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Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, brought to you by Triple Threat CLE, brings you the WWE Hell In A Cell recap from last night's show.
WWE Hell In A Cell took place live at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts and brought us three big Hell In A Cell matches on the card. The first Hell In A Cell Match saw Kevin Owens defend the WWE Universal Championship against Seth Rollins. Hell In A Cell Match number two saw WWE United States Champion Roman Reigns defend the title against Rusev. The final Hell In A Cell Match was a first in wrestling history, as WWE RAW Women's Champion Sasha Banks defended the title against Charlotte. Also on the card, WWE RAW World Tag Team Champions The New Day defended the titles against Sheamus and Cesaro. WWE Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins defended the title against Brian Kendrick. Enzo and Big Cass battled Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Bayley battled Dana Brooke. Sin Cara, Lince Dorado and Cedric Alexander battled Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari and Drew Gulak in a Six Man Tag Team Match.
*** Hell In A Cell Pre-Show ***
- Bayley joins the Pre-Show panel and discusses her match tonight. Bayley says tonight she gets revenge on Dana Brooke for trying to injure her, she's here to win the WWE RAW Women's Championship and if taking out Dana Brooke is what she has to do, then so be it.
- Backstage, Brian Kendrick confronts WWE Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins. Kendrick reminds Perkins that he asked Perkins to let him win tonight and their friendship can go back to the way it was after this. Perkins tells Kendrick to be the old Kendrick, battle for the title and win it the right way.
- Rich Swann joins the Pre-Show panel and says Brian Kendrick asking TJ Perkins to let him win is disrespectful to the whole Cruiserweight Division, after 30 other guys busted their tails to try to win the WWE Cruiserweight Classic Tournament.
- "Six Man Tag Team Match": Sin Cara, Lince Dorado and Cedric Alexander vs. Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari and Drew Gulak: The match closes out with Nese landing a stomp on Dorado and follows that up with a running leg sweep and a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Gulak tags in, but Dorado hits a jaw breaker and a hurricanrana on Gulak. Alexander tags in and he and Dorado hit double somersault planchas. Gulak traps Alexander in the University Stretch submission, but Dorado breaks the hold with a flying leg lariat. Daivari comes in, lands a rolling elbow on Dorado and follows that up with a super kick. Sin Cara comes in and plants Daivari with a dead lift power bomb. Nese comes in next and lays out Sin Cara with an inverted slam. Alexander is next up and flies at Nese, connecting with a clothesline. Gulak gets a near fall rollup on Alexander. Alexander regains control, hits the Lumbar Check on Gulak and scores the pinfall. Winners: Sin Cara, Lince Dorado and Cedric Alexander, by pinfall.
- The WWE RAW World Tag Team Champions The New Day close out the Pre-Show at the Social Media panel, tweeting jokes and shenanigans to the WWE Universe.
*** Hell In A Cell ***
- "WWE United States Championship, Hell In A Cell Match": Roman Reigns (c) vs. Rusev: As always, Lana was in Rusev's corner tonight. The match closes out with Reigns getting a near fall Superman Punch on Rusev. Rusev counters a spear by hitting a thrust kick and then sending Reigns into the steel steps that were perched on the top rope. Rusev locks in The Accolade submission, but Reigns is able to fight out of it. Rusev plants another thrust kick on Reigns and grabs a steel chain. Reigns tries to fight off Rusev, but Rusev gains control and beats Reigns down with the steel chain.
Rusev grabs the steel steps perched on the top rope and uses it as a weapon, sending Reigns head and shoulder first into it. Rusev gets a near fall thrust kick and then lays Reigns on top of the steel steps. Rusev traps Reigns in The Accolade submission on top of the steel steps and uses the steel chain wrapped around Reigns' face for added leverage. Reigns fights for his life, refuses to quit, lifts Rusev into the air and plants Rusev with a Samoan Drop right onto the steel steps. Rusev stands up on the steel steps, but gets hit with a Reigns spear right off the steps. Reigns covers, scores the pinfall and retains the title. Winner: Roman Reigns, by pinfall, to retain the WWE United States Championship.
- Bayley vs. Dana Brooke: The match closes out with Dana attacking Bayley and talking trash while doing it. Dana goes to work on Bayley's injured shoulder, looking to permanently injure Bayley. Dana hits a couple corner shoulder thrusts, but Bayley fires back and hits a drop kick on Dana. Dana regains control of the match and hits a forearm on Bayley. Bayley tries to fight back, but Dana goes right back after Bayley's injured shoulder, slamming it repeatedly on the ropes. Bayley finally gains control, unloads on Dana with her good arm and hits a low running clothesline. Bayley hits a corkscrew elbow on Dana and gets a near fall. Bayley goes for Bayley To Belly, but Dana blocks it. Bayley regains control and hits Bayley To Belly on the second attempt and scores the pinfall. Winner: Bayley, by pinfall.
- Backstage, Chris Jericho interrupts Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon and suggests that they make him their first choice for captain of Team RAW at Survivor Series and Kevin Owens their second choice, but make them co-captains. Foley says Jericho should worry about how Kevin Owens is making it out of the Hell In A Cell tonight.
- Enzo and Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson: The match closes out with Cass making the hot tag from Enzo and unloads on both Gallows and Anderson. Cass hits a splash on Anderson and then hits a splash on Gallows twice. Cass goes for another splash on Anderson, but misses. Cass regroups and hits a big boot on Anderson sending him off the apron. Cass dodges a Gallows big boot, hits a side slam on Gallows and then drops the Empire Elbow. Cass lands a fall away slam on Gallows, but misses another big boot attempt. Anderson tags in and kicks Cass off the apron after Enzo tags in. Enzo hits a crossbody on Anderson and talks some trash at The Club. Gallows and Enzo trade shots with each other, but Enzo then gets double teamed by The Club. Gallows and Anderson hit the Magic Killer on Enzo and scores the pinfall. Winners: The Club, by pinfall.
- "WWE Universal Championship, Hell In A Cell Match": Kevin Owens (c) vs. Seth Rollins: The match closes out with the referee accidentally getting blasted in the face with fire extinguisher smoke. WWE Medical open the cell door and check on the referee. While the door is open, Chris Jericho hits the ring and locks himself in the cell with Owens and Rollins. Rollins drops Jericho and then trades shots with Owens. Owens blocks a Rollins attempted super plex and both hit the mat. Owens counters out of a Rollins Pedigree, but Rollins ends up planting Jericho with a Pedigree instead. Rollins and Owens trade counters which ends with Rollins power bombing Owens through two tables outside. Rollins hits a frog splash on Owens and gets a near fall, after Jericho pulls the referee out of the ring.
Rollins takes out Jericho and hits him with the Buckle Bomb into the steel steps. Owens lands a super kick on Rollins and plants him with the pop up power bomb for a near fall. Owens unloads on Rollins with punches, elbows and headbutts as Jericho grabs a steel chair. Jericho unloads on Rollins with punches as Owens unloads on Rollins with steel chair shots. Rollins fights back and unloads chair shots of his own. Owens plants Rollins with a DDT on the steel chair. Owens and Jericho set up two steel chairs in the middle of the ring. Owens power bombs Rollins through both chairs and scores the pinfall. After the match, Jericho drops Rollins with a Code Breaker and talks trash. Winner: Kevin Owens, by pinfall, to retain the WWE Universal Championship.
- "WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match": TJ Perkins (c) vs. Brian Kendrick: The match closes out with Perkins getting a near fall on Kendrick with the Detonation Kick. Perkins hits the Wrecking Ball drop kick, but misses his next move and gets dropped by Kendrick with a belly to back suplex. Kendrick traps Perkins in the Captain's Hook submission, but Perkins counters it into his knee bar submission. Kendrick grabs the ropes to escape and goes for Sliced Bread on Perkins. Perkins counters Sliced Bread, Kendrick lands wrong on his leg and goes down. The referee checks on Kendrick as Perkins looks on. Perkins moves in, checks on Kendrick and helps Kendrick to his feet. Kendrick shows he's playing possum by headbutting Perkins in the face. Kendrick traps Perkins in the Captain's Hook submission and makes Perkins tap out. Winner: Brian Kendrick, by submission, to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
- Backstage, Sheamus and Cesaro are preparing for their WWE RAW World Tag Team Championship Match and it appears they might finally be on the same page.
- "WWE RAW World Tag Team Championship Match": The New Day (c) vs. Sheamus and Cesaro: The match closes out with New Day going for Midnight Hour on Cesaro, but Sheamus breaks it up. Sheamus accidentally nails Cesaro with the Brogue Kick and Sheamus then gets taken to the floor by Big E. Woods gets a near fall as Sheamus is able to stop the pinfall. Sheamus sends Big E back outside and then tosses Woods out. Sheamus hits a cross body off the top rope and onto all three New Day members outside. Back in the ring, Cesaro counters a Woods kick and applies the Sharpshooter submission. Sheamus tries to stop Big E from breaking up the submission, but gets tossed into the barricade. Sheamus grabs Francesca #2 and blasts Big E in the back with it. Kofi comes to the rescue and hits Trouble In Paradise on Sheamus. Woods meanwhile taps out to Cesaro's Sharpshooter submission, however, the referee ignores the tap out and instead DQ's The New Day, because the only thing the referee saw was Kofi hitting Trouble In Paradise on Sheamus. Winners: Sheamus and Cesaro, by DQ, The New Day retains the WWE RAW World Tag Team Championship.
- "WWE RAW Women's Championship, Hell In A Cell Match": Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte: Before the match even starts, Sasha and Charlotte brawl outside the cell, into the crowd and then both ladies climb the side of the outside cell wall. Charlotte gains control and power bombs Sasha from the cell wall, down through the announcers table below. Sasha tries to stand, but falls as WWE Medical rush to the ring. Charlotte demands to be handed the title as paramedics put a neck brace on Sasha and load her onto a stretcher. Just before Charlotte is announced the winner by forfeit, Sasha shoves her way off the stretcher and knocks down paramedics to get back to the ring. Sasha says she's ready and the match officially starts.
The match closes out with Charlotte locking in the Figure Eight submission, but Sasha escapes by grabbing a steel chair and bashing Charlotte repeatedly in the hip. Sasha and Charlotte trade forearms until both ladies go down. Sasha goes for the Banks Statement submission, but Charlotte counters out, hits three straight back breakers and gets a near fall. Charlotte puts Sasha on top of a table and delivers the Flair Family Chops on the chest. Charlotte goes for a moonsault, but Sasha cuts Charlotte off and resets the table up for a move. Sasha goes for a power bomb through the table on Charlotte, but loses strength and collapses. Charlotte tosses Sasha into the table set up in the corner twice and then lays out Sasha with Natural Selection. Charlotte covers, scores the pinfall and wins the title. Winner: Charlotte, by pinfall, to win the WWE RAW Women's Championship.
The Browns fall to 0-8 this year after losing 31-28 against the New York Jets. This game was a tale of two halves.The first where the Browns play really well and look to have the game in control somewhat. And the second half, where they play like a third strings in the preseason. But that's the story of the 2016 Cleveland Browns.
First Half
The Browns played an extremely well-rounded first half leading 20-7.
Offensively the Browns were really good in the passing game. Josh McCown was 16/27 for 228 yards and a touchdown. Terrelle Pryor had six catches for 101 yards and Andrew Hawkins had four catches and one of them was a touchdown. The only down side of the passing game in the first half was Ricardo Lewis who dropped two passes. The offensive line was solid, only allowing one sack and four QB hits. Surprisingly the Browns struggled in the run game. Isaiah Crowell has six carries for only nine yards but did run in a touchdown. Duke Johnson has been a real threat in all areas, he has three catches for 38 yards and three rushes for 29 yards while also returning punts.
Defensively they've had a few problems. Tackling was the main one. They allowed Jets running back Bilal Powell to score a 35 yard touchdown on third and long. Powell broke a few tackles to get into the endzone. Fitzpatrick and the passing game was terrible. He was 3/14 for only 30 yards. A combination of deflected passes by Carl Nassib, dropped passes by Jets wide-outs, and Fitzpatrick being Fitzpatrick is the reason for that. Again it wasn't because the Browns secondary was balling out it was because the Jets couldn't capitalize on the Browns' mistakes.
Second Half
The Browns showed why they are 0-7, getting completely out played in the second half.
Offensively the Browns could only mustard up a touchdown with 12 seconds left in the game. McCown was 9/22 for only 113 yards two interceptions and a touchdown.The first int was a deep shot to Terrelle Pryor where is seemed like they a communication problem. The second was a horrible check down to Duke Johnson, who got his bell rung and the ball popped up for an int inside the Jets 20. The Browns again, couldn't get a consistent running game and were forced to throw because of it and because they fell behind with only a quarter left.
The Browns Defense in the second half was straight trash. They gave up three straight touchdown drives, and 4/5 drives scored points. The first drive was a 12 play for 78 yard drive that ended in an 24 yard catch by Quincy Enunwa. The Second, eight plays for 84 yards that was capped off by a four yard run by Matt Forte on 4th and inches. And then then third was a 13 plays for 81 yards which was again capped off by a Matt Forte touchdown run. The Browns couldn't get pressure on Fitzpatrick so he basically sat in the pocket and picked the Browns secondary apart.
Other Stuff
Statistically, the Browns and Jets were almost identical. But the Jets won two key areas of the game...turnovers & time of possession. The Browns had the two picks and only had the ball for 26:19. The Browns also gave up a few first downs on third and 10+...an area where they've had success.
Its sad that the MVB of the game was a non-factor in the second half. Yes, he did catch the 2-point conversion. But he did ball out in the first half against Revis who is still a top cover corner in the league.
Once Upon A Time (ABC, 8pm)
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Elementary (CBS, 10:30pm) The Strain, SEASON FINALE (FX, 10pm)
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Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, brought to you by Triple Threat CLE brings you the Weekend 3 Count. W3C brings you wrestling news, rumors and recaps from around the wrestling world. You'll find news and recaps involving WWE, NXT, TNA, ROH, Lucha Underground, GFW, NJPW, House of Hardcore and any Indy promotion that I find an interesting story or a cool discovery in. Be sure to check out the W3C every Sunday at @TripleThreatCLE.
*** WWE ***
- Brock Lesnar's RAW Appearance: Last week on RAW, Brock Lesnar's promo segment didn't go as planned and was forced to end quickly. Paul Heyman was trying his hardest to get the fans to chant for Goldberg, but instead the fans chanted "Goldberg Sucks" and "Suplex City", ruining the whole segment of getting Lesnar over as the legit heel in the match. Vince McMahon was upset about the whole thing and called for Lesnar's music to play to end the segment early.
- UFC's Michael Bisping Comments About Brock Lesnar: UFC Middleweight Champion Michael "The Count" Bisping recently sat in on The Ric Flair Show. Flair asked Bisping about his opinion on Brock Lesnar fighting in UFC. Bisping ended up calling out Lesnar for failing his drug tests during his return to the company at UFC 200 back in July. Flair then asked Bisping how tough did he think Lesnar was and Bisping stated the following:
"How tough do I think Brock Lesnar is? Listen, I respect any man that steps into the octagon, because it takes balls. But, you're gonna go in there, and take steroids to do it? F**k you, you cocky son of a bi**h. Kiss my a**. I will knock Brock Lesnar out with one f***ing punch. I will pick him up, and throw him out of the octagon like the pu**y that he is. Am I making myself clear? F**k you, Brock Lesnar! F**k steroids! Steroids are the scourge of this sport, and anyone that takes them, kiss my a**!"
- Goldberg On RAW Tomorrow: Last week on RAW, it was announced that Goldberg would be at tomorrow's RAW to again talk about facing Brock Lesnar. Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar has been officially announced for WWE Survivor Series in November.
- Randy Orton Joining The Wyatt Family?: Last week on Smackdown Live, Randy Orton turned on Kane during Kane's No DQ Match against Bray Wyatt. Orton laid out Kane with an RKO and then stated that if you can't beat them then join them. It still hasn't been officially announced as of yet if Orton is apart of The Wyatt Family.
- The Undertaker Surprises The Cleveland Cavaliers At Their Ring And Championship Banner Raising Ceremony: The Undertaker, wife Michelle McCool and The Ultimate Warrior's family surprised the Cleveland Cavaliers during their championship banner raising and ring receiving ceremony last Tuesday night. The Undertaker met with Lebron James, Chris "Birdman" Andersen and presented Kevin Love with a replica WWE World Heavyweight Championship. There were rumors stating that The Undertaker had hip surgery and was on crutches, but according to those in attendance Undertaker was walking just fine and appeared to be 100%.
- Becky Lynch Returns: WWE Smackdown Live Women's Champion Becky Lynch returned to action last Saturday at WWE's live event in Sioux City, Iowa. Becky was out of action for a few weeks due to an undisclosed health issue that was unrelated to in-ring competition. Becky will defend her title against Alexa Bliss on the November 8th Smackdown Live edition from Glasgow, Scotland.
- Kalisto Returns: Kalisto returned from his back injury that put him out of action back in August. Kalisto appeared at a RAW live event last weekend in Sioux City, Iowa, helping Sin Cara after his loss to Braun Strowman.
- Putting The Flair In Charlotte: WWE announced this week that Charlotte will now be announced as Charlotte Flair going forward at all TV and pay per view events. No official reason was given, but I'm sure the last name Flair has a lot to do with the decision.
- The Rise Of James Ellsworth:PWInsider.com is reporting that there are a lot of people backstage in WWE right now that are pushing for James Ellsworth to be signed to a full-time WWE contract. According to the WWE, Ellsworth has had strong sales of his new Ellsworth’s t-shirt that debut last week. WWE is currently thinking about making Ellsworth a full time superstar on Smackdown Live.
- Three Possible Scenarios: Sources are saying that WWE are focusing on three main attractions that they think could bring them ratings in early 2017 and leading into Wrestlemania 33. The first is trying to get the AJ Styles vs. Shawn Michaels match signed for Royal Rumble. Styles has said that he wants Michaels in his home town of San Antonio, Texas. The main road block is getting Michaels to come out of retirement and do it, which he's turned down numerous times in the past. The second scenario is WWE is looking at bringing Bubba Ray Dudley back and using him as a heel similar to his TNA Bully Ray character. Bubba was a great main eventer with his heel Bully Ray character in TNA. The last scenario is the possibility of finally bringing Kurt Angle back for the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania season. The WWE looks to be possibly getting closer and closer to letting Angle come back for one last mini run.
- Possible Hall Of Fame Inductees: Rumors have begun to circulate in the WWE about who will go into the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 during Wrestlemania weekend. As of now three names are being rumored to be possibly heading to the Hall of Fame. The first being Bill Goldberg, who returns for one last match at WWE Survivor Series against Brock Lesnar. The second rumored superstar is former WWE and TNA Women's Champion Mickie James. Mickie returns at NXT in November to battle NXT Women's Champion Asuka at Takeover: Toronto. The final superstar being rumored is WCW Icon Diamond Dallas Page.
- Halloween Edition Of RAW: According to PWInsider.com, there has been a lot of talk about tomorrow night's RAW being Halloween filled, with WWE possibly bringing back old “spooky” gimmicks/talents for the Halloween themed edition of RAW, which takes place live on Halloween night.
** WWE Hell In A Cell Final Card **
-- "WWE Universal Championship, Hell In A Cell Match": Kevin Owens (c) vs. Seth Rollins
-- "WWE United States Championship, Hell In A Cell Match": Roman Reigns (c) vs. Rusev
-- "WWE RAW Women's Championship, Hell In A Cell Match": Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte
-- "WWE RAW World Tag Team Championship Match": The New Day (c) vs. Sheamus and Cesaro
-- "WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match": TJ Perkins (c) vs. Brian Kendrick
-- Enzo and Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson
-- Bayley vs. Dana Brooke
-- "Six Man Tag Team Match": Sin Cara, Lince Dorado and Cedric Alexander vs. Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari and Drew Gulak
As always if you can't catch tonight's WWE Hell In A Cell event, just check back at Triple Threat CLE on Monday afternoon, as I'll provide the Hell In A Cell recap.
*** NXT ***
- Dory Funk Appears In NXT: WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk appeared at last Saturday night's NXT live event in Ocala, Florida. Funk cut a promo but was interrupted by Elias Samson. Wesley Blake, now a baby face and also who was trained by Funk, arrived to back up his mentor. Blake went on to defeat Samson in a one on one match.
- Austin Aries Injured: According to reports, Austin Aries may have suffered an injury Wednesday night in a match against Shinsuke Nakamura in Fresno, California. Aries received a kick to the head from Nakamura, and the referee immediately threw up the "X" to signal that something went wrong. Aries had to be helped out of the building and could be seen sporting a black eye. Original reports noted that Aries might have had a broken jaw, but it appears as though it could be related to the cut around his eye.
- Nine New NXT Recruits Announced: WWE announced nine new superstars that have either begun training for a future NXT debut or who have already debuted in NXT. Here are the nine new recruits:
#1: Alvin Abitz: Abitz is an army veteran with a kickboxing and a rugby background. Abitz is 6’6″, 280 pounds and hails from Wisconsin.
#2: Theophilus Agbi: Agbi was named to the NCWA All-American Team in 2013 and 2015. Agbi is 6’5″ and 270 pounds.
#3: “Crazy” Mary Dobson (Sarah Bridges): Dobson was trained in the Kaientai Dojo in Japan. Dobson has wrestled in ICW, HXC, wXw, Shimmer, SHINE, Women Of Honor, and in Japan.
#4: Demitrius Bronson: Bronson is a former NFL running back for the Seattle Seahawks and the Miami Dolphins. Bronson has no prior wrestling experience.
#5: Tommy End (Tommy Budgen): End is well known in England in their British Independent Wrestling promotions. End has been a champion in ICW, PROGRESS, and wXw. End has also competed in CZW, EVOLVE, and PWG. End has also been compared to England's version of CM Punk, having a similar wrestling style and submission style of wrestling.
#6: Taynara Melo de Carvalho: Taynara is a black belt in judo and competed in the 2016 Olympic trials in Rio. Taynara has no prior wrestling experience.
#7: Victoria Gonzalez: Victoria is a second generation wrestler (she’s the daughter of Ricky "Speedy" Gonzalez). Victoria is 6'1" and has wrestled in Texas independent wrestling promotions.
#8: Roderick Strong (Chris Lindsey): Strong is a former ROH World Heavyweight Champion, ROH Television Champion and ROH World Tag Team Champion. Strong has already made his NXT debut as Austin Aries' mystery partner in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Tournament Classic.
#9: Big Damo (Damian Mackle): Damo has made a name for himself in England in the British Independent promotions. Damo was trained by former NXT World Champion and WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor. Damo has also made single match appearances in NJPW and TNA.
- Roderick Strong Earning Respect: Wrestling Observer recently posted an article stating that WWE management already loves Roderick Strong and is very happy to have Strong on the NXT roster. Strong reportedly got a great reaction from people backstage after his tag team match with Austin Aries. Strong, a 13-year veteran, is considered one of the best wrestlers in the business today.
*** TNA *** - TNA Recap:
-- At the Hardy Estate, The Hardy's prepare for a treat or delete Halloween party. Broken Matt Hardy senses that an outsider will show up at the estate tonight.
-- Ethan Carter and Jessie Godderz vs. Aron Rex and Eli Drake: The match closes out with EC3 getting tossed outside. Godderz hits a springboard on Drake. Rex rakes Godderz in the face and then puts what looks like a ring on his finger. Rex knocks out Godderz with a punch with the ring on his finger and scores the pinfall.
-- Backstage, Maria Bennett brags about laying out Brandi Rhodes last week. Brandi arrives and chases off Maria.
-- Backstage, Grado says he's dressing up for Halloween tonight as someone he's always wanted to dress up as.
-- At the Hardy Estate, trick or treating has begun and Broken Matt Hardy is handing out green beans instead of candy. Brother Nero Jeff Hardy sings Obsolete with the kids.
-- Backstage, Rockstar Spud says DJ Z disrespected him and challenges Z and his two teammates to a match against Spud and his two teammates.
-- Grado cuts a promo: Grado calls out Robbie E and says Robbie has been an inspiration to him. Grado tells Robbie that he wants to be a BroMan for Halloween. Grado wears tights that looks like Robbie's, oils up himself and puts on fake spray tan. Grado and Robbie fist bump and dance all the way into the ring. The lights suddenly go out in the arena. The lights pop back on and the three masked DCC members are in the ring and attacking Grado and Robbie. Robbie gets laid out and Grado gets dropped with a spike pile driver.
-- Earlier in the day, Allie asks TNA President Billy Corgan for a match against Laurel Van Ness, even though Allie thinks she'll get beat up. Corgan grants Allie the match.
-- "Six Man Tag, Team X Gold Match": DJ Z, Braxton Sutter and Mandrews vs. Rockstar Spud and The Decay: The match closes out with DJ Z tagging in and hitting a springboard elbow on Crazy Steve. DJ Z turns to Abyss and nails a drop kick that sends Abyss to the floor. Spud goes after DJ Z, but gets planted with the ZDT. DJ Z covers and scores the pinfall.
-- Backstage, Cody and Brandi Rhodes state that Mike and Maria Bennett aren't miracles because they are just smoke and mirrors.
-- At the Hardy Estate, there's a knock at the door and it's Shane Helms dressed as the Green Lantern. Both Hardy's make Hurricane jokes (Helms' WWE gimmick) and then slam the door in his face. Broken Matt Hardy compliments Senór Benjamin's Halloween decorations and Brother Nero Jeff Hardy dresses up as another one of his wrestling gimmicks, Itchweed. Itchweed wants to stay at the party and Matt agrees cause he likes Itchweed.
-- Eddie Edwards vs. Bobby Lashley Contract Signing: Both men are informed that they can not touch each other during the contract signing. Lashley says he's the most dominant force in TNA and MMA and will end the Eddie Edwards feel good story next week. Lashley gives Edwards the chance to just forfeit the title to him right now. Edwards says Lashley's mind games won't work this time and brags about beating Lashley last time. Lashley says Edwards got lucky, Lashley underestimated him and it was all a fluke that Edwards won. Edwards signs the contract and says Lashley will be his bitch next week. Lashley flips the table, pissed off before finally signing the contract.
-- Backstage, Laurel Van Ness flirts with Braxton Sutter because she knows Allie likes him.
-- At the Hardy Estate, Itchweed carves a Happy Halloween message in the ground.
-- Allie vs. Laurel Van Ness: Madison Rayne was on commentary for this match. The match closes out with Allie tackling and ground and pounding Laurel. Allie dodges a Laurel charge and gets a near fall rollup. Laurel surprises Allie and hits the Curb Stomp to score the pinfall.
-- At the Hardy Estate, two trick or treaters show up dressed as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Senór Benjamin stuns Trump with a taser. Itchweed asks Clinton what happened to those 382 emails. Broken Matt Hardy says they were "deleted". Vanguard One shows up, dressed as Boo Radley and scares off Clinton. Broken Matt Hardy then gives a speech to be our next president.
-- Backstage, Jesse Godderz is sick of Aron Rex cheating to win matches, so he challenges Rex to a future TNA Grand Championship Match. Rex accepts.
-- At the Hardy Estate, a girl dressed as a DCC member arrives, gives Reby Sky a laptop and tells her to make Broken Matt Hardy watch what's on it. On the laptop is the DCC challenging them to a match next week and the DCC states that the clock is running out on the Hardy's.
-- Backstage, Mike Bennett goes over his accomplishments in TNA and says that having Maria Bennett in his corner will guarantee him a victory over Cody and Brandi Rhodes.
-- "Intergender Tag Team Match": Mike and Maria Bennett vs. Cody and Brandi Rhodes: The match closes out with Maria accidently low blowing Mike twice. Brandi hits a face plant DDT on Maria. Both Cody and Brandi apply the American Nightmare submission to Mike and Maria Bennett and make both of them tap out for the victory. After the match, Cody and Brandi walk backstage, celebrating their win. Bobby Lashley comes out of nowhere and lays out Cody Rhodes. Lashley tells a knocked out Cody that "no one comes into his house without his permission", to end the show.
- TNA Lawsuits Continue: If you haven't heard, many people have been currently coming after Dixie Carter and TNA with lawsuits, for money that they are still owed by the company. Audience of One Productions, American Express, The State of Tennessee, Bankdirect Captial Finance, LLC and TNA's own President Billy Corgan all have lawsuits currently filed against Dixie Carter and TNA Impact Wrestling. These lawsuits will make it extremely hard for TNA to find a new buyer for the company, as whoever buys the company next will also inherit all of TNA's debts.
- TNA Tapings Postponed: TNA President Billy Corgan announced that tapings for TNA Impact that were supposed to take place from November 1st through the 3rd have been postponed due to lack of funding to tape the shows.
*** RING OF HONOR *** - ROH TV Recap:
-- Colt Cabana and Dalton Castle vs. The Tempura Boys (Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu): The Tempura Boys made their ROH debut, but were squashed quickly by Cabana and Castle. Castle hits the Bang A Rang on Tanaka and scores the pinfall. After the match, Cabana and Castle have a stare down with The Briscoe Brothers.
-- Jonathan Gresham vs. Kyle O'Reilly: Gresham attempted to injure O'Reilly's shoulder during the match. O'Reilly ended up choking out Gresham and then hitting a brain buster to score the pinfall. After the match, Adam Cole and Hangman Adam Page attacked O'Reilly. Bobby Fish tried to make the save, but was attacked by Cole with steel chair shots. Page and Cole leave both O'Reilly and Fish laid out.
-- Cheeseburger and Will Ferrara vs. BJ Whitmer and Damian Martinez: Another squash match, as Whitmer and Martinez owned Cheeseburger and Ferrera. Martinez hits a springboard punch on Cheeseburger and Whitmer scores the pinfall. After the match, Whitmer and Martinez continued the attack. Steve Corino grabs the golden spike and looks to help out Cheeseburger and Ferrera, but Corino ends up dropping the golden spike and goes back to the commentary table.
-- Motor City Machine Guns vs. Tetsuya Naito and Evil: The Machine Guns were given the night off, but instead challenged the Los Ingobernables de Japan to a match. That challenge backfired as Naito hits the Destino on Chris Sabin and scores the pinfall, in this week's main event match.
- Chris Sabin Injured: Chris Sabin, one half of the Motor City Machine Guns, was pulled from last Saturday night's Ring of Honor Road to Final Battle live event in Lakeland, Florida. Sabin was scheduled for a tag team match with tag team partner, Alex Shelley, against members of The Cabinet, but the official ROH Twitter account announced that he had been replaced with Jay White in the match due to injury. No official word has been announced on the severity of the injury.
*** Lucha Underground *** - Lucha Underground TV Recap:
-- Sexy Star tells Dario Cueto she wants her Lucha Underground Championship Match. Cueto agrees but forces her to defend her Gift Of The Gods Championship tonight against Johnny Mundo, which might take away that opportunity if she loses the title. Cueto also bans Fenix, Drago and Aerostar from ringside for the match. Sexy says she won't need help to beat Mundo and will become the first ever female Lucha Underground Champion.
-- Marty The Moth Martinez vs. Ivelisse: Marty's sister Mariposa was at ringside for this match. The match closes out with Marty hitting a spine buster on Ivelisse. Marty applies a full nelson, lifts Ivelisse in the air and slams her face first into the mat. Marty covers and scores the pinfall. After the match, Jeremiah (Sami Callihan) hits the ring and attacks Marty. Jeremiah and Ivelisse brawl with Marty and Mariposa until chasing them from the ring. Jeremiah tries to hug Ivelisse and asks for forgiveness, but Ivelisse isn't having it and tells him to go away.
-- Outside in the parking lot, Ivelisse tells Jeremiah to stop interfering in her matches. Jeremiah says that Dario Cueto has offered him a job that he's taken. Jeremiah finally talks Ivelisse into working with him. Ivelisse warns Jeremiah that Cueto is a piece of crap and will probably make them fight each other one day.
-- Inside a limo, Dario Cueto meets with Councilman Delgado. Cueto and Delgado discuss Cueto choosing "host bodies" and Cueto says he's found two possible. Delgado is pleased and gives Cueto a treasure chest. Cueto goes back inside The Temple, with the chest, before anyone sees him.
-- "Best of 5 Series, Match #3": Cage vs. Texano: The match closes out with Texano hitting a leg lariat off the top rope onto Cage and gets a near fall. Cage comes back with a turnbuckle power bomb on Texano and gets a near fall. Cage goes for his finisher, but Texano rolls Cage up and scores the pinfall. Cage still leads the series 2-1.
-- Inside Dario Cueto's office, Cueto looks inside the treasure chest, but gets interrupted by Rey Mysterio. Rey says he's tired of Chavo Guerrero's B.S. and wants a "Loser Leaves Lucha Underground Match" with Chavo. Cueto likes the idea and books it for next week.
-- "Gift Of The Gods Championship Match": Sexy Star (c) vs. Johnny Mundo: The match closes out with the referee getting knocked out on accident and just misses a Sexy pinfall on Mundo. Sexy argues with the referee, dodges a charging Mundo and the referee gets taken out again with a Mundo spear. Jack Evans and PJ Black attack Sexy. Evans and Black hold Sexy up and Mundo hits the Ferris Wheel Crucifixion on Sexy. Mundo covers as a second referee hits the ring and counts, but Sexy kicks out at two and a half. The second referee gets knocked out by Evans and Black for not counting to three. Evans, Black and Mundo attempt to break Sexy's neck, with a chair around it. The Mack makes the save and helps Sexy fight off Evans, Black and Mundo with Stunners. Mack brawls with Evans and Black outside as Sexy counters Mundo's End Of The World finisher. The referee is back up and stops Mundo from using a steel chair on Sexy. While the referee is distracted with that Mundo pops Sexy in the mouth with a brass knuckle covered punch and scores the pinfall to win the Gift Of The Gods Championship.
-- The show ends with Vampiro congratulating Prince Puma on his win over Mil Muertes last week. Vampiro says the only way Muertes will be finished though is for Puma to send him to an early grave, just like Muertes did to Puma's mentor Konnan. Puma thinks about this as Vampiro says he always hated Konnan, but respects Puma.
*** W3C Wrestler Of The Week ***
This week's Weekend 3 Count Wrestler Of The Week goes to the current TNA World Heavyweight Champion Eddie Edwards. Edwards broke into the business in 2002 and was trained by Killer Kowalski. Edwards has made a name for himself in ROH, TNA, in Japan and has also wrestled in other independent promotions. Along with Davey Richards, Edwards is also apart of the tag team known as The American Wolves, or just The Wolves in TNA.
- ROH World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
- ROH World Tag Team Champion (2 times) – with Davey Richards
- ROH World Television Champion (1 time)
- ROH World Television Championship Tournament Winner (2010)
- ROH Survival of the Fittest Winner (2010)
- First Ever ROH Triple Crown Champion
- TNA World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
- TNA X Division Champion (2 times)
- TNA World Tag Team Champion (5 times) – with Davey Richards
- TNA World Cup of Wrestling Winner (2014) – with Bully Ray, Gunner, Eric Young and ODB
- TNA World Cup of Wrestling Winner (2016) – with Jeff Hardy, Jessie Godderz, Robbie E and Jade
- Tag Team of the Year (2014) with Davey Richards
- Match of the Year (2014) The Wolves vs. The Hardys vs. Team 3D
Edwards has also won many other independent wrestling championships throughout his career.
- Eddie Edwards defeats Bobby Lashley to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship:
- Best Of Eddie Edwards:
- Eddie Edwards defeats Roderick Strong to win the ROH World Heavyweight Championship:
And that's this week's W3C! Join me every Sunday afternoon as I bring you news, recaps and rumors all around the wrestling world!
Caught On Camera With Nick Cannon (FRI, NBC, 8pm)
It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (FRI, ABC, 8pm)
MacGyver (FRI, CBS, 8pm)
The Vampire Diaries (FRI, The CW, 8pm)
New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 8pm)
Dateline NBC (FRI, NBC, 9pm)
Shark Tank (FRI, ABC, 9pm)
Hawaii Five-0 (FRI, CBS, 9pm)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (FRI, The CW, 9pm)
Z Nation (FRI, Syfy, 9pm)
New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 9pm)
Blue Bloods (FRI, CBS, 10pm)
Burgers, Brew & Que (FRI, Food Network, 10pm)
Van Helsing (FRI, Syfy, 10pm)
Quarry (FRI, Cinemax, 10pm)
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Saturday Night Live Classic (SAT, NBC, 10pm) Saturday Night Live (SAT, NBC, 11:30pm)
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2016 WORLD SERIES Game 3: Indians @ Cubs (FRI, FOX, 8pm)
Game 4: Indians @ Cubs (SAT, FOX, 8pm)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Navy @ South Florida (FRI, ESPN 2, 7pm)
Yale @ Columbia (FRI, NBC Sports, 7pm)
Air Force @ Fresno State (FRI, ESPN 2, 10:30pm)
Louisville @ Virginia (SAT, ABC/ESPN 2, 12pm)
Penn State @ Purdue (SAT, ABC/ESPN 2, 12pm) Michigan @ Michigan State (SAT, ESPN, 12pm)
West Virginia @ Oklahoma State (SAT, FOX, 12pm)
Kent State @ Central Michigan (SAT, CBS SportsNet, 12pm)
UCF @ Houston (SAT, ESPNU, 12pm)
The Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) haven't been playing good football the past couple weeks and it caught up to them last Saturday at Penn State. The Buckeyes dropped to #6 in the nation after losing to the Nittany Lions 24-21. This was the first time in five seasons under coach Urban Meyer that Ohio State lost a Big Ten regular season road game. Ohio State will come back home after two tough road night games and look to get their offense back on track this Saturday against the Northwestern Wildcats (4-3, 3-1 Big Ten).
The biggest shock from the loss to Penn State was the lack of touches for Ohio States most dynamic playmaker H-back Curtis Samuel. Samuel caught 8 passes for lackluster 68 yards. More surprisingly Samuel only had two carries despite taking one of them 74 yards for a touchdown.
Ohio State's offense has slowed down of late. After averaging 57 points per game for the first four games of the season the Buckeyes are averaging just 29.7 points over the past three and allowed 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter of last weeks loss to Penn State.
What's the cause of the decline in production?
Play calling has become questionable as stated before. When you're best offensive weapon takes a hand-off 74 yards to the house and only has two carries on the day that's a problem. Add to that J.T. Barrett's inability to complete passes downfield and you have a recipe for an upset.
While acknowledging their poor play, coach Urban Meyer understands that Ohio State still controls its destiny.
"Every goal is still alive," Meyer said. "We're not a great team right now."
Meyer knows his team must move on and focus on an improved Northwestern team.
"That is as improved a team as I've ever seen from beginning to now," Meyer said about Northwestern. "They've had three big wins with two on the road. Their defense is outstanding."
After splitting their first two, the Wildcats have won three in a row including wins on the road against Big Ten foes Iowa and Michigan State.
If Northwestern is going to come in to Columbus and pull off the upset they're going to try and do it on the arm of sophomore quarterback Clayton Thorson. Thorson has 1686 passing yards on the year and has thrown 14 touchdowns, 9 of which have gone to senior receiver Austin Carr. Carr has caught at least one touchdown in every game this season.
Ohio State had to do some soul-searching after last weeks loss to Penn State. The good news is their Big Ten and National Championship hopes are still alive and in their hands. The bad news is exactly what Meyer said, they're not a great team right now.
With #7 Nebraska waiting in the wings the Buckeyes will have a tough task of staying focused on the opponent in front of them and not get caught looking ahead. Most importantly Ohio State needs to focus on being better in all facets of the game regardless of the opponent. This team has the talent to run the table the rest of the way but it will depend on how these young Buckeyes can handle their first real taste of adversity. If the Buckeyes can find the chemistry that made them so dynamic in the beginning of the year they will put themselves back on track to a Big Ten championship and the college football playoff.
What: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Northwestern Wildcats When: Saturday October 29, 2016 at 3:30 ET Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio Watch: ESPN Line: OSU -28, O/U 53
The past few weeks in college football have felt like treading water. Only a few games of note each week, no real shake ups in the top 10, just sort of staying afloat in one spot. When a pattern like this keeps up then it's easy to get complacent and start to not enjoy or really get interested in the games each week.
College football fans should have no worries about that going forward though, as week 9 snaps everyone out of that funk. Big games and some rivalries are slated for this weekend which fill each time slot, guaranteeing that a big game will be going on at all times. Week 9 takes us down that last turn as we go into the home stretch of the regular season, this week is definitely something that will keep fans glued to their TV's.
SATURDAY OCT. 29TH
People are starting to take notice of #10 West Virginia, with good reason. The Mountaineers are undefeated, putting up 15 points per game more than they are giving up and have now entered the playoff discussion. Dana Halgorsen has his squad playing well, and this weekend will be another test for them as the Oklahoma State Cowboys welcome WVU to Boone Pickens Stadium for a noon kickoff. While Oklahoma State is looking to get back into the Big 12 hunt along with regaining their top 25 status, they are currently 5-2 but one of those losses was on a controversial last play against Central Michigan. OKSU will need QB Mason Rudolph to play a very good game, the Cowboys' offense is a pass heavy spread so he will have to perform in order to get this upset win. West Virginia, however, has one of the better defenses and will look to put pressure on Rudolph all game. In last week's game against Kansas, Rudolph was sacked 5 times and WVU will look to blueprint that game plan in order to get to him multiple times. The Mountaineers have done a great job of shutting down teams that are known for their high powered offense, giving up only 17 points to Texas Tech and 10 points to TCU, so being able to hold Oklahoma State to well under their season average of 41 points a game could end up being the deciding factor.
At 3:30, we have the "World's largest outdoor cocktail party", and yes I will always refer to this game as such regardless of the push to change it's name. #14 Florida and Georgia meet in Jacksonville for this annual rivalry game, with the Gators looking to remain atop the SEC East standings. For Georgia, this could notch their first big win under 1st year head coach Kirby Smart, and they really need this one after losing 3 of their last 4 games. The Gators have a healthy Luke Del Rio at QB now, which gives the offense the potential to put up a lot of points. Stagnant while he was out with injury, the offense broke out big time last week by putting up 40 points against Missouri. For Georgia, they are in a transition year now with freshman QB Jacob Eason, hoping to get him the necessary experience to prepare him for the next 2 seasons when they feel they can make a run at the SEC title. Florida's offense should make them the favorite to win this one, but a win for Georgia would be a big statement going forward.
And the game most will be watching at 3:30 is a Pac-12 showdown, as #4 Washington plays at #17 Utah. The Huskies seem to be a year ahead of schedule, with QB Jake Browning having as Heisman contending season. Washington is currently a playoff team and a win would solidify their ranking even more since some believe that a 1 loss Louisville is currently more deserving of that 4th playoff spot. The Utes are a hiccup against Cal away from also being undefeated and this game is personal for QB Troy Williams. Williams was at Washington to start his collegiate career but transferred after the 2014 season. He is looking to prove what he can do out there, but it will not be easy against one of the best defenses in the country.
Utah, however, has been a chameleon when it comes to winning games, winning close games(31-27 against USC), defensive games(19-14 against Oregon State) and offensive shootouts(52-45 against UCLA.) If there's a team that can figure out a way to beat Washington regardless of the type of game it is, Utah is that team. They are equipped to play close games going into the 4th quarter while Washington hasn't been challenged this year, winning every game by at least 24 points. That, along with the Utah home crowd, could be a big factor if it is a close game in the 2nd half.
At 7pm, the Big Ten West takes the stage with the #7 Nebraska Cornhuskers facing the #11 Wisconsin Badgers. The undefeated Cornhuskers can all but ensure a trip to Indianapolis with a win here to play in the Big Ten title game, while the Badgers need this win to keep their Big Ten title hopes alive. Nebraska should have star WR Jordan Westerkamp back for this game, which will be a huge plus for them as they go up against one of the stingiest defenses in the country. The Badgers have given up the fewest TD's in the country, having played against 4 teams that were ranked in the top 10 at the time of their games makes it even more impressive. Wisconsin defense does so well because they control the trenches, so Nebraska will need some very good offensive line play and will turn to dual threat QB Tommy Armstrong to play mistake free ball. Nebraska looks to remain unbeaten while Wisconsin's backs are against the wall, a ton is at stake in this game.
Then the 8pm primetime slot is an ACC battle amongst teams that have recently dominated the ACC Atlantic division. The #3 Clemson Tigers go on the road to Tallahassee to face the #12 Florida State Seminoles. Florida State has battled back well after a blowout loss against Louisville and a heartbreaking loss to North Carolina earlier in the season. They look to get back into the top 10 and remain alive for a ACC title game berth here as a loss all but eliminates them from contention. Giving up the big play has haunted the Seminoles all season and they now face a Clemson offense that is capable of putting up big numbers. Last we saw of Clemson though, they escaped with an OT win at home against North Carolina State. They have been Jekyll and Hyde all season on offense, they looked every bit as good in their win over Louisville as they did bad in their win against NCSU. Heisman candidate Deshaun Watson can get the offense rolling again here though and a win against Florida State really puts them in the driver's seat for the ACC Atlantic title.
Louisville will also be watching this game intently as a Florida State win not only puts the Seminoles back in the division hunt, but the Cardinals get that much needed Clemson loss since the Tigers own the head to head tiebreaker. Doak Campbell stadium will be alive and rocking Saturday night when these two ACC heavyweights do battle, the ACC Atlantic picture will become very clear with a Clemson win and very murky with a Florida State win.
The (0-7) Cleveland Browns host the (2-5) New York Jets on this historical weekend. First, it will mark the first time the Cavaliers, Browns, and Indians all play on the same weekend. Second, the Browns will be celebrating the 1986 Browns team. The Jets won last week against the Ravens 24-16 in a game where Geno Smith started and tore his ACL. Which means the Jets will be starting Ryan Fitzpatrick once again. The Browns lost to the Bengals 31-17 and they lost another quarterback...Cody Kessler suffered a concussion and Kevin Hogan made his NFL debut. But this week it looks like Josh McCown will return from his non-throwing shoulder injury.
Browns Offense vs Jets Defense
The Browns game plan this week should be interesting. The Browns will need to keep running the ball. The Jets are ranked second in rush defense, only giving up 75 yards per game. But with McCown starting the Browns can not give up on running the ball, even if the Browns are struggling. Isaiah Crowell is prone to break off a big run and it keeps the defensive line at bay. Also it will be interesting if Hue Jackson spells Kevin Hogan at times to run the read option and throw a few passes.
McCown and the passing game has a chance to be successful, but only if McCown can get the ball out quickly. Gary Barnidge and Duke Johnson should get a ton of targets because McCown needs to get the ball out and not take many hits. Also the quick passes will help Terrelle Pryor get the ball in space and down field just to keep the defense honest.
The most important key for this week is to set up the pass with a consistent running game. They can't expect Josh McCown to win a game for them...heck they can't expect McCown to finish the game let alone win it. But running the ball will keep the our defense off the field and it will open up the passing game in certain spots.
Browns Defense vs Jets Offense
The Browns will need to get pressure on Fitzpatrick. This year he's been extremely turnover prone throwing 11 interceptions and even throwing six of them in one game against the Chiefs. Now its not like he doesn't have any weapons to throw to, Fitzpatrick has Brandon Marshall (who leads the team in targets), Quincy Enunwa (who is leading the team in catches), and Matt Forte out of the back field. The Browns should be able to bait Fitzpatrick into some throws which they will have to take advantage of. Just because Fitzpatrick lost his job last week doesn't mean he is going to stop playing his game, which is throwing the ball into tight spaces and forcing his receivers to make the big play.
The Browns rush defense needs to improve. Last week the Browns almost gave up 300 yards on the ground to Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard. This week they go up against Matt Forte who has been up and down this season, but is coming off of a 100 yard game last week. If the Browns can't stop the run on early downs the Jets will have a field day, because it will prevent the Browns from being aggressive on "passing downs" with the blitz.
On Defense the most important key is to stop the run and force Fitzpatrick to beat them. Fitzpatrick's confidence could be a bit low considering he did not "earn" the starting job back. This has the making of the Miami Dolphins game from earlier this year. The Browns have an unknown at quarterback and will have to rely on the running game. And the Defense will have to force the quarterback into mistake and hope the offense takes advantage of the short field.
Five Guys to Watch
Josh McCown: This choice is pretty obvious. McCown is coming off of an injury, which we don't know how it will affect his play. If McCown can limit the hits he takes the Browns have a solid shot at getting the "W" this week.
Gary Barnidge: Barnidge is McCown's favorite target so again this choice is obvious. Barnidge is a threat in all levels of the field, but I expect him to get a ton of targets but for minimal yards. And that's okay as long as McCown doesn't take unnecessary hits.
Corner Back matching up with Marshall: As of right now, who is starting at cornerback is an unknown. Joe Haden is still nursing an injury and Jamar Taylor was just put on the injury report with a hurt groin. So...who is matched up with B. Marshall is my guy to watch, because Marshall is the top target for the Jets.
Danny Shelton: Shelton is the head of the rush defense and needs to set the tone for this week. Like stated above if the Browns can't stop the run the Jets should have this game in control.
Joe Thomas: Rumors are going around saying Joe Thomas is on the trading block even though Hue Jackson said the Browns are not trading him. But this could be Joe Thomas' last game in a Browns uniform since the trading deadline is this upcoming week. But on the field he needs to anchor the pass protection to keep McCown upright and protect his blind side from taking any direct hits on his non-throwing shoulder.
The Browns will fall to (0-8)...Josh McCown will get hurt...and next week Kevin Hogan will become the 27th different starting QB since 1999. Its just one of those years for the Browns as they "Strive for Imperfection". Could they win this week? Sure but with McCown not 100%, Fitzpatrick playing "pissed off" the odds aren't in their favor. But hey "Any given Sunday...Right?" Go Tribe Go Cavs!!
