This week - Baltimore

[Jax Dawg]

The lynch mob and pitch fork crowd will be looking at hanging Mangini next week if the Browns have another poor showing against hated division rival Baltimore Ravens.

The outlook - grim. The Browns inability lately to shut down the run and their complete lack of ability to cover a RB on passing downs means it could be a long frustrating day at CBS this Sunday. Look for Ray Rice and Willis Magahee to run the rock early and often vs the Browns suspect run defense.

Ray Rice is also a primary target of Joe Flacco and not just a dump off on checkdowns. The Browns are inexplicably awful at covering the RB's (think Carolina, Jacksonville, etc). With Fujita nursing a knee injury the Browns don't really have a LB with any speed or pass coverage ability to cover a back.

Eric Wright is now on IR and won't be on Boldin this game but who will cover the slot receiver now? Adams? Ventrone? HELP! Injuries are really starting to hurt the Browns badly.

This game could be REAL UGLY unless McCoy and Hillis have career games and the D gets a couple of turnovers. Your thoughts?

[Enigmatic Evil]

We're going to lose...

Fire Mangini

Fire Daboll

Fire Holmgren

Gut the roster and let's do another expansion draft and start this off RIGHT!

Okay I've been reading the board too much lately :P. We need a strong showing this week, BADLY. For the coaches sake and for the teams sake. We've played three consecutively poor games and lost two of them. We can't play like this against Baltimore or they will tear us apart.

Our D especially needs to step it up and pressure Flacco so that he doesn't have time in the pocket or he will have one of his bizzaro good games that have contributed to the Raven's fan base thinking he's a good QB. We need the Run D to step it up too or Ray Rice WILL have a big game.

I'm already having Boldin flashbacks... ohhh man maybe Rob Ryan will learn to use double coverage instead of quadruple blitzing.

Colt will be Colt, I have no doubts in that. He plays smart and makes minimal mistakes, but if this ends up being one of his "worst showings" of the season I'm bracing myself for some ugly turnovers. I don't expect that Hillis will have the most productive game either.

Shaking the ol' 8-ball... Outlook not too good.

[hiwaygal]

Well, if we play down to the level of our competition (for bad teams) then it stands to reason that we would play UP to the level of our competition (for good teams). We did against NE and NO. Of course, we didn't have quite as many injuries then...

Life as a Browns fan...ever hopeful!

[Thaid_Up]

This playing to the level of competition thing is truly frustrating. Injuries aside that appears to be what we do EVERY game. Just plain aggravating.

And on a side note--major thanks for the Christmas lights. Popping every one of them is strangely therapeutic for me.

[Vegasdogg]

Pit and Bal need to win out and we are in their way. Sort of where we see what we're made of to be honest. At home. Against division rivals. Looking to ruin someone's day.

Do you have what it takes to be that team no matter what Jan brings?

We'll see.

[YtownBacker]

Fact is, we don't have a defensive line able to stop any teams running game. We have Rubin. Rogers is out of shape and can give us 10 to 15 plays a game. Coleman has been playing on one leg most of the year. Schaefering is good for a few plays to give Rubin a rest but fact is we don't have much.

Also, no thumper in the middle and Barton's age has really started to show.

We are thin in the defensive backfield with Adams becoming the guy who covers the slot receiver. This all means they will continue to play a man under two deep coverage which keeps them from playing their 46 defense or getting the safety in the box to help against the run.

We can win by keeping their offense off the field. McCoy has to put together some long time consuming drives. I hope we get Moore back. He is really needed the next two weeks.

Also, sit Cribbs....................................Sorry, but the man is just too banged up and teams know it. They aren't even trying to keep the ball away from him. When they put him out wide on offense teams cover him with a single man. No need to play a safety over the top.

[Thaid_Up]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

Pit and Bal need to win out and we are in their way. Sort of where we see what we're made of to be honest. At home. Against division rivals. Looking to ruin someone's day.

Do you have what it takes to be that team no matter what Jan brings?

We'll see.

Agree 100%. We need to make a statement no matter what. Doesn't matter we're out of the picture, doesn't matter it's the end of the season. We have a gutty football team with some real potential and we need to show those two teams that it's gonna be a different story from now on.

[Legacy Fan]

I think that Ray Rice is going to ruin our Sunday. Bastard.

If anyone has him in FF, and enjoys winning, go ahead and start him.

[Jax Dawg]

Originally Posted by Legacy Fan

I think that Ray Rice is going to ruin our Sunday. Bastard.

If anyone has him in FF, and enjoys winning, go ahead and start him.

I hate to say it but you may be right. BTW, he scored 45 points for me last week and will be starting in the chanpionship game for me this weekend. I also have Cleveland's D on my team and will be rooting for 5 int's and at least 4 sacks.

[hiwaygal]

Originally Posted by Legacy Fan

I think that Ray Rice is going to ruin our Sunday. Bastard.

If anyone has him in FF, and enjoys winning, go ahead and start him.

He ruined mine last week...bastard.

[Franchise]

Going to the game can't wait!

I do have rice on my one league and got the #1 seed.

[Danamal]

Originally Posted by Legacy Fan

I think that Ray Rice is going to ruin our Sunday. Bastard.

If anyone has him in FF, and enjoys winning, go ahead and start him.

Nobody has really lit us up this year,we have been in every single game played and we will win one of these games and if I had to choose I would bet on the Ravens choking on Sunday.Just a vibe but we seem to play to the level of competition.