What do you think we will see coming out of the bye week?

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Last year after the bye week, the Browns came out as what seemed to be a completely different team. They played harder, hungrier, and there were numerous tweaks to play calling, & personnel.

What do you expect to see next Sunday? What changes are likely, if any?

I think Mangini uses the bye week to take a hard look at what they are doing, and would not be surprised to see some major wrinkles in the way we go about business. I expect we'll come out strong, and play better the 2nd half of the season ...which could turn many of these close, hard fought games into victories rather than losses.

We still don't have much talent, but for what we lack there, we almost make up in heart, and intelligence.

I'm saying we go .500 the 2nd half of the season. The Patriots and Jets are going to be tough, but if we can pull out a victory against one of those teams, I see more victories to follow.

[faninthehammer]

I think a victory over the Pats is realistic at home after a bye week. Certainly would be a shocker to most of the world outside of Cleveland but not a stretch IMHO.
Finishing the season with 7 wins is achievable if we can tighten up the pass coverage and avoid the injurie plague. The offensive line is getting better weekly, the receiving corps will benefit from more accurate, timing plays. Rogers has found a new home at end and the young guys in defensive backfield have a point to prove.
What scares me is that the bag of tricks was opened up wide last week and I can't imagine many more surprises or defensive looks that could be unveiled. Hopefully the team doesnt need them or that my fears are unfounded.

[Tobalaz]

Transsexuals.
Whoops!
You said bye week, not bi-week.
Never mind.

[golfer704u]

I expect to see the Browns play another good game and be in it for 4 quarters, I won't guarantee a win because Tom Brady is THAT good.

But the Patriots are another team that we can match up with well for our defense. They don't run the ball all that well. Which allows Mangini and Ryan to use that creativity to mess with Brady and Welker and the bunch. When we start to see teams with more ballanced attacks I think our defense will get a much tougher task.

Offensively I think you can score enough points to beat the Patriots especially at home.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

From frowns:

Browns Schedule-watch: Six of the seven opponents faced by the Browns so far in 2010 have a total of five wins. Only one team in the NFL currently has more than five wins; that's the 6-1 New England Patriots who come to Cleveland to play the Browns this Sunday. The NFL scheduling process is designed so that teams with bad records in one season are set up to play an easier schedule the next season, and vice versa, meaning that there's only one potential explanation for how the 2010 Browns schedule has turned out the way it has.

[Thaid_Up]

Other than the QB dilema I see a more confident team after the bye. Beating the Saints in New Orleans is no easy feat (just ask the stoolers!!) and that's gotta be a boost. The D was smacked at pissburgh but rebounded strong and they've played well as a whole for the 1st half of the season.

The offense is a completely different story. I'm truly at a loss to try and figure them out. Hillis is playing lights out but I hope we don't run him to death. WR's continue to underwhelm. If all QB's are well enough to start that choice will give me some indication of where we're going. I'll go with McCoy but really can't argue with whomever they decide to go with as long as they stick with that QB for a few games.

[Vegasdogg]

I am not sure what we'll see because game to game I never know, to be honest.

What I think we SHOULD see is:

Better accuracy and decision making from the QB position.
More creativity and a better mix of playcalling from Daboll.
Increased production out of the running game.
Improved O-line play - they should be disappointed to date.

More turnovers from the D.
Improved pass defense
Get to the QB quicker, up the sack totals and protect the d-backs
A pissed off safety tandem looking to make up for horrid play

Some KR and PR to TD's.

2-5, and they could be 4-3. But you are what you record says you are. Right now every week they're 0-0. One game at a time. They will need to go 6-3 the remaining games to hit the 8-8 mark.

Doable and possible. It starts at home vs New England, against a coach every player knows Mangini wants to beat.

[DawgFan]

Total dedication to the run game.

The Browns now have
Hillis, Bell and Clayton, all 3 are similar runners. So now the Browns won't have to rely exclusively on Hillis and can pound the ball 25-35 times a game.

As Shep would say...WCO baby.

The Browns will likely stay with McCoy as neither Delhomme nor Wallace will even practice until at least tomorrow. So, the bulk of the reps are Colts...and likely the playbook will be focused on what he does best...which is timing routes and heavy usage of the TE/Slot/RB positions.

Watch for breakout games by: Stuckey/Robiskie(yes, I said it)/Moore/Watson

On the D...watch for more of the UFO defense. The Browns saw a lot of success in confusing one of the smartest QB's in the league in Brees...so figure Brady to get a healthy dose as well.

Watch for Haden to take over at 2nd corner and Wright take over the slot.

Watch for Roth and Benard to continue to increase their playing time.

Watch for Rogers to be put in as a pass rushing DE almost exclusively as Rubin has locked the NT position.

I may think of more...but that sounds good for now.

[Sez.EJ]

I can see five wins in the second half with our schedule.. if we can keep a qb UPRIGHT.

[Enigmatic Evil]

I think playing strong against the Patriots and Jets will set the tone for this second half of the season for us. We need a win over one of those teams, no questions IMO. We need a win over them or it could be a very dreary second half of the season for us. I want us to play strong, with no quit, no surrender, let's show these "better teams" that we're coached well and play hard. That's the recipe to win football games right there.

I'd love to see us win 3 or 4 games at least but that's asking a lot of a team who has played hard this season so far but be it one thing or another; missing the breaks, a costly turnover or injury, we have had things working against us this season when we need everything working for us to win it seems. I am confident this bye week offered a much needed opportunity for the team to re-focus and we will be ready this weekend.

[Riffer X]

Originally Posted by DawgFan

Total dedication to the run game.

The Browns now have
Hillis, Bell and Clayton, all 3 are similar runners. So now the Browns won't have to rely exclusively on Hillis and can pound the ball 25-35 times a game.

As Shep would say...WCO baby.

The Browns will likely stay with McCoy as neither Delhomme nor Wallace will even practice until at least tomorrow. So, the bulk of the reps are Colts...and likely the playbook will be focused on what he does best...which is timing routes and heavy usage of the TE/Slot/RB positions.

Watch for breakout games by: Stuckey/Robiskie(yes, I said it)/Moore/Watson

On the D...watch for more of the UFO defense. The Browns saw a lot of success in confusing one of the smartest QB's in the league in Brees...so figure Brady to get a healthy dose as well.

Watch for Haden to take over at 2nd corner and Wright take over the slot.

Watch for Roth and Benard to continue to increase their playing time.

Watch for Rogers to be put in as a pass rushing DE almost exclusively as Rubin has locked the NT position.

I may think of more...but that sounds good for now.

Agreed John, but didn't you say Rogers couldn't play DE?

[faninthehammer]

I think Rogers is going to be a beast as his health improves, the negative press he's been getting and his new sic em role. Would love to see him lying on top of Brady a couple of times this weekend.