Shefter: Browns "Strategy" is about Dead Money

[handbanana]

We're avoiding the obvious in both scenarios, franchise quarterbacks. If Colt is the man, then hello two year turnaround. If not, then hello Andrew Luck (hopefully).

[King of Kings]

Originally Posted by handbanana

We're avoiding the obvious in both scenarios, franchise quarterbacks. If Colt is the man, then hello two year turnaround. If not, then hello Andrew Luck (hopefully).

Hopefully Colt is the guy but if not Luck and Barkley both look real nice.

[Vegasdogg]

What are the expectations for Colt McCoy this season?

I think we should start that thread. Lets get it all on record, so when we see what we like/don't like, we can gloat.

[King of Kings]

My expectations? More of the Colt that took on the Steelers, Saints, Pats and Jets in the middle of last season and less of the McCoy that took on the Ravens and Steelers in those last two games. We have the "QB Guru", a well respected QB coach and a QB's coach at HC all in his ear and the system that best fits him so I think that is a fair expectation.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by King of Kings

More of the Colt that took on the Steelers, Saints, Pats and Jets in the middle of last season and less of the McCoy that took on the Ravens and Steelers in those last two games.

Why?

What made Colt a believable starter in those games vs. PIT,NO,NE,NYJ? What changed? Poor finish means he sucks? New offense this season. Gil/Pat/Mike are training the kid. Would it blow your mind if Colt jumps into the void by backing up his play to be the toast of CLE?

Bring it!

[mikeyP]

Super Bowl or new QB.

[hiwaygal]

Originally Posted by King of Kings

My expectations? More of the Colt that took on the Steelers, Saints, Pats and Jets in the middle of last season and less of the McCoy that took on the Ravens and Steelers in those last two games. We have the "QB Guru", a well respected QB coach and a QB's coach at HC all in his ear and the system that best fits him so I think that is a fair expectation.

Wasn't he still kinda nursing that ankle in the last games? Not to mention there was a lot to prove and a lot on the line with Balt and Pitt. Add in that he was still a rookie and I'm willing to give him a pass for mistakes and "less than stellar" play last year.

This year...I don't know. I waffle between he needs to show marked improvement and giving him a little more time.

In the end, it would be nice to end the season knowing we have our franchise QB.

[Brown Warrior]

I like Hiway's last line: It really WOULD be nice at the end of the season to be convinced that McCoy is our franchise QB. Because if we draft high and doubt it, I doubt we'll pass on Luck, Barkley, Foles, or whoever rises to the top.

I'm trying to find the space between doubting McCoy as I did to going Lady Gaga over the prospect of him in the WCO, as I have. Something more optimistic but honest and critical, in the classic sense of the word.

Point being, it's a quarterback league and we won't be in the game until ours is one of the best or heading there fast. That's just the league we play in. If we can't pass at a 95-ish rate, get up there in the top 10-12, we're just dreamy-eyed wannabes. So more than anything else, this season is about Colt McCoy. It's about other things, but nothing so much.

We can't have it both ways: If McCoy struggles, we can't blame the WRs after saying they're plenty good. He has to take responsibility for his play. He needs to show off that crazy accuracy at 65 percent because he's not likely to become Rodgers or Cutler, threatening "every blade of grass" downfield. He needs to NOT throw interceptions. He needs to be smart and efficient, run the machine smoothly.

In the end, it's like the ad slogan: You know what you know. I kinda think we'll know.

[King of Kings]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

Why?

What made Colt a believable starter in those games vs. PIT,NO,NE,NYJ?

Everything. He was making smart decisions, he was being safe 9 times outa 10 then threading that needle on the 10th time, he was making solid plays and he was taking it to the top defenses in the NFL. He was accurate in his decisions and he looked like the solution.

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

What changed?

I honestly don't know. There are theories ranging from he was just trying to hard in a last ditch effort to save Manginis job to his ankle injury messing him up to the cold weather effecting his game to the INT's quickly getting into his head. It is my hope it is one of the first two as they are fixed and outa the way. The latter two are a bit more tricky.

I don't have the answers as to why he started playing badly and turning the ball over.

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

Poor finish means he sucks?

Nope, it was two bad games and it is too soon to tell. I want him to get this entire season, all 16 games to make a judgment. What we have to go off of from last season is too small of a sample to go off of.

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

Gil/Pat/Mike are training the kid. Would it blow your mind if Colt jumps into the void by backing up his play to be the toast of CLE?

Nope. It is what I expect. As I said, he has THE QB "guru" of the NFL in his ear, he has a well respected QB coach coaching his position and his Head Coach is a former QB Coach who is well respected with his work with QB's AND he has the offense that best suits his strengths. I fully expect to see him back to the QB that started in his first four games or better than that Colt even.

It would only blow my mind if he suddenly turns into Joe Montana in year #2 because that would be one big freaking jump, but other than that i'm expecting growth and improvement, we've brought the system and people in to get that done.

[YtownBacker]

McCoy passing at a 60% completion and a 80+ QB rating would be nice measurements. Passin for 2400+ yards and have twice the TDs to INt's Again, nice measurements to look at.

But, if he leads the team to wins and commands the new offense and looks good doing it then stats may be deceiving. At years end we will know if he's our QB. Injuries to key players can gray a stat line. We'll know by watching the games and watching his command of the offense and watching him make the throws. If half the offensive line goes down and he is running for his life, it changes what you will see in the stats, but we will know if Colts for real.

And then we should go out and get some of those top skilled players for him. Then again, if he does well maybe some of our skilled players stepped up and got the job done. In either case, you don't put the cart before the horse. QBs make receivers not the other way around.