Young Browns Have the Right Tools to Be This Year's Buccaneers

DawgTalkers.net

Monday, August 22, 2011

Daniel Wolf/ NationalFootballAuthority.com
By Kris Knox
NFL Writer

While it's still early in the preseason, the Cleveland Browns are beginning to generate some buzz in the NFL world.

A new coaching staff, a fresh, young roster and impressive play from second-year quarterback Colt McCoy (19 of 28 for 231 yards, 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions) [in 3 quarters of play] has caused many in the national media to take notice.

While too much should not be made of any preseason performance—there has been a lot for the Browns to feel good about.

Surprisingly, both the offense and defense appear to be in sync, despite only practicing for a few short weeks. Most felt that the transition to the West Coast Offense (WCO) under head coach Pat Shurmur and the 4-3 defense under coordinator Dick Jauron, would continue to be a work in progress well into the regular season.

However, McCoy and the rest of the starting offense have been very efficient operating the WCO thus far, and timing does not seem to be an issue at all. Not only has the WCO played to McCoy's strengths, but it has made Cleveland's group of no-name receivers look much better than initially advertised.

The defense has also shown great potential, though penalties remain a problem. The secondary is starting to show some depth and the front seven has flashed speed, power and an opportunistic mentality, netting six sacks, four forced fumbles and a defensive touchdown.

Statistics aside, what really stands out is how quickly this young Browns team has come together. The Browns are now one of the league's younger teams, but have shown poise, maturity and most importantly, confidence.

In fact, this year's Cleveland Browns remind me a lot of one of 2010's surprise success stories: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Coming off a 3-13 campaign, the Buccaneers were expected to again struggle, but quickly became one of the league's hottest teams. Tampa Bay narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing the season with a 10-6 record.

I'm not necessarily predicting that the Browns will be in the playoff race come December, but there are plenty of similarities between the 2010 Buccaneers and the Browns this season.

Last year was Year 2 of the Raheem Morris era in Tampa Bay and the Buccaneers featured a roster of young players, built primarily through the draft. This is Cleveland's second year with the team of Holmgren and Heckert at the helm, and most of the players at key positions for the Browns have been developed internally.

The average age of players on the Buccaneers 2010 roster was 25.1. Expect the Browns' average age to be close to that number once final roster cuts have been made (Cleveland released several veterans age 30 and older, even before the lockout).

The 2010 Buccaneers also started a second-year quarterback who sometimes struggled, but flashed potential as a rookie. A year earlier, Josh Freeman started nine games, completing 54.5 percent of his passes for 1,855 yards, but also having a 5-to-9 touchdown/interception ratio.

Sound vaguely familiar? In 2010, McCoy started eight games, completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,576 yards and a 6-to-9 touchdowns/interception ratio.

While the Buccaneers' receiving corp largely consisted of relative unknowns, Freeman's development was helped by strong play from veteran tight end Kellen Winslow (66 receptions, 730 yards) and even stronger running from undrafted back LeGarrette Blount (1,007 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry average).

With tight end Ben Watson (68 receptions, 763 yards in 2010) and bruising running back Peyton Hillis (1,177 yards, 4.4 yards per carry average) returning, the Browns will likely try to emulate this traditionally effective formula.

Starring in the middle of the defense for the 2010 Buccaneers was rookie tackle Gerald McCoy, who added much needed physicality to the young Tampa Bay unit. The Browns are hoping they can get the same effect out of rookie linemen Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard.

On the back end, the Buccaneers featured a young and talented secondary anchored by crafty 13-year veteran Ronde Barber. The Browns secondary consists of second-year standouts Joe Haden and T.J. Ward who have developed well under the tutelage of nine-year veteran Sheldon Brown.

Of course, much of Tampa Bay's success in 2010 an be attributed to a relatively easy schedule, which allowed them to get some early wins, gain confidence and momentum, and gel as a team. Entering 2010, Tampa Bay's opponents had a combined winning percentage of only 48 percent. The combined winning percentage of Cleveland's opponents this season? It's 49 percent.

As a rebuilding team, the Cleveland Browns are expected to struggle early this season, but as the Buccaneers proved last year, expectations are often misleading. Only time will tell if the Browns are able to make similar strides this season, but the potential is there.

While the AFC North title hunt is expected to be a two-team race between Baltimore and Pittsburgh (much like the NFC South in 2010 between New Orleans and Atlanta), do not be surprised if Cleveland finds a way to be competitive, pulls off a few upset wins, and makes a lot of noise throughout the season.

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I think we are gonna have a solid offense. I'm not sure if it will be a top 10 offense number wise, but i think we will score and move those chains in a very productive way.

Now that the offense is somewhat in place, the ultimate success now stems on the play of the defense. I'm a little less confident in the defense, but hopefully things will click.

A lot of people are taking notice of Colt McCoy.. not just the media either. I get a lot of other fans saying they are seeing how well he is doing, and they are pulling for him.

(granted again though.. this is preseason. Can't really back all this stuff up w/ that.

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(granted again though.. this is preseason. Can't really back all this stuff up w/ that.)

True , but they can show either positive or negative signs of individuals (players).

How the team will function as a whole is still another matter when the real bullets start to fly.

Teams are not playing the basic offense and defenses that they would normally play in preseason games.
They won't show 'all' naturally, but when the ones are in the game you can I think get a better feel for a team in the preseason then in the past, minus the starters that are left out of some games, that otherwise might have been able to play in a regular season game.

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has caused many in the national media to take notice.

Impossible.

The national media hates Cleveland!

Eh, the only reason anyone notices us is because we have McCoy who was a golden boy last year in the draft. If we were doing the exact same thing with Wallace or someone else, not many people would be paying attention to us.

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Eh, the only reason anyone notices us is because we have McCoy who was a golden boy last year in the draft. If we were doing the exact same thing with Wallace or someone else, not many people would be paying attention to us.

Na, Colts 3rd round draft selection I think is a better representation that many [in the media] thought he would not make the transition.
'Least likely to succeed', so I think that makes his development even more so intriguing to the national media.

Wait, since the media thought he wouldn't be good, we took him in the 3rd round?

It's my recollection that the media was in love with the kid. I seem to remember the media being somewhat surprised that he wasn't picked in the 1st round and certainly surprised when he wasn't picked in the 2nd.

I think teams had some concerns about him. But I remember the media being all about him.

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Eh, the only reason anyone notices us is because we have McCoy who was a golden boy last year in the draft. If we were doing the exact same thing with Wallace or someone else, not many people would be paying attention to us.

You are 100% correct..

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has caused many in the national media to take notice.

Impossible.

The national media hates Cleveland!

Colin Cowherd just updated his prediction for us to 8-8 from 6-10 based on McCoy's preseason performance.

I'm sure that means so much to so many of you . . .

Just like to much hype was made over the 4 game win streak to end 2009, to much was made over the level of play down the stretch in 2010. The loss to the Jets combined with key injuries to team leaders, Colt on offense and Fujita on defense. sent this team into a mental tailspin they never recovered from. When he returned to the lineup, Colt's arm was dead and he couldnt step into his throws on that ankle

No Daboll, Delhomme and St. Claire should equal 5 more wins, especially when you consider our very easy schedule.

Not saying any of this because of 2 preseason games. I was saying the same thing months ago, it is just that now preseason is beginning to verify what I already believed to be true.

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Wait, since the media thought he wouldn't be good, we took him in the 3rd round?

It's my recollection that the media was in love with the kid. I seem to remember the media being somewhat surprised that he wasn't picked in the 1st round and certainly surprised when he wasn't picked in the 2nd.

I think teams had some concerns about him. But I remember the media being all about him.

Agreed. I seem to remember seeing a camera-crew's view of him sweating it out at home 2 or 3 times each round. . .

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Wait, since the media thought he wouldn't be good, we took him in the 3rd round?

It's my recollection that the media was in love with the kid. I seem to remember the media being somewhat surprised that he wasn't picked in the 1st round and certainly surprised when he wasn't picked in the 2nd.

I think teams had some concerns about him. But I remember the media being all about him.

That's not the way I remembered it.
At Least not in the football world.

He was never mentioned with the top QB prospects going into the Draft.
If Holmgren would not have stepped in and said lets take him here. McCoy might have lasted to the 4th round or later.

Many on this board thought he would never be more then a backup. Perhaps in the end they will be right, but I don't think the jury is in yet on Colt McCoy, but he is making a pretty good case for himself against his critics.

Colt was a Golden Boy (as you called it) at Texas, but even still, he wasn't given much of a chance to be considered for the next level.

I agree 100% with you, from the football world. And that's vastly different than the media world.

I think the media is paying attention to us because have McCoy, who many in the media played up. But, it seems football people had a different idea.

Like I said, if we had Joe Schmo doing the exact same thing as McCoy, I don't think we'd be getting the media recognition that we're getting.

It's kind of like Tebow. He's a media darling. The press is going to pay attention to him and the Broncos no matter how he does, good or bad. It has nothing to do with football.

JMHO

j/c

The reporters are doing what they do: looking for a story to print. Of course having Colt be who he is helps, because Colt McCoy brings national name recognition. It is more of a story with a kid like Colt at the helm than it is with some no-name journeyman.

Take solace folks - we ARE better, and we're getting better. And we've got - on paper - a cupcake schedule this season. There will be PLENTY of media love coming our way if the defense can hold up.

And so as the season began anew, once more there reigned hope throughout the Land of Cleve.

You mean the media reports on big stories and good teams?

But, I thought it all had to do with the fact that they hated Cleveland.

I'm confused.

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Just like to much hype was made over the 4 game win streak to end 2009, to much was made over the level of play down the stretch in 2010. The loss to the Jets combined with key injuries to team leaders, Colt on offense and Fujita on defense. sent this team into a mental tailspin they never recovered from. When he returned to the lineup, Colt's arm was dead and he couldnt step into his throws on that ankle

No Daboll, Delhomme and St. Claire should equal 5 more wins, especially when you consider our very easy schedule.

Not saying any of this because of 2 preseason games. I was saying the same thing months ago, it is just that now preseason is beginning to verify what I already believed to be true.

They did a video on nfl.com about our division a week or so ago and I guess that they only had the time for 3 teams...guess who was left out???

I'll take the love we get any day, but I just thought it was a good way to say ...'happy Monday folks'

Edit: and it wasn't all about Colt McCoy. I think that there are some similarities between the 2011 Browns and the 2010 Bucs too.

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And so as the season began anew, once more there reigned hope throughout the Land of Cleve.

I think that it in bodies who we are

Every year there is a "surprise" team that comes out of nowhere .... and the pundits all try to figure out who it will be.

I don't expect us to be that team that goes from suckitude to the playoffs .... but I do expect an 8-8 record. We have a very easy schedule, and Cincinnati looks even more pathetic that previously expected ... so maybe even 9 wins should be doable ...... but we are in one tough division.

My "surprise" team to make the playoffs is the Rams. I suspect that they'll win 10-11 games, and that Bradford will flourish in Josh McDaniels' offensive scheme.

My surprise crash team is the Jets. Without exceptional receivers across the board to bail him out, I suspect that Sanchez will be further exposed as an inaccurate and questionable QB. When your #1 receiver had 750 yards, and only 2 of your WRs had stats at all last year, you might have a problem. The Jets do. Counting on a fresh from prison Plaxico Burress probably won't help.

My "SadSack" team is the Lions. They could play really well and still be 3rd in their division. Their schedule looks as brutal as ours did last year. They could be a vastly improved team and still win 6 or 7 games.

Imagine that.,., a reporter that writes a positive story about the Browns and does a little research when he compares them to a team that did well when it wasn't expected too...

I'm not worried about the offense so much.. The D.. that's another story. I sure hope we put up a bunch of points,, I get the feeling we are gonna need them.

If we can go .500 in our division (and that's no easy task and it would be a monumental achievement for this team), I think we can make some noise this season. Much will depend on how quickly the team comes together on both sides of the ball.
By December if we can stay healthy we could be a pretty dangers team and our rookies will really not be rookies anymore.

Staying healthy, as always, is key. Let's face it, we don't have much in the way of depth (outside of a couple positions). And, let's not jump too much on any bandwagon.

1) Remember how we did in 2007? Thought we finally had things going right. But, a lot of people said we had an easy schedule in '07 which lead to us having a good record. And we all remembered what happened in '08.

2) There's a reason you play the games. Just like we might be looking at our schedule as "easy", there isn't a team out there who hasn't circle Cleveland as an automatic W. Hell, I'm sure even the Bengals have done that (and my feelings on Bengals/Browns games have been mentioned before).

3) It's preseason. While we've seen some glimmers, we need to remember that when the Lions went 0-16 during the regular season, they went 4-0 in the preseason.

JMHO

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Imagine that.,., a reporter that writes a positive story about the Browns and does a little research when he compares them to a team that did well when it wasn't expected too...

I'm not worried about the offense so much.. The D.. that's another story. I sure hope we put up a bunch of points,, I get the feeling we are gonna need them.

Actually I'm as surprised at how well our defensive players seem to be making the transition to this new defense as much as our offense.

We were missing some key components of that defense last weekend too.

Taylor had as much to do with Sheard's fumble caused as much anyone else, because it was Taylor who took away the running lane and he would have made the tackle if not for the fumble Sheard caused and recovered. I thought that was a positive sign. Other positive signs there were the tackles for lose by DQ, Maiava and Brown, that tells me that our front 4 were doing their job.

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Staying healthy, as always, is key. Let's face it, we don't have much in the way of depth (outside of a couple positions). And, let's not jump too much on any bandwagon.

1) Remember how we did in 2007? Thought we finally had things going right. But, a lot of people said we had an easy schedule in '07 which lead to us having a good record. And we all remembered what happened in '08.

2) There's a reason you play the games. Just like we might be looking at our schedule as "easy", there isn't a team out there who hasn't circle Cleveland as an automatic W. Hell, I'm sure even the Bengals have done that (and my feelings on Bengals/Browns games have been mentioned before).

3) It's preseason. While we've seen some glimmers, we need to remember that when the Lions went 0-16 during the regular season, they went 4-0 in the preseason.

JMHO

The Lion's always seem to go 4 & 0 in the preseason

Granted, depth in some area's are probably lacking with this team, but no team has complete depth I don't think.

Next April we will address areas that have yet to be addressed post Heckert.
(like LBer)

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My "SadSack" team is the Lions. They could play really well and still be 3rd in their division.

So could we. As a division our schedule seems much easier but the Steelers and Ravens also benefit from a pretty easy schedule. Heck we could win 10 games and still finish 3rd.

Hmm,, .500 in our division might not be as hard as you think.. For instance.. we could sweep Cinci and then all we gotta do it take one from either Pitts or Balt. Boom 500

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It is more of a story with a kid like Colt at the helm than it is with some no-name journeyman.

I don't disagree but I don't think is all because of Colt's name.. there is something to be said for the newness of a guy coming in for his first or second year.. if this was any first or second year guy on a team that struggled last year I think the reports would be the same.. remember, Colt has a 132.6 rating through 2 preseason games, the next closest guy is at 99..... so from an individual perspective so far, Colt deserves the attention.

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Actually I'm as surprised at how well our defensive players seem to be making the transition to this new defense as much as our offense.

Really, the only reason I'm a bit skeptical about the D is, as you say, we are missing some key players. We need another safety probably, but LB is scary...

We'll see.. I really want to be pleasently surprised

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Hmm,, .500 in our division might not be as hard as you think.. For instance.. we could sweep Cinci and then all we gotta do it take one from either Pitts or Balt. Boom 500

Your correct..... Maybe I should have used the word [split] instead.

LOL I knew what you meant,, I was just funnin ya

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My "SadSack" team is the Lions. They could play really well and still be 3rd in their division.

So could we. As a division our schedule seems much easier but the Steelers and Ravens also benefit from a pretty easy schedule. Heck we could win 10 games and still finish 3rd.

Certainly .... but my point is that the Lions have really difficult looking schedule, ahile ours certainly looks like a cakewalk. The Lions could have the far more impressive year with 6 or 7 wins because of that schedule than we would with 7 or 8 wins. (or maybe even 9)

my one huge gigantic enormous issue with that comparison is that the Bucs were in the 2nd year of Raheem's system (which wasn't all that much different from the previous system).

we are in the 1st year of the WCO and the 1st year of the 4-3. the first year in a new system tends to have growing pains. alot of growing pains.

Not to mention, we didn't sign a Legarrate Blount-type UDFA. That's like getting a free 2nd-rounder.

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My "SadSack" team is the Lions. They could play really well and still be 3rd in their division.

So could we. As a division our schedule seems much easier but the Steelers and Ravens also benefit from a pretty easy schedule. Heck we could win 10 games and still finish 3rd.

Certainly .... but my point is that the Lions have really difficult looking schedule, ahile ours certainly looks like a cakewalk. The Lions could have the far more impressive year with 6 or 7 wins because of that schedule than we would with 7 or 8 wins. (or maybe even 9)

The strength of schedule really means nada at this point.
It appears favorable, will see...

There will always be teams like the Bucs year in and year out who surprise....Then you take the NFC East who had an off year as far as projections. It only matters at the end of the season, because only then can you calculate a true strength of schedule.

Home Bengals- This is a bad team with a rookie QB that looks like a rookie QB
@ Colts- no manning

Home Phins- Daboll + Henne enough said
Home Titans- Titans lost to much and they didnt have a whole lot,

@Raiders- most difficult game at this point but Raiders are average at best
Home Seahawks- Seattle doesn't travel well

@49ers- Alex smith or roookie QB
@Houston- this team is loaded but Browns vs. Texans is always a nail biter

Home Rams- Having Shurmur should be the difference
Home Jags- likely another rookie QB

@ cinn- They are thinking about Luck by this point in the season
Home Ravens- real challenge

@ Pitt- real challenge
@Cards- Huge game for the Browns,

@Ravens- 3rd straight road game
Home Pitt- Enough said

We better have one heck of a record and a ton of confidence by week 11 because playtime is over at that point.

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Actually I'm as surprised at how well our defensive players seem to be making the transition to this new defense as much as our offense.

Its the 4-3 99.9 percent of players have been running it since pee wee. There is no learning curve to run the basics. Thats what gives me hope about this D. Much easier than switching to a 3-4 that guys may have never played in.

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We better have one heck of a record and a ton of confidence by week 11 because playtime is over at that point.

Hopefully by then we will be peeking and fairly injury free.

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Actually I'm as surprised at how well our defensive players seem to be making the transition to this new defense as much as our offense.

Its the 4-3 99.9 percent of players have been running it since pee wee. There is no learning curve to run the basics. Thats what gives me hope about this D. Much easier than switching to a 3-4 that guys may have never played in.

there are so many different flavors of the 4-3 with different assignments, responsibilities, switches based on alignments/motion/etc. not to mention if we are playing man or zone defense.

I like your breakdown, but I have to side with FLdawg. To me strength of schedule is bogus. Over the years I have seen this thing become laughable half way through the season.

Until we become a team that shows any capability of beating even mediocre teams with consistency, the strength of the schedule preseason means squat.

I've been watching a lot of the preseaon games, and to tell you the truth, some of the stacked teams don't look all that impressive.

Baltimore looks putrid on offense. Pittsburgh's Oline is looking bad, but then again it looked bad last year until the games were being played. The Rams have more than Bradford, so to poo poo them because of Schurmur is a reach. Seattle doesn't travel well? There is some deep analysis. The Jags are another team we are supposed to be able to beat every year, it doesn't happen.

Opinions are opinions, and yours is a pretty good one in my eye, but until the season starts, rating a schedule IMO is foolish.

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Actually I'm as surprised at how well our defensive players seem to be making the transition to this new defense as much as our offense.

Its the 4-3 99.9 percent of players have been running it since pee wee. There is no learning curve to run the basics. Thats what gives me hope about this D. Much easier than switching to a 3-4 that guys may have never played in.

there are so many different flavors of the 4-3 with different assignments, responsibilities, switches based on alignments/motion/etc. not to mention if we are playing man or zone defense.

True and we also showed a 46 look last Saturday.
The verbiage also changes from system to system and there can be an adjustment in that alone.
Sometimes it's harder for some vets to unlearn a system as much as someone new like a rookie trying to learn a pro system for the first time.

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Home Rams- Having Shurmur should be the difference

I'm curious to know why you feel that Shurmur would be a difference in that game? The Rams have completely changed their offense to the Patriots style offense. The Shurmur offense is nothing but a memory.

To me that seems like a team hiring Mangini as DC having an advantage against us because he worked here last year. outside of some superficial personnel aspects I just don't see it ..... and even those will likely be skewed by the change in scheme as well.

Who ("in the world") wants to be the Buccaneers?
and Who wants to be the Buccaneers again?

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Colin Cowherd just updated his prediction for us to 8-8 from 6-10 based on McCoy's preseason performance.

I'm sure that means so much to so many of you . . .

He is probably checking out his favorite stat that he referenced to early season prediction in 2007 that the Browns would be decent.

Do you convert 40% or more of your 3rd downs? If you do your a playoff team. ( Cowherd said in 07)

Seriously I'm going to watch 3 things and they will tell me alot about how much success this and other teams will have this year.
This pre-season
3rd down conversions
Browns 43% opponent 26%

sacks ( by your defense, so + is good)
Browns 6.0 opponent 1.0

turnover ratio, Browns --2 (+ is good)

He knows the strengths and weaknesses of that defense since his offense went against them everyday in practice for 2 years. He will also know the tendencies of the Bradford and the offensive players better than anyone around, especially when it comes to line play.