Monday, October 3, 2016

Browns turnover game in Washington 31-20

The Cleveland Browns were in position to perhaps pull a road upset,before an inability to hold to the football allowed the Washington Redskins to rally for a 31-20 victory in Landover,Maryland.

Isaiah Crowell rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown while Cody Kessler threw for one score to Terrelle Pryor for the other Cleveland touchdown.
The now 0-4 Browns return to Cleveland to host an angry bunch of New England Patriots for the return of Tom Brady-Yikes...

Brownie Bits

1) Biggest question is why Malcolm Johnson was handed the ball for his first NFL carry with the Browns controlling the ball on a drive inside the Washington ten.
Word is that Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson were a little nicked up and the team had little choice,but still that stands out like a sore thumb.

2) Terrelle Pryor was dominant in the first half against Josh Norman in scoring his first touchdown as a receiver,but Norman was able to win the battles in the second half and that began to limit the passing game.
Pryor is the only playmaker that the Browns have,but in the second half,Pryor's inexperience began to show a bit and the passing attack suffered for it...

3) Isaiah Crowell continued to rush well with 112 yards and this game did not have the long run that other games featured.
Those long runs certainly aren't to be ignored,but games like against the Redskins aren't either.
The ability to move the chains and grind games out cannot be underestimated-especially with a team like Cleveland..

4) The Browns also received help from a surprise source as Cam Johnson was signed to a contract on Saturday and found himself on the field the next day.
The even more surprising part was Johnson finishing with two sacks and forcing a fumble.
I'm not sure which is more surprising to me-the Browns continuing to add production from players just added to the team or that this team is so starved for talent that those players are playing so quickly..

5) Cody Kessler shows his accuracy and other than a late interception,didn't play badly.
However,his longest completion was for just 14 yards on a dumpoff to Isaiah Crowell.
Teams are already starting to show a lack of respect for the arm of Kessler and it will only get worse until he can prove that he can get the ball downfield...

6) Cam Johnson was signed after Nate Orchard was placed on injured reserve.
Orchard was another player drafted to add a pass rush that hasn't seemed to provide a rush that can be obtained from a guy signed off the street,,,

7) Another waiver pickup played well for a while as Austin Reiter started at center against the team that he was signed for.
The problem became one of injury as Reiter would leave the game forcing John Greco to return to center and as the Cleveland Plain Dealer noted-the difficulties on offense began.
Reiter is reported to have torn an ACL and will miss the rest of the season,so look for the Browns to bring in another offensive lineman quickly.

8) Yes,the current controversy is the fumble by Duke Johnson that he claims to have recovered that was given to the Redskins.
I saw Johnson come out of the pile with the football,but I cannot say I am sure he recovered it.
It didn't affect the outcome of the game,so I would not push the issue,but these things always seem to happen to the Browns...

9) Cody Parkey was two for two on field goals with one coming from 51 yards as he attempts to redeem himself from the problems that he had in Miami...

10) Let's wrap up with something from Monday-Hue Jackson isn't satisfied with "battling".
Battling is a word that we've heard a lot of from failed Browns coaches especially Pat Shurmur,who used it like Mike Pettine's "Play like a Brown",but this undermanned team really does-and I think they really are trying to build a culture on doing things the right way-on and off the field.
The release of talented but troubled Armonty Bryant ,who has been nailed for both PED and recreational drugs, on the day that he could have returned from a PED suspension shows that.
Now,it would be so Browns for Bryant (and Josh Gordon as well) to get their life together and have successful careers elsewhere,but I like that Hue Jackson is establishing that trouble off the field that is tolerated in Pittsburgh,Baltimore and Cincinnati will not be tolerated in Cleveland.
It's a solid way to establish a foundation..

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