May 22, 2013

WFNY Podcast – 2012-12-29 – Craig talks to Dave Bryan from SteelersDepot.com about the Steelers matchup on Sunday

December 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I didn’t quite know what to expect when I set about to talk to a Steelers blogger about the matchup this weekend between Thad Lewis’ Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I ended up getting some really nice insight from a real pro who has vast knowledge of the league in general and the Steelers and AFC North in particular. He was quite objective as I think most at WFNY try to be with regard to the Browns. Although, I’m not sure that he and I will ever agree on James Harrison.

You can find Dave Bryan at SteelersDepot.com and on Twitter.

And I’m not sure if you want to listen to it due to topic, but Dave produces one of the best sounding and most professional podcasts I’ve heard. The Terrible Podcast.

Here’s what else we touched on:

  • Mike Tomlin and how reactionary some Steelers fans can be
  • Should the Browns put an asterisk next to the first victory over the Steelers?
  • Some Steelers fans think the team should lose this game for draft status.
  • Dave and Craig both hate the thought of losing games on purpose and think it’s stupid
  • Is James Harrison a head hunter? Craig thinks yes. Dave thinks no. Both try to make rational points about their opinions.
  • Who could be let go from the vaunted Steelers defense before next season?
  • Mike Tomlin’s questionable in-game decisions and how similar some of them sound to Pat Shurmur
  • The difference between winning and losing in the NFL
  • Trap games and whether they truly exist ina league with parity
  • Keys to the game and ultimately Dave’s prediction that the Steelers blow out Thad Lewis and the Browns
  • Craig not being able to disagree with that assessment, unfortunately.
  • Have the Browns packed it in with a lame duck head coach?
  • Should Pat Shumur have another year?

Listen at Stitcher

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While We’re Waiting… Browns-Steelers renew rivalry

November 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

Lots of advantages for the Browns in this detailed scouting report, with this being a solid final point: “Given the Steelers’ solid defense, there’s no way I can project some sort of a blowout. Yards will be tough to come by for Cleveland, but Pittsburgh’s struggles should set the offense up with some situations where they can manage a couple of field goals and a touchdown or two down the stretch. Many quarterbacks can rally a team from behind, but Batch isn’t one of them.” [Chris Pokorny/Dawgs By Nature] [Read more...]

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WFNY Tickets: Browns-Steelers ticket prices dropping this week

November 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Cleveland Browns Tickets

Link : Cleveland Browns Tickets

The Cleveland Browns are 2-8, but it’s arguable that they’ve been playing some of their most competitive football in years. And that’s with an offense with mostly rookie starters, backed by Brandon Weeden, Trent Richardson and Josh Gordon. Combine that all with a divisional matchup against the Ben Roethlisberger-less Pittsburgh Steelers, and Browns fans like their chances of getting to 3-8 after week 12.

Ticket prices for this game have gone down 9% this week bringing the average price to this contest down to $130, which is still 36% above the avg price for Browns tickets this season.On the low end fans can still get into Cleveland Browns Stadium for $58, with many more seats available for under $100.

Despite the Browns being a tougher out than in the past and Big Ben on the shelf, the $130 price for this game in Cleveland is 40% higher than their 2011 matchup, and 25% below the price of the 2010 contest. With that said, this ends up being the Browns’ third most expensive home game of 2012 and the eight highest overall game of week 12, while it comes in as Pittsburgh’s second cheapest road game (ahead of an October date with the Bengals).

It makes complete sense that this game is low for the Steelers, as Pittsburgh is sans Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown, and is even down to third string quarterback Charlie Batch. But it’s a shock that it’s this cheap for Cleveland, as the Steelers are normally a big draw and this year’s version of the Browns is playing some spirited football.

However, Cleveland’s record is likely keeping them from pushing out high-priced tickets. While that’s the case this week, everything on paper still suggests another tough battle in which the Browns have a realistic shot at emerging the victors.

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NFL Report: Ben Roethlisberger unlikely to play against Browns next week

November 18, 2012 by 3 Comments

The Browns were off last week, but were still able to enjoy a solid performance by the Kansas City Chiefs in nearly knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football. One of the biggest stories from that game: quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s crushing rib and shoulder injuries in the second half.

The latest update from Pittsburgh, courtesy of ESPN AFC North Blog writer Jamison Hensley, is that the Miami University product is likely to miss next week’s game against Cleveland:

Steelers doctors believe Roethlisberger will miss three weeks with rib and shoulder injuries, but the team hasn’t ruled out that he could return for the second meeting at the Ravens on Dec. 2, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter.

Roethlisberger is out for Sunday night’s game against the Ravens after getting hurt early in the third quarter last Monday against the Chiefs. He isn’t expected to play next week at the Browns.

Obviously, this would represent a big boost for the Browns on their Thanksgiving weekend game. The Browns have won just twice against the Steelers in the last 11 years, with the last one led by Colt McCoy on Dec. 10. 2009.

[Related: NFL News: Steelers’ Roethlisberger’s injury deemed “life threatening”]

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NFL News: Steelers’ Roethlisberger’s injury deemed “life threatening”

November 14, 2012 by 20 Comments

Ben Roethlisberger confirmed Wednesday that his rib injury is a bigger concern than his shoulder ailment, and that the issue is so rare, there haven’t been any documented cases since 1998.

Ed Boucehette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Roethlisberger’s rib is partially dislocated, and could actually kill him if it pressed against his aorta. Roethlisberger is expected to be out “a while,” likely lasting well past the team’s contest against the Cleveland Browns in less than two weeks.
Roethlisberger does not believe the issue is season-threatening, but merely needs to rest while the injury heals. At this point, Roethlisberger returning for Pittsburgh’s Week 13 tilt with the Ravens is looking like a best-case scenario, though this seems unlikely at present day. The Browns and Steelers close out the 2012 regular season on December 30.
The 30-year-old product from Miami (OH) has completed 66 percent of his 316 pass attempts this season, amassing 2,287 yards and 17 touchdowns with only four interceptions.

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Another view of Peter King’s stat of the week regarding running backs

April 23, 2012 by 29 Comments

Peter King does great work and his Monday Morning Quarterback column is a must-read. He has some really enlightening information in the column even if you sometimes question his sources. Obviously Tom Heckert does, as he blatantly told the Cleveland press this week that he hasn’t talked to King in years. Be that as it may, King was talking about the 2012 NFL draft and the Browns’ potential for taking running back Trent Richardson.

I know it’s fashionable to give Trent Richardson, far and away the best back in this draft, to Cleveland at No. 4 in round one Thursday. But with the game becoming more and more of an aerial show, the Browns should be thinking hard about their choice before Thursday.

Six teams in the NFL won 12 or more games last year. Here are those teams, and where the leading rusher on each ranked in league rushing stats last season:

Team Record Leading Rusher NFL Rank
Green Bay 15-1 James Starks 39
New England 13-3 BenJarvus Green-Ellis 27
New Orleans 13-3 Darren Sproles 33
San Francisco 13-3 Frank Gore 6
Baltimore 12-4 Ray Rice 2
Pittsburgh 12-4 Rashard Mendenhall 21

 

Ack! That is terrifying. Maybe the Browns should just draft Justin Blackmon! [Read more...]

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Bounties are wrong, but it doesn’t really bother me that much

March 4, 2012 by 14 Comments

To me, morality is fine, but fake morality isn’t.

I’d be lying to all of you if I proclaimed that the bounties that are being reported for knocking players out of NFL games is shocking or even all that bothersome. In fact, it is so unsurprising that I am a little bit shocked it has come up and become an actual issue to the extent that it is the last few days. Is it wrong? Yeah. Of course it is. I hate to see guys get knocked out of games. Ultimately it just doesn’t seem like something that was causing big, bad defensive players to do anything that they wouldn’t have been trying to do anyway.

The hit on Kurt Warner by Bobby McCray does in fact look worse once you find out about the bounty program allegedly in place at the time. It does seem a bit dirtier knowing that McCray might have gained financially from the hit. Does it really matter that he got paid though? It was a vicious hit regardless and the real problem in my mind were the rules and the way that Gregg Williams was coaching his guys. [Read more...]

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The Varying Reactions to the Marcus Benard Motorcycle Accident

October 13, 2011 by 18 Comments

I don’t know how the rest of you feel about Marcus Benard and all he went through (put himself through) over the last few days.  Certainly it was a race to get all the details as quickly as possible in the local media.  John Telich ran ahead of the pack on that one like it was a double marathon trail run that he so diligently trains for.  But after the details are all known and after the Browns put him on the IR it strikes me as odd with some of the angry, punitive reactions toward Benard.

I understand a feeling of disappointment that someone that the team and its fans were counting on would put himself and his career at risk.  There is certainly a part of me that looks at his actions on some level as potentially being irresponsible, immature and yes, possibly even stupid.  Still, I would tend to avoid calling it stupid because it just seems harsh.  It seems like adding insult to injury with no net benefit to anyone.

A friend of mine seemed particularly hot and bothered by it yesterday and wanted the Browns to make an example of Marcus Benard by cutting him.  Something about that just didn’t seem quite right to me.  I think the Browns could potentially be within their rights to cut bait, but there is a part of me that believes in organizations maintaining some level of fairness and compassion. [Read more...]

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If Healthy, Browns’ Offense Should Be Improved

August 9, 2011 by 9 Comments

Despite having to continue to talk about question marks in the receiving corps, it is important to note that the Browns haven’t really stood pat with their offense as a whole. The Browns traded out of the Julio Jones slot in the draft and ended up drafting one of the biggest defensive linemen available in the entire draft.  This followed a year where they made Joe Haden a first round Cleveland Brown.  Despite eschewing offense for defense at the top of the draft for the last two years, the Browns have made some calculated bids to improve the team’s offense.

The biggest signing for the Browns this off-season was clearly Brandon Jackson.  Jackson gives Peyton Hillis a true, capable partner to help carry the load for this team.  It is no secret that Peyton Hillis got banged up last season.  His violent running style contributes to that, but there is little doubt that he was also overused.  Hillis had 331 touches last season between carries (270) and catches (61.)  In Green Bay, Brandon Jackson had 233 between carries (190) and catches (43.)

If both of those guys stay healthy, they are going to make each other better, not to mention a second-year QB learning a new offense.  The running game is a young quarterback’s best friend.  Just ask Ben Roethlisberger, who got over 1700 yards of production out of Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley in his rookie season.  It also should give opposing defensive coordinators one more player to think about each week rather than dialing in on Hillis.  If the Browns get production from Montario Hardesty or my sleeper pick Armond Smith this season those are just bonuses.  Those runners should really help the Browns set up the pass this season and make things easier for the wide receivers and tight ends. [Read more...]

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Maybe We Should Mock Out Our Own Teams

February 17, 2011 by 17 Comments

With the collective bargaining situations going on in the NFL and soon in the NBA, I have had a lot of interesting conversations with my friends. Lately we’ve been getting more philosophical regarding how sports are today. We’ve been talking about the three-way permutation of relationships between owners, players and fans and how dysfunctional it seems to be in all phases in every sport in Cleveland. It led to an interesting hypothesis that maybe as fans, we should mock and potentially even taunt our own players after they lose a rivalry or divisional game.

The truth is that players have more in common with each other than they ever will with fans ever again.  Culturally, experientially and economically it does make sense.  I get the sense that in “ye oldern days” when player movement wasn’t quite as rampant and communications weren’t as developed, players and fans at least had some geographical things in common.  They lived together at church and at the super market, etc.  But now that sports are big business filled with celebrities and many if not most players are changing teams multiple times in their career, the players and fans have never been further apart. [Read more...]

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WFNY Roundtable: Super Bowl Edition

February 7, 2011 by 23 Comments

I would say to a man the WFNY team was just like you yesterday- a temporary Packers fan. And for once the team we were rooting for won. So I asked the WFNY team, is there any real satisfaction derived from seeing the Steelers lose?

Denny- There is, until you realize that the only real joy you have is derived from someone else’s shortcomings. Then it’s not so fun.

Rick- That’s kind of my point. I mean, thank goodness the Steelers lost, but it’s not like one of our teams actually won something.

Jacob- I couldn’t help but freak out about Green Bay coming up short with a field goal there to bring the lead to just six points. Maybe it’s just because I’ve become so used to last-second heartbreakers, but I was more nervous after that because I just had a feeling that the Steelers somehow were going to get the touchdown for the win there. But yeah it is satisfying, no Cleveland team has won a game in quite a while, so it’s nice to actually have something go your way in any sort of sports game this time of the year. It’s been rough, so I’ll take any sort of win, even if it’s by cheering against an enemy. [Read more...]

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Super Bowl Media Day: Rob Ryan’s Defense Getting Some Love

February 2, 2011 by 15 Comments

Though he has now been hired and fired twice in the last three seasons, his hybrid 3-4 defense was the talk of a select bunch during Tuesday’s Super Bowl media day frenzy.

Stifling opponents like New England and New Orleans this season, and the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, there is a growing excitement in Dallas – Ryan’s new home – as they look to improve their defense over what is already a tough defensive division in the NFL East. The Dallas Morning News used the word “mind-bending” when attempting to describe what other quarterbacks face when a Rob Ryan-led unit lines up on the other side of the ball.

“It’s confusion,” Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said on Tuesday. “For me, it was chaos. For them, I’m sure it’s organized chaos. If you have players that can play within that system, you’re going to get a great defense.”

[Read more...]

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Browns Fold to End Season Against Steelers

January 2, 2011 by 46 Comments

One of the biggest things going for Eric Mangini in his tenure as Cleveland Browns head coach is that the team seemingly never quit on him.  Even today, you could make that argument.  Mangini’s detractors will, no doubt, laugh at that sentiment in the weeks going forward (if the debate is permitted to last that long.)  The Browns were crushed by the Steelers 41-9.

This Browns team was outmatched coming into the year from a talent perspective and no doubt injuries have taken their toll to the tune of starters on both sides of the ball.  We knew this team was about as deep as an Arizona puddle.  Whether or not Mike Holmgren cares about any of that remains to be seen.  From what I have been hearing and seeing, Browns fans are about as discouraged by the four game losing streak to end this season as they were encouraged by the four game win streak to end the prior one.

Long forgotten are the wins against New Orleans and New England.  Long forgotten are the mid-season epiphanies about just how difficult the Browns’ schedule was this season.  All Browns fans seem to care about at this moment right now is that the Browns lost a lot recently and that nobody likes losing. Thankfully for Eric Mangini and company, the fans don’t make the decision.

So where do we go from here? [Read more...]

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McCoy Plays Well In Loss to Steelers

October 17, 2010 by 34 Comments

I will still say that there is no such thing as a moral victory in the NFL.  There is certainly no moral victory when you lose to a divisional rival like the Steelers 28-10, no matter how much of an underdog your team might be.  And so the Browns lose on a day when Browns fans should see a positive first outing from Colt McCoy despite two interceptions.  Browns fans can unite in anger at a lack of penalties called against James Harrison.  Browns fans should be able to unite in the fact that the Browns again went out and played what felt like a very competent game against one of the very best teams in the league.  None of this makes the loss “OK” but it is still nice to see some progress.

First things first, let’s talk about Eric Mangini.  I know a lot of you hate him. I even get it to an extent.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression and Eric Mangini treated his first impression worse than infants treat diapers.  In my mind though, I gave Mangini something of a clean slate when Holmgren decided to keep him around for another year.  What am I getting at?  Anyone who wants to cast blame at Mangini for Chansi Stuckey fumbling a punt after Mangini accepted two penalties that cause the Steelers to kick it three times is crazy.  The Browns were deep in their own territory and Mangini was trying to improve their field position.  Chansi Stuckey is the backup punt returner, but so what?  The Browns were down 14-3 and Mangini wanted to improve field position. [Read more...]

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Game 6 Open Thread: Browns at Steelers

October 17, 2010 by 94 Comments

The 1-4 Cleveland Browns travel to Heinz Field for their first matchup with the 3-1 rival Pittsburgh Steelers.  Ben Roethlisberger returns after a four game suspension for off the field indiscretion and misdeeds.  NFL Network reporter Kara Henderson who is live from Heinz Field, just reported, “I dare say, there has not been an ounce of negative energy towards him in this Stadium today.”  Here’s hoping TJ Ward or Marcus Benard can provide that kind of energy this afternoon.  Colt McCoy will also be making his first start in the NFL.  It should be an extremely conservative game plan against the excellent Steelers defense.  The Browns come into the game looking to start a win streak against the Steelers, after their 2010 season highlight victory at home over Pittsburgh in December last season.  Join us in the comments as we welcome Colt McCoy to the NFL.

You can view Craig’s pre-game intel report here and WFNY’s keys to victory here.

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Roethlisberger: McCoy’s First Start Will Be “Quite an Experience”

October 13, 2010 by 28 Comments

Two quarterbacks will be making their first starts of the 2010 season on Sunday as the Browns and Steelers lock up in Pittsburgh. 

Ben Roethlisberger is coming off of a four-game suspension, taking live snaps for the first time in about nine months.  But for the Browns’ Colt McCoy, it will be his first snaps as a professional football player in the NFL after being drafted in the third round of the 2010 Draft.

It wasn’t long ago that Roethlisberger was in a similar place, coming out of Miami in 2004 and getting a shot at starting due to injuries to those ahead of him on the depth chart.  So, having walked the path, what does Big Ben have to offer to the rookie McCoy?

[Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting… Big Ben’s Timing, Miami Heat’s Bargains, Ravens Sign TJ

September 7, 2010 by 5 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com

“Cynicism isn’t the most attractive human quality, but no one can say that, at least among my fellow Cleveland Browns fans, it hasn’t been well-earned. In the nearly forty-six years since our last Championship we’ve been disappointed by athletes in just about every way imaginable.

Our skeptical and somewhat pessimistic view of the world was on full display earlier this week, as news reports started emerging from Pittsburgh’s sycophantic local football media that Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had discovered religion after a summer filled with legal and league trouble caused (allegedly) by his own brutish behavior.

The timing was, seemingly, ideal for the “reformed” Roethlisberger to be introduced to the public. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback found himself just one or two days away from the league’s decision regarding a suspension for his mis-conduct, which he wanted reduced from six games to as few as two or three. The timing of Roethlisberger’s public statements seemed to be, let’s say, fortuitous.” [Barry McBride/The OBR]

[Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting…Browns QBs, Delonte to Lakers, Jhonny’s Big Debut

July 31, 2010 by 6 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com

Delhomme and DA both make the list of worst offseason signings: “The Browns will pay Jake Delhomme $7 million in 2010, a stunning reward for one of the most dramatic falls from grace any quarterback has experienced. Making the move even more puzzling is that, with the exercise of patience and the application of a poker face, the Browns eventually could have gotten Donovan McNabb for the same deal that the Redskins cobbled together in early April — a second-round pick now, and either a third-round or a fourth-round selection next year.  Some Browns fan may defend the move by explaining McNabb is 33, and he could soon enter a decline. Meanwhile, Delhomme is 35, and he’s already skydiving without a parachute.” [Sporting News/Mike Florio]

[Read more...]

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Would You Trade for This Man?

April 21, 2010 by 141 Comments

In case you are living on a different planet, you know all about the Ben Roethlisberger situation. His  suspension has come down just an hour ago:  Six games and a “comprehensive behavioral evaluation.” You may not have heard what ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported via his twitter:

Pittsburgh has begun contacting teams to trade Ben Roethlisberger for a top 10 pick. At least one team considering it. Story far from done.

I know a team, picking in the top ten that is in dire need of a franchise QB. No, I’m not talking about the Buffalo Bills. Before you all throw up all over your keyboard, I want to put the question out there to you, our commenters and Browns fans:

If the rumors are true that the Steelers are looking to trade Roethlisberger for a Top 10 pick and you were Mike Holmgren, knowing you need a franchise QB, would you take a shot and trade for him for the #7 pick if the Steelers put the offer on the table? [Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting… J Moon’s Role, Big Ben’s Troubles, and Credit to Mike Brown

April 14, 2010 by 22 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com

Did Jamario Moon earn a playoff spot? “Cavaliers forward Jamario Moon is a former member of the Harlem Globetrotters, recently won the team’s “Good Guy” award and would easily be named Class Clown if the NBA gave out superlatives like a graduating senior class.  And while his playing time has been a bit of a roller coaster throughout the 2009-10 season, the last two weeks have provided Moon with an excellent opportunity to showcase his talents. [...] Given that the small forward position in Cleveland is not exactly up for grabs, [he and Jawad Williams] appear to be in battle for a rotation spot come postseason.” [Me/Fox Sports Ohio]

[Read more...]

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