Cleaning out the inbox

The inbox is a bit stuffed, so the time has come to relieve its swelling a bit and we start with an article on
"Mr.Falcon" Tommy Nobis, the first overall pick in the 1966 draft and the player that is most credited for forcing the eventual NFL/AFL merger after the immense for the time bidding war for his service between the expansion Atlanta Falcons and the Texas Longhorn linebacker's home state resident Houston Oilers.
The five-time Pro Bowler is a borderline Hall of Famer and another from the age of the '60s and '70s that have seen their candidacy fall between the cracks that deserves further consideration for Canton.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes of Nobis, who passed in December, and his family with their troubles for dealing with the daily problems of Nobis after football.
Nobis was found to have the highest levels of "CTE", a degenerative brain disease brought on by repeated blows to the head found most often in military veterans and athletes in his post-death autopsy. but the article talks about the man behind Mr.Falcon and just how difficult life can be with someone suffering from brain trauma.
It's a tremendous article to read and another log on the pile when you wonder where the game of football is eventually headed.

Another athlete with a degenerative brain disease announced his diagnosis, but not from football where this happens so often, but from baseball where Hall of Famer Tom Seaver will no longer be involved in public life due to his suffering from Dementia.
Seaver, who mainly pitched for the Mets and Reds over his long career. won 311 games, the 1967 Rookie of the Year award and three Cy Young's, but might be remembered by most for his starring role for the 1969 World Champion "Miracle Mets".
Those Mets are being honored this season by the team, but Seaver will be unable to attend.
Seaver spent some of his post-baseball career in broadcasting, but recent years had been involved in winemaking in California.

Emily Waldon of the Athletic writes a tremendous article that professional baseball doesn't want you to read.
The scam that major league baseball has in paying its minor league players is one in which once you know about what goes on in the minors, it might make you understand why these players have resentment and have no problems at all in turning the screws on the "poor" franchises when free agency arrives for them.
When you see what the game pays its players and treats them, you may find yourself feeling differently about player salaries.

The Athletic returns with an article on former Browns defensive back Freddie Summers (who was mentioned in our last passings piece) and his effect on the life of Roger Harris.
Summers, who played quarterback at Wake Forest and the CFL, was a major influence on Harris, who can be seen in the Ken Burns PBS mini-series on the Vietnam War. and the story tells the story of both men.
Summers, who passed in 1994, suffered a broken neck in the CFL in an attempt to return to the quarterback position after being the first black quarterback in the ACC with the Demon Deacons.

Newsweek writes of the connection between the Bosa brothers and Al Capone.
Now I wondered how they were connected, but the Bosa's great grandfather turned out to be Tony Accardo, Capone's bodyguard and eventual leader of the organization that was left behind.
What I found really interesting was in the 80s when Accardo's grandson former Ohio State linebacker Eric Kumerow (The Bosa's Uncle) was drafted in the first round by Miami, the NFL and some teams were reportedly worried that Accardo could get involved with the outcome of games.
FBI agent Williams Roehmer reassured the league about those concerns, reported that Accardo would never embarrass Kumerow and there were no such problems.

Finally, Battlin' Bob sends me this note about the discovery of a WCW wrestling game that was unreleased for the original Nintendo.
This game appears to be the prototype for the eventual 'World Championship Wrestling" game and has eight wrestlers in it including three that would not make the cut for the actual game that was released- Jimmy Garvin and sadly the Midnight Express, who to my knowledge were never part of an official game.
I've never been a huge wrestling game for the same reason that I always struggle with boxing games.
They look great and I'm just not fast enough with my thumbs to play them well, leading to frustration and defeat!

Lightning doesn't strike twice-Chargers beat Browns 19-10

Photo Credit:Cleveland Plain Dealer

Lightning didn't strike twice as the only team that the 2016 Cleveland Browns defeated made sure that they weren't the 2017 victim as the Los Angeles (Nee' San Diego) Chargers struggled to a 19-10 win over the Cleveland Browns in Carson, California.
DeShone Kizer hit David Njoku with a 28 yard pass two minutes before the end of the first half for the only Browns touchdown that gave the Browns the lead for most of those two minutes before former Brown Travis Coons gave the Chargers a 9-7 halftime lead with a 22 yard field goal on the final play of the first half.
The now 0-12 Browns host Green Bay next Sunday in the Packers final game with Brett Hundley at quarterback before the return of Aaron Rodgers.

Brownie Bits

1) The return of Josh Gordon was somewhat of a mixed success.
Gordon did not miss a beat with his speed and athleticism and he looked really good with four catches for eighty yards with one sure to be touchdown overthrown by DeShone Kizer.
All and all, a excellent first game back.

2) Considering all of that, I thought either the play calling or DeShone Kizer locked in too much on Gordon (eleven targets) much like Brian Hoyer did during the last Gordon return.
I get that he is a number one receiver, but the Browns still need to move the ball around and not lock on Gordon.

3) There may be one more question to wonder about is it possible that the Browns could try to feature Gordon as much as possible in order to build his possible trade value?
That may be reading far too much into this, but I would not be surprised that should Sashi Brown be retained that Gordon might be moved for draft picks considering his past and ability.

4) I thought the Browns would be able to run the football against the worst run defense in the league and they did-by average four yards a carry.
The bad news is they only ran the ball 22 times and every time the Browns had some rhythm, they started throwing again.

Photo Credit:Cleveland Plain Dealer

It would be interesting to see what would happen if the Browns would try to run the ball and now with an elite pass catcher like Josh Gordon to open up the field what would happen with four games to go.

5) The play of the game as the Browns were driving down 19-10 on the Charger 15 with a third down,
DeShone Kizer gets stripped by Joey Bosa, fumbles-ball game.
I know I've drummed the Browns don't take Ohio State players in the draft, but this is yet another one that bites them.
I'm a big Joey Bosa fan and love the pass rush and high motor that he brings to the field and I understand the Browns not taking him after the trade down in the 2016 draft, but he's the type of disruptive presence that the Browns hope to get from Myles Garrett.

6) David Njoku finished with the Browns only touchdown and caught five passes for 74 yards.
Njoku down the seam might be the biggest beneficiary of Josh Gordon.
Njoku was drafted as a raw talent and has been erratic in his rookie season, but on occasion, you can see the athletic ability that might make him an impact tight end in this league.

7) Corey Coleman was supposed to thrive as the number two receiver with the arrival of Josh Gordon.
Instead, he disappeared as he didn't catch a pass of his four targets and disappeared from the offense with nary a whimper.

8) The defense bent but seldom broke as they only allowed one touchdown out of six Charger drives inside the Cleveland 20.
Keep in mind that this was a Charger team that scored 54 two weeks ago against Buffalo and 28 on Thanksgiving against Dallas, so this wasn't playing the 49ers.
Good all-around game for the defense.

9) The star was Joe Schobert, who finished with seven solo tackles, a forced fumble, a sack and two tackles for loss.
Schobert is rolling up big numbers for you fantasy IDP players out there and reminds me a lot of Zach Thomas, an old school tackling middle linebacker that can play in passing situations as well.

10) DeShone Kizer is running out of excuses for his problems hitting his receivers.
The accuracy problems continued with even more weapons than he has had all season.
It is the problems with accuracy that has haunted Browns quarterbacks for years and it doesn't look like Kizer is going to be the player that solves that issue.

11) The other player on the Charger defense that played well?
Desmond King, a rookie corner from Iowa that made six tackles, had a sack of Kizer among three hits of him, two tackles for loss and made plays on special teams as a kick returner with a 44 yard returner.
Longtime readers may remember how high I was on King coming out of Iowa and King was a Charger pick in round five!
The player the Browns picked ahead of King hasn't played all season due to injury (Howard Wilson of Houston, whom I also liked), so the jury is still out on that player, but King looks like another missed Brown draft pick.

12) The Chargers wore the royal blue uniforms from the Dan Fouts era, which looked OK, but they wore blue pants with them rather than the gold pants used back then.
The gold would have added a better look, I think, but no matter what they used, they wouldn't have been as good looking as the classic 60's powder blue, which is almost universally loved and the hard-headed Chargers refuse to use full time.

Remaining games in the chase to a win
Green Bay 6-6
Baltimore 7-5
at Chicago 3-9
at Pittsburgh 9-2 (plays tonight)

Browns finally win-Shock Chargers 20-17

Brownie the Elf is stunned with a victory

The special teams stepped up and made a big play when it counted with another play being helped by a rolling clock and the Cleveland Browns finally won a football game as they defeated the San Diego Chargers 20-17 in Cleveland.
Jamie Meder blocked a Josh Lambo field goal attempt with 3;49 to play that would have tied the game and the Chargers had to try another attempt with the clock winding down and without any timeouts,Lambo's kick was rushed and drifted wide right from 45 yards to ensure the Cleveland win.
Isaiah Crowell rushed for two touchdowns with Cody Parkey adding two field goals for the Browns points on the day.
The now 1-14 Browns finish the season in Pittsburgh next week against the Steelers...

Brownie Bits

1) The most encouraging thing that I feel about today?
Effort.
I kept seeing tweets across my timeline applauding the effort and comparing the Browns effort to the rollover that the Jets under Todd Bowles did at the same time against the Patriots in a positive manner.
There is still much to do,but it's stuff like that that makes me hope that things are on the right track...

2) Robert Griffin looked both good and bad before being driven from the game with a concussion in the fourth quarter.
Griffin looked very good when he had the ball in his hands,avoiding sacks (more on that later) and running with the football (42 yards on 6 carries),but his passing was inaccurate ( two touchdown to open receivers that he just plain overthrew) and I just don't see any hope of Griffin maturing as a passer.
I'm not saying Griffin won't get another chance next season,but his performance doesn't warrant entering next season as the starter or even a challenger for the job..

3) One reason that Griffin may have thrown so poorly (and ran by need) as another weaker day for the offensive line,
The Chargers dumped Griffin seven times and his replacement Cody Kessler two more times and harassed both all day long.
The line really struggled against the Charger rush,

4) Which brings us to a gentleman named Joey Bosa,who the Browns could have had and the Chargers were smart enough to grab.
The Browns traded down and wound up with Corey Coleman,Shon Coleman (who never plays),Ricardo Louis (who did make a nice special teams tackle,but has dropped several passes this year and Spencer Drango,who has played decently on the offensive line) for now and whatever players the Browns grab with the Eagles first rounder next year and second rounder in 2018,so this deal and its results are far from itched in stone,but I can say one thing-Joey Bosa is the type of pass rusher that the Browns have not had in years (2 sacks,3 tackles for loss and 3 hits) and his hit on Robert Griffin that was called roughing the passer (although I didn't agree) was punishing to be conservative and debilitating to be honest.
Joey Bosa just might be the next advancement in pass rushing excellence in this league.

5) The offensive line was better in running the football as the Browns finished with 124 yards rushing compared to just 34 for the Chargers.
Some of that total was on unplanned scrambles by Robert Griffin,but in run blocking ,I thought the line played pretty well..

6) Former Ashland Eagle Jamie Meder came through with the play of the game with his block of Josh Lambo's kick.
Meder reminded me of former Brown Shaun Rogers,who was a similar wide body that seemed to always be a kick blocking threat by swallowing two blockers up the middle and sticking up a massive paw.

7) Don't underestimate the inbounds tackle by Jamar Taylor on Antonio Gates on the final offensive play of the game.
Without Taylor wrapping up and keeping Gates inbounds,the Chargers would have been able to take their time for Josh Lambo (an excellent kicker by the way) and allow things to set up.
Instead,they were forced to rush on the field and make the 45 yard attempt on the fly.
I would offer no blame for any kicker missing under those circumstances...

8) Jamar Taylor made another great play late in the game before the Meder field goal.
Phillip Rivers fired the ball on target to Tyrell Williams in the end zone,who appeared to have his hands on the ball,ready to secure it and with it-a San Diego lead.
Taylor wasn't having that as he stuck his hands in there and knocked the ball out to force an incomplete pass and after a 3rd down incompletion forced the field goal try that Meder would reject..

9) One player that I have noticed over the last few weeks has been Ed Reynolds at safety.
Reynolds has went from released by the Eagles to the Browns practice squad to the regular team to playing a lot all during this season.
Reynolds might have his issues in coverage,but his high energy play makes me think of the type of player that might be pretty productive when he is surrounded by better athletes in the secondary...

10) I'm well noted for not caring as much about these meaningless late season games because I feel once you get to a certain point,the Browns are better off getting a higher pick.
I'm not saying the team tanks a game or should tank a game,I'm saying it would be better for the future to lose these games,not the present.
I didn't feel that way on this day.
I rooted,cheered and hollered during this one because I didn't want my team to be labeled with the 0-16 tag.
There has been plenty of teams that won just one game in a season and those teams are quickly forgotten-the teams that go winless are quickly recalled.
I didn't want to see the Browns on that list...

11) That said,my idea of a great Christmas eve was a Browns win and then a San Francisco win in Los Angeles,so the Browns not only win,they retain the top pick in the draft (San Francisco is likely to "win" a tiebreaker,which is opponent's strength of schedule.
After a great dinner with Cherie,Rachel and my "Sister" Denise Nicarry at Hong Kong restaurant,I came home to a Rams lead of 14-7 and I went to bed disappointed as I needed a nap before a 12 hour shift at work.
I "heard" the Rams increase the lead to 21-7 in fourth quarter play as I drifted off and awoke for work to see the Niners scored two touchdowns and a game winning two point conversion to win the game and keep the Browns at first overall.
Only an unlikely win in Pittsburgh could keep the Browns away from that top pick now.!
Pretty good day!!!