8/10/2019 Browns Midseason Report

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C4 Monday, November 10, 2014 The Chronicle-TelegramBROWNS MIDSEASON REPORT

THE TOP FIVE TO REMEMBER

Division routsThe little brother finally landed a couple of haymakers.After last-play losses to Pittsburgh and Baltimore in Weeks 1 and 3, the

Browns responded with a pair of lopsided victories inside the AFC North.They got revenge with a 31-10 win over the Steelers in Week 6, thenembarrassed the Bengals 24-3 in Cincinnati on Thursday night.

The Browns reversed a couple of ugly trends with the wins. They beatPittsburgh after losing four straight in the series, eight of nine, 20 of 22 and27 or 32 since 1999. They defeated Ben Roethlisberger for the second timein 20 meetings. The win in Cincinnati ended a 17-game skid on the road inthe division.

History classThe Browns earned a spot in the record books by rallying from a 25-point

deficit in Tennessee for a 29-28 win. It was the greatest comeback infranchise history and the largest comeback road win in NFL regular-seasonhistory.

The Browns trailed 28-3 and were headed to 1-3 and serious questions.Then the season changed.

The defense pitched a shutout in the second half after being torched inthe first half. The offense methodically closed the gap. Tank Carder blockeda punt for a safety. Quarterback Brian Hoyer threw two fourth-quartertouchdowns to Travis Benjamin.

The Browns proved quitting is never an option and no deficit is too largeto overcome. They celebrated with a dance party in the locker roomfeaturing Hoyer and Joe Thomas. It drew a bit of praise and a lot oflaughter.

Hoyer countryHoyers stability at the games most important position has allowed the

Browns to win three straight and five of the last six. He doesnt dazzle withhuge stats or breath-taking athleticism, but makes the right decision mostof the time and gives his team the chance to win. But it would be unfair tolabel him strictly a game manager. Hes made clutch throw after clutchthrow, and the Browns wouldnt be 6-3 without him.

He further established himself as a winner, improving to 9-3 as Brownsstarter. He toppled Roethlisberger and Drew Brees and is setting up himself

nicely for free agency after the season.

Impressive rookieMike Pettine has positioned himself for a run at NFL coach of the year in

his rookie season. Hes succeeding where many others have failed, and ismaking the disjointed and ridiculed coaching search of January look like a

thing of beauty.His greatest strength might be his communication skills, which had

the players believing in him immediately. He hasnt been overwhelmedby anything on or off the field, and strikes the perfect balance of

enthusiasm and steadiness.His hire of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was a stroke of

genius. Shanahans system has allowed Hoyer to succeed whilemissing receiver Josh Gordon for the whole season and center AlexMack and tight end Jordan Cameron for much of it.

Reversal of fortuneThe defense wouldve been on the bottom five list after 4 weeks. Itcouldnt stop the run, gave up too many big pass plays and was a hugedisappointment after being billed as a strength before the season.

The defense has been different since halftime of the Titans game inWeek 5. It has moved up to fourth in the league in scoring (19.1 pointsper game) entering Sunday and has become a turnover machine,forcing 12 in the last four games. The run defense has improved, thepass rush is applying pressure and the secondary makes the schemework.

THE BOTTOM 5 TO FORGET

Mack truckedTwo-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack hadnt missed a snap in his

five-plus years. Then his fibula broke in the second quarter againstPittsburgh in Week 6, and he was lost for the season.

Mack was called the engine that makes the line work, and hes one of thesmartest players in the league. His absence was felt the following threeweeks, as the run game managed less than 2 yards a carry.

Encore interruptedTight end Jordan Cameron made the Pro Bowl in 2013 after a breakout

season featuring 80 catches for 917 yards and seven touchdowns. He waslooking for a repeat performance in the final year of his contract, but ithasnt happened.

Cameron reinjured his shoulder in the opener and missed 1 games. Theshoulder never reached 100 percent, then Cameron suffered a concussionOct. 26 against Oakland. Its his third concussion since December 2012,

and he missed the last two games. He has 13 catches for 250 yards and atouchdown.

Return to senderIts a minor miracle the punt return problems havent sabotaged the

season.Travis Benjamin lost his job because he couldnt catch a punt, then when

he finally caught two in a row, he fumbled the second on the return. JordanPoyer got a shot, then lost the job after a costly muff in the loss toJacksonville. Jim Leonhard is a fair-catch specialist who fumbled Thursdaynight as he got greedy in a return.

General manager Ray Farmer wasnt interested in bringing back JoshuaCribbs when asked last week, but if the Browns are a full-fledged playoffcontender, that could be the best move to fix the teams biggest weaknessto this point. Theyre last in the league with 3.2 yards a return.

Run overThe Browns entered the Bengals game tied for 30th in run defense,

allowing 139.6 yards a game. That was an improvement after a disastrousstart.

The Browns were gashed repeatedly early in the year, bottoming outagainst Jacksonville. Former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinsonrushed for 127 yards a career high by a mile and the Jaguars totaled

185.

Bad day in the sunThe trip to Jacksonville was an all-around disappointment. Quarterback

Brian Hoyer played the worst game of his career, Mike Pettine coached hisworst game and the Browns followed up a 31-10 win over Pittsburgh with a24-6 loss to the winless Jaguars.

The Browns returned home 3-3.

5 KEYS TO FINAL 7 GAMESHandle success

The Browns are in rare air. They have to remember to breathe.With the exception of a few veteran implants, most of the Browns havent participated in a playoff chase. With

each win, the expectations and stakes are raised and the anxiety heightened. The young roster must be able tohandle the pressure.

Coach Mike Pettine is well aware and said dealing with prosperity will be a point of emphasis this week.Pettine was quick to point out a 31-10 win over Pittsburgh was followed by a humbling loss to Jacksonville.

Welcome backJosh Gordon (below) was one of the best receivers in the league last year, leading the NFL with a franchise-

record 1,646 yards and adding nine touchdowns in 14 games. Hell be back for the final six games, startingNov. 23 in Atlanta after his drug suspension ends.

The addition of an All-Pro receiver should provide the perfect push toward the playoffs. Gordoninstantly becomes the most talented skill player on offense and will allow coordinator KyleShanahan to dig deeper into his voluminous playbook. Defenses will have no choice but torespect Gordon as a downfield threat, which will create space for the running game.

General manager Ray Farmer stressed last week that Gordon must fit into the offensivesystem and that the ball wont be forced to him. That shouldnt be an issue.Gordons return is nothing but a positive.

Health careThe Browns have persevered through their share of injuries. They

cant afford another key one down the stretch.The health of quarterback Brian Hoyer is the most important. Hes the

team leader and makes the offense go. The offensive line is next on thelist. Pro Bowl center Alex Mack is out for the year with a broken leg, andthe loss of a second starter could be too much to overcome.

The Browns could actually see an improvement in the health department.Tight end Jordan Cameron should return from a concussion, receiverAndrew Hawkins will be back Sunday against the Texans after missingthe Bengals game, and defensive lineman Phil Taylor was effective in

his return against Cincinnati.

Runners worldThe offense needs to run the ball to be at peak efficiency. The ground

game was great through five weeks, then was abysmal for three gamesfollowing the loss of Mack. It got back on track Thursday with 52 rushes for170 yards in the teams biggest game in years.

In Shanahans offense, the run game is always vital because it opens up theplay-action pass. With the weather turning, the run game gains even moreimportance. The only question is how to divide the carries among Ben Tate,Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell.

Division mattersThe Browns are in first place in the AFC North after Pittsburghs surprising

loss to the Jets on Sunday. If the Browns are to win the North for the firsttime since its creation, or make the postseason as a wild card for the firsttime since 2002, their final two games inside the division will play a hugerole. They host Cincinnati on Dec. 14 and visit Baltimore in the regular-season finale Dec. 28.

Head-to-head and division records are playoff tiebreakers. The Browns are2-2 in the North, and a 4-2 finish would likely be enough to get them intothe playoffs.

QuarterbackBrian Hoyer

Hes been steady and efficient,and the Browns wouldnt be 6-3

without him.

Left tackleJoe Thomas

Receiver Andrew Hawkinsdeserves consideration, butThomas reliability has been

impressive, especially in centerAlex Macks absence,

and is too often overlooked.

CornerbackJoe Haden

After a rough start, hes backto Pro Bowl form, and the change

has lifted the whole defense.

ReceiverTaylor Gabriel

The undrafted rookie has hadlittle trouble adjusting to the big

stage. He has 24 catchesfor 435 yards, good for

an 18.1-yard average that ranksamong the league leaders.

Free safetyTashaun GipsonHe leads the league with six

interceptions, has a forced fumbleand has been solid throughout.

KickerBilly Cundiff

Hes been better than expectedwith 16 makes in 19 tries,

including 1-for-2 from 50 yards.

TEAM MVP BEST OFFENSIVEPERFORMER

BEST DEFENSIVEPERFORMER

BEST SPECIALTEAMS PERFORMER

MOSTPLEASANT SURPRISE

COMINGON STRONG

MIDSEASON AWARDS

52Rushing attempts by

the Browns on Thursdayin the win over Cincinnati.

37Point differential for the

Browns. Theyve scored 209and allowed 172.

6Sacks by outside linebacker

Paul Kruger, who had

4.5 last year.

17Turnovers forced 13interceptions and four

fumbles recovered.

4Snaps played by rookie

quarterback Johnny Manziel.

3.5Yards per rushing attempt.

6Wins, the most through nine

games for Clevelandsince 1994.

12Rushing touchdowns as a

team, eight more than all oflast year.

33.3Percent of third downs

converted by the Browns.

6Practices for center

Nick McDonald before hestarted for first time

since 2012.

1Pass attempted by Manziel,

an incompletion.

6League-leading

interceptions by free safetyTashaun Gipson.

4Home wins in five games.

9-3Brian Hoyers recordas Browns starter.

BY THE NUMBERS

All stories and analysisby Scott Petrak

BEST AND WORSE OF THE FIRST 9 GAMES

AP FILE PHOTOS

Coach Mike Pettine celebrates the Browns win over New Orleans on Sept. 14 hisfirst ever as an NFL head coach. Pett ine has succeeded where so manyex-Browns coaches have failed, positioning him for a run at NFL coach of the year.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer and wide receiver Miles Austin celebrate after Thursdays 24-3 win over the CincinnatiBengals.