News, Notes & Rumors Week 3 of the preseason

nfl

News

Later this week I will post the AFC and NFC projections for the league.

When asked which team might be a surprising team, Chris Mortensen of ESPN suggested the Browns will “make it very interesting in the AFC North.”  He mentioned the improvement of QB Brandon Weeden in the new offense and the additions on the defensive line.  Needless to say that was before the Browns choked at Indy.

The Steelers traded to get RB Felix Jones from the Eagles.  Steelers’ 2nd round pick RB Le’Veon Bell has a lisfranc injury in his foot.  It is not a good idea to draft a back that has carried the ball as much as Bell did at Michigan State.  His injury could not have been a surprise.  Look for Jones to be a significant factor this year for the Steelers but the running game will struggle.

“DANGER—DANGER”  The first team of the Pats turned the ball over on 4 of their first 5 possessions against the Lions Friday night.  QB Tom Brady has been harassed consistently in the first 3 preseason games.  Brady looked disgusted with the play of his team.  Those are not good signs for the Pats.  The … Read more at FryingPanSports

News, Notes & Rumors after Week 1 of the preseason

News, Notes & Rumors after Week 1 of the preseason

News
The injury bug seems to be alive and well despite a reduced uniformed practice schedule this season.  The injury de jure seems to be the dreaded torn ACL.  There were no ACL injuries on the first week of games.  All of them occurred during practice.
The NFL is still trying to get the 18 game season into the minds of the fans.  While preseason games are not popular, there will be a lot of player pressure against the move.  The NFL is even reducing the ticket cost of preseason games.  One thing that has not been talked about is the effect that 2 preseason games will have on the ability of undrafted players to make a team.  With the much more restricted practice schedule, the only real opportunity an undrafted player has is in preseason games.  Two less games will give the new guys only one game to show they belong.  The first preseason game will be used to prepare the starters for the season.
Browns color guy Bernie Kosar has been widely crushed for his opinions about the play of Rams players.  First, there is no Constitutional Guarantee
Read more at FryingPanSports

Live Game Notes From Browns/Chiefs

 

Live game notes from Browns/Chiefs

Great start by allowing the Chief to run 80 yards for a TD on the first play.

 

-KC 7 CL 0

 

Thomas watched the DE beat Watson and sack Weeden.

 

After a first down the O folds like a paper airplane and punts

 

=

 

Great throw to Bowe set the Chiefs up for a score but the FG was no good.  Haden and Bowe were so cute holding hands all the way down the field.

 

 

As usual the team drives the ball to a 1st and goal at the 2 and can’t score 7.  The coach seems to like the fade pass for the score but we have yet to make it work.  How about calling something that does work?

 

=KC 7 CL 3

 

The off side gives the team a 1st down.

 

Haden should have been called for holding on the pass to the sideline.

 

The Browns returned the punt for a TD.  However, there were at least 2 holds during the return that were not called.  It is about time the team gets a break.  With our luck … Read more at FryingPanSports

Eagles at Browns Game Time Notes

Tune in to the Browns Half time show at Mooheadradio.com and the post game show at

Eagles at Browns Game Time Notes

Eagles at Browns Game Time Notes

Great first call with a 28 yard pass to Gordon

Pinkston penalty  2nd guy always gets caught

Smith can catch but cannot run the ball.  Great read by Weeden throwing the crossing route vs zone

Play was late coming in and the confusion by Weeden of the defense caused a TO

New owner Jimmy Hasslam has to worry about the empty seats in the stadium.

Make up call against the Eagles on the off side.

Hardesty does not have very good vision.   That is a problem.

Hardesty spinning is a problem as well.  He just doesn’t look like an NFL back to me

Weeden arm strength obvious on the pass to MoMass

The leakage on the right side is going to be a huge problem

MoMass needed to go a little further on the out route.

Good throw by Weeden.

It is hard to run wide against a wide 9 D.

Hardesty cannot give up that much yardage in the redzone

Holding against Pinkston shows a problem at guard.  He is better than early last year but … Read more at FryingPanSports

News, Notes and Rumors

By Bill Smith

News:

Five US Senators have introduced legislation to eliminate NFL Blackouts.

The NFL has announced that they will play 13 Thursday night games next season.  The games will continue after the traditional Thursday night league kickoff and run through week 15.

The league also announced that every NFL team will get at least 1 prime time game.

The Eagles announced they will plan to put the franchise tag on WR DeSean Jackson.  They will try to work out a trade.  That would mean if he signs the tender he would get around 9.5 million dollars for 2012.  He has said he would accept the tender but the tag cannot be placed until Feb. 26th.  The Eagles would get two first round picks from any team that signed him as a tagged player.  The Eagles will try to trade him this offseason for a first and another player.

The Jags have named Mark Lamping as their team president.  He will oversee all non-football operations.

 

Notes:

Agent Tom Condon has said “Peyton’s not done.”  Peyton Manning has been medically cleared to play by his doctors in 2012.   However, he has not been cleared by the team.  … Read more at FryingPanSports

A plan for rebuilding the Cleveland Browns

Where do the Browns go from here?

The Browns are now 3-5 and their chances of winning any more games are small.  They might steal a win from either the Jags or the Rams but the way they are playing there is no chance they can win any of their last 5 games.  Even the trip to the Cards on week 15 seems like an impossible win.

So the question is what do they do now and how do they proceed to prepare for 2012?  Here
is a plan.  The D has played fairly well despite being pushed around last week by the Texans.  The big issues are on offense.

  1.  The key issue is can the team win with Colt McCoy at QB?  I think they have decided that the QB must be replaced.  But this team is not likely to draft a QB in the first round.  The problem is this—When you pick a 2nd or 3rd round QB you get a guy with a great arm that could not hit the state of Ohio from downtown Columbus or a guy with good to very good accuracy but no stronger arm than McCoy’s.            Will  either of those
Read more at FryingPanSports