The Browns head into Buffalo this week, and it feels like a bit of a trap game for me as a fan.
Deep in my heart, I don’t believe that this Browns team in its current iteration is capable of succumbing to a trap game. They seem to play just as hard in otherwise “meaningless” types of games. Still, as a fan, I have no fear really as the Browns go up against stiffer competition like New Orleans and New England. If the Browns lose those games, they were “supposed” to lose them. Even though the Browns are currently listed as one point underdogs on the road against Buffalo, this certainly projects as a game that the Browns could and should win.
I know in the Browns locker room the team is considering this to be a game they should be able to win a week after beating Miami on the road. Still, to call this an automatic win would be silly. The Browns go on the road, in Buffalo, in December, against a Bills team that took both Pittsburgh and Baltimore to overtime.
Anyway, on with the news…
Jake Delhomme is ready to start another game. It really shouldn’t be much of a surprise that given Colt McCoy’s injury that Jake Delhomme is now scheduled to start his third straight game. The real question is how conservative the gameplan will be for the Browns and their veteran quarterback. It could make for another “boring” gameplan from the Browns. Then again, as long as they win, aside from the Daboll haters, I don’t think anyone will mind too much.
Scott Fujita and Evan Moore started the week not being able to practice. I can’t remember what Moore hurt this past week, but I think it was a hip. He is expected to play. He has had one of the most exciting slash inconsistent seasons that I can remember. The two helmet-to-helmet hits that he took are obviously nobody’s fault really. In spurts, Moore has shown the hands and ability to really stretch out linebacker coverage over the middle. I am still hopeful that the best is yet to come with Evan Moore along with Ben Watson going forward in the passing game.
Josh Cribbs was again limited in practice. Mangini said in his press conference that he is progressing, but it just strikes me as the kind of injury that could really linger for Cribbs throughout the rest of this season. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to separate four toes.
Your Colt McCoy update is that he might be able to practice a little bit this week. Whether that is actually true or not remains to be seen. I am still hopeful that we as fans will get a chance to see McCoy at least once more before the end of the season. Then again, if he isn’t near full health, I would hate to see him jump out there and play hobbled as a rookie against Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
Peyton Hillis is saying all the right things about Josh McDaniels’ firing in Denver, but you know deep down no matter how good a guy he is, that it has to feel great to see him run out of town. Or maybe that is my own evil heart leaking through. Hillis is on record saying, “I thought Josh McDaniels was a great coach. When I talked to him he seemed down to Earth. It seemed like he really cared about his players. As far as playing time, I had no idea. That was up to coach McDaniels, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Last but not least Reggie Hodges got the special teams player of the week award for the AFC this week. Against Miami Hodges bombed nine punts for 438 yards including two inside the 20 yard line. His last two punts were amazing. He punted 59 yards to the Miami 12 which got returned to the MIA 22. He then punted 56 yards to the MIA 13 which was returned to the 25 yard line. Putting the Dolphins in that position helped skew their gameplan to passing which resulted in the final Chad Henne interception.
