DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum McCoy shakes off bad play/injury

Quote:

---

Shaking off Green Bay errors, Colt McCoy eagerly awaits more NFL lessons with the Browns



BEREA, Ohio -- The low point of Colt McCoy's rookie training camp?

No, not throwing two interceptions in his first NFL exhibition game Saturday in Green Bay. Those weren't fun, of course, but playing 16 snaps against the Packers made him feel like a quarterback again.

Banging his right thumb on the helmet of a teammate? No, that happens. What Cleveland quarterback hasn't done that?

No, the low point -- by far -- came on Monday when McCoy was instructed to sit out practice to give the thumb another day to heal. He stood glumly as President Mike Holmgren gave him a little pep talk from his golf cart.

"That was the first practice I ever missed," McCoy said.

Ever? At any level of football?

"Ever," he repeated.

So McCoy couldn't wait to get back on the field on Tuesday. He needed to erase the memory of the interceptions.

"You don't like to throw interceptions. But the one thing I admire about Brett Favre is the way he responds to those things. He shakes them off and keeps going," McCoy said. "For me, that's the thing I have to do. Especially in the situation that I'm in.

"I'm learning. The games are really the reps I get. I can't let something get me down. Just got to show my teammates and coaches that, 'hey, that happened, I won't make that mistake again and I'm ready to go.'"

The first interception at the end of the first half was the one that McCoy heard loads about. The Browns were in field-goal range at the Green Bay 17 with 37 seconds on the clock. On first down, McCoy and receiver Johnathan Haggerty read the coverage. Haggerty faked a slant inside and converted it to a fade route.

Haggerty was double-covered. McCoy's throw was short and easily intercepted.

"We had points [a sure field goal] on the board," said coach Eric Mangini. "We had an under [receiver] coming free. So, hit the under and move to the next play. You're not in a situation at that point where you have to take a chance to push the ball into double coverage.

"Sometimes guys want to make a play and maximize their opportunity, but in trying to make a play, you can actually make a play for [the opposition]."

After making his point, Mangini shrugged off McCoy's boo-boo.

"He has historically made good decisions in college and he's a conscientious kid. He could have been a little bit excited, a little bit nervous, a lot of confidence. All of those things," he said.

McCoy admitted he was fired up to play in Green Bay. The hallowed Lambeau Field venue is as good as it gets in the NFL. He wouldn't have been human not to feel some butterflies.

"For the most part, I felt I moved the ball and executed what was called," he said. "But, that was the first [preseason game]. It was good to get in the huddle and run more than three or four plays in a row. I've never done that [here]. I've just got to build on it and play better this week."

In his first exhibition game, McCoy completed five of 10 passes for 25 yards. He converted two third-and-long situations with scramble runs up the middle for gains of 13 and 12 yards. He was pleased with those because he recognized the coverage and took advantage of the seam left open for him.

It's all part of the learning process for the Texas Longhorn turned NFL greenhorn.

The next time he takes the field, Saturday in Cleveland Browns Stadium, McCoy will oppose his college rival from Oklahoma, Sam Bradford, the presumed savior of the St. Louis Rams and No. 1 pick of the NFL draft.

They split their two meetings in the fabled Red River Shootout, but Bradford is the one with the $50 million contract guarantee and the likely one to be behind center when the real season starts next month.

McCoy is locked in a battle with Brett Ratliff to make the Browns' roster as the No. 3 quarterback.

"A lot of people have told me it's going to be different your first year, it's going to be a struggle at times," McCoy said. "For me, I just try to stay upbeat as much as I can. Sometimes you're down. Sometimes you're discouraged. But as a leader, as the quarterback, you can't show those emotions. You've got to be the level-headed guy that's ready to work every day."

That's where McCoy was on Tuesday, back at work. After two hours of practice, and another 30 minutes of signing autographs, McCoy trudged off the field carrying the shoulder pads belonging to Jerome Harrison.

He was smiling and feeling good again.

---

Quote:

---

McCoy is locked in a battle with Brett Ratliff to make the Browns' roster as the No. 3 quarterback.

---

LOL.. ok, I'm taking all comers who want to bet that McCoy is not on the roster this fall.

Quote:

---

You now who else had a great "attitude".




Brady Quinn

---

Quote:

---

Don't really expect a lot from McCoy, think he might make a decent back-up some day, if injuries don't cut his time short. Only time will tell the story, great attitude, just lacking on the physical side of things.

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Don't really expect a lot from McCoy, think he might make a decent back-up some day, if injuries don't cut his time short. Only time will tell the story, great attitude, just lacking on the physical side of things.

---

I agree.. but I hope I'm wrong.

I think we will draft a QB high in the draft within the next 2-3 years... I think Delhomme is a Brown for atleast 2 years, and at some point just inserting a rookie QB (probably 1st round) will be possible b/c he will have talent around him.

---

Quote:

---

FYI, this was already posted in the "Camp Articles" thread. What the heck are you trying to do?

---

Quote:

---

You now who else had a great "attitude".




Brady Quinn

---

Quote:

---

Ummm ... Flacco was 1st rounder. Ratbirds traded up into the end of the First to pick him.

---

Quote:

---

I'm not pulling for him at all... he's a 3rd string QB. If he makes it, so be it - if not, we'll get another. Hopefully, eventually, we'll get someone that sticks.
Of course, he's a member of the BROWNS, so I want him to do well in that regard as the better he does, the more it is likely to benefit us long term, but beyond that I don't really care at all.

---

Quote:

---

Of course, he's a member of the BROWNS, so I want him to do well in that regard as the better he does, the more it is likely to benefit us long term, but beyond that I don't really care at all.

---

So you ARE pulling for him just as much as everyone else here.

I don't think people here are pulling for him because they're his friend or relative or thinks he's cute or something.

Quote:

---

Nah, no ouch... I'm just literally not counting on him to be anything at all. I am not viewing him as our savior, I am not looking at him as the next camp superstar, I am not thinking or hoping he's going to be much of anything.

---

Quote:

---

I'm not pulling for him at all... he's a 3rd string QB. If he makes it, so be it - if not, we'll get another. Hopefully, eventually, we'll get someone that sticks.
Of course, he's a member of the BROWNS, so I want him to do well in that regard as the better he does, the more it is likely to benefit us long term, but beyond that I don't really care at all.

---

I have no expectations as far as McCoy being some great savor, but I am pulling for him to show that at the very least he deserves a roster spot and the pick was not a total waste.

IMO,..... If McCoy can not beat out Ratliff for our #3 QB position, then it would have been a wasted pick.

Quote:

---

If you think about it, the odds are on our side. Couch, Frye, Anderson, and Quinn all failed that means we should get our guy now right?

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

If you think about it, the odds are on our side. Couch, Frye, Anderson, and Quinn all failed that means we should get our guy now right?

---

Tell that to Bears fans. They haven't had a good QB since.....uhhhh......hrmmm? Cutler isn't a savior. He's a non-winning gun-slinger with a prima donna attitude.

Funny fact, Cutler hasn't had a winning season since high school.

---

Quote:

---

I guess we've gotten burned w/ this QB carousel here b/c the board finally isn't calling a draft pick the next Kosar...

Which is surprising to me. I figured there would be more McCoy pimps around here. There's plenty at training camp!

---

LOL I don't think anyone wants to pimp any QB these days...

Quote:

---

Wouldn't you rather have Cutler over any of the guys we've had the past 11 seasons (and probably the upcoming one too)? I would.

The last time the Bears had a good consistent QB (before Cutler) was Jim McMahon and he last played for them in 1988. Or last guy was either Testaverde (1995) or Kosar (1991). So we have them beat, but not by much.

(Don't forget they have also been to two Super Bowls.)

---

Quote:

---

I've been telling my buddies that if we don't have to pass the ball one time all year we might be pretty good.

---

Quote:

---

I hope that McCoy, just like every other member of the Browns team, will become an All Pro level performer,and will be with this team through several Super Bowl appearances and wins.

However, McCoy does have a lot of physical things (arm, size) going against him, and it would be a surprise to me if he were able to overcome them to become a quality starter.

I hope for it .... but I'm not counting on it.

---