Playoffs? Playoffs?

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Note: On NNR today Tony Williams Giants and Knicks beat reporter for Metro New York and I discussed the NFL and NBA in detail. The podcast is on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

With the Browns win over the Bengals Thursday there has been a lot of talk of the Browns being a contender for the playoffs. We got Tony’s answer on the podcast. But for me the answer is “Maybe.”

The reason I am not sure is the loss to the Jaguars. If the Browns had taken care of business they would have a game and a half lead on the rest of the AFC North which at least this season is the best division in the NFL. The history of the Browns since they have come back is they play up to their opponents or down depending on if the team they are facing is better or worse. Playoff teams win those games.

Playoff teams are able to run the ball. The Browns did well against the Bengals D, but in the previous 3 games averaged under 3 yards per carry. That is not what Playoff teams do.

The third area that distinguishes playoff teams from pretenders is their ability to Read more at FryingPanSports

News, Notes & Rumors for week 12

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NOTE:  Due to the Thanksgiving holiday the NFL Preview show will be tonight at 6 PM EST this week only.  Please join Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports, Tony Williams Giants beat writer for Metro New York and me for the show.

 

NOTE:  Check out the live News, Notes and Rumors show on Monday and Friday at 6 PM Eastern on The Bill Smith Radio Show or the archive of the shows on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.  On Monday Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discuss the Browns game and the results of the weekend.  On Friday Tony Williams Giants beat writer for Metro New York joins Samantha and me to preview the upcoming games.

 

News:

The NFL has to get a handle on the horrible officiating.  It is totally inconsistent.  A perfect example is two calls on hits to the QB.  Bears’ QB Josh McCown was clearly not hit in the head and was tackled chest to chest while he was holding the ball.  The flag was thrown for roughing the passer.  Browns’ QB Jason Campbell was grabbed around the neck and thrown down head first and there was no flag.  The officials seem to think the fans come to … Read more at FryingPanSports

News, Notes & Rumors Week 5

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News:

Ex Bucs QB Josh Freeman was signed by the Vikings on a 1 year deal.  At least in Vikes land he will have a great running game.

 

The new starting QB for the Bills is former Browns QB Thad Lewis.  He has had only one start (Browns) and threw a TD and a pick.  He ended the game with a QB rating of 83.3.

 

After Terrelle Pryor led the Raiders to a win over the Chargers, the team cut QB Matt Flynn.

 

Pats QB Tom Brady’s streak of 52 games with a TD pass was broken Sunday by the Bengal D.

 

Notes:

Bengals 13 Patriots 6 – The NFL would like to thank those of you that slept without snoring.  That would have disturbed the others nodding off.  I would like to say that the game was a result of two great defensive efforts but it was two inept offenses that caused the napping.   The first quarter ended with Bengals QB Andy Dalton throwing a horrible pick to LB Brandon Spikes on the Pats’ 8 yard line.  That says it all.

 

Broncos 51 Cowboys 48 – Things started so well for the Cowgirls. … Read more at FryingPanSports

Thoughts about Black Monday in the NFL

Thoughts about Black Monday in the NFL

 

Browns:  The one gift I had to wait for was the firing of HC Pat Shurmur.  I am not a fan of former Bronco HC McDaniel but he would be better than Shurmur.  Of the coaches expected to be released my choice for the Browns would be Ken Whisenhunt.  He is a D guy but a good coach that made the best of the bad personnel decisions made by a poor GM.  My second choice would be Lovie Smith if he is let go.  Both have been to a Super Bowl and would run a tight ship without being a dictator.

 

I have mixed feelings about GM Tom Heckert being fired.  While he has by far done the best job of any GM the team has had since 1999 that is not a very high standard.

 

Cowboys:  They are out of the playoffs thanks to QB “Captain Collapse” (I want a copyright on that phrase) Tony Romo.  It will not cost his HC a job but this team has underperformed for years.  Maybe Jerry should think about firing his GM—himself.

 

Cardinals:  Ken Whisenhunt deserved better than he is going to … Read more at FryingPanSports

Christmas gifts for NFL Teams.

Christmas gifts for NFL Teams.

 

AFC

Browns:  I give the Browns a head coach that will let Weeden be Weeden.  Shurmur is way too much of a control freak to allow his QB to even audible out of a bad play.  He has to go.

 

Steelers:  The team needs an offensive line.  Being a Browns fan I give them a subscription to Direct TV so the players can watch the playoffs on the team set.

 

Bengals:  I give them a steep decline of both the Steelers and Ravens.  That not only helps them but helps the Browns as well.

 

Ravens:  I wish the Ratbirds nothing but bad luck forever.  They stole the Browns and deserve to suffer for it.  I also wish that former Browns owner Art Muddle never gets elected to the HOF.  He deserves to be elected to the hall of infamy.

 

Chiefs:  The team needs a QB.  But the 2013 draft class is not stocked with sure fire QB prospects.  They “won” the first overall draft pick by being a team that could not beat the Sisters of Perpetual Misery.  That must be the school where they got both QBs Cassel and Quinn.… Read more at FryingPanSports

Tonight on the radio version of News, Notes and Rumors

 Tonight we continue our swing around the NFL talking to the beat writers that know their teams the best.

Shane Gray, beat writer for the Rams, joins us to talk about their plans for the draft with all their extra choices.

Derek Estes, beat writer for the Chiefs, joins us to talk about free agency and their draft needs.

Eric Galko, Dir. Of Scouting for Optimum Scouting.com joins us to talk about the Browns needs and the free agency frenzy.

Kelron Sykes, host of College FB Insider Radio joins us to talk about the Cardinals needs and draft plans.

NNR at 6PM EST follows the Moohead show at 5PM on http://mooheadradio.com/2.0/.  Press the Green arrow at 6 for NNR.

Join Mr. Moohead  on after early Cavs games for his post-game chat.

The archive of the show is available the following day at https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

Be part of the show by calling our SportSims.com hotline at 216-539-0607.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com and was a senior writer for .  He has also published several Read more at FryingPanSports