DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2016 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 20 Ravens 25 Gameday vs Baltimore

Best of luck today to all of us

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Some neat shots of the Jim Brown statue for those of you out of town

Browns predictions


Browns have full confidence, trust in Josh McCown as he takes over at QB, expect no drop-off in aftermath of RG3’s injury

Nate Ulrich (1-0)

Ravens 34, Browns 20

Multiple deep threats for Joe Flacco spell doom for the secondary.



Marla Ridenour (1-0)

Ravens 24, Browns 17

Josh McCown is much more accurate than Robert Griffin III, but this isn’t the same Ravens defense he pillaged a year ago.

George Thomas (0-1)

Ravens 24, Browns 3

Joe Flacco is back and apparently healthy after ACL surgery. Oh, and he brings a new friend in speedy wide receiver Mike Wallace.

Michael Beaven (1-0)

Ravens 35, Browns 21

Quarterback Josh McCown leads the Browns on some successful drives, but Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco continues to haunt Cleveland.

Gary Barnidge vs. Eric Weddle and other key matchups in Browns vs. Ravens
Gary Barnidge
Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge dropped two passes last week but is hoping to return to his Pro Bowl form today. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)
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Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com
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on September 18, 2016 at 7:58 AM, updated September 18, 2016 at 9:09 AM

BEREA, Ohio —It's a big day for the Browns as they host the Ravens in their home opener and unveil the Jim Brown statue before the game. Isaiah Crowell believes the Browns running backs will represent well on Brown's special day, and Hue Jackson is excited for his home debut. Josh McCown takes over for Robert Griffin III and rookie Carl Nassib makes his first career start.

The game features plenty of compelling matchups, including Joe Flacco vs. the Browns' young defense and Josh McCown vs. the team he threw for 457 yards on last season. Terrance West would love to have a big game against his former team, and Pro Bowl return specialist Devin Hester will try to top Darren Proles' 40-yard punt return from last week. Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman both had huge catches last week, 44 and 58 yards respectively, and will try to beat the likes of Jimmy Smith and Ladarius Webb.

Here are three key matchups to watch:

1. Gary Barnidge vs. Eric Weddle

This should be a classic matchup of a Pro Bowl tight end vs. a three-time Pro Bowl safety who joined the Ravens this year. Last season, Barnidge caught 15 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown in his two meetings against the Ravens. The TD was his famous Thighmaster catch between his legs in Baltimore. Last week in Philly, Barnidge uncharacteristically dropped two passes from RG3, and is looking to get back to his surehanded form.

"It was just unfortunate,'' he said. "I didn't play as well as I wanted to play and that's definitely all on me. The first one, I definitely turned my head before I caught the ball. I was trying to go make a play too early. Things happen. Everybody drops balls every once in awhile. I just can't let it happen.''

He said it wasn't for lack of chemistry with Griffin.

"No, not at all,'' he said. "Robert put the ball in perfect places. It's just unfortunate I didn't make the catch. Hopefully (those are my last two).''

Weddle's 19 career INTs rank sixth among active safeties.

Browns vs. Ravens: 5 things to watch

2. WRs Mike Wallace and Steve Smith vs. CBs Joe Haden and Jamar Taylor

The Browns gave up touchdown passes of 19 and 35 yards last week to rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, and will have a much stiffer challenge this week with Joe Flacco throwing to the likes of newcomer Wallace, and Smith, who's fresh off his torn Achilles. Last year's No. 1 pick Brashard Perriman is questionable with a calf injury but has said he'll play.

Last week against the Bills, Wallace, an eight-year pro, had three catches for 91 yards, including a 66-yarder. Flacco will undoubtedly test the Browns corners, especially after Wentz threw for 278 yards last week.

"They have very, very fast capable receivers,'' said Haden. "Every time, we have to make sure we stay on top, making them catch the ball coming back to the quarterback. Mike Wallace, I don't feel like he has lost a step. He's still the same guy. Steve Smith, very physical, veteran, very crafty. They have very capable guys so we have a big challenge ahead of us."

3. RBs Justin Forsett vs. Browns defenders Danny Shelton and Demario Davis

The Ravens' starting running back has averaged 120 yards per game with a touchdown in his last two meetings against the Browns. Last season, Forsett had 641 yards last season before suffering a season-ending broken arm in week 11. In 2014, he rushed for 1,266 yards on and eight TDs en route to Pro Bowl honors. The Browns gave up 133 yards to the Eagles last week, and still need to shore up their run defense. But Jackson said Shelton is starting to be "dominant up front,'' and defensive coordinator Ray Horton believes he can be a Pro Bowl nosetackle.

"He had a good start to what we want him to become,'' he said. "We are continuing to show him what All-Pro nosetackles look like. He can do that. We expect him to do that. He was getting pressured on the line of scrimmage and also making plays down the line of scrimmage is what we want. It's part of his maturation process and as he learns how to become a Pro Bowl nosetackle, he will become that I think."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/09/gary_barnidge_vs_eric_weddle_a.html

How 'old man' Josh McCown has teammates 'super-excited' to play despite losing RG3
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Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com
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on September 16, 2016 at 5:04 PM, updated September 16, 2016 at 5:46 PM

BEREA, Ohio — Josh McCown was sitting on Terrelle Pryor's couch watching the Monday Night Football doubleheader with Pryor and Josh Gordon when Browns owner Jimmy Haslam called to encourage him after Robert Griffin III went down with a fractured shoulder.

"(It) made me feel good for a lot of different reasons (that he was hanging out with the two young receivers),'' said Haslam. "Josh McCown is as good a person as I've ever met anywhere. We didn't anticipate Josh maybe having to play the rest of the 15 games, but we're excited to get Josh back on the field. It's not his first rodeo.''

Actually, it's will be his 58th rodeo when he starts Sunday against the Ravens in the home opener.

McCown, 37, is the oldest player on the youngest team in the NFL. He's one of only four players on the roster who are 30-plus, and he has an 18-year-old daughter who's only three years younger than two of the 17 rookies.
Cleveland Browns confident in Josh McCown

But the age barrier between McCown, a father of four, and the youngsters is non-existent.

"I know he's going to fit right in there,'' said Pryor. "He's going to be awesome Sunday. I can't wait. I can't wait to go play for him and I can't wait to catch balls from him.''

McCown, 18-39 in his 13 seasons, is such a unifying force on this fledgling team that it felt completely natural for Pryor to invite him over to the house.

"When the invite is there, I will go hang,'' said McCown. "It's good to be around those guys. It keeps me young. It was good."

It wasn't the first time McCown has spent quality time with Pryor and Gordon. The three worked out at the Randy Moss Academy in Charlotte before last season, when Pryor was making the switch from quarterback to receiver.

A former NFL quarterback, Pryor knows how vital it is to develop a rapport with teammates.

"Absolutely, you have to build trust, no matter who you're playing with,'' he said. "You have to know that guy is going to have your back. The best way to do that is to spend time together. It doesn't have to be for a long time. Go to dinner or whatever.''

McCown, who threw for a club-record 457 yards in a 33-30 overtime victory in Baltimore last season, stressed the benefits go both ways.

"If there's anything I can give that makes their journey better, great,'' he said. "And for me, my daughter's 18 now which is crazy, so if there's anything I can learn about their world that will help me at home, it's good. But for me, it's an honor and a privilege to be playing this game with such young people.''

While Joe Haden's first son, Joe, was born last week, and Andrew Hawkins' twin daughters are 18 months old, McCown's two sons -- Owen, a seventh-grader, and Aiden, in sixth -- are well into their football seasons in Charlotte. Both are quarterbacks — Owen's team is 3-1 and Aiden's 4-0.

In the midst of preparing for the Ravens and their aggressive defense, McCown had to solve a few minor crises back home in Charlotte via FaceTime.

"Sometimes you can get eyeballs deep into preparation and it's good to kind of be pulled out of that and go 'oh yeah, you're a dad,''' he said. "It kind of evens you out so the buildup and the anxieties don't overwhelm you.''
Josh McCown prepares to start in Browns vs. Ravens

McCown's mentorship has been invaluable to the Browns. This season, he helped Griffin integrate into the locker room and learn the offense. But he's had that effect on all of the players, regardless of position.

"Josh wants the best for you, no matter what,'' said Hawkins. "In every situation he doesn't think about himself. You name it, Josh can go sit at any table and he's going to be one of the guys for that reason. He's very special in that way and besides what he does in football, you may be just seeing the beginning for Josh McCown.''

Hawkins, 30, admitted that McCown gets a lot of "old man grief."

"Of course he gets it, and he understands it,'' said Hawkins. "He's played with players that were in this league when the rookies might've been literally two years old. But that's what makes him so special. He speaks from experience. Guys respond to it and they appreciate it.'

"While it's still trial and error amongst young guys, you have a guy like Josh who can tell you what it's going to be with experience on his side because he's seen it so many times and guys trust that,'' added Hawkins.

Even defensive players are buoyed by McCown, who was No. 1 in the NFL on third down when he went on injured reserve for the final five games of last season.

"Everybody's excited about Josh,'' said Joe Haden. "They know what he can do for this team. I just felt bad for RG3, all the work that he put in, and how much it really means to him. But as far as Josh coming in, I'm just super excited that he's still on this team. We feel very confident in Josh.''

Why Josh McCown gives the Browns a better chance to win

Ravens coach John Harbaugh knows he's not catching a break.

"He's been on fire against us,'' Harbaugh said. "A guy catches it with his feet for a touchdown last year (Gary Barnidge). We know how good he is, and he's super good against us.''

Pryor put no stock into McCown's 2-17 mark over the past two seasons in Cleveland and Tampa. Despite the Browns' 3-13 mark last year, McCown finished 14th in the NFL with a 93.3 rating and had three straight 300-yard games.

"Go watch this guy's film when he played for Chicago, even Tampa," Pryor said. "Last year, he lit a lot of teams up. The guy knows how to play. What we like about him and what we really can relate and love about Josh is that he's the ultimate competitor. You can see it in his eyes.''

Joe Thomas, for one, is grateful that the Browns were unwilling to trade McCown.

"We're probably in the best situation of any team to be able to handle the backup quarterback coming in and being the starter for a significant amount of time,'' said Thomas. "You can see in preseason how badly other teams wanted Josh because of his experience as a starter.''

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/09/how_old_man_josh_mccown_has_te.html

Nassib is gonna end up with 2-3 sacks today.

Pryor is going over 100. We're winning today guys.

The following Browns will be inactive for today's game against the Ravens.


No. Pos. Name


20 DB Briean Boddy-Calhoun


26 DB Marcus Burley


50 LB Scooby Wright III


72 OL Shon Coleman


84 WR Jordan Payton


93 DL John Hughes III


97 DL Gabe Wright

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/...d-b1a58bef3ea5

I really want to see Wright play

j/c:


https://twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ/status/777531175573291009

wth??

Hughes clearly hasn't impressed. Dropped as a starter. now scratched

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#Ravens Inactives vs. Browns: CB J. Powers RB, K. Dixon CB, Will Davis RB Javorius Allen, OLB E. Dumervil ,G/C John Urschel, DT Willie Henry

Dumervil not playing will help us out a bit

I could be wrong, but I think scheme has something to do with it. I think Horton wants DEs that can pressure the QB. I don't think that's Hughes' strength. Yet, the overall scratch is perplexing. He could help against the run.

Maybe they like Paea over Hughes? I mean, they signed him so he's their guy, so to speak.

could be. i just know hughes was pretty effective the past few years

yeah me too

Wright would have had to shine in STs to be active. He clearly hasn't

I don't think he has the athletic ability to play defensively right now ... or maybe ever

Survivor league opinions:

Do i take:

Carolina over SF
Detroit over TEN
Baltimore over CLE

We are a little deep at the inside position right now. People just forget for a lot of players it still takes them 2 years to recover from an ACL. I dont think he is all the way back yet but we will see him before season end i think.

Hughes skipped a lot of camp with personal issues and now a scratch. Team wont hold his spot for long without him contributing. For he and Gabe Wright to both be inactive says a lot about the young kids on this team. When Armonty gets back, I am sure one of those 2 gets the boot.

Man this Coleman story about beating cancer is inspiring

really is

It is, but at the same time I can't help but think about Ernie Davis.

Carolina

Thanks. That's who I decided on too

Is Marcus Burley hurt?

You would think he'd be active considering the state of the CBs

I might take Jacksonville over San Diego. No Keenan Allen is gonna hurt.

Think he has a hamstring issue.

Hopefully next week.

Apparently a groin issue as per the injury report. He did get in a full participation, so looks like he's trending the right direction

Link

If it was in JAX I might have

cody cody!

Lol stop it bro, you don't want this

Things sure have changed since last game talk.

Wow are these announcers the bottom of the pile. We got the scrubs.

eventually we wont have announcers

you'd think we'll play our "best" game today

just kidding

x2

ugh awful unis

I hate brown pants w/white tops

That's very funny.

this is always the best part of sundays...lets go browns