DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum McCoy as Starter, Part Two

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One was the int that was touched by our guy but just too much traffic around to throw it in there.

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I saw wide open underneath and on the right about 10 yards downfield with NO ONE close. I think it was 3rd-19 but Hillis probably stood a good chance for it.

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I think I know what play you are talking about. The fact that he didn't check down makes me chuckle. Brady was Capt. Checkdown and McCOY was starting to be given that nickname on here as well. Like you I thought he should have checked down.

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Cleveland Browns boss Mike Holmgren on Colt McCoy: 'I'm Very, Very Pleased'
Published: Saturday, October 23, 2010, 5:23 PM
Updated: Saturday, October 23, 2010, 5:24 PM
Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

NEW ORLEANS, La. -- During a recent visit to Browns President Mike Holmgren's office, rookie quarterback Colt McCoy couldn't help but notice two photographs on the wall. One had Holmgren with Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, the other depicted Holmgren with future Hall of Famer Brett Favre.

"He told me, 'I'm going to be on that wall right there, with Favre and Montana,'" Holmgren recalled. "He pointed to the photos and said, 'right there. That's where my picture is going to be.'"

Holmgren chuckled a little before responding: "whoa, slow down. I hope so."
"I said 'that would be wonderful if you could be up there. But let's take it one step at a time.'"

His caution established, Holmgren now says he was "very encouraged" by McCoy's performance last week in Pittsburgh and that maybe -- just maybe -- he could be looking at the Browns' quarterback of the future.

Now, they want to see if he can build on that performance Sunday in New Orleans, where he'll start in place of the injured Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace against the defending Super Bowl champion Saints.

"I was very proud of him Sunday and I told him that," said Holmgren, arguably the top quarterback expert in the NFL. "No one knew what he could do, and the feeling going into that game was 'oh boy.' The truth is, that was a heck of a game for a while. I was very, very pleased with how he played."

McCoy, who completed 23 of 33 attempts for 281 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, played on the road against one of the NFL's top defenses and didn't flinch.

"That impressed me a lot, because that's a tough thing to be thrust into," said Holmgren. "They're a good team and it's a tough place to play. The game wasn't too big for him and he handled it well. I can't say I'm surprised, but I felt good about it, and he should, too."

Holmgren said one game isn't enough to fully assess McCoy, "but if he were to play four or five games, I'd probably be able to answer. And he gets to start another [Sunday] against a very good football team.

"In fact, I already do [have an idea], I think. But anyone can come in and have a really good game. What's encouraging to me is how he prepares, his work ethic, how he seriously works at his profession, how bright he is. There's all sorts of good stuff that I say, 'that's already in the can.' Now they just have to work with him and prepare him for the game, different throws and things like that."

Holmgren said the silver lining in the high ankle sprains suffered by Delhomme and Wallace is the opportunity to evaluate McCoy. The Browns figure to draft high again and have a shot at one of the many blue-chip quarterbacks coming out, including Washington's Jake Locker, Arkansas' Ryan Mallett and potentially Stanford's Andrew Luck.

"That's how I'm looking at it," he said. "I didn't want him to play, but then we wouldn't know. I mean, really know. He started off fine and I trust that we can continue."

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about McCoy's performance in Pittsburgh, Holmgren said, was that he barely got any reps in training camp or preseason -- and almost none with the starters.

Colt McCoy against the Steelers "didn't do anything in the game that made me [shake my head and say] 'oh boy,'" said Mike Holmgren (watching McCoy during training camp). "On the contrary, I said, 'that's good. that's good.'"
"It's not like he had all this wealth of practice experience to rely on," he said. He kind of got thrown into the frying pan."

What's more, McCoy wasn't exactly throwing to an All-Pro cast of receivers. The unit has struggled, and both Josh Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi were knocked out in the first half with concussions. McCoy will have Cribbs back against the Saints, but probably not Massaquoi.

"It's part of the three-year plan," said Holmgren. "If we can answer the quarterback question -- and I haven't said we answered it -- that's a huge deal. The other guys aren't as difficult."

Saints coach Sean Payton was also impressed with McCoy's debut.
"He was a player we liked coming out of Texas," said Payton. "Considering where he was starting that first game against that defense, I thought he handled it well. He showed poise and a great command of the offense. He's accurate and it certainly didn't look too big for him. When you watch the coaches tape, you're impressed because he's got that calmness under fire."
It's not too early, Payton said, for the Browns to be optimistic.

"One game can give you hope and you can get excited and build on that," he said. "It'd be too early to draw any conclusions, but certainly you'd be encouraged after the first outing."

Of course, Holmgren, who stepped in and called for the Browns to draft McCoy in the third round out of Texas, wants to temper the enthusiasm.
"Remember, I came out and said I didn't want him to play this year," he said. "But now it's kind of been taken out of our hands and here we go again. It's something that I didn't want to have happen here. It's gone on in the past with quarterbacks, but having said all of that, yeah, he didn't do anything in the game that made me [shake my head and say] 'oh boy.' On the contrary, I said, 'that's good. that's good.'"

Holmgren said he decided to draft McCoy after talking to people that knew him, including his former assistant Jon Gruden, who spent time with McCoy and the other top quarterbacks for an ESPN special.

"He really liked Colt and I trust Jon, and so that was another good thing," said Holmgren, who confirmed the one question he had was his arm strength.
"In college, he threw a lot of quick passes, so that, I didn't see enough of," said Holmgren. "He did a lot of great things running the ball, things you need to do in this league, but you've got to be able to do other things very well."
Is the arm strength good enough?

"We have to keep working on it and developing it," said Holmgren. "You don't have to have a rocket arm, but I think timing and anticipation and accuracy and all of those things, that has to be his game."

He said McCoy's lack of height -- he's 6-1 -- wasn't an issue. "You have to see that they're good at throwing in lanes, and they have good vision," said Holmgren. "You don't want to see every other ball batted down, and typically those guys can move better. Then, if you have all the things Colt has in his makeup, his leadership and all the intangibles, now you've got a chance to have a really fine player."

Holmgren said he has no idea why he lasted until the third round, "but I'm glad we got him."

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"It's part of the three-year plan," said Holmgren. "If we can answer the quarterback question -- and I haven't said we answered it -- that's a huge deal. The other guys aren't as difficult."

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"It's part of the three-year plan," said Holmgren. "If we can answer the quarterback question -- and I haven't said we answered it -- that's a huge deal. The other guys aren't as difficult."

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Well, a 3 year plan sounds good for Mangini, if not everyone else on the coaching staff.

I would guess that if we wind up again around 4-12 or 5-11, Mangini will be back, but probably with a change or 2 on his staff. The WR coach is supposed to be a pretty decent one, but he really hasn't done a thing with any of the WR so far that shows development. Obviously, Brian Daboll could also be in some trouble after this season.

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I find it hard to believe that Daboll is about to be canned.. I think he's a chef that had some rotten ingrediants to cook with. Bad ingrediants make for a bad soup.

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Can't say I agree.

While he doesn't have a whole lot to work with ... he's not doing anything to help his case.

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Ryan ... we don't have the horses to play his system but we play it anyway ... story of our D since the return.

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What do you like about him/see in him?

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There's a new sheriff in town.

And his name is.....

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.....Colt McCoy.

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well if they want an offense they might want to do this..

1) Draft AJ Green in the 1st round...

2) Draft Julio Jones in the 2nd round if he is there...

Can you talk about opening up the offense?

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Julio Jones in 2nd? I assume you meant trade back up into top 10.

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I'm thinking he may fall just b/c of his tendency to drop the ball @ times. Him dropping into the 2nd is far fetched.. I know.. but just imagining getting two VERY talented WR's in the draft would open this offense a bunch. We currently have mediocre WR's, with Mitchell being the unknown, but man... imagine these 2 things...

1) Our defense being more physical than last year...

2) Our offense moving the chains w/ ease b/c we have so many options. I'm also digging Michael Floyd of Norte Dame too, but he's one of those 1st round picks too.. Maybe one will slip. If not.. go RT or defense.

Deep.. have you peeped out the WR from Boise St. Titus Young?

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I'm thinking he may fall just b/c of his tendency to drop the ball @ times.

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Oh man...Holmgren has photos of Brett Favre too? When is this madness going to end?

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Holmgren said he decided to draft McCoy after talking to people that knew him, including his former assistant Jon Gruden, who spent time with McCoy and the other top quarterbacks for an ESPN special. "He really liked Colt and I trust Jon, and so that was another good thing," said Holmgren,

Very very interesting lol

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As much as I would love to have them both, it simply won't happen. I'm happy with either one in the top 10.

I haven't had a chance to watch Young very much, but I like what I've seen. I think he is going to be a very good slot receiver at least. There is some Mike Wallace in him. I'd take him in the 3rd.

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He still gets rid of the ball too quickly at times. But he also wasn't getting pro-bowl protection either.

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