Tag: Cleveland Browns (Page 8 of 57)

      Lions lose Leshoure for season, Browns’ Massaquoi out “indefinitely”

      August 8, 2011 /
      Cleveland Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Browns NFL football game against the New York Jets in Cleveland, Ohio November 14, 2010. REUTERS/Aaron Josefczyk (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      The season hasn’t even started yet and already Lions and Browns fans have reason to be miserable.

      The Lions got crushing news on Monday when it was revealed that rookie running back Mikel Leshoure is out for the season after he tore his Achilles’ tendon in practice. The second-round pick was supposed to be the power to Jahvid Best’s speed in Detroit’s rushing game this season, but now he’s faced with a full year of rehab instead.

      It’s a bad break for a Lions team that is being viewed as a potential sleeper playoff candidate. Even with a healthy Leshoure, I think the playoffs might be out of Detroit’s grasp this season but an 8-8 record certainly isn’t. This is a young team that is being built correctly by GM Martin Mayhew and it’s going to take time before it all comes together. Losing Leshoure hurts, but this season is still all about guys like Best, Matthew Stafford and first-round pick Nick Fairley maturing.

      The Browns got a bit of bad injury news themselves when head coach Pat Shurmur revealed that wideout Mohamed Massaquoi has a “bone issue” in his injured left ankle. Apparently no one is sure when it happened and the third-year receiver is now out indefinitely, but team president Mike Holmgren said Massaquoi won’t need surgery and that he could return to practice as soon as next week.

      Massaquoi didn’t exactly set the league on fire with his play over the first two years of his career, but the Browns were expecting him to emerge as Colt McCoy’s top target this season. With Massaquoi out, second-round pick Greg Little should see first-team reps this week in practice. That’s probably a good thing considering the reports on Little so far haven’t been good. Apparently the young man has been doing his best Braylon Edwards impersonation and dropping everything in sight.

      External Sports, NFL

      The history of the West Coast offense

      August 7, 2011 /

      Now that Mike Holmgren has his own man in Cleveland with Pat Shurmer, Browns fans are learning more about an offense that has its roots with Paul Brown and the Browns back in their glory days.

      Tony Grossi traces the history of the offense in today’s Plain Dealer, starting with Paul Brown, then to Bill Walsh who joined him in Cincinnati and then on to Holmgren and other like Andy Reid. The “West Coast” nickname was originally coined by Bill Parcels.

      It’s a great read for anyone who appreciates football schemes and how they evolve through the years. The bottom line for Browns fans is they have a quarterback in Colt McCoy who has the potential to flourish in this system. That said, the West Coast offense relies heavily on timing, so expect some growing pains as the Browns try to install a new system in a year without any off-season prep. I suspect the Browns and other teams installing new systems with play their starters much more in the pre-season.

      External Sports, NFL

      Browns fan sues team over lockout

      March 25, 2011 /
      A Cleveland Browns fan displays a sign to voice his displeasure with the Browns during the fourth quarter of their NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Cleveland, Ohio November 16, 2009. REUTERS/Aaron Josefczyk (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

      This is, by far, my favorite lockout story ever. EVER.

      A Cleveland Browns fan named Ken Lanci is suing the NFL and its teams over the player lockout, claiming it amounts to a breach of his contract to buy tickets through his personal seat license. Lanci is apparently a self-made millionaire so if you were wondering if the guy has the time and money to pursue a lawsuit like this: yes, yes he does.

      According to a FOXSports.com report, the lawsuit asked for damages of more than $25,000 from the Browns on “both breach of contract and bad faith counts” and more than $25,000 from the league and its teams for “alleged contract interference.” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says he hasn’t seen the lawsuit but can understand Lanci’s frustration.

      “NFL clubs all have announced refund policies to protect fans during the work stoppage,” Aiello wrote. “The best solution to Mr. Lanci’s concern is for the union to return to the bargaining table and complete a labor agreement that will put the game back on the field where it belongs.”

      What a response from Aiello. A freaking fan is suing a professional football team because of a league-wide lockout and Aiello takes the opportunity to back-handily knock the union. The fans are saying, ‘Hey NFL and NFLPA, you’re screwing us here!’ and Aiello responds with, ‘Yeah NFLPA, you’re screwing us here!’

      I know very little about the legal system and therefore have no idea if Lanci has the remote chance of winning his lawsuit, but here’s hoping he does.

      External Sports, NFL

      Teams like the Browns could suffer the most if there’s a lengthy lockout

      February 27, 2011 /

      You have to appreciate Browns’ new coach Pat Shurmur trying to stay focused and positive in difficult times for NFL teams.

      Cleveland Browns’ quarterback Colt McCoy is seen on the sidelines as the Brows play the Baltimore Ravens at M & T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on September 26, 2010. UPI/Kevin Dietsch

      While recently speaking to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Shurmur said that even though the Browns are one of a handful of teams that have changed coaches, they won’t suffer more hardships than any other team during a lockout.

      “Whatever happens, 32 teams will be in the same situation. I’m not worried about it,” he said. “I feel as though we’ve hired some great teachers and the systems we’re going to teach and employ are proven. I trust and am confident that we’ll get it done.”

      What is Shurmur supposed to say? That the Browns are screwed? They’re doomed if a lockout goes into September and he can’t meet with his players? That the Browns shouldn’t even bother playing if there does happen to be a season next year?

      No, he’s not going to make excuses for himself or his team, nor is he going to cast any doubt in his first couple of months on the job. That would be extremely unwise and it would make him appear weak.

      That said, I couldn’t disagree with him more. Teams like the Browns, Panthers, Broncos and 49ers are at a distinct disadvantage because they changed coaching staffs and are implementing new schemes. Sure, every team will be affected in some ways by a lockout, but Aaron Rodgers already knows how to run Mike McCarthy’s offense. The Steelers’ defenders already know their responsibilities in Dick LeBeau’s zone blitz scheme. Imagine running a five-hour marathon and you have to start an hour behind everyone. You could catch up, but it’ll be difficult and that’s what teams like the Browns, Panthers, Broncos and 49ers face if the lockout lasts months.

      In that same article by the Plain Dealer, it’s mentioned that the Browns were one of several teams reminded this week by the NFL that players are not supposed to “meet” with coaches or be given playbooks during this time. Thus, Shurmur can’t even give his extremely young quarterback Colt McCoy his freaking playbook.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Browns start rebuilding process under Shurmur, release six veterans

      February 10, 2011 /

      I started laughing when I wrote that title.

      Start rebuilding process? Haven’t the Browns been rebuilding since 1999? Hahahaha…ahhhhh, their fans deserve better.

      The Browns’ latest rebuilding project has started under new head coach Pat Shurmur, who on Wednesday night released veterans Shaun Rogers, Kenyon Coleman, John St. Clair, Robert Royal, David Bowens and Eric Barton. Most of those players were considered “Eric Mangini guys,” so it’s not surprising to see that they were let go.

      By parting with those six players, the Browns will save roughly $16 million next year. The biggest name is obviously Rogers, who struggled with injuries last year and played in only a third of the team’s snaps. He was due a $5.5 million salary as well as a $500K roster bonus so even though he’s versatile enough to play in a 4-3 (which the Browns will switch to under Shurmur), he wasn’t worth the coin in the end. He turns 32 in March and it’s clear that the Browns want to get younger on defense, so parting with him makes sense on paper.

      Under former defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, the Browns finished 22nd in total defense last year, 18th against the pass and 27th against the run. Considering they were on the field a lot thanks to a horrendous offense, those numbers could have been a lot worse. But at the end of the day, the Browns are changing schemes and weren’t going to keep players that Mangini had brought in to fit his defense.

      External Sports, NFL

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