DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Mike Holmgren Content w/Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy hasn't answered all questions, but Cleveland Browns' Mike Holmgren is content: NFL Insider

Published: Sunday, December 05, 2010, 2:45 AM Updated: Sunday, December 05, 2010, 3:04 AM

Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

MIAMI, Fla. -- Can Colt McCoy make the throws that Jim Kelly made this time of year in Buffalo? Can he spiral through snow showers in a December game in Cincinnati that he has to win?

Can he pierce the unpredictable, unforgiving, frigid Lake Erie blasts at home with a game on the line in January?

With possibly three stronger-armed quarterbacks available in the April draft, the Browns have to be sure -- or surer than they are now -- about McCoy's ability to perform in these conditions.

But he might be laid up another two to four weeks with a high ankle sprain, Browns President Mike Holmgren admitted.

"I would like to see him in these conditions, first of all, but I don't believe we're going to play him unless he's 100 percent with his leg," Holmgren said. "But, absolutely, if you're going to play in Cleveland or Green Bay or Pittsburgh ... anyplace where weather is part of it late ... yeah, there are challenges there and you have to find out if you can do it.

"It's certainly a whole lot different than Austin, Texas [where McCoy played four years in college]."

Before you can ask, "Can McCoy be the one to take the Browns to the Super Bowl," there must be an answer to: "Does he have enough arm to win in Cleveland in December?"

"I kind of agree," Holmgren said. "I'd like to see him in weather games, but the reality is we might not be able to do that this year. But you know what? Honestly, I'm not particularly worried about that. I think he'll do just fine. It's not a huge concern with me."

This is a judgment that only a set of eyes trained from observing Joe Montana, Steve Young and Brett Favre up close can make. It's probably Holmgren's most critical decision as president.

Like everyone else, Holmgren saw the deep ball McCoy threw against the wind in Jacksonville. It was underthrown and should have been intercepted. So Holmgren was asked to explain his confidence in McCoy.

"As he gets older, he'll get stronger and his arm will get stronger," Holmgren said. "But I've seen him make throws -- now, there've been a couple where you go, 'OK, maybe not.' -- but most of the time he's delivered the ball quite well, so far."

We may be talking about only two or three bad-weather games a year. But they most certainly will be crucial ones whenever the Browns get really good.

"I think a quarterback that doesn't have a rocket for an arm -- and most guys don't, a lot of guys have great strength and no accuracy," Holmgren said. "I'd always go for accuracy."

But is he sure enough about McCoy to pass on trying to acquire one of the expected Big Three quarterbacks of the coming draft -- Andrew Luck of Stanford, Ryan Mallett of Arkansas and Jake Locker of Washington?

"It is a critical opportunity," Holmgren said. "I'm not going to paint ourselves in a corner on anything involving our draft or quarterbacks. But I was thinking maybe [McCoy] wouldn't play at all this year. So I think we're a little ahead of the game in the fact he was able to play against really good teams.

"Immediately, I learned a couple things about him, things I actually knew but he reaffirmed them. The game's not too big for him. He handled himself beautifully in those games. The judgment part of his game I thought was excellent. We had very few turnovers he was responsible for. That was encouraging to me.

"I don't think he's been asked to make all the throws yet, particularly in weather. But I think he's going to be OK. I really do."

Holmgren reiterated that he's said since April that drafting McCoy "does not preclude us from taking another quarterback in the next draft -- even if the decision is made that Colt's the future.

"I think what he's done ... before anyone anoints him ... what he has done has absolutely allowed him to compete for the starting position with whomever, at the very least. At the very least.

"Had he been able to stay healthy and had nine or 10 games under his belt, then it's maybe more of a slam dunk," Holmgren said.

© 2010 cleveland.com. All rights reserved.

Good read.

It's too bad McCoy got hurt when he did because it does make the draft decision harder because there are some good QBs entering the mix this year and we will probably have a shot at 1 of them.

I guess one clue we might get is once FA opens. If we go hot and heavy for the top wide outs, whoever those might be could indicate we would rather look past receiver with the first pick.

Another is how much playing time some of these new receiver begin to see on the field.

I would think at some point Heckert and Holmgren will ask that Mangini play some of these guys. Still with the intent to win games, but also assure him that if those guys don't perform well, their play isn't going to impact any decision on him.

That or just tell Mangini he is safe if that is the feeling. Possibly that has already happened. It doesn't have to be a public announcement at this point.


Like Holmgren said....I feel pretty good about Colt, but these last games would have gone a long was in erasing any doubt.

This next off season is a very critical one. What we do this year is going to have a major impact on exactly how big a step we are going to be able to make.

I honestly could care less if Colt can throw the ball in windy conditions for those 3 or so games in December...

All I care about is when the clock says 0:00 against the better teams in the league, that Cleveland is the victor. If he can do that, and help Cleveland win games.. He's a keeper.

We have no business drafting a QB HIGH at this point.

the wind can affect all throws, but I think Colt can handle the short/intermediate throws no problem.. Generally in December in harsh weather conditions, the run gets called more than the pass anyway, and its just an ugly game..

But colt can zip it for sure if need be.. I've seen his zip already.. shouldn't be much difference in the wind.

He may not have much experience in the cold, but lets face it, it gets windy in west Texas.

Thanks for the read Shep. Good one.

There isn't really anyway I can know this for sure, but I get the feeling that the Browns,, from the top down, believe in McCoy.

I'm betting we don't even think about going after one of the big three this draft.. but letting that cat out of the bag now wouldn't help during the draft if someone wants to give us a bunch to move up to get one of them...

I'm not a big college football guy, but what I'm hearing and reading is that Mallet and Locker are pretty big drop off after Luck.

Unless we are in a position to draft Luck, I hope we don't take a QB early.

I just hope Cincy isn't in a position to get Luck when all is said and done.

If Luck is available when we draft I would take him in a heartbeat, but he probably won't be and that is if he even comes out.

So I would probably draft Colt a true number one in Green or Jones and give him a chance to succeed and then draft Christian Ponder in the third and develop him.

So far Colt has used his TE`s to pick up the yardage needed to pick up first down yardage...So y throw long in bad conditions..

The running game becomes more part of game planning in blizzard type conditions...and colt has a friend in Hillis on those days...

After the Buffalo game white out...Seeing Dawson kick that field goal that just makes me feel okay about late games...

j/c

I think Colt has handled things well and its very encouraging for the future. Too bad he tweaked his ankle.

I would suspect the browns draft another QB, but sure hope it is not a high pick. Jake is signed for big bucks, what is the contract on Wallace? If you are drafting a QB in the 3rd or 4th rounds, thats a valuable pick and one of the others would have to go. Can't imagine keeping 4 QB's.

It cracks me up how Locker keeps being mentioned as a top QB. I used to think he was the next great thing.... but my oh my- his decision making is horrendous. Get a man in his face and he can't think and his accuracy goes way down. He's a bust waiting to happen. I can't think of a better landing spot for him then the bengals.

Teams will be drooling over Luck. The owner of the number one can probably get a monster trade if they wanted it.

I'm so so on Mallet. For a tall guy, his point of release looks low.

arm strength honestly is very overrated in windy conditions. Some guys have a knack for cutting through it and some dont.

Bernie, Chad Pennington, Montana threw well in poor conditions. There have been a lot of big named big armed quarterbacks that did not throw well in poor weather. Steve young, Marino, Culpepper, DA all had big arms but they were rather sucky in bad weather.

If the draft were held today we would have the 10th pick in the first round.

With the 10th pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft......the Cleveland Browns select WR Justin Blackmon from the university of Oklahoma St.

And yes over Julio Jones and QB's Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett even if they are all left on the board.

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I guess one clue we might get is once FA opens. If we go hot and heavy for the top wide outs, whoever those might be could indicate we would rather look past receiver with the first pick.

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Not to argue a thing, but I don't think a Holmgren-led team will go high for a receiver. Good receivers can be had in later rounds, (with the right guy picking them of course), and I don't believe Holmgren values receivers in round one.




April 20, 2001

"The thing about picking a wide receiver, it doesn't make me nervous to jump out there and get a receiver any year -- if he's the guy," said Mike Holmgren, Seahawks coach and general manager. ...

That said, a Holmgren-coached team never has selected a wide receiver in the first round. Not in the seven years he was with the Green Bay Packers. Not in the past two years with the Seahawks....

There are numbers to support why Holmgren and other coaches have shied away from wide receivers with their No. 1 picks. In the past five drafts, 20 wide receivers have been selected in the first round. As a group, they have averaged 8.9 starts, 39.1 receptions, 532.5 yards and 4.2 touchdown catches.

Connecting the dots between those numbers does not create a picture of a first-round draft choice.

web page




2001 NFL Draft

1. Atlanta Falcons (from San Diego) - Michael Vick, QB Virginia Tech
2. Arizona Cardinals - Leonard Davis, OT Texas
3. Cleveland Browns - Gerard Warren, DT Florida
4. Cincinnati Bengals - Justin Smith, DE Missouri
5. San Diego Chargers (from Atlanta) - LaDainian Tomlinson, RB Texas Christian
6. New England Patriots - Richard Seymour, DT Georgia
7. San Francisco 49ers (from Seattle from Dallas) - Andre Carter, DE California
8. Chicago Bears - David Terrell, WR Michigan
9. Seattle (from San Francisco), Koren Robinson - WR North Carolina State

web page

So after all that Holmgren does take Koren Robinson at #9 and his career has not been too illustrious after 8 seasons.

It's a crap shoot with receivers and Holmgren knows it. I just don't expect the Browns to take a 1st round receiver.

I trust them at this point.... you have three of their first four picks who are starters this year... only one who isn't is Hardesty who if he was healthy would probably be seeing some MAJOR playing time...

Haden and Ward both have potential to be pro-bowlers... Haden has made a good arguement late in the season for defensive rookie of the year.

well damnit.. we better be drafting Ingram of Alabama to load up our running game (I don't trust Hardesty, he = Lee Suggs), OR draft Peterson or Prince at Corner to shore up the secondary..

yea.. why not get TWO juggernauts.. Hillis won't last forever with his punishing running style.. see Dallas Cowboys/ Marion Barber.

I'm sure one of the better WR's will drop to the 2nd round..

Link please

I liked the article though

It doesn't need a link.

I'm excited about McCoy, and am very excited about next season...this time for real.

Here's your link...

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Published: Sunday, December 05, 2010, 2:45 AM Updated: Sunday, December 05, 2010, 3:04 AM

Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

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The Rules of The Pound don't require a clickable link. What they do require is that you give credit to the source. That allows others to read the original article for themselves if they wish. The credit to the source at the beginning of the article posted here will get us to the original article if we want it.

I see no reason to coddle the uninformed.

I am.....depending on who I am dealing with....and that would certainly be only a few people here.

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I see no reason to coddle the uninformed.

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Yeah, to tell you the truth it's never really worked out for me in my life either.

YIKES!

I don't think you have to have a "super arm" to throw in those conditions, you just have to be able to ajust to those conditions and be accurate in such conditions.

I feel a lot of people get a tad confused about that sometimes.

jmho

First let me say this,, I don't think Holmgren really wants to coach again.. I think he's talking generally that he misses it, but that doesn't mean he's wanting it again.

Secondly, I believe Mangini will be here another year...

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On a side note...And this should take on its own thread for discussion...YTOWN made a comment that got me thinkin'...The comment was...IF Holmgren came down to the field to Coach...Would Heckert bolt Cleveland???...I personally DO NOT think he would...

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If there was a reason for him to move on if Holmgren comes down to the field it would be that as of this moment, the HC reports to him.. So if Holmgren would come down to coach and retain his title of President,, it could get ackward for Heckert...That would take some defination I'd think.

But again, I don't think Holmgren will coach again.. and I think Mangini is here for the long haul

Good read, thanks Shep. Nice to see some love here and see that Holmgren is apparently as pleasantly surprised as I am with Colt. I just care we run an offense that will use his talents to get us notches in the big W column. Some very positive insights into what Holmgren sees as important.

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I am still not 100% sold on Julio Jones

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I sure am. He's better than anything the Browns have right now

Colt would love to have a big play WR. Man, would that open the offense up!