Browns Head Coaching Search: Part I

As we head into Week 11 of the 2012 NFL season, it's about time we begin our biennial search for a new Browns head coach. I heard an interesting question raised on 850 today: what if the Shurmurator rips off 7 straight wins to end the year? I have two points to make regarding this question. 1) Never going to happen. Absolutely not. Might as well not even raise the question. and 2) I'd still fire his ass.

I've seen posts on Dawgs By Nature talking about names of potential candidates for the Browns after Shurmurs inevitable release. I've seen them on Bleacher Report, on Yahoo, on NFL.com, etc. The big names like Chip Kelly and Bruce Arians are always there, and I think they are absolutely worth mention. Then there are the names that have no business being mentioned such as Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, and Butch Davis. All that being said, I'm going to sit down every few days (this is being optimistic) and write up a bio about a head coaching candidate I think the Browns either should consider or will consider after they do everyone who proudly wears Brown and Orange a favor and fire Pat Shurmur.

The one name that always comes back in my head, though, is Gus Bradley. For those of you who are like 95% of NFL fans and don't give a damn about west coast football, Bradley is the defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks. Since Bradley got to Seattle with Jim Mora Jr., the defense has steadily improved. As of right now, the 'Hawks rank #4 in scoring defense, #4 in pass defense, #4 total yards defensively, and #12 in rush defense. They have arguably the best secondary in the NFL. Their pass rush is ranked 2nd in the league and I'd be willing to bet most casual fans can't name one defensive lineman on the squad. I attribute this to Bradley. If you get to watch Seattle this year, watch how hard their defense plays. Really. In Cleveland it seems like we're so used to watching a team line up and run a set play. Watching Seattle play defensively you see a group of 11 guys running around wreaking havoc on the football field.

When Mora took the Seattle job after the departure of now-Cleveland-legend Mike Holmgren, this is the call he got from a long-time friend of his father.

'Hey, J.L., J.L., I got to talk to you about this guy...J.L., listen to me. I have got a guy here in Tampa that is one of, if not, the finest football coaches I have ever worked with. He's an A-plus. He's a once-in-a-lifetime coach. You need to talk to him. J.L., this guy is special. You have to bring him in. You have to talk to him.'

That guy, of course, is my man-crush Gus Bradley. The long-time friend of the elder Jim Mora that 'J.L.' (Jim Lawrence Mora aka Jim Mora Jr.) spoke to was former Buc's defensive coordinator and grandfather of the Tampa-2 defense, Monte Kiffin. When one of the greatest defensive minds of our generation is calling a young coach a "once-in-a-lifetime-coach," people ought heed notice. 

A defense inspired

So don't just take it from me that Bradley is the real-deal. Take it from Monte Kiffin. Take it from your own eyes if you get a chance to see Seattle play this season. And you probably will, because if Seattle makes the playoffs, as I'm willing to bet they do, it's gonna be almost primarily the work of Gus Bradley that got them there. 

One final note. I'll mention Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and Pat Shurmur. Passion doesn't always make a great coach, just ask Rex Ryan. But after seeing those stoics pacing the sidelines since 1999, how much more would you rather have a guy with passion? 

As always, comment away. 

Mid-Season All AFC North Team, and Browns Awards

Since everyone on the internet is putting together mid-season All-Pro/All-Division Teams, I figured I'd get in on the action. Analysis and explanation is included when 1) I felt like it and 2) I thought it was necessary.

First for the All-AFC North Team:

Offense:
QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
RB: Ray Rice, Ravens: Going over the stats it was a surprisingly close call between Rice and Trent Richardson, and I attribute that to Cam Cameron not utilizing Ray Rice properly. However, Rice has to get the call here with most rushing td's and yards.
FB: Vonte Leach, Ravens: Sure as hell wasn't going to be Owen Marecic.
TE: Heath Miller, Steelers
WR 1: AJ Green, Bengals
WR 2: Mike Wallace, Steelers

LT: Joe Thomas, Browns: It seems like every year we say Thomas isn't playing up to his exceptionally high standards, but every year he's a top tackle.
LG: Clint Bolling, Bengals
C: Alex Mack, Browns: Is Maurkice Pouncy overrated? I think so. He's solid, but if you need further proof that Mack is the real deal, check out what Haloti Ngata said about him last week.
RG: Marshal Yanda, Ravens
RT: Kelechi Osemele Ravens: No real clue here, but I saw on Footballoutsiders.com that the Ravens ranked 1st in yards off the right tackle. Good enough for me.

Defense:
DE: Michael Johnson, Bengals
DT: Geno Atkins, Bengals
DT: Haloti Ngata, Ravens
DE: Brett Kiesel, Steelers
OLB: Lamar Woodley, Steelers
ILB: D'Qwell Jackson, Browns: In the midst of another great season in Dick Jauron's 43 defense.
OLB: Vontaze Burfict, Bengals: Having a great season since falling out of the draft last April.
CB: Joe Haden, Browns: Yes, he missed 4 games for Adderall. Yes, he's that good, even after a down week against the Ravens last week.
FS: Ed Reed, Ravens

SS: TJ Ward, Browns: Boss Ward is having his best season yet.
CB:  Sheldon Brown, Browns: He's not as bad as people tend to say he is, and he's putting together a solid 2012 campaign.

Now for the Browns Mid-Season Awards.

MVP: D'Qwell Jackson: Defensive leader is responsible for a unit that has over-achieved to amazing lengths at times this year.
Offensive Player: Trent Richardson: Imagine how effective he'll be when he gets to 100%
Defensive Player: TJ Ward: See above.

Breakout Player: Josh Gordon: Anyone see the kind of deep threat he's emerged as coming so soon?
Unheralded Player: Frostee Rucker: He's been a stabilizing and steady force on the d-line. 

Now, let's start talking about head coaching candidates and potential first-round picks!

 

Week 2: Browns/Bengals Preview

I'm going to start trying to do both a "preview" and "not-so-rapid-reaction" blogs before and after Browns games from here on out. Here's my preview of the Browns' week 2 matchup with the Bengals:

BENGALS OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW

• Passing Game
• Andy Dalton fits Jay Gruden's offense to a "T." He checks it down well, does a great job showing touch on those screen passes that pissed me off both times we played Cincy last year, and he even has an arm capable of winging it downfield to....
• A.J. Green is a beast. He's great. I hate him. He single-handedly beat the Browns twice last year on the defensive breakdown in Week 1 and with his massive catch-and-run at the end of the game the second time the Browns and Bengals met up. He honestly does remind me of a young Randy Moss, from his speed to his vert to the fact that he looks like he's 120 lbs. and gonna get split in half every hit. I'll be honest and admit that I'm terrified about the thought of Green matching up against Sheldon Brown this week. This is the week that Joe Haden is going to be missed the most, and it's because A.J. Green gives the Browns a hard enough time with Haden on the field.
• The Bengals gave up 4.0 sacks to Baltimore on Monday night, and judging how many times Dalton got rid of the ball and still go hit, the Browns should be in a relatively favorable position, especially considering the injuries that have decimated Cincinnati's interior line.
• Running Game
• BenJarvus Green-Ellis did much better than I envisioned he would last week against an always stingy Ravens defense. He isn't flashy but he runs with a very physical style and got better as the night wore on. The offensive line played reasonably well being able to open up those lanes for Green-Ellis.

BROWNS DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW

• Passing Defense
• The Browns defense as a whole played well last week against the Eagles with the exception of the last few minutes of both the first and second half. But there's no Joe Haden in this matchup, boys and girls. Sheldon Brown and Dimitri Patterson will be holding down the fort for the next four weeks, with Buster Skrine playing nickel. That scares me. It's not that I think that Brown, Patterson, and Skrine are bad, but it's just that fact that A.J. Green is an animal.
• I'm interested to see the defensive line play for the first time (I caught most of the Week 1 game on the radio in the car) on Sunday. If Sheard plays like he showed he could all of last year and Rubin/Hughes/Winn step up like they did last week (or so I read) it could spell big things for the Browns defense, taking away the time needed for Green to get deep downfield against the secondary.
• Run Defense
• The Browns run defense gave up too many rushing yards last week. Again. It seems like it's been a constant thing for the Browns ever since they got back in '99. Luckily, Andy Reid kept letting Mike Vick drop back over and over, negating that facet of the game. Cincy will not do that as much. They brought in The Law Firm for a reason and use his physical style to set up Andy Dalton's short passing game nicely. Here's to hoping the Browns are able to shut it down and these young linebackers play as well against the run this week as they did against the pass last week.

BROWNS OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW

• Passing Game
• We all know how much of a disaster that last week's passing game was, and it started with Brandon Weeden. I'm probably naive, but I think Weeden shapes up a little bit this week. If he can get back on target with his throws and learn to utilize the size of Flash Gordon and the speed of Travis Benjamin I think the Browns can do enough to actually pull this game out.
• The offensive line needs to do a better job of protecting Weeden as well. Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins are no scrubs when it comes to rushing the passer. Mitchell Schwartz had a tough time containing Jason Babin last week, and Brandon Weeden was pressured 11 times, up near the top of list for most in the league last week. The offensive line will have their hands full this week, but I think they fare a lot better than they did last week given the fact that Philly's front 4 is one of the best in the league.  
• Running Game

• The offensive line was first and foremost underwhelming in the running game last week. Schwartz and the offensive line as a whole MUST do a better job of opening up running lanes for Trent on Sunday. People kept wondering why Richardson didn't try to bust to the outside as much last week, but the Eagles "Wide-9" defense makes that tough. I could see the tackles having a better shot of sealing off the edge for T-Rich this week.
• I covered this in my "not-so-rapid reaction" the other day, but T-Rich was rusty on Sunday. Really rusty. I know it, you know it, he knows it. He hadn't played in a game since the National Championship in January. This week Richardson has a chance to show off his potential a little bit more against a tough, but not as tough as Philly, defense. 

BENGALS DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW

• Pass Defense

• The Bengals secondary is littered with former first round picks in PacMan Jones, Leon Hall, Reggie Nelson, Nate Clements, Dre' Kirkpatrick, Taylor Mays and Terrance Newman. But that doesn't mean that they always play like first rounders. Newman and Clements are old as hell, and PacMan Jones isn't the player he was drafted to be. Nelson has revived his career in Cincy, and has done a pretty good job solidifying the safety spot. Leon Hall is a shutdown corner, but the Browns don't really have to worry about him because it's not like they have a stud wideout they're going consistently force the ball to, ala an A.J. Green.
• Cincy's defensive line does a good job of getting to the passer. The matchups to watch here are Carlos Dunlap vs. Mitchell Schwartz (if Dunlap is lined up on the right side) and Geno Atkins vs. either Jason Pinkston or Shawn Lauvao. To be completely honest, I'm not very confident in either of those matchups. 
• Run Defense
• Making headlines all week was Rey Maualuga's comment that T-Rich was nothing special last week. I love him giving Richardson bulletin board material, but I can't help but agree with what Maualuga said. Richardson needs to step up and take it straight to Maualuga and take advantage of a linebacking corp that just lost Thomas Howard for the season. I like his odds this week if he can get warmed up.
• I'm not going to harp on the concerns I have about Dunlap and Atkins this week, but I'll add one more piece that has more to do with the run defense. Domata Peko is a force on the interior and hopefully one of the most underrated centers in the league, Alex Mack, can do a good job of keeping him under wraps on those interior running plays

Verdict: I actually like the Browns in this game if the offense can get even a little bit going. If Patterson and Hagg can contain AJ Green deep, I think the Browns defense keeps the game close and puts the offense in a position to steal one, and Trent Rich makes sure it happens

BROWNS: 20-13

Week One Not-So-Rapid-Reaction

So here's my week one analysis. FUCK. I should have known it was coming after being a Browns fan all my life. I should have seen it coming. I should have known it was too good to be true. But. But. BUT...we aren't as bad off as people say. Driving home listening to 850 after the game was possibly the most infuriating thing in my life. I'll go through the arguments and claims by callers and Greg "I-Have-No-Business-Hosting-A-Football-Radio-Show" Brenda. Here are my week one thoughts:

• DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE
• I was secretly terrified of a defense without Phil Taylor and Chris Gocong. I was worried about an atrocious run defense losing a massive (literally) piece in the front four. And while I'm not a huge Gocong fan he's usually solid. With that in mind, the defense stepped up and played out of their mind. From what I heard (I was listening in the car), Rubin was blasting Vick, along with everyone else in the front seven and Boss Ward. LJ Fort and Chris Robertson played above and beyond expectations of undrafted rookies. And let's be honest, Joe Hade, D'Qwell, and Boss Ward are studs. If the youngsters in the linebacking core keep developing and the secondary can survive without Haden for the next month, look the fuck out for this defense.
• THE EAGLES
• Keep this in mind as you play Monday Morning QB from ass on the couch: the Eagles are a good damn team. They have a great defense. They have two of the best corners in the NFL. They have one of, if not the best d-line in the NFL. Keep this in mind.
• BRANDON WEEDEN & TRENT RICHARDSON
• So on Brenda's post-game show yesterday, he went so far as to say Weeden played so bad he should go back to baseball. No really, he said it. He said he didn't look like a 28 year old, he looked like an 18 year old. People called in and said they couldn't believe Colt didn't come into the game. Let me ask you this, all you Weeden crucifiers out there: what did you expect? Honestly. I'm not saying I expected Weeden to shit the bed like he did. And I'm not defending his awful play in the least. But to be shocked he struggled in his first NFL start against two of the best corners in the league after only playing 5 preseason quarters is ridiculous. Unbelievable. He should quit football??? And the argument that he's 28 so he should play like it is the most blind logic I've ever heard. So I should be able to grab the oldest players in college football and they should be able to perform better than the younger ones? Really? Do people with this argument think before they speak? Give Weeden a chance. The guy's played one game. ONE GAME. And I'm not going to even talk about the people saying Colt should have been playing. They must not have seen any football last season. 
• As far as Trent Richardson, who hasn't been ridiculed as much as Weeden, just keep in mind that yesterday was his first game since the National Championship. Think about that. Nine months since he saw in-game action on a football field. The kid was rusty, it was evident, but don't pretend you didn't get a lil' chub like I did when you saw him run Kurt Coleman the hell over
• FINAL THOUGHTS
• With no expectations for yesterday's game, Browns fans should be ecstatic at yesterday's showing. Have a little patience with this incredibly young group and have a little faith that one of the league's most experienced coaching staffs (do people realize they have four [former] head coaches on the staff?) can coach this young offense up (Weeden, Richardson, Schwartz, Gordon, Benjamin, Little, Pinkston...1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 first or second year players with big offensive roles). 

I'll leave you with two thoughts to help you sleep tonight. 

A Word on the Passing of Art Modell

I'm not gonna beat a damn dead horse about Art Modell dying. Everything to be said has been said by the local guys at the PD, on 850, and on 1100. Hell, it's been covered by all the national outlets like ESPN and SI. But I'll say just a bit about Modell. I never celebrate an individual's death (except for Osama and all those other sons of bitches we slay over there in the Middle East--but that's the Marine in me) but there's a difference in being happy for someone dies and feeling little or no sympathy or emotion for someone's death. Modell falls into that category for me. By all accounts he was a great guy, always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. But what he did to Cleveland was heartbreaking. I've read about how many people have forgotten and moved on from The Move but not me. I wasn't even 6 years old when The Move happened and I had no idea what it meant then. Hell, I barely even remember it. All I remember about The Move was the countdown clock in Tower City before the Browns came back. When it all comes down to it though, there is more than one person to blame for The Move. Al Lerner was Modell's right hand man during the whole process, for example. But when the dust settled, it was Modell's call to up and move the team to Baltimore. It's part of his legacy in the NFL. And while I don't think we should do backflips over his death, I also don't think we should act like the assholes in Baltimore either (see below). I'll finish with this: rest in piece, Art. You were an innovative owner and the NFL is forever marked by those innovations, but you're still a son of a bitch.

PS: I'm glad to hear that the Browns aren't going to recognize Modell's death tomorrow, even if it is only because of the family's wishes. There is just too fine of a line to try to tightrope with an issue like this, and it opens up a massive opportunity for a few assholes to make Cleveland look like shit (again, see below for Baltimore's example).