Short & Quick

Browns’ First W
The only conclusion I can come to from watching the Browns’ win over the Bengals is that Carson Palmer is on the back 9 of his career.

Matt Roth was able to make a couple of big plays rushing the quarterback. Part of the reason was that #58 was back in the line-up and often drew a chip from the back, allowing Roth to go one-on-one coming off the other edge.

On one of Roth’s two sacks, it was good coverage that allowed it to happen. The Browns will take it any way they can get it.

The Browns figured out in the past two weeks that they need to run the ball early and often. Had they employed that approach against their first two opponents they might not be sitting at 1-3 right now.

I give absolutely no credit to Mangini and his staff for getting it late. This wasn’t difficult to figure out – especially after how they won four in a row down the stretch in ‘09. The problem is you can’t win a lot of games in this league if you can’t throw it at all.

But that’s all they have right now – thanks to some horrid drafting. Take a look at the 3 #2s Mangini took in the 2008 draft and you’ll hurl chunks. That set this team in talent back several years. You can’t blow all three.

If you know what you are doing, 2 of 3 are starters and contributing heavily. If you don’t know what you are doing, 1 of 3 is helping. And if you are officially Joe Biden smart, all three have yet to do a damn thing (aka: Cleveland).

Cleveland actually had a wide receiver catch a pass in the third quarter I never heard of before (#85). Been there done that when it comes to that crew. Everyone else in town is starting to figure it out – two years late.

Seneca Wallace played well in his third start. He has improved steadily with each appearance. He should be sitting with 3 TDs and one pick had not a receiver had the ball bounce off his hands Sunday into the hands of a waiting DB.

What is just as important that fails to get noticed is the sacks he’s avoided with his mobility. He’s not Tom Brady, but he can play.

So Mike Alstot is back. Peyton Hillis did not rush for a ton of yards (27 for 102 yards), but kept the chains moving from time to time and was able to somehow turn the corner late in the game to pick up a first down and seal the win. What does that say about the Bengals D? Hillis will become a folk hero in town if he keeps it up with his hard-hat approach.

Now the down side – this is the slowest group of skilled players on an NFL roster I have ever seen. You have a fullback playing tailback and no speed (we’ve already covered talent) at receiver.

If I were coaching this group of WRs, I would play Evan Moore at WR much more. He may be slow (aka: a tight end), but he’s a big target, has good hands and seems to screen off defenders well. The touchdown pass Wallace hit him with came with Moore lined up wide.

It’s simple, if your #2 tight end is a better receiver than your #1 receiver, you play the tight end. Plus, Moore is somewhat of a hybrid. He’s not a true NFL tight end. He seems fairly comfortable in space. But what do I know?

The Browns punt and kickoff coverage units don’t get enough credit. Special teams play has been this team’s strength during the Mangini Era. On the flip side, the return units (Josh Cribbs & company) however, have not been stellar so far in 2010.

Teams seem to be adjusting to Cribbs in the wildcat formation. Maybe it’s because they can put 11 in the box knowing he’ll keeping it. They need to add a new wrinkle or two.

And I don’t like going to Cribbs at QB nearly as much this year when you already have a mobile guy in Wallace back there. The Browns need to utilize his ability to bootleg more often – especially in third and short situations and near the goal line. Get Wallace out in space on occasion and give him one pass option to go with the run option.

Falcons win 23-20. I actually think this one is very winnable if the Browns don’t cough it up and they can make a couple special teams plays.

I am just having a hard time picking them against a decent team when they have no passing game, the slowest skilled players in the history of the sport and a poor pass rush. If Atlanta has any talent (aka: “The Franchise” Matt Ryan) and the ability to adjust, they should win. I hope I am wrong.

McNabb
I was glad to see the Philly fans cheer Donovan McNabb. He earned it.

Indians
The Indians quietly Monday announced some front office shake ups. In simple English, they won 69 games, missed out on the playoffs for the eighth year in the last nine tries and everyone got promoted. I’m not making this up. Where do I go to get my application?

I Was Wrong
I need to fess up. I was obviously wrong about Steve Fuller (aka: Kyle Orton). Either that or little Belichick (aka: Josh McD.) is a hell of a QB coach. He took what was a back-up signal-caller in Orton and has turned him into a quality starter –or so it seems. Perhaps it’s a little of both.

This begs the question – How bad was Chicago’s offensive system and talent for all those years?

When I mess up, I fess up.

Classic Over-coaching
I caught the replay of LSU’s wonderful clock management against the Vols this past Saturday. I don’t know what was worse – LSU running guys in and out from the 1 yard line prior to the game’s last play or the Vols matching LSU’s madness by having 13 guys on the field.

Can you say OVERCOACHING? The specialization in football has gradually gone from the ridiculous to the sublime. These guys (coaches) spend way too much time looking at film and trying to come up with stupid schemes, plays and personnel groups to justify their jobs.

You are at the 1 yard line. Why the hell do you need to change personnel groups when you were already in your short yardage set prior to that play?

But then again, on third and inches, I would never put the QB in the shot gun and have the ball go back several yards before I try to go forward to get John Holmes’ type yardage. Call me crazy!

Cavaliers
If a team opens camp and no one hardly notices, did it happen? The Cavs have started playing exhibition games but they barely get a notice.

It will get much worse when they are sitting at 12-29 at the half way mark and the media & fans start dumping hard on Gilbert & company hard for not having a plan B. – something we have been saying for a long time.

To make matters worse, they just opened up a brand new two story gift shop at the Q. Obviously, when the team’s number crunchers planned that out they had 23 staying in town. Call me crazy, but I can’t see Daniel Green jerseys flying off the shelf.

And if anyone really thinks this team, as it’s constituted, has a chance at the 8th seed, they need a lobotomy. Again, I hope I am wrong and these coaches can squeeze champagne out of piss.

Till next week.

“Luck is the residue of hard work.”