“Someday we will figure out how to beat those guys”
September 15, 2014Browns receive letter from kid looking to trade in Steelers hat
September 15, 2014Your Cleveland Football Browns are officially 1-1. From the coin toss, the Mike Pettine-led unit came out swinging, using every last second to bring home their first home opener win since 2004. There is plenty to digest over the coming days, but we would be entirely too remiss if we didn’t take advantage of discussing Winners and Losers after an actual win. Who’s with me?
WINNER: Brian Hoyer. The Cleveland kid took the ball on his own four-yard line with a little under three minutes left to play, and did exactly what a winning quarterback is asked to do. Armed with what was arguably the worst receiving corps to take the field during Week 2, Hoyer delivered strikes. He scrambled. He lofted a punt of a pass to Andrew Hawkins which ultimately allowed Billy Cundiff to ice the cake.
It may not have been the prettiest of football at times. If you thought that late-game fourth-down play was going to seal the deal for the Saints, you weren’t alone. But the savvy vet (wins beget clichés—I can’t help it) took the reins and kicked all talk of quarterback controversy square in the junk. It’s crazy to think that this squad is a terrible first half against Pittsburgh away from potentially being 2-0, all under the watch of one Brian Axel Hoyer.
Brian Football.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) September 14, 2014
WINNER: Mike Pettine. In what was his first home opener as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, facing arguably one of the best offensive units in the NFL, Mike Pettine won the coin toss and deferred. The Saints took the ball and were promptly dealt their first of several three-and-outs. The first time the Browns had the ball, they were handed a fourth-and-short deep in enemy territory—a place most of his predecessors would have gladly sent out the field goal unit. Not Pettine. The Browns offense had the chance to convert, which they did, quickly sending the score to 7-0. He showed confidence in all three units. He held on to timeouts, managing the game in a way that made fans quickly realize how much of mess things had been over the last few seasons. And most importantly, he didn’t cave in to being an underdog against a Super Bowl hopeful. For these reasons, he got his first Gatorade bath as a head coach. And for these reasons, he’s a big winner in this very column.
WINNER: Terrance West. Don’t look now, but a certain late-round draft pick out of the little-known university of Towson is fifth in the entire NFL in rushing yards. After gouging the Pittsburgh Steelers for 100 yards in Week 1, West toted the rock for just 68 yards in Week 2, but found the end zone for the first (of hopefully many) touchdown of his young career. It’s crazy to me that all three backs on the Browns roster in 2014 are better than any running back to suit up all last season. Dance on, young man.
WINNER: Paul Kruger. Having to increase his snap count due to the injury suffered by Barkevious Mingo, Kruger played in 69 of the teams 72 defensive snaps. While he continues to have his faults in edge setting, the well-compensated outside linebacker set the tempo early with his near safety of Drew Brees early in the contest. He would record two other tackles and defend a pass in the game. He had a sack taken away after Week 1, but he’s sitting with eight tackles and two sacks through two weeks of play. Very nice to see out of the gate.
WINNER: Karlos Dansby. Twelve total tackles, eight of which were solo, and one HUGE sack (pictured above). Dansby has clearly been the MVP of the Browns defense thus far, hauling in an interception in Week 1 and playing lights out in Week 2. From the post-game media scrum: “I counted on everybody to do their part, everybody did their part and I did mine. I knew it was a big moment, if they kick a field goal we would have to score a touchdown. I knew we had opportunities and that’s all we ask for. I heard Brees call protection, so I knew they were sliding the front, I knew I had a chance when I heard the call. I know I had to go full speed in order to get that sack.” Kruger is case in point for what could happen to high-price free agent additions, but this guy has wasted no time stepping in and being a leader on this unit.
LOSER: Joe Haden. Look, I know he was given the near-impossible task of covering a monster of a man in Jimmy Graham, but Joe Haden is a Pro Bowl player making Pro Bowl money. While he wasn’t beat as bad as Week 1, Haden was the man who gave up most of the big passing plays. Do I think Haden still has a chance to represent the Browns in Hawaii? I sure do. But his highlight reel heading into the winter will not include a single play from the first two weeks of the season.
WINNER: Tashaun Gipson and Justin Gilbert. These two will get grouped in together this week as both players were integral in the win, and not just from a big-play standpoint. Everyone will be talking about the Pick Six, but Gipson gave up just four (4!) yards in coverage all game1. This after giving up just six a week ago. Oh, and that four-yard reception? It came on third down, with the safety preventing a first down for tight end Ben Watson before later beating the tight end to record a tackle against the run. “Everything happened so fast and I saw a big amount of green grass,” Gipson said of the interception. “Then I saw (Donte) Whitner chauffeuring me to the end zone, and that’s what teamwork is all about. I couldn’t have done it without the front seven getting pressure to the quarterback.”
And Gilbert? After getting destroyed in his debut a week ago, the eighth-overall selection allowed four of the five passes thrown into his coverage to be caught, but they went for just 29 yards. Baby steps for the rookie.
WINNER: Ray Agnew. This will be the only time ever that a player gets labeled a winner after dropping a pass that hit him squarely in the hands. If Agnew hauls in that pass from Johnny Manziel, however, and the Browns get the first down, who knows what the butterfly effect would have been.
WINNER: John Greco, Joel Bitonio and Alex Mack. Offensive linemen only stick out when they’re doing something wrong. It’s likely you never noticed John Greco, Joel Bitonio or Alex Mack. All three were huge in all blocking aspects of the game.
LOSER: Confidence and Survivor Pool Participants. I’m one of them, yet couldn’t be happier about it.
WINNER: Andrew Hawkins. Perhaps Patrick Robisnon and Keenan Lewis should get the assist, but Hawkins has easily been the Browns’ best receiving threat through the first two weeks of the season. Thought to be a short-route slot guy coming in, Hawkins now has two receptions great than 20 yards. He continues to find space, none more integral than the 28-yard reception with 13 seconds remaining. “I felt like it hung up there forever,” said Hawkins—and likely every Cleveland fan watching at home.
WINNER: Kyle Shanahan. After being taking the brunt of the preseason punishment, the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator called himself one hell of a game.
So who did we miss? Let’s hear it in the comments.
- Per Pro Football Focus [↩]
159 Comments
Crowell is doing well, but to me West is better, at least he was last week. I’ve got a tried and true method for evaluating RB’s (which led me to have no mixed emotions about Richardson from early on). On all-22 just pause the play one blink past the transfer and write down the number of yards you think should be available. Run the play and compare that to yards gained. So far Crowell is +27% for me and west +38%. It’s subjective but in broad outlines I think it works. Crowell has had a couple plays that looked like 10+ yards before he ever got the ball.
I did around 150 carries on Richardson offseason 2013 and got an incredible -40%, by far the worst I’ve come up with over an extended number.
i’m a big “they” guy. I’m not on the field, and i have no problem talking about “them.” The day i get a paycheck from the Browns is the day “they” is “we,” for me.
that’s probably less than he got when he was at Texas as a “student-athlete.”
Pagel wasn’t number 11. he wore 10 with Cleveland. Is that him in some random jersey??
dude…
I don’t really know. It was the first pic that popped up in the search. My fault for not checking the number.
Losers – Defensive line. They generated little pressure on Brees and I can’t recall any of their names being called for tackles.
Yeah, that. LOL
I have 8 kids. I don’t go to bars. LOL