The NEW Kardiac Kids? Browns nip Saints 26-24!

Photo Credit;Joshua Gunter Cleveland Plain Dealer

For the second consecutive week,the Cleveland Browns went down to the game's final play (well,there was a kickoff) to decide a winner,but this time the site and the victor was changed as Billy Cundiff drilled a 29 yard field goal to lift the Browns to an upset 26-24 win in their home opener over the New Orleans Saints.
Brian Hoyer threw for over 200 yards and a touchdown,Terrence West ran for his first NFL score and Tayshaun Gipson grabbed a pass that bounced off Jimmy Graham's hands and returned it sixty two yards for the other Browns touchdown.
The stunningly 1-1 Browns host Baltimore next week in what has suddenly become an interesting game.....

Brownie Bits

1) Many keys in this game and I'll get to those as we proceed,but I feel very good about this team.
Maybe for this season,this is not sustainable and perhaps it is,however when you consider the lack of pass catching talent and this team won this game without Jordan Cameron (let alone Josh Gordon),one has to feel pretty good about what is being possibly put together in Cleveland.

2) The play that put Billy Cundiff in position to kick the game winner was the broken coverage on Andrew Hawkins,who was so wide open that Brian Hoyer almost put too much air under the football like a punt.
I appreciate Hoyer not wanting to overthrow and had he thrown the ball differently,Hawkins may have cruised in for a touchdown,but it was scary watching the ball float and Hawkins having to twist under it to make the grab,,,

3) However,the real game saver was neither Billy Cundiff's kick or the pass to Andrew Hawkins,it was a fourth down conversion by Brian Hoyer on a pass to Gary Barnidge,who wouldn't remind you of Kellen Winslow Jr,let alone Kellen Winslow Sr.
That was where I began to believe in this team.
In the past,I would have expected a Colt McCoy swing pass for 2 yards when you needed six....

4) Now I know Jimmy Graham had a huge day,but you expect the best pass catching tight end in the game to do so and Joe Haden isn't going to be able to cover him one on one in the end zone and neither is anyone else.
Too much size and strength there.Let's remember that this was Jimmy Graham before killing the Browns for giving up numbers to the tight end.

5) Loved the offensive line work too.
The Saints and Rob Ryan like to use the blitz and overwhelm you with numbers along with having two very good pass rushers in Cameron Jordan and Junior Gallette.
The Browns line looked very strong against the group as only Gallette on the final drive of the game reached Hoyer for a sack.
Combine that with the solid run blocking and I really liked how they handled the Saints.

6) I like the pair of rookie backs in Terrence West and Isaiah Crowell.
West has the edge for now,but Crowell is the breakaway back.
I know Mike Pettine and Kyle Shanahan like the committee back system and when Ben Tate returns,things will be somewhat muddled,but Crowell might grab hold of the job and never look back,if he got a game with 20+ carries,
His skills are that good...

7) Yes,I know Johnny Manziel made his debut and I'm not against a "Johnny Football" Package,but if you have one,let him throw the ball and make something happen.
Having the play result in a handoff makes me think of all those Josh Cribbs Wildcat formation that ended in a sweep for four yards a few years back.

8) The Browns overcame two kicking game breakdowns in the win.

Photo Credit:John Kuntz Cleveland Plain Dealer

The botched snap on an extra point meant the Browns were down by one on the final drive rather than tied and Billy Cundiff smacked a field goal off an upright that a Saints penalty overturned.
Fortunate that these were able to be overcome,but I hope that this is not a worry of things to come.

9) Karlos Dansby is a beast.
Not the typical veteran that has a nice contract and then plays out the string here.
Dansby's sack of Drew Brees on the last New Orleans drive took the Saints out of field goal range and allowed the Browns to play for a field goal to win rather than a touchdown.
Dansby is all over the field and exactly the type of three down linebacker that you love to have as Dansby makes the routine tackle,rushes the passer and is solid in pass coverage.
Love this guy!

10) The Browns will need to toughen up against the run though.
Allowing 174 yards to the pass happy Saints is not a good day.

11) Like the new colored Browns end zones.
The team took an online vote for brown or orange and brown grabbed an overwhelming win.
It looked good and I liked it,but I voted for orange and here is why.
The football is brown and can't you just see a "breaking the plane" replay that is shown as "inconclusive evidence" with a brown football into a brown end zone?
This is still Cleveland sports after all!

12) Now that we have colored end zones finally,next step-Brownie the Elf at midfield!
Let's do this!

13) Wrapping up,I'm excited.
Winning games without all weapons present and showing heart and toughness every week-that is what Cleveland Browns football should be all about.
I'm really beginning to start buying into "Play like a Brown" and not because that generally has meant bad football....