On The Mark 10.24.16: Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals Recap

0 for 7; The Browns lose yet again, 30-17, to the Bengals, and also lose another QB
By Mark West, @Markw2112

The Cleveland Browns are headed towards a historic 2016 season.  Sadly, this history might be one of the worst teams in NFL history.  The Browns have now lost all 7 of their games, this time to the Cincinnati Bengals, 30-17 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.  The Bengals, who have had issues of their own, were able to completely maul the Browns on both sides of the ball.  

Cody Kessler started the game and, when time allowed him, looked good yet again.  Yet the offensive line was over matched by the Bengals defensive line and Kessler paid the price.  On an excellent shovel pass to Gary Barnidge, he was hit in the head then hit his head to the ground by defender Domata Peko in the second quarter.  He went 9-of-11 for 82 yards before being knocked out of the game and in to concussion protocol.

When Kessler went down, in came 4th string QB Kevin Hogan, who had a few excellent runs in a wild cat formation usually reserved for Terrelle Pryor.  Hogan tried to lead the team with his feet as he was the leading rusher with 108 yards and a touchdown.  Passing, he was 12-of-24 for 100 yards and 2 interceptions.  Gary Barnidge led all receivers with 66 yards.  Terrelle Pryor, fighting a hamstring issue, only had 2 catches for 18 yards.

For the Bengals, it was all too easy on the offensive side.  With Joe Haden sidelined yet again with an injury, Andy Dalton (19-of-28, 308 yards, 2 TD's) had no problem connecting with A.J. Green, who ended his day with 169 yards and an amazing Hail Mary touchdown to end the first half to make it 28-17 going in to halftime.  Jeremy Hill also ran for 168 yards on 9 attempts while Gio Bernard had a touchdown with 80 yards rushing.  The Bengals had 559 total yards against the Browns depleted defense.

The Browns will play the Jets next Sunday, in Cleveland, at 1 PM.

On The Mark 10.17.16: Cleveland Browns @ Tennessee Titans Recap

Browns close, but still come up short in loss to Titans 28-26
By Mark West, @Markw2112

The Cleveland Browns remain win less in the 2016 season by losing to the Tennessee Titans 28-26 in Nashville.  However, there were more signs that perhaps the Browns aren't as far off to becoming a competitive team.

Starting in his third game, Cody Kessler continues to improve week after week, going 26-of-40 for 306 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was pressured all day long but still able to play at a high level.  He was helped by Terrelle Pryor who had 75 receiving yards and caught both touchdown passes, including 1 in double coverage.  The Browns made a game of it at the end with 2 touchdowns along with a recovered onside kick.  However, they missed the 2 point conversion before the onside kick then were not able to recover a second onside kick, assuring victory to the Titans.

The biggest issue on offense continued to be the running game, with Isaiah Crowell only rushing for 16 yards on 9 carries.  The offensive line, which has been decimated by injury, couldn't get the holes for the running backs nor protect Kessler very well, giving up 6 sacks and allowing Kessler to be hit 5 more times.

Marcus Mariota also had a very solid game for the Titans, going 17-of-24 for 284 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.  His biggest pass was to Kenny Wright, who dove for the ball, caught it, then staggered in for the touchdown since the defenders were almost 10 yards from him.  It was not a good day for the Browns secondary who were scorched multiple times by Mariota and his receivers, especially Wright and Rishard Matthews, who had 70 yards receiving a touchdown.  

On a better note, the Browns were able to contain Demarco Murray to 65 yards rushing on 21 attempts.  The longest run attempt they gave up was to Mariota who ran for 41 yards to start the game.  The game also saw Emmanuel Ogbah and Danny Shelton record the first sacks of their careers.

My take:  The Browns, while still without a win, are improving.  Hue Jackson has them playing scrappy and tough.  Cody Kessler, who Jackson said to "trust" him on when he was drafted, has proven to be a young leader at quarterback.  He has improved week after week and while he was hit hard many times on Sunday afternoon, he got back up and almost led the Browns to an improbable tie with 2 touchdown drives at the end of the game.  It's exactly what the Browns have been searching for the last 18 seasons.  The biggest issue for the Browns continues to be the patch work offensive line, with Cam Erving, just coming back from bruised lung, looking lost and allowed Kessler to be hit several times with bad blocking.  The other issue is the young secondary, who continue to give up big plays which cost the Browns the game.  But you can see that there are marked improvements from last year.  It is still a work in progress.

Player of the game:  Cody Kessler, with his 306 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He looks to be a keeper with his accuracy and smart play.

Next Up:  Next Sunday at 1 P.M., the Browns travel to Cincinnati to play the Bengals for the first time this year.  It's the first trip back for Hue Jackson since becoming the Browns head coach.

On The Mark 10.10.16: New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns Recap

Guess who's back?  The Patriots dismantle the Browns 33-13 as Tom Brady returns from suspension
By Mark West, @Markw2112

Today was the day many in the NFL waited for, the return of the New England Patriots Tom Brady from his 4 game suspension for his part in "Deflategate" 2 years ago with their Super Bowl win.  And, like clockwork, Brady stepped in like he never left, destroying the Cleveland Browns defense on it's way to a decisive 33-13 win.  The Browns were never any match for the Patriots either on offense or defense.

Brady finished the game 28-of-40 for 406 yards and 3 touchdowns.  He made it look effortless against a Browns defense that stood no chance.  He threw to 7 different receivers, including Martellus Bennett who caught all 3 of Brady's touchdowns.  Chris Hogan and Rob Gronkowski both had over 100 yards rushing with Gronk setting up the first touchdown of the day by shedding blockers like they were paper dolls.  

As for the Browns, it was a step backwards against the mighty Patriots.  Cody Kessler had a good start, going 5-of-8 for 62 yards with a touchdown to Andrew Hawkins.  However, Kessler would leave the game with neck and chest pain after a blown call led to a crushing sack, making Kessler lose the ball which then went out of bounds in the end zone for a safety.  Bring in Charlie Whitehurst, just signed a few weeks ago, who would lead the Browns to a late game touchdown but wasn't very effective.  He did go for 14-of-24 for 182 yards and that touchdown and an interception Near the end of the game, Whitehurst was hurt which led to Terrelle Pryor to be the third quarterback of the day for a series.

The run game, which had been so good the previous weeks, was shut to a stand still by the Patriots line.  Isaiah Crowell only rushed for 22 yards on 13 carries.

Thoughts: It was a step backwards for the Browns.  The worst part was having 3 quarterbacks in one game due to injuries. Injuries, bad luck and no respect from the referees can be blamed, but the biggest reason why the Browns are so bad is the lack of talent on the roster.  It's going to take years for the Browns to get any kind of respectability.  The long road keeps getting longer though.  

Player of the game: Tom Brady was unstoppable.  

Next up:  the Browns travel to Tennessee to play the Titans next week at 1 PM.

On The Mark 10.3.16: Cleveland Browns @ Washington Redskins Recap

Growing pains prove too painful for the Browns who fall to the Redskins 31-20
By Mark West, @Markw2112


The Cleveland Browns, 0-3 before today's match up with the Washington Redskins, had hopes and even some momentum after just losing to the Miami Dolphins last week.  But with 3 turnovers and mental mistakes, the Browns ended up on the losing of this contest, with the Redskins winning 31-20 after putting up 14 unanswered points to end the game.  

Cody Kessler, with his second start, looked solid for most of the game, going 28/40 for 223 yards with a touchdown and interception.  It was his first career interception (picked by Josh Norman) and it helped seal the game for the Redskins.  Before then, he was 7/7 on third downs and looked accurate and solid from the pocket.  He was only sacked once and wasn't hit nearly as much as he was last week against Miami.

Isaiah Crowell continued his solid season, with 15 carries, 112 yards and a touchdown.  He burst through big holes from the offensive line and fought his way when the blocking broke down for extra yards.  

Terrelle Pryor had a touchdown along with 46 yards receiving while Barnidge lead all receivers with 57 yards on 7 receptions.

The defense really had no answer for Kirk Cousins or running back Matt Jones.  Cousins was 21/27 for 183 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception while Jones pounded his way to 117 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.

There were several controversies and questionable calls against the Browns.  The first was when the Browns, driving to take a 10 point lead, gave fullback Malcolm Johnson his first carry of the year.  He fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Redskins.  They would then go down the field for a touchdown to make it 24-20.  The second was a phantom fumble that was "recovered" by Redskins even though Duke Johnson recovered his own fumble and was up with the ball when the referee made the call.

 Later, Hue Jackson was told that the replay officials told the referees it was the correct call.  In videos, you can see Duke Johnson with the ball and the referee signal Redskins ball even though the defender didn't even have it.  The third was a Joe Haden pass interference call while he was looking at the ball in the air to try to intercept it.  The Redskins were able to score once again.

My thoughts: The Browns may be winless, but they do leave everything on the field.  Hue Jackson has these guys playing with heart and passion. That said, their limited talent at this is holding them back along with mental mistakes and questionable play calling.  Why have Malcolm Johnson carry the ball when Isaiah Crowell was doing so splendidly, especially when trying to go up by 10?  But the biggest question mark of all is the officiating.  How do you say that a fumble by Duke Johnson was turned over to the Redskins even though he came up with the ball?  It's one of so many bizarre things to happen the Browns over the last 18 seasons.  And, quite frankly, it's getting old.  The Browns have to earn respect, but they should also be officiated as fairly as they officiate the New England Patriots.  It just seems that the officials take the Browns far less seriously than any other team in the NFL.

Player of the game: Isaiah Crowell, with his 112 yards rushing and touchdown

Play of the game: Cody Kessler's touchdown pass to Terrelle Pryor after a Jamir Taylor interception.

Next up: The Browns are back home to play the New England Patriots.  This will be the first game for Tom Brady after his 4 game suspension. Get your popcorn ready.

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.

On The Mark 3.25.16: Cleveland Browns Offseason #Browns #RG3

Browns sign Robert Griffin III to a 2 year deal, first round pick now up in the air
By Mark West, @MarkW2112

The Cleveland Browns, with new head coach Hue Jackson leading the way, have signed Robert Griffin III to a 2 year, $15 million contract with incentives that could lead to a total of $22 million.  It's a big splash for a team that said they wouldn't make any during this offseason. Jackson has said that during the private workout, he said he"felt the earth shake" with the way RG3 was able to roll out and hit his practice receivers.  RG3 also has said he sees this as a new opportunity for him to restart his career.  He said he is open to the Browns selecting a quarterback with the 2nd pick of the 2016 NFL draft, stating he would "take him under his wing".  

My opinion: This is a great signing for the Browns.  Obviously, many are of the mindset that RG3 lost his starting job to fourth round pick Kirk Cousins and that he was a locker room cancer.  My opinion is this; he's a low risk, high reward signing that has better leadership upside than Johnny Manziel and gives the Browns options with the #2 pick in the draft.  Hue Jackson is a "quarterback whisperer" and has had huge success with quarterbacks he's worked with, especially the last 2 years with Andy Dalton in Cincinnati.

While the term "locker room cancer" has been thrown around RG3, he never once acted out against his coaches and took his benching in stride. It's possible the experience has humbled him and that he is ready for a new chapter in his life.

The biggest issues facing him are the key losses of Alex Mack at center and Mitchell Schwartz at right tackle.  There is the unknown with Cameron Erving, who was less than average last year and will be looked at as the new center as well as Austin Pasztor, who was solid at which ever line position he played last year but is still a bit of an unknown at right tackle.  Even bigger than that is the wide receiver core the Browns have right now. Currently, their best receiver is Gary Barnidge, the tight end. Josh Gordon is still an unknown (though the Browns are moving forward without him) and there are no other real number 1 type receivers on the roster.  It would appear that things won't be easy for RG3.

Unless Jackson, Sashi Brown and the rest of the Browns front office have a plan that they aren't leading on, this will more than likely be a tough year for Griffin.  He must have been sold on the plan for 2016 if he had enough faith to come to Cleveland, where he has the possibility of being the 25th starting quarterback since 1999.

In the end, it remains that the Browns have a quarterback that they didn't need to trade crucial draft picks for.  It also gives them the chance to perhaps select a quarterback later in the draft and use the 2nd pick for a player like Jalen Ramsey or even trade down with the potential of getting more draft picks.  With this signing, the draft appears to be up in the air.  

On The Mark 1.4.16: #Browns v. #Steelers Recap

Another year, another loss to the Steelers who beat the Browns 28-12, advance to playoffs
By @MarkW2112


The Cleveland Browns, on what became Mike Pettine's last game as head coach, were soundly defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-12. Austin Davis started and was, for the most part, played OK, but was under pressure most of the game and finished 24-of-46 passing with 2 interceptions and no touchdowns.

Isiah Crowell and Duke Johnson were somewhat effective but not used nearly enough since the Steelers defense stacked the line knowing that there was no chance Davis could beat them. Crowell had 53 yards rushing on 15 carries while Johnson had 11 yards rushing and 34 passing yards. Gary Barnidge led all receivers with 66 yards. The Browns offense got to the red zone 4 times but couldn't score touchdowns, only field goals.

On the other end, Ben Roethelisberger had no problems passing the ball, going 24-of-36 for 349 yards, 187 of those yards going to Antonio Brown, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The Browns defensive secondary was MIA once again with Big Ben having his way all day.

My take: Jimmy Haslam has torched the entire organization and starting from scratch. Head coach Mike Pettine, GM Ray Farmer and President Alec Scheiner are all gone and new people will be brought in, including new executive VP of football operations, Sashi Brown. The only issue is who wants to come to a toxic situation like the Browns? For us Browns fans, this is going to be another long offseason with a lot of anger and disappointment with who is hired and which players leave the Browns. It's very possible the Browns may be even worse next year.

People of the game: Those poor Browns fans who stuck around to see Steelers fans cheering the fact that their team was going to the playoffs once again.

Next for the Browns: The unknown as the Browns will have the #2 pick in the draft and lose many players like Alex Mack and possibly Joe Thomas.

As a side note, it's been fun writing once more for Triple Threat Cleveland. Hope to see you next season!

On The Mark 11.29.15: #Buckeyes vs #Michigan Recap #OSUvsMICH

Hail to the Victors! Ohio State destroys Michigan in The Big House 42-13
By @MarkW2112

Yes, we all know The Victors is the Michigan fight song. But on this day, in Ann Arbor, at Michigan Stadium, it was the Ohio State Buckeyes who were the victors. And what a win it was, as they destroyed the Wolverines 42-13 in a game where the Buckeyes ran over Michigan's defense like a hot knife to butter. It was won in the trenches, with Ezekiel Elliot running for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns and J.T. Barrett running for an additional 139 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. He also threw for a touchdown on a beautiful pass over the defenders head and in to the waiting hands of Jalin Marshall. The Buckeyes offensive line had no problem opening holes for the rushers today as they had last week against Michigan State.

It was the first game for coach Jim Harbaugh against Urban Meyer. It was supposed to be a match set up like Bo Schembechler vs. Woody Hayes. Instead, it was another nightmare for Michigan fans who've seen the likes of Lloyd Carr and Brady Hoke take a beating from Ohio State over the last decade. Quarterback Jake Rudock looked sharp to the start, especially on a beautiful touchdown pass to Jehu Chesson, who led all receivers with 111 yards receiving. Other than a few nice receptions by Jake Butt, the Ohio State defense held their ground all day long, holding all Michigan running backs to a total of 57 yards. Rudock had his day finished early after former high school teammate Joey Bosa, who blew by the offensive tackle to hit Rudock in to the Big House turf. Wilton Speight took over for the rest of game, including an interception to Bosa after batting the ball to himself and almost taking it to the end zone. Adolphis Washington was also disruptive, getting to Rudock many times during the game. It was a hugely disappointing beginning to the Harbaugh era.

My take: This is how the Buckeyes should have played all year. Offensively, it was the best game of the year, especially against a top 10 opponent. J.T. Barrett and Ezekiel Elliot were outstanding today. It seems that having Tim Beck and Ed Warinner up in the booth together was exactly what the offense needed. It's just too bad they couldn't have figured this out before losing to Michigan State, who beat Penn State to win the B1G Eastern division. If there is somehow some luck on the Buckeyes side, there is a very slim chance they could make it to the 4 team playoff. But they blew the opportunity by playing so poorly against Michigan State. The consolation prize is going to the Rose Bowl, a place that meant so much to both the Buckeyes and Michigan in years past.

Player of the game: Ezekiel Elliot. After criticizing the coaches after the heartbreaking loss to Michigan State, Elliot manned up and plowed through Michigan defenders on his way to a 30 carry, 214 yard day. He surpassed Eddie George with the second most rushing yards of any Ohio State player, only behind Archie Griffin. He will be missed in Columbus but his career in the NFL will be one to watch.

Play of the game: While it didn't score a touchdown, Ezekiel Elliot's 66 yard run in the first half seemed to give the push the Buckeyes needed on offense.

Next for the Buckeyes: To be determined.

On The Mark 11.22.15: #Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Recap

Ugly day leads to ugly loss for the Buckeyes 17-14 to Michigan State
By @MarkW2112

It was Senior Day in Columbus but there was also a feeling that this would be the last game for such talent as juniors Ezekiel Elliot and Joey Bosa. The way the Buckeyes played, it was a very disappointing day for all involved as a stagnant offense couldn't really do much against the stout Michigan State defense.  In the end, the Spartans won 17-14 due to bad offensive play calls and mistakes on defense.

J.T. Barrett may have had one of his worse performances since last years Virginia Tech game.  He passed for only 46 yards and ran 15 times for 44 more.  It was definitely a day he would like to forget.  What was worse was that Ezekiel Elliot only ran 12 times for 33 yards, ending his 15 game streak of rushing for 100 yards or more.  It seemed that the offensive coaches were mostly concentrating on having Barrett run the option out of the backfield instead of trying to get it Elliot.  Elliot was able to get a touchdown after a fumble recovery by the defense while Barrett threw a touchdown to Jalin Marshall after a fumbled punt set them up within the 5 yard line.  But for most of the day, it was 3 and out as they could not establish any kind of pattern.

The defense played as well as they could.  Connor Cook did not start to Michigan State went with a 2 quarterback system of Tyler O'Connell and Damion Terry.  They combined to move the ball for 90 yards passing and 50 yards rushing.  It was workhorse running back Gerald Holmes who led with 65 yards and a touchdown and help set them up for the final field goal to win the game.  Joey Bosa, playing his last game in Columbus, also jumped off sides 4 times during the game but was disruptive most of the game.  But, when it counted, Michigan State was able to make just enough plays to set themselves up for the win.

My take:  The Buckeyes offense was obviously affected by the wet weather.  But it was still no excuse for them to run basic plays over and over again as it seemed they forgot they had a stout running back in Ezekiel Elliot and, instead, put the game in to J.T. Barrett's hands.  It was a disaster.  The defense was good but not good enough to stop Michigan State from going on long touchdown drives after they were given leads.  It was a heartbreaking way for the seniors and juniors that are leaving early to go in the NFL to end their time at the Horseshoe.  But this team has been off all year, especially on offense, since Tom Herman left to become the head coach of Houston.  It was a fun year but, sadly, the Buckeyes failed to win which pretty much puts them out of a playoff spot this year. 

Player(s) of the game:  Michigan State.  They did just enough to beat the Buckeyes on a cold and rainy day.  It was a full team effort.

Next for the Buckeyes:  The Game against That Team Up North in Ann Arbor, next Saturday at Noon.

On The Mark 11.16.15: #Browns vs. #Steelers Recap

No surprise as the Steelers crush the Browns 30-9
By @MarkW2112

The Cleveland Browns, playing in Pittsburgh, went down once again to the Steelers 30-9. But, in Browns fashion, they were beat by Pittsburgh "backup" quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was active but behind Landry Jones who started the day at QB. But thanks to an ankle injury, Roethlisberger was pushed in to action.

And, just like always against the Browns, he passed for 379 yards and 3 touchdowns. For the Browns, Johnny Manziel started and while he did fumble his first pass in scrimmage, he showed incredible poise while throwing for 372 yards and a touchdown to Gary Barnidge as well as the fumble and an interception in the end zone. He was also sacked 5 times but was able to escape a few times from pressure to make plays. The running game once again was non existent, as Manziel led the way to 17 yards. Starting RB Isiah Crowell had -5 yards total, a sad reminder of how bad the Browns running game truly is.

The Browns defense was burned all day by Roethlisberger, who threw bombs to Martavis Bryant and Antonio Brown at will. Bryant had a touchdown while Brown had 2 TD's, the last one for 56 yards with an acrobat flip in to the end zone. They were able to contain DeAngelo Williams for most of the day but ended up with 54 yards on 17 carries. But none of that matter with a defensive secondary that was tormented all game long.

My take: There's not much else to say about the Browns as they go in to the bye week. They are undisciplined, undermanned and untalented on defense. On offense, Johnny Manziel needs to start for the rest of the season. Being 2-8, the Browns just need to play their youngsters, including Justin Gilbert, who was a healthy inactive today. It's another lost season for the Cleveland Browns so you might as well see what you have.

Player of the game: Johnny Manziel. That's right, I named Johnny as my player of the game. While only scoring 1 touchdown, he was poised and made a spectacular play that should have been a touchdown if not for the incompetency of the referees.

Next week: A bye, also known as a break from the heartache from another Sunday loss. They will then play the Ravens on Monday night, November 30.

On The Mark 11.15.15: #Buckeyes vs. Illinois Recap

Elliot, defense lead the Buckeyes to a 28-3 win over the Fighting Illini
By @MarkW2112

J.T. Barrett returned to start at quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes against the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign this afternoon. But it was Ezekiel Elliot who was the true star on offense as well as a tough as nails defense who lead the way to a 28-3 victory.

Elliott had 181 yards and 2 touchdowns, his 15th game in a row of 100 rushing yards or more. Barrett had 150 yards passing and 74 yards rushing with a passing touchdown to Michael Thomas and one rushing touchdown. The game started out with the Buckeyes at the Illini goal line but twice the refs denied touchdowns to Barrett at the goal line which led to a missed field goal. After that, the offense did have it's struggles, especially on the offensive line, but the Buckeyes were able to move the ball and score when needed.

On defense, the Buckeyes were relentless against quaterback Wes Lent and the Illini offense. Lent did throw for 241 yards but was only able to get his team 3 points. The Buckeyes were able to hold the Illini to 20 yards total rushing yards. It was a long day due to spectacular plays by Joey Bosa, Raekwon McMillen and the Buckeyes secondary.

My take: The Buckeyes appeared to take this game very conservatively, more than likely keeping their full deck of cards close to the vest. While sluggish in spots, the Buckeyes offense were able to score when they needed to.

Player of the game: Ezekiel Elliott with his 181 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns.

Next for the Buckeyes: Michigan State at the Horseshoe next Saturday at 3:30 PM on ABC