Cleveland Browns: Backup QB Colt McCoy Rolls With Punches And Awaits Opportunity

As we move to the final quarter of the season, Cleveland Browns back up quarterback Colt McCoy can only watch from the sidelines. Rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden was deemed the starter in training camp and McCoy never had a chance.

Few know that McCoy is the winningest quarterback in NCAA history. From pee wee to high school to college, McCoy has always been known as “the man”. His good ole’ country boy demeanor and love for the game of football makes him a very likable guy. Unfortunately, pee wee, high school, and college is not the same as the National Football League.

After he was drafted in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft, McCoy instantly became a fan favorite. McCoy doesn’t cause problems and is a great teammate. Despite his size, McCoy shows moxie and has the ability to escape the pocket for positive yards. So what’s the problem?

In today’s NFL, a starting quarterback has to be able to throw the ball down field and hit precise routes, all while putting some zip on the ball. Championship caliber teams do not dink and dunk. The Browns and 31 other teams simply believe McCoy does not meet that criteria. This is why Cleveland drafted the 29 year old rookie Brandon Weeden with their second first round pick. Weeden, the failed minor league baseball player, resurrected himself at Oklahoma State University.

Soon after this past NFL Draft when the Browns selected Trent Richardson, McCoy tweeted “Congratulations Trent Richardson! Glad to have you in Cleveland.” It was a sign that McCoy would actually have some help in the backfield. Little did he know, the Weeden selection was soon to follow. Everyone including McCoy knew right then and there, the Browns had a new starting quarterback.

In week one, Weeden looked like a boy lost in the woods and accumulated a 5.1 QB rating while throwing four interceptions. The entire time, McCoy watched, listened, and tried to help from the sidelines.

The one thing Cleveland fans have to ask themselves is; if Weeden goes down to an injury or plays terrible, can no. 12 lead the youngest team in the NFL to be competitive and win football games? That scenario may have come after Weeden suffered a concussion in last week’s victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maybe a change of pace at quarterback is what the Browns need. Maybe it is not. No matter what though, at what point do we say, it doesn’t matter who the quarterback is, let’s just win and finish football games?

Ryan Ruiz – Cleveland Browns Writer

What Does Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur Have To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving Season?

The Cleveland Browns are now 2-8 and many Browns fans are probably wondering what a guy like Browns head coach Pat Shumur has to be thankful for this holiday season. For the fans that lived through the 2011 season you probably already know what coach Shurmur has to be thankful for, for those of you that may be new to the Cleveland Browns you probably think Shumur has very little to be thankful for. That would be your first mistake. Shurmur is thankful that the Cleveland Browns started a new quarterback for the 2012 season and now he can blame all the teams losses on his rookie quarterback, yes Pat Shumur loves to play the blame game. Even when the team loses a game because of Shurmur’s own short-comings as a head coach in the National football league he still likes to blame the team’s quarterback.

This Holiday season head coach Pat Shurmur will pin all of the Browns losses on his rookie. This is what Shurmur does best, he has already made several comments stating that you can only evaluate the teams starting quarterback on how many wins his has.  Shurmur is a pros pro when it come to shifting the blame for losing. Last season Colt McCoy was made the scape goat, this season it will be his rookie starter. Needless to say there was no reason to start a rookie for the Cleveland Browns at the quarterback position, the Browns had a seasoned veteran returning a guy who knew the offense Shurmur enjoys calling the plays for. But what fun would that be if the head coach messed up getting the plays into the game, who would he place the blame on?

So this thanksgiving when you;re sitting down at the Thanksgiving dinner table remember Pat Shurmur the head coach of the Cleveland Browns has plenty to be thankful for, he has a new guy to point the finger at.

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Cleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs tells Plain Dealer: 'I feel caged' because of lack of opportunities on offense

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns kick returner Josh Cribbs, who has touched the ball only eight times on offense this season, vented his frustration as the Browns prepared to face the Cowboys on Sunday in Dallas.

"I feel like I'm trapped," Cribbs told The Plain Dealer. "I feel like a caged athlete."

Cribbs, who's third in the NFL in kickoff return average and fourth in punt return average, is miffed he hasn't been used more on offense, especially after catching a career-high 41 passes for 518 yards and four touchdowns last season. The four TDs tied a team high.

This season, he has six catches for 54 yards and two runs for 8.

"Me going from being able to run the wildcat, to playing receiver last season and catching 41 passes and four touchdowns to nothing -- I can't believe it," said Cribbs. "By me not playing, I feel like they think I'm not good, that I've lost it. But I haven't. I feel when I'm out there I can contribute, but I'm not able to."

Cribbs, in the final year of his contract here, said he talked to coach Pat Shurmur about it earlier this season.

"There's no point," he said. "Obviously they feel like everybody that's in front of me is a better athlete. I disagree. I feel a different way than the coach feels about me. They must feel I can't produce. We have a difference of opinion."

Shurmur, who's stressed since the offseason that he values Cribbs as a returner, made a point this week of complimenting him for his superb play in all aspects of the kicking game.

"We know what kind of an impact he has on special teams, which can't go unnoticed," said Shurmur. "He does more than just the average returner because he's involved in all the coverage units and he's an outstanding competitor in that phase. I really appreciate it."

Shurmur feels Cribbs' return numbers are up this year and coverage units are better because he's focusing on special teams. Cribbs already has four kickoff returns of 40-yards or more this season and leads all active players with 33. Overall, the Browns are second in the NFL with both punt- and kick-return average. From a coverage standpoint, the Browns are third in the NFL in average field position (19.9) after a kickoff return.

"He's made a major impact on one-third of the game and he's doing a great job," said Shurmur.

Offensively, the Browns have turned to younger receivers such as rookies Josh Gordon, Travis Benjamin and Josh Cooper, but Cribbs feels he has more to offer and it's killing him not to prove it. Cribbs admitted it's even more frustrating considering it's his contract year and neither the new Browns' regime nor other teams are getting to see what he can do.

"There's something wrong when one of your best athletes doesn't get the ball," he said. "I'm tired of people saying they don't know how to use me. Get creative. Find ways.

"I can't even showcase myself. I'm more than a special teams player. I've proven that. I belong on the field more than this, more than what they're allowing me to do. I've tried to not to say much, but it's upsetting. We're nine games into the season and I haven't gotten a chance."

He insisted that his anger stems from the fact the Browns are 2-7.

"If the team were winning and we were successful every week on offense, I wouldn't say a word," he said. "Something needs to change. We've got find a way to win. You've got to think outside the box."

And although Shurmur hinted this week that some players might get more time down the stretch, Cribbs doesn't think he's one of them.

"There's no indication that things will be different over the last seven games," he said. "I'm a special teams player. My guys are rallying behind me and trying to send me to the Pro Bowl. I'm trying to ride that and get in the end zone. I'm going to keep trying to lead the league in returns and keep balling out and contribute as much as I can."

Cribbs, 29, said it's hard for him to watch the team lose week after week, which is why he stalked out of the locker room after the Baltimore game without talking.

"I look at the game film and it's hard for me to compose myself," he said. "I've got so much fight in me. I've been through it all here and I know how important it is for these fans to win and I want to be doing everything I can to help."

Despite his frustration and the perennial losing, Cribbs wants to finish his career here.

"It's because of these fans," he said. "I'm going to try to stay here. If Mr. (Jimmy) Haslam will have me, I'll stay. If not, I'm sure I'll be playing football somewhere else."

He said his agent hasn't talked yet with new CEO Joe Banner.

"No, we're just going to let it play out," he said.

In the meantime, he'll focus on being the best special teamer he can be.

"We feel like we're the best unit in the league and we take a lot of pride in that," said Cribbs. "I'm trying to do everything I can on special teams -- more than ever before -- because it's the only avenue I've got."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/11/cleveland_browns_josh_cribbs_i_3.html#incart_river#incart_2box

Cleveland Browns CEO Joe Banner tells The Plain Dealer that team must determine if Brandon Weeden is the guy

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio — Browns new CEO Joe Banner, in a wide-ranging interview with The Plain Dealer on Thursday, acknowledged that he and new owner Jimmy Haslam must decide by the end of the season if Brandon Weeden is their quarterback of the future.

"It's right to put Brandon on the list of important things we have to figure out and we have seven games left to do that," Banner said. "It's an extremely important question for this organization to get right."

With the Browns 2-7 at the bye, they're likely to end up with a high enough pick to draft a premier quarterback, which makes the last final seven games pivotal.

"The only reason I'm leaving he door open is, you could think he's the right answer and a year from now go, "Oh, gee, I thought he was but he isn't,' " Banner said. "So it's not like you're etching it in stone, but you certainly have to at least for your next off-season plan, make a determination as to whether in two years from now, when we're trying to be a championship-caliber team, is he good enough to lead us there?"

Banner said Weeden's age -- he'll be 30 in their first full season -- isn't as much a factor as his ability.

"In a perfect world he isn't 30, but you've got to deal with reality," Banner said. "It's not a yes or no because of his age, it's a yes or no because of how good he is or how good he's going to become."

He said he'll rely on the current staff to evaluate Weeden's potential and that they'll weigh factors such as youth at the skill positions.

"Anybody can see he throws the ball well," Banner said. "The more crucial evaluation are the other issues that drive the best quarterbacks in the league such as huddle presence, feel, intelligence, and leadership.

Banner said the quarterback decision is tied for No. 2 with general manager and behind head coach as the most important decisions a team must make.

"You can't win big without a great coach and a great quarterback," he said. "And frankly, if you have a great enough coach and quarterback, you can afford to make a few more personnel mistakes. You've got to lock them in."

Banner addressed a number of other topics including his role, his philosophy on changes, and what he's looking for from coach Pat Shurmur and General Manager Tom Heckert:

Q: Do Shurmur and Heckert need a certain number of victories to stick around?

A: No. We're not going to say, "If you win four games . . ." We want to see if they have the qualities that will lead this organization to a championship-caliber level. I know Pat [from our Eagles days] but I've never known Pat as a head coach. I've never known Pat where he was expected to demonstrate his leadership skills. You may have an opinion about some play call, but that's not what we're scrutinizing. If they have the qualities we're looking for, let's move forward.

Q: What are those qualities?

A: When we hired Andy Reid in Philadelphia we did a study on every coach who had led a team to two Super Bowls to find the common denominator. We went in looking for things like offensive philosophy, did they come from defense, did they come from college? Had they been a coordinator? We found nothing. Then we accidentally realized they were all exactly the same when we took football out of the equation -- they were all incredibly strong leaders, they all had hired great staffs, they managed them well and were all very detail-oriented.

Q: So that's how you found Reid?

A: I found Andy when he was working for [former Packers GM] Ron Wolf in Green Bay. Ron was hiring a head coach and didn't even interview Andy. I got a list of candidates based on those qualities we found. Eight teams were hiring head coaches and no one else interviewed Andy. It worked out pretty well [five NFC championship games and a Super Bowl].

Q: Do Shurmur and Heckert have a realistic shot, or will you want your own people regardless?

A: They have a realistic chance. I like them both. I do feel like I have a head start. I know a lot about Pat, so I'm not really starting from scratch. There's just elements of evaluating Pat that I need to see more and know more before I could come to a conclusion. I've always had a good rapport with Tom. I come in with a positive view of Tom and we'll see when we get to January how we feel about that. Tom left the Eagles because he wanted more input. It wasn't a negative thing.

Q: Who will have final say on the 53-man roster?

A: We'll determine that officially when we see who's in those roles. My bias is for the coach to make those decisions. Now, we may end up with somebody in personnel who's so good that I tweak that, but going in, my bias is that the coach will have the most say on the 53-man roster and the 45 who dress for games.

Q: What will your role be in football decisions such as the draft?

A: I will be one of the four or five people in that room. I'll have a voice. In some instances, it will go through me, but our goal is always to drive a consensus. That's always been my role as it related to the football part of the operations.

Q: Will Jimmy Haslam be one of those four or five people?

A: Yes, absolutely because he's smart and he has common sense. The right decisions don't necessarily come out of someone who's been a traditional football guy. Sometimes they come more from common sense than anything. He watches football and he's going to have perspectives on what's most important. Will he be the guy watching the film and writing the report? No, although I'd be surprised if he doesn't watch some film because that's the best way to kind of see what you're seeing.

Q: Speaking of football guys, you're perceived as more of a business/salary-cap guy than a football guy. Is that accurate?

A: I think that definition has properly evolved over the last five or 10 years. There's a lot of examples of smart, hardworking guys running successful teams that are not thought of as football guys. You can't hire an Andy Reid without knowing something about football.

Q: But do you watch film and do some scouting?

A: I don't think the Eagles drafted a guy that I haven't watched. I'll watch all of the top guys and any free agent we're thinking of signing. Later in the draft, they might give me five guys to watch that could be available in the sixth round. I also go to the Senior Bowl and the Indianapolis combine, but I'm also there to develop relationships with agents and people in the league.

Q: Who will report to you?

A: The coach and the GM will report directly to me. In Philadelphia, the director of player personnel reported to Andy, who was the general manager, and Andy had a direct report to [owner] Jeff Lurie and a dotted line to me. It's slightly different than what we did in Philadelphia because Jeff was more involved. But I was the one most directly working with the football people or negotiating contracts, negotiating the trades. I worked directly with and supervised the football people.

Q: Who will decided if a change at head coach/GM is necessary?

A: I will lead on all of the day-to-day type of things including if we're going to make a change and really be responsible for putting together the right list of people to consider for the change. I don't care who you are in the NFL, the owner has final say on everything. I'd put together a list of three or four people. He may say, "Who's your first choice?" Hopefully that'd carry some weight. I'll have a list of qualified candidates because of how well I know them or the people I can trust know them. Jimmy will have more ideas of who we should look into and obviously I will and then we'll kind of put that into a first list kind of thing.

Q: With your best people either already here or locked in with the Eagles, where will your list come from?

A: One of big weaknesses in the league is people's inclinations to hire people they know or they feel safe with. I know people through the league in all categories -- salesmen, marketing people, position coaches, general managers. I have good people in mind in every area and they won't be my friends or at least that's not what will drive it. It won't be driven by people I've worked with. For me, the pool of potential talent is the entire league and all the relationships I've developed over the years. I'm not just going to be plucking people out of my past. You see coaches come in and the whole staff is somebody they used to work with. They're not hiring the best of the best when they do that.

Q: You're firmly entrenched in the West Coast family. Will this continue to be a West Coast team?

A: My criteria has nothing do with what scheme they play or that they philosophically line up with me or Jimmy or anyone. I have my personal biases, but it won't have anything to do with who we pick.

Q: Will you assume the title of president or hire one after Mike Holmgren leaves?

A: CEO is more than enough. Everybody in the building reports to me. If I do hire a president, it won't be for the football side. Will there be a president, a COO, an executive vice president? That's part of what I'm deciding. I'm really trying to stay open-minded about the organizational structure and hope to decide that in the next one to three or four weeks. Right now I'm 60-40 on not naming a president, but that could change.

Q: Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports reported you're considering former Browns personnel executive Mike Lombardi. True?

A: Since I haven't even decided whether I'm keeping the people that are here, at best it's wild speculation and in this case it's unfounded. Somebody's taking a shot in the dark.

Q: Did you leave on good terms with Reid and would he be on your list of coaching candidates if you make a change?

A: I had a great relationship with Andy. He's still a close friend. [But] I'm not going to answer that. That's speculation of course.

Q: Your biggest strength?

A: Being able to evaluate potential hires and put together really good people regardless of what area. I think it's my greatest strength and I think my history would back it up. You won't bat 100 percent. But you pick good people , create an environment for success and keep them together for a long time.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/11/cleveland_browns_ceo_joe_banne_1.html#incart_2box

Hurricane Sandy Caused Pieces of Cleveland Municipal Stadium to Wash Ashore

Hurricane Sandy may have crippled the Eastern Seaboard, but it looks like Cleveland had to deal with an odd situation caused by the "superstorm".

Sandy caused bits and pieces of the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium to be thrown out of Lake Erie and wash ashore in nearby Bratenahl, Ohio.

Why was the wreckage of the stadium in Lake Erie you ask? Simple. When the former home of the Cleveland Browns was demolished in 1996, the debris from the stadium was deposited into Lake Erie to create three artificial reefs.

It could have been from Sandy, but I think it was the ghost of Art Modell seeking revenge on the city. Maybe, I don't know, I'm just asking the questions.

http://tmgsportsblog.yardbarker.com/blog/tmgsportsblog/article/hurricane_sandy_caused_pieces_of_cleveland_municipal_stadium_to_wash_ashore/12115960

Cleveland Browns' Brandon Weeden eager for second shot against Ravens

BEREA, Ohio -- Brandon Weeden watched the Browns' first meeting against the Ravens on his iPad Tuesday night, but fast-forwarded right past the 63-yard interception return for a touchdown by cornerback Cary Williams that proved to be the game-winner.

Why spoil a good action flick, right?

"I didn't watch it," Weeden said. "It came at a crucial time in the game and you can't miss them there. You have to throw it toward the boundary more, toward the sideline. That was a costly play in the game."

But his review of the Browns' 23-16 loss, minus the pesky pick-six, left Weeden with a skip in his step heading into heading into Sunday's rematch.

"Josh Gordon hadn't really come into his own yet and I was doing some uncharacteristic things, missing some throws," he said. "We had some drops. We're not making the same mistakes and we've come a long way. After watching it ... it's very, very encouraging."

That first meeting, played with 26 first- and second-year players adjusting to the pro game, has Weeden dreaming of what might be on Sunday.

"I think this team is good enough to beat anybody in the league," he said. "Baltimore is a team with guys that have played in the Super Bowl and done good things for numerous years, so for us to be able to go down to the wire with a team like that with a bunch of young guys, it gives us confidence."

That, coupled with victories in two of the past three games, is putting the NFL on notice, Weeden said.

"I don't think teams really take us lightly anymore," he said. "We've got guys that have really raised some eyebrows and really make you stay on your toes. You can't just come to Cleveland or when you show up on Sunday, you can't just fold your tent. We're going to compete and play hard and it shows. Our defense is unbelievable. Having a defense like that, for an offensive player, that's something that I don't take for granted."

What's more, Weeden has made strides since that game. The pick-six was his seventh interception in four weeks, and he threw two more in New York the following week for nine in his first five outings. Since then, he's thrown only one in three games -- on a tipped ball against Cincinnati. In the past two games, he's been interception-free.

"I'm making a huge emphasis on it," he said. "I had four in the first game, then I bounced back. I saw how important it is. You cannot turn the ball over and I'm taking a lot of pride in that. They're going to happen every once in a while because I'm an aggressive thrower. But if I can limit those, I put our team in a lot better spot."

"The one [vs.] Cincy was batted at the line of scrimmage. That sucks. You just tip your hat and move on to the next play. Other than that, the last three games I've done a fairly decent job."

Coach Pat Shurmur stressed that Weeden should've learned from the first outing to "throw the ball accurately and on time. [The interception] was a good play by them. You need to be aware there are certain corners in the league that tend to jump routes and if you're throwing a controlled route, kind of a timing route toward the boundary, you've got to be aware of that."

Next on Weeden's to-do list is to raise his completion rate from its current 55.2 percent, which is tied for second-worst in the league.

"At Oklahoma State before my senior year, my goal was to be a 70 percent passer," he said. "[I want to] just raise that completion percentage to where I can give my guys a better chance to make plays."

He also hopes to improve in red zone offense. The Browns are tied for last with only 13 trips inside the 20 -- despite 16 takeaways by the defense. Of the few times they've gotten there, they're not punching it in. They're second-last in the league with only six red zone TDs, and their 46.2 percent TD rate is 23rd in the NFL.

"It's nice to complete balls, but it's also nice to complete balls in the last 10 yards in the end zone," he said. "Those are probably my two main focuses."

But Ravens coach John Harbaugh has noticed Weeden's progress -- enough to declare that the Browns have joined the ranks of their division foes with a premier passer.

"I'm very impressed with him," Harbaugh said on a conference call. "There are four really good quarterbacks in this division and that makes it a tough division.

"It looks like [Weeden's] really smart, he's got a nice arm and he's got good poise back there. He's got a really good feel for the rush and getting the ball out and those kind of things. One of the main thing is just not turning the ball over much and he's done a good job with that."

Especially when you hit fast-forward.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/10/baltimore_ravens_coach_john_ha.html#incart_river