They were two of the most popular Browns players since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999.
One arrived at the very beginning with nothing but a promise of an opportunity after being undrafted and failing in two other stints with two other franchises in 1998. In fact, when he won the job, he was given the caveat from then-head coach Chris Palmer -- "We'll go with you for now."
The other arrived in 2005 after a stellar career as a quarterback at Kent State, but went undrafted in seven rounds by every team in the league because no one was really sure where he could excel. With nothing more of a promise to simply "play," he signed with the Browns and found his niche as a kickoff and punt returner.
Today, both Phil Dawson (49ers) and Josh Cribbs (Cardinals, although his failed physical puts his status in limbo) are with different NFL franchises for the first times in their respective NFL careers after both became local folk-heroes based on their performances over the years with the Cleveland Browns.
Cribbs became a perennial Pro Bowler as a returner and special teams player. His eight career kickoff return touchdowns is still an NFL record, even though he hasn't had one since returning three for scores in 2009 -- the best all-around year of his career that finally earned him the payday he had always desired.
Dawson toiled in relative NFL obscurity, mostly because the Browns teams he's played on have largely been mediocre. He was finally rewarded with a berth to the Pro Bowl this past season. I'm sure it had to mean a lot to him that his last game wearing an orange helmet was while wearing the AFC's game jersey in Hawaii.
In fact, Dawson and Cribbs were two of the Browns' three Pro Bowlers this season (the other being perennial Pro Bowl and possible future Hall of Fame tackle Joe Thomas). While that's a great accomplishment, it's also indicative of all the people who have been making decisions here with the Browns from 1999 until now.
The Browns had never used their franchise tag on any player until Dawson became a free agent following the 2010 season. They used it on him again following the 2011 season. While it kept Dawson a Brown for two more seasons and paid him a nice chunk of change for doing so, the fact that the only player in Browns history to be franchised was a kicker is just sad.
The fact that two of the most popular (fanbase-wise) players during the expansion era are a kicker and a special-teamer is also just sad.
Joe Cleveland was not surprised to see either go, although I did hold out hope that Dawson would be brought back at least one more year. Cribbs, on the other hand, I had washed my hands of.
Cribbs' "home run" ability (his ability to change games with long kickoff returns) had waned over the past few years -- ironically, since he finally signed a lucrative contact extension prior to the 2010 season. The contract may have played a part in it. However, changes in NFL rules concerning kickoffs (kicking from the 35, which greatly increased touchbacks) and injuries building up due to his reckless style of play were starting to catch up to him.
Plus, he's 29. You don't see a whole lot of 30-year-old kickoff and punt returners in the NFL. And, with Cribbs, he was never really able to find his niche offensively with the Browns. While that may be a slam on some of the coaches he's had for not better utilizing his playmaking ability, it is also indicative of Cribbs. Perhaps he was just too raw of a project to do much offensively, and us fans were not able to take off the Orange and Brown blinders to see it.
Cribbs endeared himself to Browns fans not just with his big play ability, whether it was returning kickoffs or punts, taking Wildcat snaps on offense, or covering kicks and punts and making big hits, but also with his accessibility. Cribbs became one of the most visible Browns players during his career. Whether he was attending other sporting events in town or Tweeting or visiting local schools or making other public appearances, Cribbs quickly became Mr. Cleveland. Some even compared him to Bernie Kosar, who was also a beloved Cleveland sports icon who fans loved because of his play and his accessibility.
When Cribbs complained about his contract, which he signed shortly into his rookie year, instead of rebelling against him, fans took up for him. "Pay Da Man" became a rallying cry when it came to Cribbs, especially when he backed up his cries for more money with his 2009 season.
Cribbs returned three kickoffs -- two of which in a wild 40-34 win over Kansas City that highlighted a season-ending four-game win streak -- and one punt for a touchdown during that Pro Bowl season. He also carried the ball a career-best 55 times for 381 yards (mostly out of the Wildcat formation) and one touchdown, and added 20 receptions for 135 yards and another score. The 20 catches, at the time, were his season-best and exceeded his career reception total by four. He was rewarded with his second Pro Bowl berth, and incoming president Mike Holmgren tore up the remaining three years on his rookie contract and gave him a big pay raise.
In the three years since, Cribbs only returned one punt for a touchdown. While he set a career-high with 41 receptions for 518 yards and 4 scores in 2011, he became an offensive afterthought in 2012. In fact, 2012 was the first season in his eight-year career that he was held without a single touchdown (although he did catch a TD pass in the Pro Bowl).
Cribbs could be a bit of a "drama queen" in the locker room, complaining about playcalling, his contract, his coaches, etc. Especially on a team that was losing a lot more than it won, it could become an unwanted distraction.
Dawson, on the other hand, seemed to be getting better with age. After missing five games due to injury in 2009, Dawson became one of the NFL's most reliable kickers over the past three years, especially from long range. Which is interesting because the knock on Dawson early in his career was that he did not possess the leg to consistently hit deep field goals or touchbacks.
His 29 field goals this past season was one off his career-high for field goals in a season (30 in 2008), and his 29-of-31 performance gave him the highest field goal percentage (single-season) of his career (93.5 percent, which exceeded his 93.1 in 2005. He was also 7-of-7 on kicks longer than 50 yards, which was by far his best percentage from that distance and matched the 7 50-plus yarders he made in 2011 for the most in his career.
Dawson was old reliable, which was big because many times over the years, the Browns' offense had difficulty putting the ball in the end zone. It seemed like coaches would get conservative in the red zone because they knew Dawson would give them a guaranteed three points on each drive.
One thing the Browns have had extremely good luck with in their storied 66 years as a franchise was finding good kickers. From the great Lou "The Toe" Groza during all but one season from 1946-67 to Don Cockroft to Matt Bahr to Matt Stover to Dawson, you can trace the kicker lineage fairly quickly. Sure, there were a few blips on the radar -- Sam Baker in 1960, Dave Jacobs in 1981, Jerry Kauric in 1990, Jeff Jaeger in 1988, and even Dawson was replaced twice by Brett Conway (2003) and Billy Cundiff (2009) due to injuries -- but for the most part, kicker has been the one rock-solid position the Browns have had. Especially during the expansion era, when you consider Dawson has been the last remaining regular player from that rag-tag group of 1999'ers.
While the Browns made no secret about their desire to walk away from Cribbs (and Cribbs made no secret about his desire to come back) this offseason, the situation with Dawson is still pretty questionable.
The Browns were pretty coy about their intentions with Dawson, and, likewise, Dawson was coy right back. Even after he signed with the 49ers, Dawson wouldn't confirm or deny that the Browns made him a contract offer, only to say that once the 49er interest happened, he made that his priority. Likewise, Browns CEO Joe Banner has resisted commenting on the Dawson situation from the end of the season until now.
Somewhat surprisingly, the fan backlash has been more about Dawson than Cribbs. Dawson wasn't as visible as Cribbs was. However, Dawson endeared himself to the fanbase just because he became the lone reliable offensive weapon for so many years.
Dawson left just 73 points shy of matching Groza's record as the Browns' all-time leading scorer. He was also within reach of passing Groza and linebacker Clay Matthews for the most games in a Cleveland Browns' uniform. Instead, he'll be content with sitting second on the scoring list with 1,271 points and third on the games list with 215.
"I think Mr. Groza deserves to be the all-time leading scorer of the Cleveland Browns," Dawson told Cleveland reporters in a conference call the day after he signed with the 49ers. "He's Mr. Cleveland Brown, and I'm happy with that."
After the 2010 season, Dawson was set to become a free agent and seemed ready to move on to the next phase of his football career with a new team. He sold his Westlake home and didn't make a secret about testing the free agency market. He wasn't happy that the Browns weren't offering him a multi-year deal and was starting to get tired of the losing, aching for a chance to kick for a winner while he still had the chance. In fact, the Browns themselves took a moment to honor Dawson during the 2010 season finale.
However, in a surprising move, Holmgren decided to give Dawson the franchise tag that offseason. The move paid him over $3 million a year. Dawson briefly held out, but signed his franchise tender and went out and had a phenomenal 2011 season.
The following year, Holmgren quickly tagged Dawson for the second-year in a row, and Dawson quickly signed the tender. However, with the sale from Randy Lerner to Jimmy Haslam III and the move from Holmgren and Tom Heckert to Banner and Mike Lombardi, Dawson expected that he'd be moving on.
By rule, the Browns couldn't offer him the franchise tag for a third-year-in-a-row. If they did, they'd have to pay him a one-year salary that was an average of the top five overall salaries in the league. No team is going to pay a kicker quarterback money. For that matter, very few teams would pay a kicker over $3 million a year.
Dawson signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal with the 49ers. It was one that the Browns probably easily could have matched, but didn't. Now, Dawson gets a legitimate chance to kick in a Super Bowl (and possibly win). Had he stayed in Cleveland, he likely wouldn't have gotten that chance -- the Browns may not be a legitimate contender until he'd be over 40.
The Browns have been pushing for signing younger players; players in the prime of their careers. Dawson, Cribbs and tight end Ben Watson (who was allowed to walk to the Saints for a three-year deal) are older and may not fit into this braintrusts' immediate plans.
Just a day later, the Browns brought in internet sensation Havard Rugland for a tryout and an interview. Rugland, a Norwegian, posted a video that quickly went viral of him kicking balls a very long way and other trick kicks. They may even spend one of their later-round picks on a kicker like Florida's Caleb Sturgis or Oklahoma State's Quinn Sharp (who also projects to be a punter).
The Browns may already have Cribbs' replacement on the team in second-year speedster Travis Benjamin, who wowed fans with a 93-yard punt return touchdown during a blowout win over Kansas City. However, they do not have a kicker in tow.
Free agents come and go in all three sports. It seems like with Cleveland teams, they go more than they come. A lot of them have been booed with their other teams, with LeBron James leading the charge in that regard. Very few of them continued get cheered.
Dawson may never get a chance to play against the Browns before he retires (the 49ers don't play the Browns again until 2015, and I'd be surprised if they met in a Super Bowl prior to that), but you can bet he'd be cheered if he came back in another uniform.
The only other player I can think of like that was Omar Vizquel. Vizquel was extremely popular in Cleveland, and when he left in free agency following the 2004 season, it was clear that the Indians had no interest in bringing him back.
While Omar was cheered whenever he came back to Jacobs/Progressive Field in an opposing uniform, his replacements at shortstop -- Jhonny Peralta and Asdrubal Cabrera -- have been lightning rods for criticism by fans and the media. Peralta was run out of town; Cabrera came very close to doing so this offseason.
Also, the Indians dispatched Vizquel because he was 37. And yet, he wound up playing eight more seasons for four different franchises, finally retiring at the ripe age of 45 this offseason. Couldn't you see that happening with Dawson?
Whoever becomes the next Browns kicker may have to be perfect (or darn near close) to even attempt to fill Dawson's shoes over the next few seasons. Or else, he (or they) will get booed and heavily criticized.
The Browns don't need another Peralta or Cabrera to replace their version of Omar. They need a Stover to replace their Bahr, or a Dawson to replace their Stover, or a Bahr to replace their Cockroft.
Good luck to whoever the Browns' new kicker will be in 2013 and beyond. I'm afraid you'll need it.
Until next time, remember the Cleveland Rocks!
Showing posts with label Phil Dawson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phil Dawson. Show all posts
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Top 20 Browns-Steelers Games (According to Joe)
Well, the title is a bit misleading, because I'm not going to rank all 20 games.
I ranked the Top 10 games in the series last season on this blog. You can find a link to that right here:
http://joeclevelandblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/top-10-browns-steelers-games-according.html
What I'm going to with this one is pick up where I left off last season and rank the second-best 10 in the long series of the best rivalry in the AFC. I don't give a crap what ESPN says about the Ravens-Steelers, the Browns and Steelers are where it's at.
And, two wins in the last four seasons, with the chance to make it three and a rare sweep of those Yinzers this Sunday, shows that balance of power is shifting. No longer will the Browns be a guaranteed 'W' on the Steelers schedule. When a team misses the playoffs twice in the last four seasons and are limping to the finish line with a three-game losing streak, it shows that the days of wine and roses in Pittsburgh are coming to a close.
Joe Cleveland is going to enjoy the change, just like he enjoyed compiling this list. We'll start at No. 20:
20. Browns 17, Steelers 7 (Sept. 16, 1985): A new era of Browns football began with this Monday Night Football clash at Cleveland Stadium on the second week of the regular season. With Marty Schottenheimer in his first full-season as the head football coach and veteran Gary Danielson and rookie Bernie Kosar taking over at quarterback, the Browns needed to knock off their hated rivals after dropping a 27-24 overtime loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in last week's season opener. Danielson, making his second start as a Brown, completed 18-of-30 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown and an interception. His 17-yard scoring pass to wideout Fred Banks in the second quarter opened the scoring for both teams, and an 18-yard field goal by Matt Bahr in the third made it a 10-0 Browns lead heading into the fourth quarter. Mark Malone found John Stallworth for a 6-yard score in the fourth to cut the Browns' lead to 10-7. But Cleveland put the game away on its ensuing possession with a 21-yard touchdown run by second-year running back Earnest Byner. Byner rushed for 82 yards on 18 carries, while rookie Kevin Mack added 40 yards on 12 carries. Both backs would go over 1,000 yards rushing -- just the third time in NFL history a pair of running backs would accomplish the feat -- and the Browns wound up winning the AFC Central Division with an 8-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 1982 and winning their first division title since 1980.
19. Browns 19, Steelers 13 (Dec. 26, 1987): Wins at Three Rivers Stadium could never be counted on, especially since the Browns had just ended a 16-year losing streak the previous season. Yet the Browns needed to win at their perennial house of horrors in the 1987 season finale to clinch their second-straight division title over an 8-6 Steelers team. The Browns jumped out to a 9-0 lead on a 31-yard field goal from Matt Bahr and a two-yard touchdown pass from Bernie Kosar to backup tight end Derek Tennell, but a 39-yard field goal by Gary Anderson cut that lead to 9-3 at halftime. The Browns got a 30-yard field goal from Bahr to take a 12-3 lead heading into fourth quarter, and the Steelers cut that deficit to six with another Anderson field goal. However, the Browns put the game away with two-yard touchdown run by Earnest Byner to take a 19-6 lead. Pittsburgh's Cornell Gowdy made things interesting with a 45-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter to make it a six-point game, but the Browns were able to run out the clock and improve to 10-5. Hanford Dixon and linebacker Eddie Johnson each picked off Mark Malone once apiece, while Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome caught six passes for 94 yards to lead the Browns offense. The 10-5 Browns reached the AFC Championshp game three weeks later, but lost a heartbreaking 38-33 game to the Denver Broncos when Byner fumbled on the 2 with just over a minute remaining in the game.
18. Browns 27, Steelers 7 (Nov. 20, 1988): The Browns, who had started four different quarterbacks during the season, were sitting at 6-5 with the hapless Steelers coming to town. If the Browns wanted to get back to the playoffs for the fourth-straight season, they needed to take care of business against Pittsburgh. With Bernie Kosar healthy and back under center, the Browns didn't waste any time showing who the dominant team really was. After opening the scoring with a 32-yard field goal from Matt Bahr, Kosar found backup tight end Derek Tennell for a two-yard scoring pass to take a 10-0 lead into the second quarter. Frank Minnifield added to that lead when he blocked a Harry Newsom punt and returned it 11 yards to give the Browns a 17-0 lead that the Steelers cut to 17-7 just before the half. Kosar, who threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, found Reggie Langhorne for a 77-yard touchdown bomb early in the third quarter to put the game away, and Bahr added a 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Browns defense sacked Steelers starter Bubby Brister six times, led by rookie Michael Dean Perry's two, and picked him off twice. Linebacker Eddie Johnson had a sack and an interception, while Minnifield had the other pick to go along with his huge blocked punt. The Browns used this performance to win five of their last six games and finish 10-6, qualifying for the playoffs as a wild-card team. This was also the last time the Browns swept the Steelers in a season series (until this Sunday, perhaps).
17. Browns 23, Steelers 20 (Sept. 17, 2000): The Browns had just stunned the Steelers, 16-15, at Three Rivers Stadium in 1999 -- one of just two victories for the expansion Browns that season -- and had rebounded from a 27-7 thrashing by Jacksonville in the 2000 season opener to defeat the Bengals, 24-7, on the road to take a 1-1 record into Cleveland Browns Stadium and their next meeting with the hated Steelers. The Browns jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind two first quarter touchdown passes from Tim Couch to tight end Aaron Shea and fullback Mark Edwards, respectively. But the Steelers, behind former Ohio State quarterback Kent Graham, rallied to cut that lead to 14-10 at halftime with a field goal and a four-yard scoring run by Richard Huntley. A 23-yard field goal by Phil Dawson gave the Browns a 17-13 lead midway through the third quarter. However, a 10-yard rush by Jerome Bettis gave the Steelers a 20-17 lead heading into the fourth. Instead of rolling over, the young Browns fought back with a pair of fourth-quarter Dawson field goals -- the latter from 19-yards out with 2:48 remaining -- to take a 23-20 lead. Graham had the Steelers marching into field goal territory on his final two-minute drive. However, with no timeouts, rookie No. 1 overall draft choice Courtney Brown sacked Graham for a four-yard loss with 13 seconds remaining, and the Steelers ran out of time before assembling the field goal team. It's the last time the Browns have won two straight against the Steelers (hopefully, until this coming Sunday). The Browns couldn't sustain that 2-1 start, finishing a dismal 3-13. Ironically, of Chris Palmer's five wins as the Browns' head coach in two seasons, two of those wins came against the Steelers. That loss dropped the Steelers to 0-3, but they rebounded to finish 9-7 (and missing the playoffs).
16. Browns 33, Steelers 13 (Oct. 5, 2003): This is still the only time the Browns have won at Heinz Field (until this Sunday, hopefully). More importantly, not only was this a nationally-televised Sunday night game, but this was the teams' first meeting since the Steelers came back from deficits of 24-7 and 33-17 to escape with a 36-33 playoff victory. Tim Couch, playing arguably the best game of his short five-year career, completed 20-of-25 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. William Green gauged the vaunted Steeler defense for 115 yards on 33 carries. Couch's six-yard touchdown pass to Andre Davis and a short Phil Dawson field goal gave the Browns a 10-0 first quarter lead, and a 9-yard scoring pass from Couch to Kevin Johnson made it a 16-3 advantage midway through the second quarter. Jerome Bettis plunged in from the 1 to cut that lead to 16-10, but Couch capped a 9-play, 78-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown run with 13 seconds left to give the Browns a 23-10 halftime advantage. Daylon McCutcheon's 75-yard interception return off a Tommy Maddux pass early in the third quarter was the final nail in the Steelers' coffin. The Browns improved to 2-3 with the win (same record as the Steelers). However, they would finish 5-11. It would be Couch's final year in the NFL. This would also be the Browns' last win over the Steelers for the next 12 games and six seasons.
15. Browns 45, Steelers 7 (Oct. 29, 1950): The rivalry made its first appearance on the shores of Lake Erie with the 4-2 Browns taking on the 2-4 Steelers. The Browns had beaten Pittsburgh three weeks prior, 30-17 (see No. 14 on this list) in a dominating effort, and actually were more dominant at home. Hall of Famer Marion Motley rushed for 188 yards on 11 carries and scored a 69-yard rushing touchdown and a 38-yard receiving touchdown from Otto Graham. Both scores helped the Browns open up a 24-0 lead midway through the third quarter, and a 14-yard scoring run by Don Phelps made it a 31-0 lead after three quarters. After the Steelers scored, the Browns put the game away with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Graham to Dub Jones and a 38-yard TD pass from backup Cliff Lewis to Horace Gillom. The Browns defense forced eight turnovers in this romp, and the Cleveland offense outgained Pittsburgh, 533-349. The Browns wound wind up going 10-2 in their first NFL season and won the NFL Championship -- their fifth title in their first five years of existance.
14. Browns 30, Steelers 17 (Oct. 7, 1950): This was the first-ever meeting between these two storied franchises, and the Browns -- in their first year in the National Football League after dominating the All-American Football Conference from 1946-49 -- quickly showed who the dominant force was. Played at Pitt Stadium, Hall of Famer Otto Graham rushed for two one-yard touchdowns to give the Browns a 14-3 lead, followed by a Dub Jones 7-yard rush to make it a 21-3 halftime lead. Cleveland put the game away in the fourth quarter with a 48-yard touchdown run by Jones to make it a 30-10 advantage. The defense forced six Steeler turnovers, despite giving up 345 yards of total offense.
13. Browns 30, Steelers 17 (Dec. 18, 1983): This was Brian Sipe's final game in a Cleveland Browns' uniform, and he went out with a blaze of glory against their hated and bitter rival in this late-season showdown. With the Steelers at 10-5 and already clinched the division title, the 8-7 Browns needed to win just to get a chance at a playoff berth. Sipe completed 14-of-22 passes for 199 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions to lead this minor upset. Sipe opened things up with a 64-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Rocky Belk, and added a two-yard scoring toss to backup tight end Harry Holt and a three-yarder to wideout Ricky Feacher to give the Browns a 23-10 halftime lead. The Sipe-Holt connection put the game away early in the third quarter with a one-yard scoring toss and a 30-10 lead. Belk would only play that season, finishing with five receptions and two touchdowns. Franco Harris, in his final game as a Steeler, would be held to just 56 yards on 20 carries by a Browns defense that picked off quarterbacks Cliff Stoudt and Mark Malone once apiece. Alas, the 9-7 Browns finished second in the AFC Central with the win, but missed out on the playoffs by tiebreakers. It would be the last hurrah of the Kardiac Kid-era Browns -- head coach Sam Rutigliano would be fired midway through the 1984 season after a 1-8 start.
12. Browns 10, Steelers 9 (Dec. 19, 1982): I put this as my honorable mention game in my previous list because it landed on my ninth birthday (it's still the last time the Browns have won a game on my birthday). However, a closer look shows just how important this win really was. The Browns, in the strike-shortened season, were just 2-4 heading into this showdown at Cleveland Stadium with Paul McDonald at quarterback replacing an injured Brian Sipe. A loss would have essentially ended their season. However, the defense picked off Terry Bradshaw four times -- three of which by Hanford Dixon -- and sacked him three times. The Steelers led, 7-3, at halftime on a six-yard TD pass from Bradshaw to John Stallworth. However, McDonald, who completed 19-of-40 passes for 227 yards, led the Browns on a third-quarter scoring drive, capped by a 1-yard plunge by fullback Johnny Davis. An intentional safety taken when punter Steve Cox ran out of the end zone in the final seconds made it a one-point game, but it wasn't enough. The win improved the Browns to 3-4 and led to a 4-5 season. It was good enough for them to make the playoffs under the expanded eight-team format, and this win propelled them to that playoff berth. It was also the last time the Browns beat a Bradshaw-led Steeler team -- he retired after just one game in 1983.
11. Browns 20, Steelers 14 (Nov. 25, 2012): We end our list with the most recent chapter in this long rivalry, and the most recent victory for the good guys. With the Steelers down to third-string quarterback Charlie Batch, the Browns defense forced a whopping eight turnovers -- three of which occured in the final three minutes of play. They intercepted three Batch passes, but recovered five fumbles from five different Steeler running backs. Rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden, who had a batted pass intercepted and returned for a 53-yard touchdown by linebacker Lawrence Timmons on the fourth play from scrimmage, recovered to lead the Browns to 20 points. He threw a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Cameron late in the second quarter off of a turnover, but the Steelers led, 14-13, at halftime on a Chris Rainey 1-yard run in the final seconds of the second quarter. Kicker Phil Dawson connected from 28 and 32 yards out in the first half. But rookie Trent Richardson's 15-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter gave the Browns a 20-14 lead, which was good enough for the long-awaited 'W.' Richardson finished with 85 yards on 29 carries, while Weeden (who was knocked out of the game late in the fourth quarter) threw for 153 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Hopefully, this Sunday adds another solid chapter to this list of Browns' triumphs.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks ... and Pittsburgh Sucks!
I ranked the Top 10 games in the series last season on this blog. You can find a link to that right here:
http://joeclevelandblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/top-10-browns-steelers-games-according.html
What I'm going to with this one is pick up where I left off last season and rank the second-best 10 in the long series of the best rivalry in the AFC. I don't give a crap what ESPN says about the Ravens-Steelers, the Browns and Steelers are where it's at.
And, two wins in the last four seasons, with the chance to make it three and a rare sweep of those Yinzers this Sunday, shows that balance of power is shifting. No longer will the Browns be a guaranteed 'W' on the Steelers schedule. When a team misses the playoffs twice in the last four seasons and are limping to the finish line with a three-game losing streak, it shows that the days of wine and roses in Pittsburgh are coming to a close.
Joe Cleveland is going to enjoy the change, just like he enjoyed compiling this list. We'll start at No. 20:
20. Browns 17, Steelers 7 (Sept. 16, 1985): A new era of Browns football began with this Monday Night Football clash at Cleveland Stadium on the second week of the regular season. With Marty Schottenheimer in his first full-season as the head football coach and veteran Gary Danielson and rookie Bernie Kosar taking over at quarterback, the Browns needed to knock off their hated rivals after dropping a 27-24 overtime loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in last week's season opener. Danielson, making his second start as a Brown, completed 18-of-30 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown and an interception. His 17-yard scoring pass to wideout Fred Banks in the second quarter opened the scoring for both teams, and an 18-yard field goal by Matt Bahr in the third made it a 10-0 Browns lead heading into the fourth quarter. Mark Malone found John Stallworth for a 6-yard score in the fourth to cut the Browns' lead to 10-7. But Cleveland put the game away on its ensuing possession with a 21-yard touchdown run by second-year running back Earnest Byner. Byner rushed for 82 yards on 18 carries, while rookie Kevin Mack added 40 yards on 12 carries. Both backs would go over 1,000 yards rushing -- just the third time in NFL history a pair of running backs would accomplish the feat -- and the Browns wound up winning the AFC Central Division with an 8-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 1982 and winning their first division title since 1980.
19. Browns 19, Steelers 13 (Dec. 26, 1987): Wins at Three Rivers Stadium could never be counted on, especially since the Browns had just ended a 16-year losing streak the previous season. Yet the Browns needed to win at their perennial house of horrors in the 1987 season finale to clinch their second-straight division title over an 8-6 Steelers team. The Browns jumped out to a 9-0 lead on a 31-yard field goal from Matt Bahr and a two-yard touchdown pass from Bernie Kosar to backup tight end Derek Tennell, but a 39-yard field goal by Gary Anderson cut that lead to 9-3 at halftime. The Browns got a 30-yard field goal from Bahr to take a 12-3 lead heading into fourth quarter, and the Steelers cut that deficit to six with another Anderson field goal. However, the Browns put the game away with two-yard touchdown run by Earnest Byner to take a 19-6 lead. Pittsburgh's Cornell Gowdy made things interesting with a 45-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter to make it a six-point game, but the Browns were able to run out the clock and improve to 10-5. Hanford Dixon and linebacker Eddie Johnson each picked off Mark Malone once apiece, while Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome caught six passes for 94 yards to lead the Browns offense. The 10-5 Browns reached the AFC Championshp game three weeks later, but lost a heartbreaking 38-33 game to the Denver Broncos when Byner fumbled on the 2 with just over a minute remaining in the game.
18. Browns 27, Steelers 7 (Nov. 20, 1988): The Browns, who had started four different quarterbacks during the season, were sitting at 6-5 with the hapless Steelers coming to town. If the Browns wanted to get back to the playoffs for the fourth-straight season, they needed to take care of business against Pittsburgh. With Bernie Kosar healthy and back under center, the Browns didn't waste any time showing who the dominant team really was. After opening the scoring with a 32-yard field goal from Matt Bahr, Kosar found backup tight end Derek Tennell for a two-yard scoring pass to take a 10-0 lead into the second quarter. Frank Minnifield added to that lead when he blocked a Harry Newsom punt and returned it 11 yards to give the Browns a 17-0 lead that the Steelers cut to 17-7 just before the half. Kosar, who threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, found Reggie Langhorne for a 77-yard touchdown bomb early in the third quarter to put the game away, and Bahr added a 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Browns defense sacked Steelers starter Bubby Brister six times, led by rookie Michael Dean Perry's two, and picked him off twice. Linebacker Eddie Johnson had a sack and an interception, while Minnifield had the other pick to go along with his huge blocked punt. The Browns used this performance to win five of their last six games and finish 10-6, qualifying for the playoffs as a wild-card team. This was also the last time the Browns swept the Steelers in a season series (until this Sunday, perhaps).
17. Browns 23, Steelers 20 (Sept. 17, 2000): The Browns had just stunned the Steelers, 16-15, at Three Rivers Stadium in 1999 -- one of just two victories for the expansion Browns that season -- and had rebounded from a 27-7 thrashing by Jacksonville in the 2000 season opener to defeat the Bengals, 24-7, on the road to take a 1-1 record into Cleveland Browns Stadium and their next meeting with the hated Steelers. The Browns jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind two first quarter touchdown passes from Tim Couch to tight end Aaron Shea and fullback Mark Edwards, respectively. But the Steelers, behind former Ohio State quarterback Kent Graham, rallied to cut that lead to 14-10 at halftime with a field goal and a four-yard scoring run by Richard Huntley. A 23-yard field goal by Phil Dawson gave the Browns a 17-13 lead midway through the third quarter. However, a 10-yard rush by Jerome Bettis gave the Steelers a 20-17 lead heading into the fourth. Instead of rolling over, the young Browns fought back with a pair of fourth-quarter Dawson field goals -- the latter from 19-yards out with 2:48 remaining -- to take a 23-20 lead. Graham had the Steelers marching into field goal territory on his final two-minute drive. However, with no timeouts, rookie No. 1 overall draft choice Courtney Brown sacked Graham for a four-yard loss with 13 seconds remaining, and the Steelers ran out of time before assembling the field goal team. It's the last time the Browns have won two straight against the Steelers (hopefully, until this coming Sunday). The Browns couldn't sustain that 2-1 start, finishing a dismal 3-13. Ironically, of Chris Palmer's five wins as the Browns' head coach in two seasons, two of those wins came against the Steelers. That loss dropped the Steelers to 0-3, but they rebounded to finish 9-7 (and missing the playoffs).
16. Browns 33, Steelers 13 (Oct. 5, 2003): This is still the only time the Browns have won at Heinz Field (until this Sunday, hopefully). More importantly, not only was this a nationally-televised Sunday night game, but this was the teams' first meeting since the Steelers came back from deficits of 24-7 and 33-17 to escape with a 36-33 playoff victory. Tim Couch, playing arguably the best game of his short five-year career, completed 20-of-25 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. William Green gauged the vaunted Steeler defense for 115 yards on 33 carries. Couch's six-yard touchdown pass to Andre Davis and a short Phil Dawson field goal gave the Browns a 10-0 first quarter lead, and a 9-yard scoring pass from Couch to Kevin Johnson made it a 16-3 advantage midway through the second quarter. Jerome Bettis plunged in from the 1 to cut that lead to 16-10, but Couch capped a 9-play, 78-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown run with 13 seconds left to give the Browns a 23-10 halftime advantage. Daylon McCutcheon's 75-yard interception return off a Tommy Maddux pass early in the third quarter was the final nail in the Steelers' coffin. The Browns improved to 2-3 with the win (same record as the Steelers). However, they would finish 5-11. It would be Couch's final year in the NFL. This would also be the Browns' last win over the Steelers for the next 12 games and six seasons.
15. Browns 45, Steelers 7 (Oct. 29, 1950): The rivalry made its first appearance on the shores of Lake Erie with the 4-2 Browns taking on the 2-4 Steelers. The Browns had beaten Pittsburgh three weeks prior, 30-17 (see No. 14 on this list) in a dominating effort, and actually were more dominant at home. Hall of Famer Marion Motley rushed for 188 yards on 11 carries and scored a 69-yard rushing touchdown and a 38-yard receiving touchdown from Otto Graham. Both scores helped the Browns open up a 24-0 lead midway through the third quarter, and a 14-yard scoring run by Don Phelps made it a 31-0 lead after three quarters. After the Steelers scored, the Browns put the game away with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Graham to Dub Jones and a 38-yard TD pass from backup Cliff Lewis to Horace Gillom. The Browns defense forced eight turnovers in this romp, and the Cleveland offense outgained Pittsburgh, 533-349. The Browns wound wind up going 10-2 in their first NFL season and won the NFL Championship -- their fifth title in their first five years of existance.
14. Browns 30, Steelers 17 (Oct. 7, 1950): This was the first-ever meeting between these two storied franchises, and the Browns -- in their first year in the National Football League after dominating the All-American Football Conference from 1946-49 -- quickly showed who the dominant force was. Played at Pitt Stadium, Hall of Famer Otto Graham rushed for two one-yard touchdowns to give the Browns a 14-3 lead, followed by a Dub Jones 7-yard rush to make it a 21-3 halftime lead. Cleveland put the game away in the fourth quarter with a 48-yard touchdown run by Jones to make it a 30-10 advantage. The defense forced six Steeler turnovers, despite giving up 345 yards of total offense.
13. Browns 30, Steelers 17 (Dec. 18, 1983): This was Brian Sipe's final game in a Cleveland Browns' uniform, and he went out with a blaze of glory against their hated and bitter rival in this late-season showdown. With the Steelers at 10-5 and already clinched the division title, the 8-7 Browns needed to win just to get a chance at a playoff berth. Sipe completed 14-of-22 passes for 199 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions to lead this minor upset. Sipe opened things up with a 64-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Rocky Belk, and added a two-yard scoring toss to backup tight end Harry Holt and a three-yarder to wideout Ricky Feacher to give the Browns a 23-10 halftime lead. The Sipe-Holt connection put the game away early in the third quarter with a one-yard scoring toss and a 30-10 lead. Belk would only play that season, finishing with five receptions and two touchdowns. Franco Harris, in his final game as a Steeler, would be held to just 56 yards on 20 carries by a Browns defense that picked off quarterbacks Cliff Stoudt and Mark Malone once apiece. Alas, the 9-7 Browns finished second in the AFC Central with the win, but missed out on the playoffs by tiebreakers. It would be the last hurrah of the Kardiac Kid-era Browns -- head coach Sam Rutigliano would be fired midway through the 1984 season after a 1-8 start.
12. Browns 10, Steelers 9 (Dec. 19, 1982): I put this as my honorable mention game in my previous list because it landed on my ninth birthday (it's still the last time the Browns have won a game on my birthday). However, a closer look shows just how important this win really was. The Browns, in the strike-shortened season, were just 2-4 heading into this showdown at Cleveland Stadium with Paul McDonald at quarterback replacing an injured Brian Sipe. A loss would have essentially ended their season. However, the defense picked off Terry Bradshaw four times -- three of which by Hanford Dixon -- and sacked him three times. The Steelers led, 7-3, at halftime on a six-yard TD pass from Bradshaw to John Stallworth. However, McDonald, who completed 19-of-40 passes for 227 yards, led the Browns on a third-quarter scoring drive, capped by a 1-yard plunge by fullback Johnny Davis. An intentional safety taken when punter Steve Cox ran out of the end zone in the final seconds made it a one-point game, but it wasn't enough. The win improved the Browns to 3-4 and led to a 4-5 season. It was good enough for them to make the playoffs under the expanded eight-team format, and this win propelled them to that playoff berth. It was also the last time the Browns beat a Bradshaw-led Steeler team -- he retired after just one game in 1983.
11. Browns 20, Steelers 14 (Nov. 25, 2012): We end our list with the most recent chapter in this long rivalry, and the most recent victory for the good guys. With the Steelers down to third-string quarterback Charlie Batch, the Browns defense forced a whopping eight turnovers -- three of which occured in the final three minutes of play. They intercepted three Batch passes, but recovered five fumbles from five different Steeler running backs. Rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden, who had a batted pass intercepted and returned for a 53-yard touchdown by linebacker Lawrence Timmons on the fourth play from scrimmage, recovered to lead the Browns to 20 points. He threw a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Cameron late in the second quarter off of a turnover, but the Steelers led, 14-13, at halftime on a Chris Rainey 1-yard run in the final seconds of the second quarter. Kicker Phil Dawson connected from 28 and 32 yards out in the first half. But rookie Trent Richardson's 15-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter gave the Browns a 20-14 lead, which was good enough for the long-awaited 'W.' Richardson finished with 85 yards on 29 carries, while Weeden (who was knocked out of the game late in the fourth quarter) threw for 153 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Hopefully, this Sunday adds another solid chapter to this list of Browns' triumphs.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks ... and Pittsburgh Sucks!
Change is a comin'
The 38-21 loss to a Washington Redskins team led by a fourth-round, second-string rookie quarterback named Kirk Cousins all assured it, and last week's lackluster 34-12 drubbing by Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos all but cemented it.
By this time next week, Pat Shurmur will be gone, and Tom Heckert may as well be gone, too.
That's even if the Browns can somehow knock off the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road this Sunday, clinching the first season-sweep of our hated rivals since 1988 and first since the team returned in 1999. In fact, it would only be the four season-sweep of the Steelers since 1970 (the Browns went 0-16 in their first 16 years playing at Three Rivers Stadium and wound up only winning there five times before it was mercifully imploded following the 2000 season).
The Browns will go into that game potentially with their third-string quarterback under center -- Thaddeus Lewis, who has never taken a regular season snap and was on the practice squad for most of this season. Josh Johnson, a former Tampa Bay quarterback who had been out of the league since the 49ers cut him in training camp, was brought in as the emergency quarterback in case starter Brandon Weeden or backup Colt McCoy (both shoulder injuries) can't go.
It's eerily reminisent of the last act of the Romeo Crennel/Phil Savage era. The Browns couldn't keep a healthy quarterback as the 2008 season wore down, losing Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson and third-stringer Ken Dorsey to injuries heading into the season finale at Pittsburgh. Bruce Gradkowski, who had just been signed two weeks earlier, was thrust into action and went a dismal 5-of-18 in a 31-0 drubbing by the Steelers.
That Steelers team wound up winning the Super Bowl, even though Ben Roethlisberger was carted off the field during that loss. This Steeler team is lugging a three-game losing streak into this season finale and have only won one game since the Browns beat them, 20-14, at home. All three losses have come with Roethlisberger at the helm, and the last two have directly been his fault with late interceptions directly leading to the game-winning points.
Oh, and did I mention the Steelers will miss the playoffs? Beauty.
Joe Banner has promised to make speedy decisions on both Shurmur and Heckert, which means that, by 10 a.m. New Years Eve, you can expect to get a press release saying both parties have been fired, followed by a press conference held by both Banner and owner Jimmy Haslam III defending their decision to make the change and talking about potential candidates.
Those candidates include Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, soon-to-be fired Eagles head coach Andy Reid, ESPN football commentator Jon Gruden, Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and the possibly fired Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.
The Browns will have competition as they look for a new head coach. There could be at least 11 teams making a change at head coach this season. Along with the Browns, the Chiefs, the Chargers, the Eagles and (if they miss the playoffs) the Cowboys are assured of seeking a new head coach. The axe could be falling in Buffalo, New York (Jets), Jacksonville, Carolina, Arizona and Tennessee this offseason as well. So, they'll need to act fast if they want to hire the best person for the job.
Reportedly, if Saban wants the Browns job, it's his. Haslam is prepared to offer him a 10-year contract to come to Cleveland, reportedly, and that's regardless of who they hire at GM. Kelly has also been linked to taking Romeo Crennel's job in Kansas City, while Reid has been linked to Norv Turner's job in San Diego.
The new coach and GM's first major decision will be made at quarterback, with 30-year-old Weeden entering his second-year in the NFL. If he doesn't take another snap, Weeden will finish with 14 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions and 3,385 yards. Those are the most yards in a single-season since Derek Anderson threw for 3,787 yards, 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions for the Browns in 2007. That year, the team went 10-6, but missed the playoffs by tiebreakers.
Tim Couch, the last Browns quarterback to start all 16 games in a regular season, threw for 3,040 yards with 17 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 2001 for a Browns team that went 7-9.
Weeden's yardage total is the second-highest for the Browns since they've returned in 1999. In fact, it's the third-highest single-season total by a Browns quarterback since Bernie Kosar threw for 3,487 yards, 18 touchdowns and 9 interceptions for a 6-10 Browns team in 1991. That was also the last time a Browns quarterback started all 16 games until Couch did it in 2001.
It's pretty apparent that Weeden is a ill-fit for the West Coast offense operated by Pat Shurmur. Weeden has had a ton of passes batted down at the line of scrimmage because of the slant and short crossing routes -- defensive linemen who are blocked just follow his eyes and reach up as Weeden tries to thread the needle. That offense will be history next season.
Weeden has the arm strength to succeed in the NFL, especially in a cold-weather climate like Cleveland. He has displayed poise and has a bit of a gunslinger's attitude. That has led to some interceptions. However, Shurmur and Brad Childress have tried to rein him in, and that has only hindered Weeden's progress.
Unlike last season, there is not a deep quarterback draft to find an heir apparent. Matt Barkley and Geno Smith are the two best options, and both have fallen off the radar after dismal seasons.
In trades or free agency, the choices aren't all that great, either. The 49ers' Alex Smith, the Jets' Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow, the Jaguars' Blaine Gabbert, the Seahawks' Matt Flynn, the Patriots' Ryan Mallett and the Eagles' Michael Vick are the most intriguing options that could be obtained, and all of them don't necessarily ooze "franchise-changer" at QB.
Joe Cleveland is inclined to give Weeden another season with an offense more tailored to his strengths and the strengths of running back Trent Richardson. Joe Cleveland does not want to see Colt McCoy return as the starter -- we've seen enough. Also, Bears backup QB Jason Campbell, Chiefs' deposed starting QB Matt Cassel or Raiders starting QB Carson Palmer aren't attractive options, either.
Let the speculation go in full force a week from now. But for now, this edition of the Browns have one more game to play and it's against the hated Steelers.
***
Before Joe Cleveland goes, congrats to Browns' left tackle Joe Thomas on his sixth Pro Bowl berth of his six-year NFL career. Thomas was Phil Savage's lone great choice (yeah, he passed on Adrian Peterson for him, but I think Thomas will have a longer career) and is well on the way to a Hall of Fame career.
Also, a hearty congratulations to long-time kicker Phil Dawson on his long-awaited, well-overdue first Pro Bowl berth. Dawson certainly deserves it after a long and successful career as the Browns' primary kicker since they returned in 1999, and his 2012 season has been fantastic. He's only missed one field goal, and that kick was blocked. Hopefully, Haslam and Banner ensure that Dawson ends his career in the Brown and Orange, because he certainly deserves to.
With Josh Cribbs (kick returner and special teamer), D'Qwell Jackson (inside linebacker) and Alex Mack (center) as first alternates, there could very well be five Browns playing in Hawaii the week before the Super Bowl. Joe Cleveland may have to actually watch the game now.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
By this time next week, Pat Shurmur will be gone, and Tom Heckert may as well be gone, too.
That's even if the Browns can somehow knock off the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road this Sunday, clinching the first season-sweep of our hated rivals since 1988 and first since the team returned in 1999. In fact, it would only be the four season-sweep of the Steelers since 1970 (the Browns went 0-16 in their first 16 years playing at Three Rivers Stadium and wound up only winning there five times before it was mercifully imploded following the 2000 season).
The Browns will go into that game potentially with their third-string quarterback under center -- Thaddeus Lewis, who has never taken a regular season snap and was on the practice squad for most of this season. Josh Johnson, a former Tampa Bay quarterback who had been out of the league since the 49ers cut him in training camp, was brought in as the emergency quarterback in case starter Brandon Weeden or backup Colt McCoy (both shoulder injuries) can't go.
It's eerily reminisent of the last act of the Romeo Crennel/Phil Savage era. The Browns couldn't keep a healthy quarterback as the 2008 season wore down, losing Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson and third-stringer Ken Dorsey to injuries heading into the season finale at Pittsburgh. Bruce Gradkowski, who had just been signed two weeks earlier, was thrust into action and went a dismal 5-of-18 in a 31-0 drubbing by the Steelers.
That Steelers team wound up winning the Super Bowl, even though Ben Roethlisberger was carted off the field during that loss. This Steeler team is lugging a three-game losing streak into this season finale and have only won one game since the Browns beat them, 20-14, at home. All three losses have come with Roethlisberger at the helm, and the last two have directly been his fault with late interceptions directly leading to the game-winning points.
Oh, and did I mention the Steelers will miss the playoffs? Beauty.
Joe Banner has promised to make speedy decisions on both Shurmur and Heckert, which means that, by 10 a.m. New Years Eve, you can expect to get a press release saying both parties have been fired, followed by a press conference held by both Banner and owner Jimmy Haslam III defending their decision to make the change and talking about potential candidates.
Those candidates include Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, soon-to-be fired Eagles head coach Andy Reid, ESPN football commentator Jon Gruden, Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and the possibly fired Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.
The Browns will have competition as they look for a new head coach. There could be at least 11 teams making a change at head coach this season. Along with the Browns, the Chiefs, the Chargers, the Eagles and (if they miss the playoffs) the Cowboys are assured of seeking a new head coach. The axe could be falling in Buffalo, New York (Jets), Jacksonville, Carolina, Arizona and Tennessee this offseason as well. So, they'll need to act fast if they want to hire the best person for the job.
Reportedly, if Saban wants the Browns job, it's his. Haslam is prepared to offer him a 10-year contract to come to Cleveland, reportedly, and that's regardless of who they hire at GM. Kelly has also been linked to taking Romeo Crennel's job in Kansas City, while Reid has been linked to Norv Turner's job in San Diego.
The new coach and GM's first major decision will be made at quarterback, with 30-year-old Weeden entering his second-year in the NFL. If he doesn't take another snap, Weeden will finish with 14 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions and 3,385 yards. Those are the most yards in a single-season since Derek Anderson threw for 3,787 yards, 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions for the Browns in 2007. That year, the team went 10-6, but missed the playoffs by tiebreakers.
Tim Couch, the last Browns quarterback to start all 16 games in a regular season, threw for 3,040 yards with 17 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 2001 for a Browns team that went 7-9.
Weeden's yardage total is the second-highest for the Browns since they've returned in 1999. In fact, it's the third-highest single-season total by a Browns quarterback since Bernie Kosar threw for 3,487 yards, 18 touchdowns and 9 interceptions for a 6-10 Browns team in 1991. That was also the last time a Browns quarterback started all 16 games until Couch did it in 2001.
It's pretty apparent that Weeden is a ill-fit for the West Coast offense operated by Pat Shurmur. Weeden has had a ton of passes batted down at the line of scrimmage because of the slant and short crossing routes -- defensive linemen who are blocked just follow his eyes and reach up as Weeden tries to thread the needle. That offense will be history next season.
Weeden has the arm strength to succeed in the NFL, especially in a cold-weather climate like Cleveland. He has displayed poise and has a bit of a gunslinger's attitude. That has led to some interceptions. However, Shurmur and Brad Childress have tried to rein him in, and that has only hindered Weeden's progress.
Unlike last season, there is not a deep quarterback draft to find an heir apparent. Matt Barkley and Geno Smith are the two best options, and both have fallen off the radar after dismal seasons.
In trades or free agency, the choices aren't all that great, either. The 49ers' Alex Smith, the Jets' Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow, the Jaguars' Blaine Gabbert, the Seahawks' Matt Flynn, the Patriots' Ryan Mallett and the Eagles' Michael Vick are the most intriguing options that could be obtained, and all of them don't necessarily ooze "franchise-changer" at QB.
Joe Cleveland is inclined to give Weeden another season with an offense more tailored to his strengths and the strengths of running back Trent Richardson. Joe Cleveland does not want to see Colt McCoy return as the starter -- we've seen enough. Also, Bears backup QB Jason Campbell, Chiefs' deposed starting QB Matt Cassel or Raiders starting QB Carson Palmer aren't attractive options, either.
Let the speculation go in full force a week from now. But for now, this edition of the Browns have one more game to play and it's against the hated Steelers.
***
Before Joe Cleveland goes, congrats to Browns' left tackle Joe Thomas on his sixth Pro Bowl berth of his six-year NFL career. Thomas was Phil Savage's lone great choice (yeah, he passed on Adrian Peterson for him, but I think Thomas will have a longer career) and is well on the way to a Hall of Fame career.
Also, a hearty congratulations to long-time kicker Phil Dawson on his long-awaited, well-overdue first Pro Bowl berth. Dawson certainly deserves it after a long and successful career as the Browns' primary kicker since they returned in 1999, and his 2012 season has been fantastic. He's only missed one field goal, and that kick was blocked. Hopefully, Haslam and Banner ensure that Dawson ends his career in the Brown and Orange, because he certainly deserves to.
With Josh Cribbs (kick returner and special teamer), D'Qwell Jackson (inside linebacker) and Alex Mack (center) as first alternates, there could very well be five Browns playing in Hawaii the week before the Super Bowl. Joe Cleveland may have to actually watch the game now.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
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