I think Shurmur is a lot like Marvin Lewis. Conservative, slow, uptight, lacking any sense of awareness or urgency. The difference, I think Marvin Lewis gets more out of his guys. It's hard going .500 or better every year, under that horse's ass Mike Brown. Yet, they have been.

We have a deficiency on this team and it's the secondary. Yes, the recievers could be better, the quarterback isn't perfect and the run game is lagging but our DB's are meh and the linebacker core is laughable. We're banged up, up front but they're not what's hurting us.

The thing is, most teams are lacking in some way and most have an obvious weakness. The Bungles are also miserable up the middle, are also banged up on that side of the ball and yet, they're not 0-3...

They do have more weapons for example their wide outs and one good tight end, but our reciever core is not a defect and we don't have a bad RB imo. The talent isn't so bad here that we should be 0-3. Most of the blame, is on Shurmur. I can go on about vague things like culture but I don't think that's why we see the stupid play calls.

Less "WTF were you thinking?!?!" moments behind center.

Some people are showing themselves to be incredibly stupid.

He's not going to commit a great deal of money like that, just to run this franchise into the ground.

That's just naive. Yes, he's a Steelers fan, so what? You make an investment of this size to make a profit and to accomplish things. He'll be a fan of his organization.

That's not to say he'll be successful, but to pretend he's some kind of evil Steeler subversive agent; sent to make us stay crappy, like some sort of evil soviet spy is Retarded.

This guy is not buying the franchise.

It is going to be hard to teach Weeden to run a pro offense.

All I'll say beyond that, is all hail John Hughes! Ha! I hope he'll make an impact as a run stopper. I like an underdog.

I also hope for the FO's life's sake, the other picks they have, perform well and the WR corps are improved. I'm not impressed with Weeden.

@hoorta said:

Care to comment about Dalton's pass that set up the game winning FG? If it had been on a basketball court, Green might have hit his head on the rim going up to catch the ball. If you want to rag on McCoy's int- he claims he was trying to toss it out of bounds, Dalton tossed a few today that weren't in the same area code as his WR either.

I think the defense took Dalton off his game, he showed his inexperience a bit for once this season, usually his poise and smart plays get him through; but people need to stop acting like Green was on a ladder with that catch. It was a little high, it wasn't 12 feet in the air. The guy jumped on one foot, hit the ground, and kept running when it was caught. If you have a taller reciever, like Green, going up against someone like Haden, you take what advantage is there. It was a solid, fast throw, that got high and inside, where it needed to be.

McCoy made some good throws, some bad ones. I'm starting to feel like the play calling is just shitty.

Look at the stats

Total plays: Browns 66 Bengals 65

Total yards: Browns 274 Bengals 389

Passing yards: Browns 140 Bengals 257

That aint going to get it done cheif, throw the ball down the field more. The running game helped a lot, so did them going 1-4 in the red zone. Their defense clamped down, though they need Dunlap back, he is a big part of their pass rush. Not a knock on Clements, but Dunlap was the one who really put the hurt on Colt last time.

@pumpkin-eater said:

.. see Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl. Cheating would be twisting Pryor's ankle after tackling him.

And so would allowing shady individuals to buy him a xxxxing hummer, you whore!

How do you not notice that? Are you Retarded? You have a registry, that says what each player drives. You have people practicing around him every day, staff checking up on him, and yet I am to believe you are completely ignorant of the fact that this little shit, who has basically no money; is driving a $100,000 vehicle? You should be bitch slapped for suggesting such a thing.

As for the gear, rules are rules. Between that and your running backs assualting people, I wonder how they got into such a prestine institution? Could it be that you have no class and will do anything you can to gain an upper hand, even if it means corrupting young men, cutting corners on regulations and buying players nice things? Yeah. I think so.

Oh let me guess, Pryor had a relative who died and left him some money? Did he win the lottery? Yeah, you're disgusting. Sleaze balls.

@1-more-season said:

Your a poor representation of the state.

You're* Let me know when I buy players, steal little kids raffle money, just after reading the bible with my assistant coaches(Jim Tressell) or when I head up an athletic department, that knowingly allows those things to happen.

Then and only then, will I be as poor a "representation", of this state, as OSU.

(just curious, what sort of representation of Ohio am I? Am I wearing an Ohio costume? Am I a book or movie, based on Ohio, that has somehow manifested my author or director's opinions and bias, interacting through some sort of unknown meta-cognitive ability that inanimate objects have which humanity has yet to discover?)

Shame... Shame on you people supporting Big football. Legends and Leaders are merely Liars and Cheaters.

@miktoxic said:

no not at all. i actually kinda dig seeing what all the ohio schools do.

no didn't got to osu but it's like being from texas, you wouldn't root for texas?

No, sorry. Ohio State university is a poor representitive of our state and should be looked at the same way people look at Miami and SMU. The only thing more embarrassing than their ethical bankruptcy or them getting bounced by SEC teams even when they cheat, might just be their smug, douche baggish attitude.

You're not "The Ohio State" university. To claim that, just goes to show, you're a pompous horses ass of an institution.

Columbus is a shitty town anyway though.

Not much of a choice, not like Holmgren is doing a bang up job here. Shurmur... Well, how he's an NFL coach is beyond me. I don't need to see 5 games, I saw that one against the Sea Hawks, Titans and the Bengals and that's enough.

He is out of his league.

Wide recievers suck, we have no running game, the O-line is garbage...

I don't think a quarterback change will matter much.

You can't just draft instant success. You need tools in place.

This offense needs some play makers. The system that they want is pass heavy, but it also requires a running game to keep the defense honest and recievers, who take short passes and make a move up field quickly.

This team is slow.

It takes time for a quarterback to become somewhat confident in throwing and in making it to the next play.

The thing that bugs me, is that unlike some quarterbacks, McCoy after making a mistake, doesn't look like he wants to run the next play or avenge himself. He looks defeated. Poor coaching. It also doesn't help that he has no pocket to work out of. Everyone takes hits, everyone feels pressure, but this shit is ridiculous.

First steps (imo) Offensive line needs some hosses, young ones, not prone to injury.

Secondly, a stud reciever and a worthwhile tight end.

Third, and I think this one is important, since I believe we have broken McCoy and the O-line will take time to address, we need a dual threat quarterback; who is scrappy and does not like to lose.

I was thinking, if we can't find someone already seasoned in the NFL, we might want to consider a Russel Wilson or someone similar for the next draft.

Hopefully not, the TD pass with the defense in the huddle is still scortched into my brain.

Actually, the offense last year was better.

A lot less short plays(which don't make sense when you don't have the reciever to turn out yards after the catch), a lot less penalties, a lot more running to keep defenses honest.

I think Haden is going to be a damn good player, but the rest of the defense is dookie as well.

Yes, there is still plenty of football to play, but how can you possibly tell people to feel good about the product being put on the field? It's hard to watch on TV. I'd be tempted to trot out to mid field, drop my pants and take a dump during the time out if I paid for a ticket.

We want them to succeed, but at some point, you just have to see some ray of hope. What is there that makes you hopeful for the future on this team? Because I got nothing.

Brown didn't want to trade him during the summer, the fans scorned him, he took his time and oppurtunity for something better arose and now he grabs it. Man, isn't that a bitch...

Looking at Cincinnati's rookie QB, he hasn't quite the skills of a great QB; but he does have a quality about him in that he naturally wants to win.

I wonder if Cleveland's team just takes that out of people? I think back to Couch and it seemed like he never really had a chance with the line being as bad as it was.

I look at the line now and wonder, will anybody ever have a chance here? If not, maybe the answer isn't a high draft pick, maybe it's aquiring someone who's already been in the league a few years.

But... this recieving core is bad, the running game without Hillis is not existent and this staff is mentally challenged. So...

@tim-couch-pulls-out said:

Being college football wonderboys sure worked for Ryan Leaf, Joey Harrington, Jamarcus Russell, Vince Young, Cade McNown, J.P. Losman, Akili Smith, etc.

Its a shame Colt couldn't just stay in college, he'll never be an NFL QB.

It's a shame no Browns quarterback has ever been good since they came back as an expansion team.

Andrew Luck isn't going to save this sorry ass team.

No individual draft pick is going to fix the Cleveland Browns, the shuffling of players is just going to continue the same old cycle of crap in, crap out. They've had 1st rounders before, They've had different coaches. No continuity, no realistic time line for someone to step in and improve. People who expect playoffs in 2 years for every staff they get are Retarded. NOBODY anywhere, is going to fix the Browns in two seasons, if someone can't handle that, they should just stop watching.

Shurmur isn't the answer imo, I think the last 2 coaches could have been but people just booted them for stupid reasons. People don't like Mangini, but the staff he had was far more respectable than this. He had a bad third year, suddenly he has to go... What a load.

My concern is this. I see a QB like Andy Dalton, and he is looking better than McCoy. Sorry. But he does look better IMO. Colt seems to have the jitters in the pocket. If he's not rolling out, he's not comfortable in a pocket.

I like Dalton in terms of his leadership ability and flat out guts, he does seem to be getting better but he does get a better pocket than Colt and his team actually runs the ball once in awhile. I think Colt plays like he thinks he can't take chances, not sure if that's on him or the coaching staff.

It also helps that Dalton has targets like Gresham, Simpson and Green. If they still had Shipley, they'd be even more dangerous. Damn, looking at those options, how did they stack up that much young talent?

I'm not a Browns fan, but every year I watch them and it annoys the living hell out of me...

The Browns coming up with an obvious, one step solution to their problems, that will inevitably fail to change anything.

Colt isn't going to be able to complete many long balls, you could help that by drafting gifted recievers, if every draft you didn't pass them up or every couple of years trade them away. The WCO is predicated on short passes and the recievers making plays. What do you think your reciever core can do with the ball? Nadda. You could help McCoy see down field if he didn't feel he had to fear for his life, but your offensive line is crap, you don't run the ball much and when you do it's obvious it's coming; so no real threat of that.

You know, I recall another quarterback who went to the browns and could never develop because he was doomed with a craptacular Oline, nice kid, could have been something special... believe his name was Ottoman, or sofa, or something like that. Well hell, it doesn't matter because Cleveland can't keep a quarterback or a coach or a winning record for more than two years. Their dingus fans think single drafts will save them and when people don't develop quick enough, they get the boot, thus assuring the endless cycle of crap remains in place.

You know what's funny? That team down on the southern part of the state in the past 6 years has had 2 conference championships, completely out-drafted and out-coached Cleveland and even though they tore it all down, after Lewis lost his guys last year, they're already rebuilding toward a solid team.

If Mike xxxxing Brown is besting you in terms of recruiting, you suck as an organization.

How do you pass up on AJ Green?!?! How Does Robo-slomo get a starting spot?

How can your defense not stop anybody from running the ball?

How can you since coming back as an expansion in 1999 not have one good year with a solid Oline?

Replace Colt, when the next guy fails we can just keep looking forward to the next bust.

And if it is just that every QB cleveland snatches up is laughably bad, then who the hell is scouting the upcoming talent? I don't buy that excuse. You've had 12 years to get a good quarterback, maybe it's not a single skill player. Maybe Cleveland just blows.