Colt McCoy can be the next Drew Brees per Trent Dilfer

[BernietheKid]

Marla Ridenour: Big hit gets Browns’ Colt McCoy rolling in right direction

By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports columnist

INDIANAPOLIS: Pat Shurmur’s horror was so palpable, he could probably taste it.
On third-and-2 from the Colts’ 41 in the first quarter Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, he saw left tackle Joe Thomas hold off six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney as long as he could. But quarterback Colt McCoy kept looking for an open receiver. Shurmur, the Browns’ first-year coach, had to be screaming to himself, “Get rid of it.”

But McCoy didn’t. Freeney finally got free and slammed into McCoy’s back.

“We had nobody open,” McCoy said. “I was just about to take off. He hit me pretty good. First time playing against him, I was very impressed.”

McCoy’s fumble, recovered by Thomas, was the least of Shurmur’s worries. The sack could have sent the team’s young season into a tailspin had McCoy been injured. All the hope and expectations for 2011 that surround McCoy could have been snuffed out with the bone-jarring hit. It could have affected McCoy’s confidence the rest of the day.

“It rattled me,” Shurmur admitted. “He hit him right in the back. Joe did a good job blocking the guy. You just don’t have time to hold the ball on Freeney. I need to do a better job of instructing Colt to get rid of it, drift his drop a little bit.”

McCoy didn’t need further instruction. He literally adjusted on the fly in the Browns’ 27-19 victory over the Colts in Lucas Oil Stadium, at his best when he rolled out and scrambled away from trouble.

“We always have a certain amount of movement in the game plan,” Shurmur said. “I feel like he throws the ball well on the run.”

One such play went for a 16-yard, second-quarter touchdown to tight end Evan Moore when McCoy rolled right and threaded the ball in between two defensive backs. Before the first half ended, he did it again, scrambling left and finding receiver Mohamed Massaquoi for a 28-yard gain to the Colts’ 1 that set up the Browns’ second touchdown. McCoy scrambled 9 yards for a first down in the third quarter, ducking away from the initial rush.

“He definitely has a knack for that,” Moore said. “He does a good job stepping up in the pocket, eluding pressure and always keeping his eyes down the field. He’s trying to make plays instead of just running for no reason.”
McCoy attributed those plays to awareness. He said when he was in the pocket, he knew he had to shorten his dropbacks, letting it go several times after three steps.

“Colt was moving, wasn’t he?” Browns running back Peyton Hillis said. “It looked like he was running for his life there a couple times. But Colt’s a playmaker and he’s a great athlete. You know he’s going to do the right thing for the ballclub.”

The game was a watershed moment for both Shurmur and McCoy. Shurmur recorded his first victory, and McCoy won the first game in which he’s thrown a touchdown pass.

The third-round pick from Texas had gone 0-6, losing twice to Pittsburgh, twice to Cincinnati and to the New York Jets and Jacksonville, all in 2010 except for the season opener a week ago against the Bengals.

In the 2011 debut, McCoy had only one good quarter against the Bengals, completing just 19-of-40 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns with one interception and a 70.1 rating. The Browns converted only 4-of-15 on third down.

Against the Colts, McCoy went 22-for-32 for 211 yards and a touchdown and a 97.3 rating, third best of his 10-game career. He was sacked only once. For the second consecutive week, he completed passes to eight receivers. The Browns improved to 8-of-16 on third down.

“I thought he was efficient,” Shurmur said. “The silent count, he handled that well. I thought he made some plays scrambling. His most explosive plays probably came when he was out of the pocket.
“I thought he was calm, I thought he was seeing things well.”

McCoy’s performance should revive the buzz, even though last week’s performance didn’t really silence it. A couple of days ago, former Browns quarterback Trent Dilfer wrote of McCoy on ESPN.com: “I really think he can be the next Drew Brees because of his incredible leadership skills, preparation and physical toughness. As a leader, he’s Tim Tebow without the cameras.”

Outside of the Browns’ front office, Hillis might be McCoy’s biggest fan, telling him, “You know I love ya, man,” as they crossed paths on the way to the interview podium.
“As time has gone on, you can steadily see the progression in his game on the positive side,” Hillis said. “I only think he’s going to do great things from here on out.”

But there was no chance for McCoy to get the big head, at least on this weekend.

Friends and foes must have been teasing McCoy about being one-upped by his brother Case. Making his first start for Texas on Saturday, the sophomore threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-20 victory at UCLA.

“People said was it better for me or for him and I said, ‘For me,’ ” McCoy insisted.
He’d faced some of the best pass rushers in the NFL and walked away under his own power. In Colt’s mind, that probably meant Case closed.

Marla Ridenour: Big hit gets Browns

[golfer704u]

LOL that's the TITLE you give putting this article up??

How about Trent Dilfer thinks Colt McCoy "can be the next Drew Brees"

[BernietheKid]

Ok Golf I changed it just for you!

[golfer704u]

LOL thanks! But you didn't have to. I just wanted to quote again that he said it!

[BernietheKid]

I agree that it is exciting that he said it, and hopefully McCoy can live up to such high praise.

[Sez.EJ]

Wow if that is not the curse of death.. Dilfer?

[Crow]

Stunning endorsement ignoring relevance of probability, commodity A can at some point become like commodity B, which is very desirable for football victory curriculum!

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Colt McCoy has neither elite arm talent nor great arm strength, but that’s part of what can make him great. I really think he can be the next Drew Brees because of his incredible leadership skills, preparation and physical toughness. As a leader, he’s Tim Tebow without the cameras. McCoy extends plays, uses his legs with his eyes downfield and uses that time to get deeper into his reads than others with better physical skills.

Dilfer also said that of the young QBs out there Josh Freeman, Mark Sanchez, Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, are all better and have higher ceilings than McCoy.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

Dilfer also said that of the young QBs out there Josh Freeman, Mark Sanchez, Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, are all better and have higher ceilings than McCoy.

BUT.... Can they be the next Drew Brees?

[Brown Warrior]

Maybe we can reunite McCoy-Shipley I? Shipley is out for the season and was already losing snaps to Andre Caldwell. He'd be a nice offseason addition, along with Blackmon.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

BUT.... Can they be the next Drew Brees?

Right, that didn't make much sense to me ...so who is he saying these other guys can be the next .......

I'll take maybe only 2 or 3 QBs in the league over Drew Brees.

[hammertime]

doesn't he need to be traded to be just like drew brees??