover enough to help shut down the formidable Cowboys' passing attack.</p>
<p><b>Will <span>Trent Richardson</span> finally go off?</b> The Cowboys currently boast the 13th ranked rush defense in the league, giving up 105.2 yards per game on the ground. They also happen to be without two of their interior linebackers in rising star <span>Sean Lee</span> and veteran <span>Dan Connor</span>. Browns fans know Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan well and they know he likes to dial up the blitz and disguise coverage. Expect a consistent rush of DeMarcus Ware coming off the edge to rattle the rookie Brandon Weeden. To offset this, we should see a heavy dose of Richardson early and often. </p>
<p>Hopefully, the bye week gave his ribs a chance to heal, though Richardson admitted the other day that he wasn't quite back to 100% yet. Fans are just waiting for the day to come where Trent explodes for a huge game and we can finally see the guy the Browns traded up to get in April's draft. There have been glimpses of stardom here and there throughout this rookie campaign but the injuries have certainly held him back.</p>
<p>If the Browns are going to make any kind of serious run to finish this season on a high note, Richardson is the man to get it going. It is imperative that Shurmur put his faith in the ground game, especially as the weather begins to turn for the worst in the North, if the Browns are going to put a string of wins together to close out the season. Sunday, in Dallas, where his childhood idol Emmitt Smith won three Super Bowls, seems like a great place to start. </p>
<p><b>Will this be the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end? </b>The Browns have seven games left in 2012. This season has not gone anywhere near what was planned. Back in May, spirits were up and hopes were high. But the plan changed. And many more changes seem to rest on the horizon. The rookie veneer should be wearing off the new weapons Tom Heckert secured in the offseason. Now is the part of season where the dust has settled and it's time to find out what we have here. </p>
<p>Believe it or not, the Browns have a chance to put together a sizable win streak if they can beat Dallas and then return home to face the Big Ben-less <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> next week. After that, they face Oakland, Kansas City and Washington, all teams with losing records. There is a realistic chance that they could string together five wins in a row heading into the final two weeks of the season. I believe that would truly signal to all interested parties that this young team has finally turned a corner.</p>
<p>Or... the Browns can continue what they've done all season long and come close but fall short. If they fail to get a win on the road against a very tough Dallas team, there is a chance, at 2-8, morale will bottom out and the need for change will be so obvious that the team will fall apart and have to drag itself across the finish line to end the season. No one in the organization can afford to have that happen. We will see which way the ball bounces for this young team down the stretch. In the meantime, I'm just glad to watch a game I care about on Sunday.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/16/3653570/cowboys-browns-2012-week-11-trent-richardson-brandon-weedenRyan Alton2012-11-12T08:06:10-06:002012-11-12T08:06:10-06:00Browns at the Bye: Rookie wall & a Banner arrival
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<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Browns enjoyed a Sunday off in Week 10, but Ryan Alton returns with Part 2 of his thoughts as the teams embarks upon the second half of their season.</p> <p>Just because the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> don't play a game this week doesn't mean the gears stop turning inside the mind of a restless Browns fan. With that said, I'm back to offer a few more thoughts about the state of the franchise and all the uncertainty that lies ahead.</p>
<p><i>Related: <a href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/9/3621564/trent-richardson-brandon-weeden-browns-pat-shurmur-joe-banner" target="_blank">Browns at the bye week -- Part One</a></i></p>
<p><b>The Big Show in Big D?</b> I suppose it's somewhat moot to spend too much time worrying about what outgoing team president Mike Holmgren plans to do after he packs his saddlebags full of Randy Lerner's money and rolls his Harley out of Cleveland at the end of the season. He was hired by Lerner to add credibility and a strong visual presence to an organization that had neither, and to basically be the owner so that Lerner could do Lord knows what, despite not necessarily being qualified for any of the roles he was expected to fulfill. The only role Holmgren was qualified to fill was the one he didn't want... at least not in Cleveland.</p>
<p>Now, <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/jason-la-canfora/20937066/andy-reid-could-land-with-chargers-mike-holmgren-interested-in-cowboys" target="_blank">reports are starting to surface</a> that Holmgren may actually be open to coaching again if the "perfect opportunity" came along. In fairness, he left the door open and basically said just that in his farewell press conference in front of the Cleveland media last month. Then, on Sunday, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com told "The NFL Today" that sources close to Holmgren told him that he has "serious interest" in coaching the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> next year if owner Jerry Jones decides to make a change from Jason Garrett after the season. La Canfora's sources cited "the competitiveness of the roster, the skill players present, and his relationship with owner Jerry Jones" as the main reasons Holmgren would consider the Cowboys.</p>
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<p><br> Personally, I appreciate the fact that Holmgren was wise enough to hire Tom Heckert as General Manager to rebuild the roster in Cleveland and I never really expected him to return to the sidelines as head coach of the Browns. But I have to admit, it kind of rubs me the wrong way that he would choose to go coach another team after he had the chance to do so here and refused. It's not like Lerner would have forbade him from doing so. He just simply chose not to. Instead he went out and hired Pat Shurmur, who has been nothing short of a disaster in his brief stint as coach, while he gets to ride off after three years at about a million dollars per win, dignity intact.</p>
<p>Furthermore, if Holmgren likes Dallas because of the talent on the roster and the skill players they have, what does that say for the Browns players he is leaving behind? If I were Josh Cribbs or <span>Joe Haden</span>, I might have a little chip on my shoulder heading into next week's match up against the Cowboys. But it's a win-win situation for Holmgren. Who will prevail? The roster he covets or the one he helped build? The Big Show seems to have a knack for coming out smelling like roses, no matter what kind of mess he leaves behind.</p>
<p><b>More Perspective on Joe Banner. </b>If you haven't already, I highly suggest all Browns fans head over to the <a href="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/What-Browns-fans-will-get-with-Joe-Banner.html" target="_blank"><i>National Football Post</i> and read a column by longtime NFL agent Jack Bechta</a>, entitled "What Browns Fans Will Get with Joe Banner." Bechta, being an agent in the NFL for over 20 years, has developed a close, professional relationship with the Browns new CEO from when he would represent various players and Banner worked as team president in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>Bechta describes the roles in which Banner filled for over a decade in Philadelphia. "From negotiating contracts, training camp leases, radio/media sponsorships, hiring/firing coaches and front office men, directing PR initiatives, pregame entertainment, and stadium leases to overseeing the team's cash flow and attending league meetings, Joe has seen it all," <a href="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/What-Browns-fans-will-get-with-Joe-Banner.html" target="_blank">explains Bechta</a>. So Browns fans can rest easy knowing Jimmy Haslam III has replaced a man in Holmgren, who had no experience overseeing such team operations prior to coming to Cleveland, for a man who has done this for years previously with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a>.</p>
<p>According to Bechta, Banner oftentimes found himself in the crosshairs of the relentless Philly sports media. "Joe was an easy target for the venomous Philly media," <a href="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/What-Browns-fans-will-get-with-Joe-Banner.html" target="_blank">Bechta describes</a>. "I once had a working lunch with Joe in his office. On the way in I tuned into the Howard Eskin show. A caller called in and said he saw Joe Banner on the golf course that day. The caller complained that Joe should be getting draft picks signed and taking care of some of the Eagles' many problems. Of course, Eskin and other callers piled on Joe. However, Joe was nowhere near a golf course in 6 months and was waiting for me in his office. When I told him what I had just heard he just shrugged it off as part of the territory of the job. When I got back in my car two hours later the host and callers were still bashing Joe. It's the Philly way."</p>
<p>If Bechta has ever had the chance to listen to Cleveland sports radio, he would soon realize, this is also the Cleveland way. I can personally remember hearing eerily similar call-ins to Cleveland radio shows about the recreational exploits of Mike Holmgren (word has it, the Big Show enjoyed bike rides in the Cleveland Metro Parks during work hours from time to time). So yeah, Banner will get no reprieve from the fans and the media backlash here if the team doesn't start winning soon. Fortunately, once again, he comes with great experience.</p>
<p>So what can we expect from Banner now that he is officially in charge? <a href="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/What-Browns-fans-will-get-with-Joe-Banner.html" target="_blank">Says Bechta, (on hiring the right people)</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/What-Browns-fans-will-get-with-Joe-Banner.html" target="_blank"></a>"Joe will not make a decision without calling 10 to 15 references on hiring a coach or personnel man. Joe's biggest strength is taking his time in making decisions, doing massive amounts of research and getting everyone's opinion. Joe is credited for hiring good football people. He was quick to pick up top football people who were fired from other positions and have them focus on whatever their strength is."</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/What-Browns-fans-will-get-with-Joe-Banner.html" target="_blank">On dealing with the players</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Joe's Eagles may have had the best record of any NFL team over the last decade of getting draft picks signed on time and faster than any other team. Joe started a trend in signing young blossoming talent a year or two before their contract was up. Thus, often securing them at a huge discount to their upcoming free agent value. He may have missed on a few players but he did hit on the majority, keeping the best talent for the long term. Even if a player became unsatisfied with his contract, the Eagles still owned them. Expect to see this method implemented for the Browns' young talent."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So about that angst with Holmgren leaving for greener pastures? Never mind. I think we might just be okay with Joe Banner running the show.</p>
<p><b>Rookie Wall? </b>It wouldn't be appropriate for me to go two whole posts without once mentioning the expectation of two of the most important players on the Browns roster for the final seven games of the season.</p>
<p><span>Brandon Weeden</span> was having a fairly successful rookie season until last week's flop against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a>. He seemed to revert back to some bad habits he displayed early in the season, such as locking onto receivers, missing reads, and being a split-second late on his release, which can cause defenders to key on the ball. He seemed overly aggressive at times, throwing the ball into harm's way, while other times, he played it safe and checked it down to a safety valve when the play clearly called for something to be thrown further downfield.</p>
<p>I believe part of Weeden's troubles in the Ravens game came from miscommunication with the sideline and the inability for Pat Shurmur to get the plays in on time. By the time Weeden broke the huddle and ran up to the line of scrimmage there was oftentimes just a handful of seconds left on the play clock. This didn't allow Weeden the opportunity to read the defense properly and make any needed changes or audibles at the line.</p>
<p>Hopefully, Weeden went back and learned a lot from that Ravens film and used the bye to familiarize himself more with the playbook. He can't continue to be as inconsistent and as trepid as he was when the Browns got into the red zone against the Ravens. Weeden has developed a reputation for being a gunslinger. He has to take his shots down field but he has to be smart about trusting his receivers and finding them when they're open. Hopefully, he can bounce back from the Ravens game like he was able to after the dreadful debut he had against Philadelphia in Week 1.</p>
<p>Before the players left for their week off, <span>Trent Richardson</span> promised that the bye would do him good and that hopefully he could return 100 percent. With the minor knee procedure just before the beginning of the preseason and the rib injury that has hindered him for the last few weeks, I'm not sure that we have really seen the full display of his abilities. Hopefully, the bye will give him that time to heal so that he can come back and be the dominant running force we expected when the Browns moved up to take him No. 3 overall in April.</p>
<p>It's tough to see Tampa Bay phenom <span>Doug Martin</span> and Washington's Alfred Morris have monster rookie seasons while Richardson seems to have been held back by injury and or an offense that focuses on using the pass to set up the run. Richardson is the type of "old school" back that needs at least 20 carries a game to really wear down a defense and get rolling. So far, he hasn't been utilized in that way and it leaves much to be desired from him in Shurmur's offense. What's impressive is that, despite these hindrances, he is still putting up respectable yardage totals week in and week out. Hopefully, if he returns 100 percent healthy after the bye, he'll have a breakout performance against somebody. You get the feeling, he's just about due.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/12/3634716/mike-holmgren-cowboys-browns-trent-richardson-joe-banner-brandon-weedenRyan Alton2012-11-09T08:01:45-06:002012-11-09T08:01:45-06:00Browns at the Bye: Assessing the 2nd half
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/p5v77xcY1qnyHgcJd_mXINzIrv8=/0x0:3990x2660/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2925629/20120925_kkt_aa1_225.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Browns will be idle this Sunday, but Ryan Alton is here to take a look at what lies ahead for Pat Shurmur and his young team in the second half of the 2012 season.</p> <p>The Bye Week is here. We finally get a break from the ups and the downs of the season to sit back and reflect on what has transpired and to think ahead to what might be in store down the road for our beloved <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Cleveland Browns</a>. It hasn't exactly gone as planned if you, like me, were optimistic that the new additions to the team in the offseason would surely take them to the next level. After a 4-12 season in 2011, we were literally promised that things would be better and I truly believed that, though it might not show up in the win column. However, the people I talk to on Twitter might be the first to note how quickly my tone changed once the Browns bungled their way to an 0-5 start to the season. And just when it seemed like they might be turning a corner, winning two out of three with a team poised to explode, <a href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/5/3602276/trent-richardson-browns-ravens-2012-nfl-week-9-recap-brandon-weeden" target="_blank">Baltimore came to town to knock us back to Earth with a resounding thud</a>. Things, they seem, haven't changed much at all. But unlike seasons past, there may be a light at the end of this tunnel. Here are my prevailing thoughts as we venture into the great unknown that is the future of the Cleveland Browns...</p>
<p><b>On Pat Shurmur‘s Future... </b>Despite new Browns CEO, Joe Banner, <a target="_blank" href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/8/3618074/pat-shurmur-job-status-joe-banner-tom-heckert-browns">making the media rounds this week</a> claiming that no decision has been made regarding the future of the Browns head coach, it should be no surprise when Pat Shurmur is let go at the end of the season. According <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/11/cleveland_browns_ceo_joe_banne_1.html">to the interview conducted by Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer</a>, Banner said wins and losses won't necessarily determine who stays and who goes amongst the coaching and front office staff. If you're Shurmur, facing a record of 2-7 with seven games to go, that's good news.</p>
<p>However, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/11/cleveland_browns_ceo_joe_banne.html">Banner also said</a> "We're looking for leadership, attention to detail, character, those kinds of things, etc." While he didn't exactly come out and say it, it's hard to see where Shurmur excels in that list of criteria. I suppose you could make the case that Shurmur is a man of high character and he has the leadership abilities to sell his plan and, thus far, get his players to buy in. But attention to detail? Now that is an area, I don't think anyone can argue, where Shurmur is clearly lacking. Football is a game of inches and it seems like the Shurmur-led Browns always manage to fail to get that extra inch when they need it the most.</p>
<p>Pat Shurmur has coached the Cleveland Browns in 25 regular season games and they have lost 10 of those games by seven points or less. Ten games, or 40 percent of the games that Shurmur has coached, have been lost by a touchdown or less. That, my friends, is not for a lack of talent. It's for a lack of good coaching and/or in-game decision making. Both of which require a great attention to detail. A man who pays attention to detail gets the play in on time and doesn't have to waste crucial time outs. A man who pays attention to detail doesn't throw on 3rd-and-1 yet run on 3rd-and-11. A man who pays attention to detail doesn't punt when he should go for it and go for it when he should punt.</p>
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<p>What's more is Browns wide receiver Josh Cooper told a local Cleveland radio station on Thursday that he isn't sure if Shurmur or offensive coordinator Brad Childress is actually calling the plays. Say what? How does an offensive player not know who is actually calling the plays? The general thought in the offseason was that bringing Childress on as the coordinator would help alleviate the burden on Shurmur. That may be true during the week when the team practices and installs the game plan but clearly it hasn't had the desired effect during games. In fact, one could argue, the in-game decision making this season looks worse than it did last season! I honestly didn't think that was possible.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1710181/Weeden-Shurmur.png"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1710181/Weeden-Shurmur_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Weeden-shurmur_medium"></a> <br id="1352447679586"></p>
<p>One other thing of note from Banner's interview was the fact that he admitted to having a certain bias toward a head coach who has control over the 53-man roster because he saw Andy Reid have much success with it while he worked with him in Philadelphia. While he won't likely allow that to completely determine who he and owner Jimmy Haslam will hire/fire, it's obviously something he is weighing. If that's any indication as to what sort of operation Banner will be running, it doesn't bode well for Shurmur or GM Tom Heckert to return here in Cleveland in their current roles. However, I do feel that Heckert has a better shot of staying than Shurmur at this point.</p>
<p><b>On the Next Head Coach... </b>Unfortunately for Haslam and Banner, if they do decide to make a change, they're sure to have some competition across the NFL as they try to sway candidates to come to Cleveland. This off-season in particular seems to be shaping up to be quite tumultuous in terms of current head coaches getting the dreaded pink slip sometime in early January. Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Dallas, Kansas City, Carolina, San Diego, Washington, New Orleans, and Cincinnati are just some of the teams that are currently underperforming and could quite possibly look to inject new life into their organizations this offseason. If so, the new Browns brain trust will have their work cut out for them as they seek to woo top-notch coaching candidates to the city by the lake. And last I checked, the road to the playoffs still runs through Pittsburgh and Baltimore in this division.</p>
<p>Also working against Haslam and Banner is the fact that the Cleveland Browns, as people around the league are well-aware, haven't exactly been a model for long-term job security for head coaches. In fact, Cleveland seems to be the place where either young, inexperienced coaches cut their teeth before moving on to have success some place else, or where old coaches and players alike go to fade away into early retirement. A recent poll conducted by <i>The Sporting News</i> had current NFL players rank the worst franchises in the league and... guess what? "We're Number One! We're Number One!"</p>
<p>Be that as it may, there is already new blood in Cleveland and it will be up to them to somehow sell their vision to prospective coaches. Additional selling points might include the fact that the Browns have an influx of young talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball that is seemingly primed to break out sooner rather than later. An offensive-minded coaching prospect might be inclined to think it wouldn't take much to deprogram them from Shurmur's archaic West Coast terminology and mold them into a system where they have a better understanding and an easier transition to the pro game. Whereas a roster full of older players might have a much more difficult time relearning a new system, the Browns roster is chock full of young, hungry talent looking for someone to lead them.</p>
<p>Any coach looking for work might like the fact the Browns have an owner who seems willing to spare no expense to upgrade the organization, a young team full of young players heading into their prime and a CEO who likes the idea of giving his head coach final say over the 53-man roster. Cleveland may not have the palm trees of San Diego or the nightlife of New Orleans, but it has its advantages for a coach looking to resurrect a team from the ashes and make it a contender. Besides, any coach that comes to Cleveland and wins a Superbowl will be immortalized forever not far from the city where pro football was born. Just maybe Cleveland isn't looking too shabby after all.</p>
<p><b>On the remaining schedule...</b> During the offseason, or even the preseason it's very difficult, though we may try, to look ahead at the regular season schedule and project how each game will go and what the final record will be once the year is over. But now that we're at the midway point for most teams, we have a pretty good idea of the contenders and the pretenders, as they say. The Browns are already 2-7 and have virtually no shot of making the playoffs for the tenth year in a row. Hooray! But every year, they always seem to scrape through and pick up a couple of wins down the stretch long after they've been written off by everyone outside of the Buckeye state. This year, unfortunately, the schedule doesn't offer much hope in the way of a momentum-building winning streak to finish the season.</p>
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<p>After the Bye, the Browns face the Cowboys, who are having their own issues right now as well. However, nothing seems to cure what ails you in the NFL better than playing the Browns. The Browns have yet to win a game on the road this season and have to travel to Dallas. Not an easy task to pull out their first road win of the season there. Then, the Browns return home to face the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> for the first of two meetings this season. The Steelers aren't what they used to be but they've seemed to right the ship in recent weeks and will be motivated heading late into the season to make another playoff push. It would be a huge feather in the cap of Pat Shurmur if he could somehow beat the Steelers. But I wouldn't get my hopes up. After Pittsburgh, the Browns travel out to Oakland to take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Raiders</a> in a winnable game. On the road in the Black Hole isn't the best of circumstances but this is one of those games where it really could go either way.</p>
<p>The Browns finally get a reprieve when they come home to face the lowly <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a>, led by ex-Browns coach Romeo Crennel. This should be a win unless somehow Romeo gets his team fired up to play the team who paid him handsomely to not coach there anymore. Stranger things have happened. The following week, the Browns are home again to face the quarterback they could've had if Mike Holmgren hadn't balked at the price St. Louis demanded for the right to draft <span>Robert Griffin III</span>. The winner of that trade, or lack thereof, may not be known for some time but that won't stop bragging rights from being assigned to the winner of this game for the time being. The Browns wrap up the season with two games on the road, at Denver and at Pittsburgh. <span>Peyton Manning</span> and <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span>. Ugh. Not much else needs to be said in that regard.</p>
<p>Granted, looking ahead to the remaining schedule can paint a pretty grim picture if you're not convinced Pat Shurmur is the right head coach or <span>Brandon Weeden</span> is the right quarterback for the future. While I expect Weeden's play to continue to improve as the season goes on, it's hard to tell how the players will react if they begin to sense that Shurmur is a dead man walking. And from everything I'm seeing and hearing, there's no reason to assume he isn't. However, if the players are smart about it, they'll continue to play hard and try to win for the <a target="_blank" href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/2012/11/8/3620730/brandon-weeden-browns-joe-banner-cleveland">simple fact that they're being evaluated too</a>. All anyone can do for the remainder of this season is worry about what they can control and do their best to block out the uncertainty that lies ahead. For some of the older players on this roster, they're used to this and they know the routine, while the younger guys who have never been through it really don't know any better. For the fans, well, it's become routine for us too. All we can do is sit back and watch it all unfold once again. And pray that THIS time, it finally gets done right. Just remember, it all starts at the top.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/9/3621564/trent-richardson-brandon-weeden-browns-pat-shurmur-joe-bannerRyan Alton2012-11-05T07:15:34-06:002012-11-05T07:15:34-06:00Analyzing Shurmur's decisions in another ugly loss
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<figcaption>Matt Sullivan</figcaption>
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<p>The Browns fell to 2-7 on Sunday with their 10th straight loss to the Ravens. Ryan Alton recaps another afternoon of frustrating missed opportunities and curious coaching decisions.</p> <p>Prior to Sunday's game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Baltimore Ravens</a>, many people, including myself, <a href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/2012/11/2/3589898/browns-ravens-preview-2012-nfl-week-9-trent-richardson-ray-rice" target="_blank">were calling this a potential "turning point"</a> for the young <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> -- and perhaps even head coach Pat Shurmur, who has been under intense scrutiny since the team was sold to new owner Jimmy Haslam III and after an 0-5 start to the season. Whatever good vibes the fans and players were feeling from winning the last two games at home was erased as quickly as any chance Shurmur realistically had of keeping his job beyond this season when the Browns gave up 14 points in the first quarter and ultimately fell 25-15 to a team who has beaten them 10 straight times dating back to 2007.</p>
<p>Staying true to form, the Browns came back after a disastrous start and kept the game close, even taking the lead momentarily in the fourth quarter after <span>Phil Dawson</span> hit his last of five field goals to bring the score to 15-14. But, as has been the case so often this season, the Browns simply aren't good enough to overcome costly mistakes at the most inopportune times.</p>
<p>The Browns had to settle for that one-point lead after a touchdown pass from <span>Brandon Weeden</span> to <span>Josh Gordon</span> was called back because running back <span>Chris Ogbonnaya</span> lined up illegally on the line of scrimmage prior to the play. The touchdown would have given the Browns a 19-14 lead after the ensuing extra point, but instead they had to settle for three. That turn of events seemed to give the Ravens the momentum back, in addition to the ball. The Browns defense, who had bottled up the Ravens ever since the first quarter, then allowed them to march right down the field and score the go-ahead touchdown when quarterback <span>Joe Flacco</span> fired a shot to <span>Torrey Smith</span> who then spun back to the outside and beat the pursuit to the pylon.</p>
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<p>In addition to overcoming mistakes like touchdown-nullifying penalties, the Browns also seem to have a problem overcoming the play-calling oddities and in-game decision-making quandaries of their head coach. Down by seven points after the Smith touchdown and a successful two-point conversion, the Browns were facing 4th-and-2 with almost four minutes to go in the game. They were on their own end of the field and had a long way to go for the tying score, unlike two weeks ago in Indianapolis where they had a 4th-and-1 in <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Colts</a> territory.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 16px;">In that game, Shurmur decided to punt the ball away and rely on the defense to get the ball back in time to have another shot. The decision ended up costing the Browns about 40 yards in field position and took about 2 crucial minutes off the clock. Shurmur was criticized heavily in the media the following week for what reporters and fans deemed a safe and gutless play. With the way the Colts were carving up the Cleveland defense in that game, there was no guarantee the Browns would get the ball back. They eventually did, but it ended up being moot in the end as the Colts held on for the win. Later that week, offensive coordinator Brad Childress revealed to the media that they didn't have a play they liked in that situation so they decided to punt the ball away. "Just that we didn't feel that we had the call that we wanted, that type of thing," said the Browns offensive coordinator. That‘s right, even after Weeden was forced to use a timeout because the play clock had run down to single digits, they couldn‘t come up with a play they liked on 4th and 1. Baffling. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 16px;"></span>This time, at their own end of the field with even longer to go to get the first down, Shurmur, perhaps using the Colts game as a reference, elected to go for it. The result was just as predictable as Weeden, who played poorly all afternoon, sailed a slant pass about three feet over the head of <span>Greg Little</span> and the ball fell incomplete. The result was a turnover on downs and the Ravens eventually kicked a field goal to give them a two-possession lead late in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>Not only is the decision to go for it THIS time (when they chose not to LAST time) puzzling, the Browns defense was playing lights out all afternoon, sans the first quarter. It seemed to most onlookers that the decision to punt there and force the Ravens to go the distance of the field and rely on your defense to get you off the field would have been the smarter move. But Shurmur continues to surprise and confuse with his in-game decision-making and his mystifying habit of trying to out-think conventional wisdom when it comes to football strategy.</p>
<p>After the game, Shurmur defended the call by saying that, THIS time, they had a call that they liked so they decided to take the shot. His terse response when asked about the call to go for it, "I wanted to get the first down," Shurmur said. "It felt like we had a play that we liked and we didn't execute it well. That's why." It begs the question... what call is there on 4th and 2 deep in your own territory that isn't there on 4th and 1 in your opponent's territory?</p>
<p>Speaking of the tough questions, Shurmur continues to let the local media know how much they get under his skin when they ask him about these types of decisions following a loss. This time, when Browns beat reporter for ESPN Cleveland, Tony Grossi, questioned him about the discrepancies between his play-calling in the Ravens game and the Colts game, Shurmur went on the defensive and looked visibly upset at Grossi. "What do you mean? It will be a fun thing for everyone to talk about this week, just like when we lost the game and I didn't go for it," he said. "I don't know what you're talking about, ‘my nature.' I don't know you that well, you probably don't know me that well." Needless to say, his inability to handle pressure both in the game and during postgame press conferences does not inspire confidence in his leadership abilities going forward.</p>
<p>The Browns are now entering the Bye Week before they go on the road to take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> in two weeks. Many fans, judging from my interaction on Twitter, would like nothing more than for Shurmur to be fired immediately. However, when Jimmy Haslam was introduced to the media following his voting-in by the NFL owners last month, he promised that everyone, including Shurmur, would be evaluated at the end of the season and that no more personnel moves would take place while games were still being played. As bad as it may seem having Shumur in control of the RMS Titanic right now, I don't get the impression Haslam wants to come off looking like a liar and make any brash decisions in his first few weeks on the job. He may sit in his owner's box and react impulsively to certain plays on the field, just as the fans in attendance do, but developing a reputation for being impulsive or reactionary when it comes to personnel decisions within your organization is hardly a model for sustained success.</p>
<p>While the move to relieve Shurmur might pacify a large portion of the fanbase looking for a pound of flesh, it would hardly seem like the practice of a man who learned from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> about organizational stability. But of course, Shurmur wasn't Haslam's choice as coach and Haslam the businessman comes from a world where the customer is always right. Needless to say, after witnessing an opportunity to seize a turning point in this team's development squandered, followed by all the empty seats as the seconds ticked away on Sunday, Haslam probably knows all he needs to know about the customer's feelings right now. Shurmur has sealed his fate. It's only a matter of time.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-browns/2012/11/5/3602276/trent-richardson-browns-ravens-2012-nfl-week-9-recap-brandon-weedenRyan Alton2012-11-02T08:39:40-05:002012-11-02T08:39:40-05:00Ravens game a possible 'turning point' for Browns?
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<figcaption>Mitch Stringer-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Cleveland Browns have not beaten the Ravens in five years, but a Week 9 win would be a huge boost to a coach trying to save his job, and in the progression of a young team.</p> <p>The conventional wisdom outside Berea these days is that it probably doesn't matter what <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Browns</a> coach Pat Shurmur does from now until the end of the season for him to keep his job. Depending on whom you ask, it's just a matter of time before new owner Jimmy Haslam III and CEO Joe Banner make sweeping changes within the organization and relieve Shurmur of his duties. Granted, there is no evidence to support this theory other than rumblings around league circles and the premise that typically, when a new regime takes over a football organization from the top, they will likely want their own people below them to run the show.</p>
<p>In addition, Haslam could choose to lean on the experience of outgoing president Mike Holmgren who, if he had to name his one big mistake during his time with the Browns, it would most likely be his choosing to keep Eric Mangini as head coach for a extra year instead of citing the philosophical differences between the two and letting him go right away. Though Holmgren hand-selected Shurmur to be Mangini's replacement, if he was being honest, he might advise Haslam to just make the change now instead of hesitating, as he did, to pull the trigger. For what it's worth, I personally feel that the decision as to whether or not to make a change at head coach (and possibly General Manager) has already been made and Shurmur has basically been relegated to lame-duck status.</p>
<p>But I have to admit there is a part of me who wants to take Haslam at his word when he says that he intends to wait until after the season to evaluate every aspect of the organization. After all, he did spend the last four years as a minority owner with the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Steelers</a>, an organization who knows a thing or two about continuity. And just maybe, if that‘s any indication, the jury may still be out on Shurmur and GM Tom Heckert. If so, there is reason to believe that Shurmur might have a legit shot to keep his job. His team has won two of the last three games, both of which came at home, and there is a distinct ‘no quit' attitude emanating from inside the locker room.</p>
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<p>After the Browns narrowly defeated the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers" class="sbn-auto-link">San Diego Chargers</a> last Sunday, before Shurmur could even reward the team for its efforts with the standard ‘Victory Monday' day off to relax and recoup, the players announced that they would be showing up to work on Monday in order to prepare for the divisional showdown against the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Baltimore Ravens</a>. Actions speak louder than words and the actions of the Browns players the last few weeks speak highly of Shurmur and his ability to get his team to buy in to his plan and block out all of the distractions from the outside. Haslam, if he's being objective, has to see that.</p>
<p>I also feel that the presence of Haslam around the facility has injected a sense of excitement and accountability to the team that has been absent since the franchise returned to the league in 1999. Not even <span>Phil Dawson</span>, who has been around since the new Browns were born, has seen an owner with the passion and the visibility that Haslam brings. While some fans may be scared off or taken aback by Haslam's instant all-in approach, it's hard to see how it doesn't bring a breath of fresh air and an understanding reverberating throughout the organization that the culture is changing. Finally!</p>
<p>Of course, wins and losses will ultimately be the judge of Shurmur, assuming Haslam hasn't already made up his mind. And nothing would be bigger for Shurmur, the Browns players, or the fans, than for the Browns to get their third win of the season, at home, against the hated Baltimore Ravens. There is a sense around the fans and hopefully, the players, that this could very well be ‘the turning point' we've all been waiting for that signifies this team is really on its way toward contention. While the Browns would still need a miracle to make the playoffs and are still a long way from being mentioned in the same sentence as the NFL's elite teams, beating the Ravens would confirm the needle on this young team is pointing up. And if the team can parlay two straight wins into some much-needed momentum going into the Bye, then there will be a renewed sense of optimism surrounding Shurmur and the organization as a whole.</p>
<p>Beating the Ravens (5-2) is a lot easier said than done, of course. The Browns haven't beaten the Ravens since November 18, 2007. For those counting at home, that's almost five calendar years! The last time the two teams squared off, on Thursday Night Football in Baltimore, the Browns gave the Ravens everything they could handle, before falling 23-16 in the waning moments. Critical dropped passes and an interception on an errant throw by <span>Brandon Weeden</span>, which was returned for a touchdown, doomed the Browns on that night in September. Since that Week 4 showdown, however, the Ravens have lost crucial players on the defensive side of the ball in linebacker <span>Ray Lewis</span> and cornerback Lardarius Webb. The Ravens defense currently ranks 30th in the league against the run, which is quite unprecedented for the black and purple, who have a proud tradition of winning with great defense. Add to that the fact that Browns QB Weeden passed for over 300 yards against the Ravens secondary in their first meeting, and there is reason for some optimism in Cleveland.</p>
<p>The Browns also happened to be without the services of cornerback <span>Joe Haden</span>, who was in the middle of his four-game suspension the last time these teams played. During Haden's four-game suspension the Browns went 0-4 and were giving up 30.5 points per game. With Haden this season, the Browns are 2-2 and are giving up only 16 points per game. Needless to say, his return has been paramount to their recent success. In addition to Haden, the Browns will <a href="http://cleveland.sbnation.com/2012/5/10/3012545/phil-taylor-injury-browns-torn-pectoral-muscle-mri" target="_blank">see the 2012 debut of defensive tackle</a> Phil Taylor who has been out since May with a torn pectoral muscle. The Browns plan to work Taylor in a rotation and monitor him closely in his first game back. I wouldn't expect Taylor to make the same impact right away as he had late in his rookie season, but he will be a crucial cog in the defensive line rotation going forward, and will help to keep other guys along the line fresh by giving them a break. His availability could pay big dividends late in the game when guys would normally be wearing down from fatigue.</p>
<p>The keys to a victory for the Browns on Sunday will likely involve running the ball with a heavy dose of <span>Trent Richardson</span>, who is coming off a career high 122 yards rushing on 24 carries against the Chargers, the continued development and maturity of Brandon Weeden and his young receivers led by <span>Josh Gordon</span> and <span>Greg Little</span>, and another stout defensive performance against one of the league's better offenses. The Ravens have similar tools on offense as the Browns in <span>Ray Rice</span>, the wrecking ball running back who can get the tough yards both on the ground and through the air, the strong-armed quarterback <span>Joe Flacco</span> and his stable of receiving weapons like deep threat speedster <span>Torrey Smith</span>, sure handed possession receiver <span>Anquan Boldin</span> and athletic tight ends <span>Dennis Pitta</span> and <span>Ed Dickson</span>.</p>
<p>Talent wise, the Browns believe they have finally closed the gap in the AFC North. It's up to them to put their money where their mouth is and go out and prove it. They proved last time that they can hang with one of the best teams in the AFC. Now, they have to prove they are capable of beating those teams. This is the logical next step in a team's progression toward relevance. With the Ravens' struggles lately and a young, healthy team clearly still fighting alongside their embattled head coach, anything is possible. For Pat Shurmur's sake, he better hope that remains the case. A win on Sunday will go a long way in ensuring that it is.</p>
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https://cleveland.sbnation.com/2012/11/2/3589898/browns-ravens-preview-2012-nfl-week-9-trent-richardson-ray-riceRyan Alton