Browns Preview 9/8/17: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

Week one is finally here! The Cleveland Browns open up the season hosting the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns haven't won a opening day game since 2004 with Jeff Garcia at quarterback. Yes it's been that long...But eventually the drought will end...but not this year.


Browns Offense vs Steelers Defense

The Browns offense is going to be put to the test. Led by rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer, the Browns play calling should be a bit conservative to start out. Isaiah Crowell will get the majority of the carries Sunday. He has yet to have a game where he is given 20 carries in his career, and Sunday would be a great time for him to get it. The Browns can't give up on the running game because it will set up the couple deep shots down field the Browns are obviously going to take.

The Browns still have questions at receiver, even though they acquired three wideouts in the past week. Corey Coleman, Kenny Britt, Ricardo Lewis, and even Duke Johnson will see time lined up at wide receiver. Coleman and Kizer seem to have little bit of chemistry, as we seen in the third preseason game. Kenny Britt needs to step up and be the security blanket for Kizer. Duke Johnson is another weapon Kizer will utilize whether its checking down or in the slot.







Browns Defense vs Steelers Offense

The Browns will be without number one overall pick Myles Garrett for a few weeks. The Browns will need to get pressure on Big Ben and contain Le'Veon Bell. Bell didn't participate in the preseason and just signed his contract earlier this week. Stopping the running game will be a tall task of the Browns defensive line and linebackers Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey. Jamar Taylor and Jason McCourty will lineup the most against Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant. Brown is the best receiver in the league. Taylor and McCourty will have a handful Sunday especially if the pass rush struggles with Garrett out.




Five Guys to Watch

DeShone Kizer: This one is pretty obvious. The Browns are starting a rookie quarterback week one for the first time since Brandon Weeden in 2012. There is a lot of excitement with Kizer this could be the start to a very successful career for Kizer and Hue Jackson in Cleveland.

Jamie Collins: Collins will play almost every snap Sunday. Collins is a main staple on defense for the Browns. Whether is in base defense or in sub-packages. Collins is one of the few players who can cover Bell and the opposing tight end.

Sammie Coates: Coates probably won't see many snaps but when he's out there watch out for the deep ball down field. Coates is a deep threat and a speed demon. So when Kizer takes his shots deep its most likely going to be in Coates direction

Isaiah Crowell: Crowell should be the headline for the Browns offense. Crowell has been hyped up as a guy who is the "bell cow back" and should end the season with over 1000 yards in his contract year.

Corey Coleman: "Kizer to Coleman" is something that we all can get use to. Coleman is going to be the number one receiver going forward. Coleman and Coates will be matched up with former Browns cornerback Joe Haden, which will be exciting to watch as fans.




Weather Report:
Injury Report:

Betting Line: Pittsburgh -9

Final Prediction: 24-17

I don't think the Browns pull off the miracle. But I do think they cover. Kizer will play well and the overall the young Browns will be in the game all the way to the end. Go Browns!!!

Cleveland Browns 2017 Season Preview: Wide Receivers & Tight Ends

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

**PREVIOUS**
The Coaching Staff
The Running Backs
The Offensive & Defensive Line
The Quarterbacks


The Cleveland Browns Wide Receiver and Tight End position are the weakest part of the team this season. There are a lot of young guys the Browns are counting on to contribute this season, headlined by first round picks Corey Coleman and David Njoku. 


Wide Receivers

The Browns kind of let receiver Terrelle Pryor leave in the off-season. We might never truly know what happened but it seemed like Pryor wanted more money and was willing to bet on himself for one year. The Browns on the other hand balked on Pryor and signed Veteran Kenny Britt instead to replace Pryor. Britt is the lone veteran of the group (so far). As of right now the other Browns receivers are second year players: Corey Coleman, Ricardo Lewis, and Rashard Higgins. Outside of those four no one is a lock to make the team. 

Jordan Payton played most of his snaps on special teams last season and was busted for PEDs last season resulting in a four game suspension. Payton has played a number of snaps this preseason including catching DeShone Kizer's game winning touchdown pass vs the Saints. 

Mario Alford is another guy who might make the team. But it won't necessarily be as a wide receiver. Alford did a solid job as a returner last season after the Browns struggled to find someone who could return kicks and punts. Alford's job as a kick returner might be numbered with the emergence of Jabrill Peppers as a kick and punt returner.

Jordan Leslie has made a pretty nice impact during training camp and throughout the preseason. He's an undrafted free agent out of BYU. It should be interesting to see what the Browns think of him. He probably won't see a lot of snaps vs Tampa, but in the fourth preseason game, Leslie should be given an opportunity to show the Browns who he is. 


Wide Receiver Overview: The Browns will no doubt be active when teams cut down to the 53-man rosters. They are first in the waiver order and should add a veteran receiver during cut downs for week one. They need it badly. If not, it might me a long year for rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer. The receivers need to prove who they are and they will be given ample opportunity to do so.



Tight Ends

The Browns will be running with three tight ends this season. First round pick David Njoku, second year pro Seth DeValve, and Randall Telfer...yes Telfer is still on the Browns. With the pick of Njoku the Browns released pro bowl tight end Gary Barnidge, continuing the youth movement in Berea.

With the offense centered around the running game, Telfer will see an increase in his snap count because his strength is in the run blocking game. Its that simple. He's not in there for his two career catches for a total of four yards. 

David Njoku should be exciting to watch. He will lineup in his normal tight end position but he should see time in the slot and on the outside. Njoku is a freak athlete and Hue Jackson, I'm sure, has a large amount of formations to get Njoku in favorable matchups. It shouldn't surprise anyone if the Browns use a lot of two tight end sets this season. 

Seth DeValve will enter the season with the most career catches by a tight end on the Browns roster...with 10. DeValve is more like Njoku, in the sense of, he is a pass catching tight end who can play on the outside. The two tight end sets with Njoku and DeValve give the Browns two big bodied targets in the red zone and on third down. 


Tight End Overview: This position doesn't worry me as much as the receivers. But if the receivers struggle the tight ends will need to be Kizer's security blanket this season. And with the Athleticism the tight ends have we shouldn't be surprised when Kizer starts throwing deep-balls to Njoku and DeValve.

Krunch Time With Katelin 7/26/17: 5 Things To Watch In Browns Training Camp

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE


Football is back!!!!

The Browns are getting ready for the 2017 season, headlined by first overall pick Myles Garrett. Its been a successful off-season for the Browns. They've beefed up the offensive line, they've also added players on both sides of the ball in the draft and during free agency. But it wouldn't be an off-season with changes in the coaching staff. Gregg Williams is now the defensive coordinator after the firing of Ray Horton.

And with that being said the number one thing to watch for is the new defensive coordinator and his staff. Gregg Williams has a history of being one of the top defensive coaching in the NFL. He is a hard-nose football guy and is here to help change the culture. We've seen it already...during press conferences he's calling out players and members of the media *cough. And we've also seen bits and pieces of how he interacts with players (before the press conference of the first round picks). And that's what I'm personally interested in. Seeing how Gregg Williams interacts with the defense during camp and how it will set a tone of the defense throughout the regular season.


It wouldn't be a Browns training camp without a quarterback battle. But this time its s triple threat match between: second year quarterback Cody Kessler, Veteran quarterback Brock Osweiler, and rookie second round pick Deshone Kizer. There is an argument to be made for all three of these guys to start week one. Kessler has been in the system for a year and has made improvements to his game. For the record, he might be odds on favorite to start week one.

Osweiler was acquired during the off-season along with a second round pick from the Texans in a deal that was basically a salary dump. The Texans wanted Osweiler off the team and the Browns wanted the second round pick and his contract in order to meet the NFL's cap requirements. There were rumors about Osweiler being traded, which could still happen if there is an injury during the preseason. But as of right now he is competing for the starting job. Osweiler never seemed to fit into what Bill O'Brien wanted to do in Houston and the change of scenery might turn out to be a good thing. He did win a super bowl in Denver while playing a number of games during the regular season and he played well.

Last but certainly not least the second round pick out of Notre Dame, Deshone Kizer. This guy has all the tools to be an NFL quarterback. In my opinion he should just start week one. The Browns aren't going to win a lot of game so I don't see why the Browns would wait six-eight weeks for Kizer to start. I'd rather have a complete year grade for him and if the Browns end up with a top five pick in next year's draft they'd know what they have a the quarterback position. Kizer can make all the NFL throws and for the majority of last season was touted as the top quarterback in the class. But a terrible record and the questionable coaching he had in college seemed to have dropped his stock.


Rookies in general are always fun to watch during camp. They give fans a hope for the future and this year is no different. With 10 draftees this year the Browns are full of young talent. Three first round picks: Myles Garrett, Jabrill Peppers, and David Njoku, Kizer, and defensive linemen Larry Ognujobi and Caleb Brantley are the ones should stand out.

But its not just the rookies this year to keep an eye on but the guys who are entering their second year as professionals. The wide receivers are still extremely young. These guys need to step up. Corey Coleman, Ricardo Louis, Jordan Payton and Rashard Higgins are all vying for playing time. Obviously, Coleman will get his chance as a first round pick, but the other three will be battling each other not just for playing time on offense but showing their worth on special teams.

This might not but just a training camp thing to watch but throughout the preseason is to just keep an eye on the secondary. This is Joe Haden's put-up or shut-up year. He's already been challenged by Gregg Williams this off-season and he is the leader of the defense. Haden had a bounce back year last year after a rough 2015 campaign. Even though 2016 was still an injury plagued season for Haden. Outside of Haden the Browns still have some questions. And it isn't in a negative way but just as an unknown.

Jamar Taylor seems to be a solid starter in the NFL and Briean Boddy-Calhoun played well at times last year. The Browns acquired two veterans Calvin Pryor and Jason McCourty late in the off-season. It will be interesting to see if a change of location would help Pryor and the were McCourty will even play. Whether at the corner position or a safety. And how McCourty's leadership will help the development of Peppers, Derrick Kindred, Bobby-Calhoun, and Ibraheim Campbell

There will be a lot more to talk about during the preseason and I will have articles on specific positions while we lead up to the start of the regular season. And as always I will have the Previews for each game and the recaps along with a random article Browns article during the middle of each week. Its good to be back in the groove of writing and talking Cleveland Browns!!!!

Browns Recap 1/2/17: Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

The Browns fell to the Steelers 27-24 and finished the 2016 season going 1-15 and locking up the number one overall pick in the 2017 draft. Also Hue Jackson and company are safe and will be back next year. So another win coming from today. But lets talk about this very odd game.

The Browns offense was statistically pretty good.  437 Total yards with about 200 yards through the air and on the ground. But where the Browns lost this game was in the turnover battle. The Browns had four turnovers (three fumbles and two red zone turnovers) and also missed a 49 yard field goal. So its not like the Browns didn't have opportunities to win this game. Robert Griffin threw for 232 yards on 29/40 passing, two touchdowns and one interception. The leading receiver for this game was Terrelle Pryor who caught seven passes for 94 yards. He also surpassed 1000 receiving yards for the year with his 94 yard game. Gary Barnidge had five catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. Seth DeValve had the other touchdown catch, which was his only catch of the day for 12 yards.

Other notable receivers: Corey Coleman had five catches for 40 yards and Andrew Hawkins had five catches for nine yards.

The Running game had success today. Isaiah Crowell 152 yards on 19 carries including 67 yard run that set up a George Atkinson III touchdown run. Atkinson III had a solid day, seven carries for 34 yards, being the backup to Crowell with Duke Johnson suffering an ankle injury. Crowell unfortunately had a key fumble inside the five yard-line with less than one minute to go in the fourth. RGIII had 32 rushing yards on five carries.

The Browns defense was solid against the second string Steelers offense. They only gave up 69 yards on the ground. The Steelers leading rusher was DeAngelo Williams who had 67 yards on 23 carries. But the Browns struggled getting timely stops. They gave up the winning touchdown drive in overtime after the offense kicked a field goal forcing Steelers to score. The Defense also gave up a touchdown drive to end the first half and after the Browns intercepted Landry Jones but fumbled the return causing a touchback.

Jones had a pretty good game, throwing for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Eli Rodgers was the leading receiver with six catches 61 yards. Cobi Hamilton had three catches for 54 yards including the game clinching 26 yard touchdown catch. Other notable receivers: Demarcus Ayers had five catches for 44 yards and one touchdown.

The leading tackler for the Browns was Christian Kirksey who had 12 total tackles, three tackles for a loss and one sack. Jamie Collins was second with 10 total tackles. And Demario Davis had seven total tackles, two for losses and one sack.


Most Valuable Brown: Isaiah Crowell is the MVB for this game. If it wasn't for his 67 yard run the Browns wouldn't have had the opportunity to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Plus his day kind of personified this 2016 season. Play really well at times but mistakes come back to cost games.

Browns Preview 12.16.16: Cleveland Browns @ Buffalo Bills

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

The 0-13 Cleveland Browns travel to Buffalo to take on the 6-7 Bills. Both teams lost last week to AFC North opponents. The Browns lost 23-10 against the Bengals, which was Robert Griffin III first game back since week one of the season. And the Bills lost 27-20 against the Steelers, where Le'Veon Bell ran for 236 yards and three touchdowns.

Browns Offense vs Bills Defense

The Browns should run the ball a ton this week and should limit the deep shots down field. Isaiah Crowell ran for 113 yards last week on only 10 carries. The Browns should give Crowell more carries and continue to run the read option with Griffin. Using the read-option opened up the inside run game for Crowell and it also kept the defense honest while trying to get into the backfield. The Browns should run more this week because of the weather for this game. The temps will be cold, but per weather.com Buffalo will be expecting 20mph winds Sunday.

Griffin passing the ball is going to be interesting. He needs to take what the defense gives him. So not throwing the ball into double coverage down field just to take shots, but to use Gary Barnidge and the running backs to keep the offense from being in third and long. This doesn't mean Griffin shouldn't target Corey Coleman or Terrelle Pyror, but he should pick his spots then to target them.

Lastly, Griffin needs to use his legs this game, whether in the read-option (like stated above) or scrambling when plays break down. Its important for the Browns to limit the third and long situations and that falls on the hands of Griffin. i.e. 2nd and 8 and Griffin scrambles for four yards, setting up 3rd and 4.


Browns Defense vs Bills Offense

The Bills are the number one rushing team in the league and the Browns are 31st in stopping the run so it could set up a long day for the Browns defense. The only good thing about it is that the Bills are 31st in passing offense so it makes them one-dimensional. The Bills running game is headlined by LeSean McCoy who is 24 yards away from 1000 for the season. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor is also a threat in the running game. Taylor has 471 rushing yards and is averaging 6.2 yards/carry.  So the Browns will need to assign someone to be a "spy" for Taylor.

The Bills have some weapons in the passing game, including running back LeSean McCoy who is second on the team in catches. Receiver Robert Woods and tight end Charles Clay are the other weapons Taylor likes to use at times. Also former first round pick Sammy Watkins is finally healthy so his production should increase.


Five Guys to Watch

Robert Griffin III: RGIII in his second game back is probably the number one guy to watch this week. Hopefully he learns from his mistakes and just takes what the Bills give him. And lets hope he can get into some type of rhythm and not force deep shots down field constantly.

Isaiah Crowell: Since the weather is going to be terrible for this game Crowell should get more than 10 carries this week. The Browns will need to rely on a run heavy game plan which should feature Crowell.

Jonathan Cooper: Cooper started his first game for the Browns, which was also his first start since November of last year. He played really well and helped set up holes for Crowell last week. If Cooper continues to play well the Browns might have found a starting right guard going forward.

Christian Kirksey: Kirksey will be important in both the run game and the passing game. At times he should be assigned to "spy" on quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and he will be in the middle of a lot of plays considering the amount of times the Bills run the ball.

Danny Shelton: Shelton will set the tone for the run defense this week. If he can't do his job well then its going to be a long game for the Browns this week.

Injury Report
Weather Report
Betting Line:  Buffalo -10


Prediction:  27-20 Bills

I don't think the Browns will play terrible this week but the young team will fall short once again. This seems like one of those games where RGIII tries again to do too much and ends up costing the Browns. But this game should set up something positive for the Christmas Eve game against the Chargers which the Browns have a really good chance of pulling out a victory.

Browns Preview 12.9.16: Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

The 4-7-1 Cincinnati Bengals travel to Cleveland to take on the 0-12 Browns, who are coming off of a bye week. The Browns announced that Robert Griffin III will be the starter Sunday with rookie Cody Kessler has his backup. Griffin started week one against the Eagles and went 12/26 for 190 yards and one interception before suffering a fractured bone in his non-throwing shoulder which sidelined him until now. The Bengals are coming off of a 32-14 win against the Eagles were they picked off rookie Carson Wentz three times.


Browns Offense vs Bengals Defense

Its unknown what the Browns are going to feature offensively. Griffin will have some rust to start off, so the Browns will have to run the ball, even though its not usually their game plan. It doesn't matter whether its Isaiah Crowell or Duke Johnson getting the bulk of the carries, the Browns need to protect Griffin this week and the next three weeks if they want a realistic shot of winning a game this year. Duke Johnson should get the most touches this game considering he has the better yards per carry between the two and his a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield.

The passing game should be interesting to watch. Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman will be the main targets for Griffin which is expected, but considering the time off for Griffin his chemistry/timing could be off with his wideouts. Griffin needs to protect the ball and himself this game, so checking down, sliding when scrambling, and throwing the ball away will be extremely important.


Browns Defense vs Bengals Offense

Its unknown if AJ Green will play this week for the Bengals but whether or not he plays, the Browns main focus should be stopping the running game. Earlier this year, the Bengals ran for 271 yards on 30 attempts against the Browns and Jeremy Hill had 168 of those 271 yards. If the Browns don't stop the run game they have no chance this week.

Andy Dalton is prone to throw interceptions at times, hopefully the Browns can force him into a mistake and then capitalize on it. If AJ Green doesn't play, rookie Tyler Boyd and Brandon LaFell will start at receiver. Both have 40+ catches on the year and are solid targets for Dalton.


Five Guys to Watch

Robert Griffin III: Griffin is going to be someone to watch the next four games. There is still a small chance Griffin can win over the front office and coaching staff and become the quarterback for the future. If the Browns win one of these four games its going to be because of Griffin.

Christian Kirksey: Kirksey is one of the leaders on defense and has really grown this year. He's going to need to play extremely well in the run game for the Browns to stop the two headed monster (Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard). Kirksey will also be matched up against Tyler Eifert.

Johnathan Cooper: Cooper is a former first round pick who will be starting for the first time for the Browns. Cooper has a lot to prove but with Greco down for the year, he has an opportunity to prove he isn't a bust.

Corey Coleman: It will be interesting to see how he looks after a week off. Coleman seems to be growing and his play is improving. Also Hue Jackson said Coleman might be used as a punt returner too.

Joe Haden: Whether or not AJ Green plays, Haden will need to lock down who ever he's covering. Haden should have a really good game this week and maybe even an interception because the Browns need their defensive play makers to make some plays for them to get a win this week.

Injury Report
Weather
Betting Line: Cincinnati -5.5


Prediction: 28-17 Bengals

The Browns should play well this week but unfortunately fall to 0-13. Griffin should start out rusty but end the game playing fairly well. The Browns are going to win a game this season, but its not going to be this week.

Browns Preview 11.4.16: Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

The (6-1) Dallas Cowboys travel to Cleveland to take on the (0-8) Browns. Last week the Cowboys beat the Eagles 29-23 in overtime. The Browns lost 31-28 last week to the Jets. The Browns will have Corey Coleman back for this week. And Jamie Collins is expected to make his Browns debut.


Browns Offense vs Cowboys Defense

The Browns are expected to start Cody Kessler this week. Last week, the starter was a returning Josh McCown, who threw for 341 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Cowboys are ranked 18th in pass defense and the Browns should have some success. In week two with McCown, Corey Coleman caught five passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Last week, Pryor caught six passes for 101 yards. With a complete passing game along with guys like Barnidge, Johnson, and Hawkins the Browns will have to score a ton of points to keep it close.

With a struggling running game, the Browns might be forced to throw the ball a ton, The Browns are going to have run the ball some, but don't expect a lot of carries. Duke Johnson should get a ton of snaps because of his ability to catch the ball out of the back field, and hopefully keep the Dallas defense honest at times.

To win this game, whether its Cody Kessler or Josh McCown, will have to take care of the football. His four interceptions this year, is one of the main reasons the Browns lost his two starts. If McCown can just play smart and not force anything, he can keep them in this game.


Browns Defense vs Cowboys Offense

Defensively the Browns are going to struggle. They give up the second most yards on the ground per game and Ezekiel Elliott is the number one rusher in the league. All Dallas needs to do this week is hand the ball off to Elliott. It might be that easy for Dallas this week. As long as Elliott keeps hold of the ball, he should have a huge game on the ground...Jamie Collins should help a little, but he's only 1/11 guys on the field.

Dallas should have a good game in the passing game. The Browns struggle with covering the slot receiver and tight end, and Dak Prescott's main targets are Cole Beasley and Jason Witten. They have 67 catches between them and four touchdowns. Also running back Zeke Elliott is really good at catching the ball out of the backfield and is already one of the best pass protecting running backs in the league.

The Browns will need to force turnovers and can't give up dumb plays. If the Browns can force a couple of turnovers then maybe and stop the Dallas defense on third and long then maybe the Browns can pull off the win. It may seem like a trap game for Dallas but with rookies Dak Prescott and Elliott along with vets like Dez Bryant and Jason Witten that would seem unlikely.


Five Guys to Watch

Corey Coleman: First game back since week two, He had success with McCown at quarterback and with the threat of Pryor...it should open up an opportunity for him. Also this is a good time for him to knock the dust off and start the second half of the season refreshed.

Duke Johnson: Johnson should get most of the snaps this week. He is a threat in the passing game and will need some carries to open up the passing game. Also with McCown needing to play it safe, Johnson is the main target for check down passes.

Jamie Collins: Unsure how much he will play, but he's already the Browns best player on defense. Its that simple.

Christian Kirksey: Kirksey has grown into a really solid linebacker. He will need to have a big game in the run defense to help stop Zeke from running wild.

Ray Horton: The defensively play-calling will determine how this game goes. Will the Browns sell out on the run and force Prescott to beat them or be more balanced.


Injury Report
Weather:
Betting Line: Dallas -7


Predictions

Dallas 35 - Browns 17

Browns fall to 0-9 and are getting closer to their quest for imperfection. The Browns will have no answer for Dallas' running game this week. But if you have either Pryor or Coleman on your fantasy team it might be good to start them because they will get a lot of targets and should get you some points in garbage time. Let's just hope the Browns stay healthy this week since the Browns have a Thursday night game in Baltimore next week.

On The Mark 9.19.16: Browns vs. Ravens Recap

Big first quarter lead becomes end of game bust as Browns lose 25-20 to the Ravens
By Mark West, @Markw2112

Different coaches, different players, same result.  The Cleveland Browns, who always seem to find a way to lose, did it once again against the Baltimore Ravens with a 25-20 loss that saw the Browns start out with 3 quick touchdowns in the first quarter.  Those would be the only points the Browns would score for the rest of the game.  The Ravens would come back and score 25 unanswered points to win the game.  The 2 point safety was from a blocked extra point that was taken back.

Josh McCown started once again for the Browns and was extremely accurate in that first quarter.  But he was hit very hard throughout the game and appears to have hurt his left shoulder, which would be the same injury that Robert Griffin III suffered in week 1.  But he continued to play the entire game, going 22-of-33 for 260 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  Both touchdowns went to Corey Coleman, first one on a 31 yard bomb and the second, on a shorter one from the red zone that he scrapped and fought for.  

Isaiah Crowell had a big day with 133 yards and an 85 yard touchdown. Terrelle Pryor had 3 catches for 32 yards.  In the fourth quarter, with the Browns down 5 and needing a touchdown, McCown threw a bullet on the sideline to Pryor who caught it and went out of bounds.  As he was delivering the ball to the ref, it bounced off the defenders head and the ref coming in threw a flag for taunting.  It was offset due to a penalty by the Ravens.  The next throw was an interception to end the game.

Joe Flacco was his effective self against the Browns, going 25-of-45 with 302 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, both by Haden.  Dennis Pitta lead all Ravens receivers with 102 receiving yards.  Mike Wallace lead with 2 touchdowns.  Justin Tucker had 3 field goals including a 52 yard bomb which could have gone over 60 yards.

My thoughts:  Browns tank continues.  While growth can be seen, especially with Corey Coleman, the Browns just couldn't keep the lead and lost it in the worst possible way.  Josh McCown will more than likely be out for a while after getting hit hard multiple times on his left shoulder.  McCown is a true pro's pro, but this might have been his only game this season.  The Browns defense did somewhat better this week, with Joe Haden getting 2 picks.  But Joe Flacco was able to pick apart the Browns secondary.  They didn't record a sack and it appears that Carl Nassib may miss some time with injury.  The way the game ended was just another typical Browns ending.  So close yet so far away.

Player of the game:  Josh McCown, who soldiered on with a bad left shoulder.  If only he was 10 years younger.

Play of the game:  A 35 yard bomb from McCown to Corey Coleman in the back of the end zone.  The first of his career.

Play of the game 2:  Isaiah Crowell's 85 yard touchdown run.

Next: at Miami, against the Dolphins at 1 PM.

On The Mark 9.12.16: Browns @ Eagles Recap

Carson Wentz, Eagles claw the Browns 29-10 in another season opening loss
By Mark West, @Markw2112

Hello Browns fans, welcome to the 2016 season.  Or, as it might be called, another Season Of Horrors.

The Browns gutted their team of veterans on defense and have a new quarterback on offense with Robert Griffin III as the 25th starting quarterback since 1999.  New head coach Hue Jackson was supposed to bring an exciting offense to the table.  That, however, was not really shown in this season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and their new quarterback, Carson Wentz.  

While RG3 struggled with new receivers, Carson Wentz went to town against a very young Browns defense and looked like a grizzled veteran in his first ever NFL start.  The #2 pick in the draft, Wentz was passed on by the Browns who thought he wasn't a top 20 pick.  The joke's on the Browns and their Harvard grad front office.  Wentz threw for  278 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, both to receiver Jordan Matthews who scorched veteran DB Joe Haden both times.  He looked cool and confident for most of the game. Ryan Matthews also contributed 77 yards and a touchdown.

RG3, meanwhile, had some good throws to start the game but looked lost after the second half.  He ended the day with 190 yards passing, no touchdowns and 1 interception.  He was sacked 3 times and under pressure more often than not.  Corey Coleman did have 2 catches for 69 yards in his first start. Terrelle Pryor had 2 excellent catches but was held to 1 catch in the second with 68 total yards. Isaiah Crowell had 62 yards rushing and a touchdown but most of those yards came in garbage time at the of the game.  Duke Johnson, who looked light years ahead of Crowell, had 50 total yards. 

In more "only the Browns" moments, Cam Erving, the 19th pick in the 2015 draft, snapped the ball over RG3's head which was then kicked out of bounds for a safety.  But the biggest boneheaded mistake was a fake punt that the Eagles sniffed out with the greatest of ease.  It ended in a field goal for the Eagles.

My thoughts:  Again, this team is a gigantic mess.  Hue Jackson has his work cut out for him.  With as bad as the team was, dropped balls and missed opportunities killed the offense.  Two of those drops were by Gary Barnidge, who was a non factor all game.  Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman could make a nice tandem if RG3 is given time.  On defense, Danny Shelton looked like a pile of marshmallows.  But Carl Nassib was a force for most of the game.  Emmanuel Ogbah also had some very good moments.  Joe Haden, though, was toasted by Jordan Matthews more often than not.  If this team isn't tanking, it's a fact that it's just not good.  At all.  

Player of the game:  Carson Wentz.  Paul DePodosta and his "not a top 20 pick" comments must have gone through Wentz's head as he was fantastic all game long.  The kid has a bright future. Meanwhile, the Browns are still searching for their franchise QB.

Play of the game:  Carson Wentz's first touchdown pass of his career to Jordan Matthews.

Second play of the game:  Corey Coleman's first catch on a 58 yard bomb.

Fun fact:  The Browns are now 0-12 since 2005 on the first game of the year.

Next up:  Browns play their home opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, 9/18 at 1 PM.  Get the liquor ready.

Browns Preview: Cleveland Browns @ Phiadelphia Eagles

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

The Cleveland Browns led by new Head Coach Hue Jackson take on the Philadelphia Eagles and their new Head Coach Doug Peterson. This game has a lot of first considering both teams are in the process of rebuilding. Also this is the first game for rookie quarterback Carson Wentz who was taken number two overall by the Eagles after completing a trade with the Browns last April.

Browns Offense vs. Eagles Defense

The Browns offense will be based on the run game. Isaiah Crowell is expected to get a huge chuck of the carries this Sunday. Now against the Eagles and their wide 9 defensive scheme the Browns might have some trouble with stretch runs on either side of the ball. The Eagles have a solid defensive line highlighted by Fletcher Cox and Connor Barwin. Cox is arguably one of the best defensive tackles in the game and just signed a 6yr/103 million dollar extension this off-season. How and why are these two guys a problem for the Browns to have success in this game? Look at who they are matched up with: Cox and John Greco will be matched up and the same with Barwin and right tackle Austin Pasztor. On paper, the right side of the Browns offensive line will struggle against these two so it will b up to Crowell to take advantage of every hole they can create. The Eagles are also very athletic. Barwin and Brandon Graham are former outside linebackers in a 3-4 defense and since the wide 9 in now implemented they are now defensive ends. And along side of Cox and Bennie Logan the Browns could struggle to start the game.

Where there is hope offensively, is the passing game. If quarterback Robert Griffin III can stay upright the Browns could have a field day. Yes the starting receivers Corey Coleman and Terrelle Pryor are making their first starts, but the threat of Pryor down the field and ability of Duke Johnson to catch the ball out of the back field will give the Browns some balance. By balance I mean the way the Eagles will have to defend the passing game. Whether that is having a safety over the top and RGIII dumping down to Johnson or Gary Barnidge or its press-man coverage and throwing the ball down the field for Pryor or Coleman to run it down. Now saying all this the key is keeping RGIII upright. If the Browns O-line can give him some time RGIII will make the right decisions, whether its checking down or just throwing the ball away.

The last key for the offense is to prolong drives. The Browns were terrible converting third downs during the preseason. They won't be able to bank on the big plays down field all the time this year.

Browns Defense vs Eagles Offense

The Eagles are starting rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, who only played in one preseason game before injuring his ribs. The Eagles have a really good offensive line even without right tackle Lane Johnson. Expect a high dose of running back Ryan Mathews this game. The Browns defense during the preseason couldn't stop the run. It will be the most important thing to do it this game. They need to force Wentz to pass the ball so defensive coordinator Ray Horton can call up the blitz. Blitzing Wentz and forcing him into mistakes will give the Browns a great opportunity to win this game. Now some of the other weapons for the Eagles are tight ends Brent Celek and Zack Ertz. Tight ends are the safety blanket for quarterbacks so expect a lot of dink and dunks to those two.

Also backup running back Darren Sproles (yes that Darren Sproles). Sproles is still really good catching the ball out of the backfield and for the same reason as the tight ends expect him to catch a handful of balls this game. I won't expect the Eagles to throw the ball down field as much even though they have solid receivers in Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor. Passes down field will give the Browns an opportunity to get to Wentz which is what the Eagles might want to avoid for many reason including his inexperience, lack of practice time, and the injury he is recovering from.

Wentz will try and be a game manager on Sunday. The Eagles want to see what they have in him but if he can't get it done there is a possibility backup quarterback Chase Daniels gets into the game.   Yes it is a long shot but if  the game is close and Wentz isn't playing well the Eagles might go to Daniels for the win...yes, Chase Daniels for the win.

Five Guys to Watch

Joe Haden: This is Haden's first game back since the middle of last year. This is also a put up or shut up year for him. If he want to reclaim his spot as an elite cornerback it starts this game going up against Wentz.

Cam Erving: This will be his first game as a full time center. Can he control the o-line and make the correct adjustments? Well time will tell which is why he's a guy to watch.

Corey Coleman: The first round pick out of Baylor and the first pick of Hue Jackson and company. Coleman has a ton of talent and balled out during training camp but he did struggle during the preseason games. If he can catch 5-8 passes and go for 70 yards it will be a solid debut. Its important to get him into a rhythm early so he doesn't get discouraged.

Carl Nassib: Can Nassib continue to ball out as he did during the preseason. Yes he won't be starting but on passing downs he will be on the field because he has a nose for the quarterback.

Robert Griffin III: This will be his first regular season game since 2014. Griffin looked solid during the preseason. Lets hope he continues to develop and can correctly read defenses. Also like stated before its important for him to take what the defense gives him and throwing the ball away is ok.


Injury Report 
Weather
Line: Browns +3.5 *subject to change

Prediction

The Browns are going to win this game 27-21. They will create havoc for Carson Wentz which will force him into some bad throws. The Browns who finally have some weapons on offense will take advantage of the takeaways. Griffin will throw for 250+ yards and two touchdowns. And Crowell will run for a touchdown. Also expect a trick play with Terrelle Pryor either throwing the ball or running it out of the "wildcat" formation. Its important for Hue Jackson to start out 1-0 and if the Browns win it will be their first opening day win since 2004.