Know Your Opponent: The Indiana Hoosiers
August 31, 2017
The Browns didn’t want to lose Joe Haden, right? : While We’re Waiting
September 1, 2017Ladies and gentlemen, the Cleveland Browns have not lost a game in the 2017 NFL season. The Browns finished off a perfect preseason with a 25-0 victory over the Chicago Bears. The defense continued its strong play in the preseason, finishing off a preseason in which they only gave up one touchdown over the four games.
The Browns were led through the air in Thursday’s game by quarterback Kevin Hogan, who completed 13 of 18 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, Matt Dayes led the Browns running game with 10 carries for 31 yards. The leading receiver was tight end Randall Telfer, who caught two passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. The Browns defense shut out the Bears offense, giving up just 159 total yards.
The game was all about the final roster spots and giving the back end of the roster playing time to make their last impression on the Browns decision makers going into Saturday’s massive roster cut to 53 players. With just two starters playing, Shon Coleman and Randall Telfer, on either side of the ball, the Browns made this game the last big examination of the players that will make up the depth of the roster behind the starters. The Browns brain trust will look at the tape and make their final roster decisions over the next few days to trim the roster to the 53-man limit.
The Browns preseason has felt a little different to me than in past seasons. Yes, the Browns actually won the games, but it was more than that. The rookies and other young players on the roster really excited me this preseason, giving me some of the most hope I have had since 1999. Myles Garrett probably led the excitement for me, showing the talent that earned him the honor of going No. 1 in the 2017 NFL Draft. As a player and a person, he is someone, who as a Browns fan, I have not quite seen before in the Brown and Orange since the rebirth. But, Garrett only starts my excitement.
DeShone Kizer outperformed his competition and won the quarterback job in the preseason. Kizer earned his job and showed snippets of the potential he has. Jabrill Peppers has shown some impressive plays on defense, but on special teams he really has me thinking back to the days of Josh Cribbs where I thought that any return can be taken back for a big play. Other impressive performances from the young Browns include Corey Coleman, Larry Ogunjobi, Trevon Coley, Matt Dayes and Joe Schobert.
Yes, this is just the preseason. Yes, the Browns will likely struggle this season and win less than eight games. But, the preseason has shown that the organization is going in the same direction, driven by the young nucleus built by the Browns current regime. It may be ugly at times. We will see a lot of rookie mistakes and slow development, but the nucleus of the young players is being built with the players receiving valuable playing experience early in their careers. I see a direction and players who I can really get excited for to watch and grow over the season.
The preseason is over and the regular season is upon us. Cleveland starts their regular season at FirstEnergy Stadium against their rival Pittsburgh Steelers. The games will finally count and matter!
37 Comments
SUPERBOWL
Browns sweep the preseason, Cavs back out of the Q deal and it’s going through anyhoo and Wahoo maybe gone by the playoffs. I loved Harv’s line from yesterday. This ain’t no dress rehearsal.
MVP of the pre-season ?? … Gregg Williams. what a huge difference he is making.
after Hogan’s performance last night , you gotta think Osweiler will be finding employment elsewhere.
hi PAT … Sterup had a rough game last night & Burgess had a really good one. i also actually like the RB from LSU (McGee) … i wondering if he might be practice squad-worthy .
Gonna be interesting to see what they do here. Kessler did nothing to help his cause.
hi JPF … Kessler started off really rough & took some heavy hits , but then he righted the ship quite nicely , i thought.
Meanwhile in Hell…
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Time get those t-shirts printed
Honestly, I’d keep big O over Kessler. That guy looked like dooty pants. He basically had 1 drive last night.
hi BEN …
veteran presense = keep Osweiler
moneyball = dump Osweiler
… and besides , the HBT invested a 3rd round pick in Kessler.
dropping Kessler = admitting failure
hi CHRIS … good one !!
That’s true. Although, Big O is a sunk cost, right? I’m not sure how the cap works.’
Kessler has looked SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad this preseason with the exception of like 5 plays. I wish I knew why.
i will give Kessler one thing though , when things aren’t going well , like last night , he keeps his composure fairly well … he then turned it around after that. and last game he was 7 for 7 … i know he hasn’t been spectacular , but he hasn’t been horrible either.
eh…he’s been pretty horrible. But you’re right. He kept his composure. That’s…something.
The Draft is our Super Bowl; the Pre-Season is our Season.
going undefeated in the pre-season may not mean much , but to a young team that has a really bad track record since 1999 , it DOES … not only does it bode well for the mind-set & confidence of the players , coaches & FO , but now there is going to be some real excitement & hope at the stadium next week against our hated rival. the stadium will be rockin’ … i can’t wait.
I didn’t get to watch the game. Not in the local market and decided not to go the illegal feed route. Shame about Sterup, if he underperformed against backups and 3rd stringers, that isn’t a good sign.
Which makes our season…like a 3-day weekend or something?
You’re thinking about it all wrong. If the Pre-Season is the Season and the Draft is the Super Bowl, the Season is obviously the Playoffs. We swept the Playoffs (Season) last year to get to the Super Bowl (Draft), which we coincidentally won. You have to turn this thing upside down to really see it properly.
I have so much to learn! Thank you, sensei!
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So, who’s the backup now!
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Why did Osweiler not take a snap the last two weeks? It is baffling to me. It doesn’t showcase him for a trade, it doesn’t help him earn the backup role. What exactly was the plan there???
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I wonder if they are keeping him for sure, and were deciding between Kessler and Hogan.
That way, your two main QBs don’t get injured?
That’s what I think (though I really did believe that the pre-season was a trade audition for Osweiler), and I predict they’ve settled on Hogan.
Update – just got an e-mail from Homage with this as an item to buy. I’m guessing that some sort of finder’s fee is applicable here 🙂
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Preseason merchandise at regular season prices, Homage is following the NFL example well.
But, then why not play Osweiler in Week 3? I’m just sort of lost.
Good point.
No trade market for Os. Why would Os agree to re-write his contract when he gets paid regardless and controls his destination in FA if they cut him? He would also be potentially voiding the non-guaranteed years, which he’d be better off doing as an FA than trade target after the Browns are forced to eat his 17 salary. He could sign for league minimum in 17 and a guarantee in 18, which would also help a cap strapped club.
Either he gets cut and Kessler and Hogan get more reps. Or they keep him and evaluate Kessler and Hogan for the cut.
It makes sense once you cross the trade Rubicon.
If we were keeping him to be a backup, then I’d want him getting reps as a QB before Kizer hopefully never lets him see the field again.
At the end of last year, it was hard to imagine the Browns QB scenario becoming even more bizarre. But true to form, they continue to surprise. They better get a good player for that 2nd round pick.
A bit of a sigh when I see plays like this one…
(yeah, I still like Kizer, but Mahomes man)
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/903438892300242945