Dawgpoundsouth

I have maintained through the 2025 season that head coach Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry won’t be fired during or after the season. I still maintain it. As I’ve said. the owner helped to and took part in the failed Deshaun Watson trade. Because of that participation, he feels it’s not fair to fire the GM and head coach. I’ve also maintained it would take the wheels to come flying off one or both to be fired. Let’s take a look at what constitutes the wheels coming off.

First let me say, Berry is safe based on not only on this past draft, which was great, but the previous two drafts which were good. League GM’s usually bat around 40 to 44 percent when drafting. It takes the entire off-season to judge a GM and Berry has made significant progress in improving the talent on the team.

For Stefanski to be fired, what defines the wheels coming off is three things.

One, losing the locker room. If there was grumbling in the locker room, everyone would know it by now. After the failed fourth downplay by Harold Fannin it would have been very easy for him to throw the blame on the coaches. He didn’t, he blamed himself. If any other player felt Tommy Rees or Kevin Stefanski were to blame, social media would be on fire. The players buy into his system and the coaching staff.

Two, outside voices calling for Stefanski’s head. Sure, there’s a segment of Browns fans who want him gone now. But most wanted him gone last year or think he was the central figure in bringing Watson to Cleveland. Yes, there are local media types who have him fired already, but they’re “doom and gloom” merchants who use their extreme opinions to get attention. I pay no attention to individuals who market themselves just to deceive the fans. Nationally, you see nothing. When Adam Schefter says it, then I’ll listen. Hell, even Mary Kay Cabot is reporting he’ll be back.

Three, the attention monger click baiters are having a field day. This starts with the stupid garbage the Sanderites are spreading. Conspiracy theories aren’t facts. Fact is, Sheduer Sanders is not an NFL ready QB. I really don’t care what Dillon Gabreil’s girlfriend thinks. I’m glad Jerry Jeudy yelled at Sanders on the sideline. He was open several times and Sanders didn’t even look his way. Are we really mad because Sanders might get his feelings hurt. If he’s upset about getting yelled at, then play better or find another profession. The fact is, this was the best game the Browns offensive line has played and that’s coming off a good game against the Raiders. Sanders had an average of 3.35 seconds in the pocket to throw the ball. That’s the best time for a Browns quarterback in two years. On one play from the endzone he had 4.96 seconds and missed a totally open David Njoku streaking across the field after he beat the linebacker. And what was up with the third and twenty-six late in the game, when Sanders had plenty of time to throw, but instead ran for six yards and sat down. some will point out he had a good first half, but how much was that the running game. On the Browns only touchdown drive, they ran the ball for nine plays, at one point eight straight.

Because of the current system for hiring coaches, the Browns would have to wait till a team is done in the playoffs. Their choices now are college coaches or retreads. I still can’t believe a local Cleveland radio station was calling for the team to hire Lane Kiffin, the biggest quitter in football. A new coach may come in and get rid of the current staff. Bye-bye Jim Schwartz. He may not want to deal with the whole Sanders situation and cut him and Dillon. Then the team is back to no quarterback. If you want one of the eligible rookies in the 2026 draft, there’s no guarantee any of them will be good right away. Do you think the local media and click baiters will have the patience for that? No, they’ll run them out of town too. Then we’re back to disfunction function.

Finally, please don’t say Mike Tomlin. You want to fix the offense with Tomlin? He makes terrible hires, and the Steelers haven’t scored 14 points in the first quarter in 68 straight games. 68 straight games. The Browns will bring both Berry and Stefanski back next year and if this continues, they both will be fired at the end of 2026. If you want an example of what not to do, look at the Browns next opponent, the Titans. Fired their coach, none of the player want to play for the interim coach and they’ve basically started making their off-season plans. Add, to that, they were supposed to have drafted a generational talent at quarterback. They look lost. Stay safe and Go Browns.

Or chose your narrative day, which ever works for you. I’m just glad the Browns won. Two of the three phases, defense and special teams, were the major factors for the victory. You heard me, the Browns special teams were a big factor in the win. I notice no one is complaining about the kicker anymore. I did notice on kickoffs; the Browns are trying to get the ball inside the five-yard line. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. But all in all, a long punt return that sets up a touchdown is greatly appreciated.

What can you say about the defense. That was incredible. Ten sacks. Five at halftime and Myles Garrett didn’t have one. He got his to set a new franchise record of eighteen and he’s on pace to break the record of 22.5. Hell, the defense of the Bengals have a total of fifteen. Maliek Collins had 2.5 sacks giving him 6.5 on the season, a career high. He’s had five three times. Best off-season signing by the Browns. Raider quarterback Gino Smith is one tough player; besides the ten sacks, he was hit another ten times. The Browns had an additional six tackles for loss. It was a good thing the pressure was great because wide receiver Tre Tucker was able to get behind the defense a few times. Defensive end Isaiah McGuire had ten pressures playing in absence of newly signed Alex Wright. Can we just give the NFL Defensive Rookie of The Year to both Mason Graham and Carson Schwesinger. Add Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin and URFA Isaiah Bond and this rookie class is outstanding.

The elephant in the room is quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Yes, he did some good things. His footwork was a little better, by the way his one sack was his fault, he kept his eyes downfield, and he was able to play within the system the coaching staff set up for him. He stretched the field when necessary. The long pass to Bond forced the Raider defense to backoff on their blitz schemes and that’s why offenses take shots down the field. For the game he was 11 for 20 for 209 yards, one touchdown and one interception for a QBR of 87.3. In the first half he was 7 for 11 for 127 yards, no touchdowns and one interception for a QBR of 65.3. Not the greatest, but way better than the Ravens game. The interception he threw was also his fault, a defensive lineman dropped back in coverage, and it confused him. Get used to it kid. His highs were good, and his lows were concerning, but in the end, the win matters.

Among the complaints this morning are Stefanski’s locker room speech, which was not unusual. It’s on brand, but the “Sanderites” still are under the impression that the coach hates Sanders. No, he didn’t deserve a game ball. The next complaint comes from the post-game news conference, where Stefanski didn’t name a starter for the next game. He didn’t and he shouldn’t. Players love to play for Stefanski because he doesn’t throw them under the bus or embarrass them. I’m sure he would like to talk to both Gabriel and Sanders when he makes that decision. Finally, the coaches weren’t showing disrespect to Sanders by taking him off the field when the Browns run the “Wildcat” near the goal line. They did the same with Gabriel against the Dolphins twice and it works. It works because without the QB, the offense has eleven on eleven not ten on eleven. Besides, Quinshon Judkins is very good.

I fully expect the Browns to start Sanders against the 49ers, and he should. Again this week, the Browns will get a team coming off a short week, but this time the other team has to travel to the other side of the country. It’ll be a home game, which should be packed, and the Browns need to know what they have in Sanders. The 2026 NFL draft might be in the balance. Stay safe and Go Browns.

I’ve never seen so many experts on NFL team’s practice habits. But it’s to be expected. Just because you have the internet, you can’t tell career NFL backup quarterbacks they don’t know what they’re talking about. It’s standard practice for the backup QB not to get first team reps. Yes. Gabreil got some first team reps when he was the number two QB because of two things. He was a rookie, and the starter was 40 years old. Attention whores looking for clicks.

Yes, Sanders looked bad, but there were times when you could see the talent. Andrew Berry got great value taking him in the fifth round. Could he become the starter Browns fans desperately want, yes. I hope so, because in next year’s draft, the Browns can focus on the offensive line and wide receiver. Before you say it or think it, yes Andrew Berry will be drafting the players and Kevin Stefanski will be the head coach. If this kid proves he deserves to start in this league, then Berry should get the credit.

Can Sanders beat the Raiders? Sure, if the gameplan is right. He holds on to the ball too long; his footwork is terrible and his first response to pressure is to drift backwards. All can be corrected with a simple passing attack. Design plays for a quick release, use draw plays and RPO. Throw in an occasional screen play. All this would help set up the long passing game. But first and foremost, the Browns have to run the ball. This game screams for Judkins to get 25 carries. It can be done against a bad Raiders team.

The Browns haven’t won a game out west since 2012. They haven’t won a road game since week two of last season. If Sanders can pull off a victory, then he deserves to start the rest of the season. I know the old saying, players shouldn’t lose their starting position because of injury, but this is different. The Browns need to win games. If Sanders can do that, then you don’t need to draft a QB high in 2026. Besides, right now, the 2026 QB draft is average at best. There’s Mendoza and a bunch of guys. The 2026 off-season should be spent fixing the offense, both in free agency and the draft. It took the Lions two off seasons to fix their team, why not the Browns. Stay safe and Go Browns.

Not with the Browns, as for now, but in my life. To do podcasts and write this blog, I have to watch the Browns. Besides I’m a Browns fans and always will be. I won’t give up on this team. No, my new life decision is to turn off Cleveland sports talk. They have no knowledge of what’s going on in the building in Berea. They’re not journalists. They have no sources telling them inside information. They present to the loyalist fanbase in the league, garbage. On Monday they were convinced Kevin Stefanski was going to be fired that day. So they yelled and screamed. When he wasn’t, they yelled and screamed. Today, they’re yelling and screaming about fictional conspiracy theories as to why Shedeur Sanders isn’t playing. Too much yelling and screaming. If I wanted someone to yell and scream at me, I’d call my ex-wife. But I’m not stupid, so I won’t. The same goes for Cleveland sports talk, gone out of my life. I turned it off last week when some idiot suggested the Browns should hire Lane Kiffin. Sure, let’s hire someone who quit on an NFL team when he was a coach. Makes perfect sense.

I still have contact with the people who’ve been giving me information since 2002. They are people who actually know what they are talking about and actually have sources in the building. They still have sources because they are very careful and don’t whore out their information for clicks and fame. Since Andrew Berry was hired as the GM, no information is leaked out of the Browns front office. None. If you hear someone say or write, “sources tell me”, they’re giving you an opinion or just out right lying to you. I’ve nurtured this relationship because if he tells me something and tells me not to repeat it, I don’t. And he knows this.

So let’s talk about Kevin Stefanski. The owner was not happy after the game Sunday, but then again neither was I. If, and I still think this is a big if, any move away from Stefanski happens it will happen after the season. I still don’t see it happening only because of the owner’s involvement in the Watson trade. Berry, Stefanski and Haslam all agreed the trade should happen, but it was Haslam agreement of the draft capital and his decision to guarantee the contract. Both Berry & Stefanski will be given one more year to fix the problems. The only way the head coach gets fired any earlier is if he loses the locker room and he hasn’t.

I don’t understand the media’s obsession with playing Deshaun Watson. He’s not going to play this year. He won’t be activated and will stay on the PUP list in 2025. As for 2026, he’ll either be the third string QB and not be activated each week or be on the roster and not activated. Either way, he’s not going to play for the Browns again and he’s agreed to this plan.

Finally, the Stefanski haters for sharing a video of the owner saying three wins weren’t going to cut it in 2025. First of all, he said this early in training camp. At that time, Kenny Pickett was going to be the starter. I argue if he started, the Browns would have won the Bengals game and the Vikings game. He probably would have given the team a better shot at the Jets game despite the two returns for touchdowns by New York. You have to look at things in the situation they were given and the context they were applied. At the beginning of training camp, six to seven wins was a realistic goal with Pickett starting. Maybe better because no one knew how good the defense was going to be. The blame for the Jets game falls squarely on the special teams. The only coaching change I see right now after the season is over is a new special team’s coach. Stay safe and Go Browns.

The Cleveland media started yesterday speculating on a Myles Garrett trade which wasn’t going to happen. Then they were clutching their pearls about the reports the Browns were going to be buyers at today’s trade deadline. Now they’re back to firing everyone in the building at Berea. I’m glad they all had a restful bye week. Later in the day, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced he was going to have offensive coordinator Tommy Rees start calling plays. The local media’s knee jerk reaction was expected. He’s trying to save his job; he’s throwing Rees under the bus or ownership told him he had to do something. Let’s talk.

First of all, I’ve told you from the beginning Garrett wasn’t going to be traded. If they did, because of the way his contract is structured, the Browns would have zero spending power over the next three years. Enjoy being the New Orleans Saints. Next, if there’s a young player who has a friendly contract that another team doesn’t want, like a wide receiver, then the Browns, if it’s a team friendly deal, would be buyers. A prime example is the trade they made for Tyson Campbell. Two years left on his contract and a perfect fit for Jim Schwartz’s defense. I’m still thinking a wide receiver, but it takes two teams to make a trade. It won’t be Garrett Wilson because of the contract extension he recently signed doesn’t fit for the Browns. It won’t be Chris Olave because he’s a piece a team builds around, and his contract is friendly for the Saints. The only way the Browns trade pieces away is if, and this is a big if, another team overwhelms them. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Browns don’t do anything.

As for the play calling duties, it’s not a desperation move. Stefanski is not being fired. Let’s look at this logically, something the local media has no concept of, if you knew you were going to be fired why in god’s name would you put your future employment in the hands of someone else. If you thought you were being fired, you would do all you could to keep your job, not hand it over to a coworker. People who hate Stefanski will twist logic into what they want to see, it’s human nature. Because the owner of the Browns knows the swing and a miss (his words) on the Watson trade was partially his fault, both Berry and Stefanski are safe.

Finally, two first round picks for the Jets Sauce Gardner? Talk about desperation by the Colts. I bet the line moves in the Browns favor prior to Sunday. Stay safe and Go Browns.

I haven’t been this excited about a bye week in my life. Writing, podcasting and watching the Browns is exhausting. But I haven’t given up. Yes, the AFC North is a joke. Because of quarterback play and defense. The other three teams in the division, (Pittsburg, Baltimore and Cincinnati) all have terrible defenses. The Steelers are rated 28th, the Ravens are rated 30th and the Bengals are rated 31st. according to Fox Sports. The Browns are rated number one. Baltimore and Cincinnati have QBs who can’t stay healthy. Lamar Jackson has been hurt three out of the last five years and Joe Burrow always seems to be hurt. I think his last healthy season was when they went to the Super Bowl. In Pittsburg they have a 41-year-old quarterback probably in his last season. The Browns on the other hand, don’t have a QB. I honestly think if Kenny Picket had not been hurt, he would have been the starter in 2025, and the Browns right now would be in better shape.

So let’s talk about the stupidity that’s circulating in the local media and on social media.

1. Deshaun Watson is going to play another game for the Browns. This is the dumbest take I’ve ever heard. First, he needs to be activated from the PUP list, he was eligible after week four. If that happens, which it won’t, then the Browns would have five weeks to activate him to the 53-man roster. If none of this happens, then he stays on the PUP list for the 2025 season. He might be the third string QB in 2026, or the Browns will do what the Texans did in 2022, keep him on the roster and never play him. He’ll be gone when the league years starts in 2027. They’ll designate him as a June 2 cut and spread his cap hit over 2027 and 2028.
2. Salary Cap. Right now, according to Over The Cap, the Browns have over $23 million in cap space. Do a few salary restructures, carryover the unused 2025 salary, have salary added back because Joel Bitonio retires, (about $13 million) a big increase in the 2026 cap (it will always get bigger) and the Browns should have around $50 million in cap space in 2026. That includes Watson’s contract. So to say the Browns don’t have cap space is a statement made by someone who is clueless about the salary cap.
3. Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski. They’re safe only because the owner (and he’s said this) approved the Watson trade. In 2026 the Browns need to concentrate on the offense. It will start in free agency, with a starting tackle and possibly a starting wide receiver. If the team needs to resign Teven Jenkins and Cam Robinson for depth, great. I would even consider resigning Wyatt Teller on a one-year deal. Draft a tackle and a wide receiver in the first round. So far, I’m not impressed with the current 2026 quarterback class with the exception of Fernando Mendoza, but I’m going to wait to see if Indiana plays Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game.
4. As for the trading deadline, Mayles Garrett isn’t going anywhere because of his contract. The Browns recently signed a couple of tight ends and now the media is convinced the team is going to trade Njoku. I think they signed them for their blocking ability not to trade Njoku. The Browns don’t want to trade him, but if a team offers up a deal you can’t refuse, then you have to do it. This team needs to fix the offense in one off-season and high draft picks are the answer.
5. Could there be a change in the starting quarterback after the bye? Sure, if Sanders is healthy and ready why not? Right now, the plays are on the field, but Dillon Gabriel is not seeing them. Get Sanders ready and give him a shot. Is he the answer in the future? The Browns won’t know until he plays.
6. Are there still winnable games on the schedule? Yes. The next game against the Jets, depending on Jackson, the next home game against the Ravens, at the Raiders, a home against the Titans, possibly at the Bears, at home against the Steelers and possibly at the Bengals. If the offense can be average, the home games against the 49ers and the Bills might be interesting. Stay safe and Go Browns.

But it didn’t. All last week everyone in the Browns organization was supposed to be fired. Everyone. Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski, Jimmy Haslam (really?) and Paul DePodesta. To be honest with you I don’t think of DePodesta until some paranoid Browns fan brings up his name. The facility in Berea would have empty offices, the fans and the media were going to run the team, because after all they know best. It’s simple, I’ll just run it like a fantasy football team. Forget that NFL teams are billion-dollar businesses. Forget how complicated contracts and the salary cap are. Forget you can’t fire an owner. What fans saw on Sunday was one team playing for their head coach and another team who’s given up on their head coach. Can you guess which one was which? If you’re honest with yourself you can.

Let’s start with Andrew Berry. Prior to this year he’s been average, but that’s right where the league is. The success rate of GMs in the NFL is about 48%, based on a study from 2020 to 2024. But this year, with a full complement of draft picks, Berry has been top tier. He’s also added undrafted rookies who are contributing. In free agency, signing Malik Collins was genius. To top it off, he’s made the Jaguar’s GM look foolish in two trades. Before you try and based your argument on individual draft picks from the past to try and prove your point. Jedrick Wills was drafted because Bill Callahan wanted him, Sika Ika was drafted because Jim Schwartz wanted him and David Bell was drafted because Stefanski wanted him. As I said earlier, Berry’s been average prior to this year.

Kevin Stefanski still has the locker room. Yes, sometimes he calls plays that make up scratch your head. Against Miami there were a few. I wish he would get rid of the tight screen for a while, it isn’t working. He did get creative with the wildcat close to the goal line and it worked. But I’ve seen other so called great coaches call bad games. Explain to me how Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur thought it was smart to snap the ball on third and one with time running out in the third quarter only to have his quarterback sacked forcing a punt. Or how Mike Tomlin is 2-9 on Thursday night with an eight-game losing streak to divisional rivals. He’s lost four of those games to the Browns. When the Browns are leading at halftime at home, Kevin Stefanski is 32-5. This team has beaten teams by 25 points four times since 1999, three of those were under Stefanski.

As for Jimmy Haslam and Paul Depodesta, like I said you can’t fire the owner. He’s let Berry do his thing. He’s also given Berry and Stefanski a pass on the Watson deal because of his own involvement. He’s said so himself. As for DePodesta, he collects data, that’s all he does. He makes no discissions and he’s not a puppet master pulling strings in the background. Who knows, he may have provided data telling the team NOT to trade for Watson. Basically, if you don’t know what someone’s jobs is, why bring them up. Besides, for the last five years his main concern has been the new stadium.

Finally, I really don’t see Dillion Gabriel being benched anytime soon, despite what a certain radio host says. And he’s a radio host, not an insider. Gabriel’s first three games were quite difficult, and he wasn’t the reason the Browns lost two. As he gets more comfortable, he’ll get better. All he needed to do Sunday was not be the reason the Browns lost, mission accomplished. I’m still hoping the only one fired after the season will be Bubba Ventrone, way too many yards on returns by the Dolphins. Stay safe and GO Browns.

Yep, that goes without saying. The team is 1-5, the offense is terrible, the special teams are a mess, and the defense is oh so close to making vacation plans. Maybe the fans should have listened to the experts prior to the season who pointed out this team was going to be bad. Every sports fan goes into their favorite’s teams’ season with expectations and high hopes. I’m included in that list. But this is truly bad. The offensive line can’t block; the receivers can’t catch and the blunders on special teams are insurmountable. Pittsburg heard all week how their run defense is below average and running back Quinshon Judkins was the next Nick Chubb. So they loaded the box and dared the rookie quarterback to beat them. Well, Dillon Gabriel was sacked six times and pressured thirteen times, so the Steelers plan worked.

Penalties are unforgivable but can be overcome. Well, some penalties. The Browns had six penalties, while the Steelers had ten, but their penalties were easier to overcome. Wednesday’s practice should be all about lining up correctly and learning not to hold. I’d have a whole day of practice for just special teams. Of course, they bail out the Steelers by running into the punter. After that mistake Pittsburg went down the field and scored a touchdown.

Last week I heard Kevin Stefanski was safe. Now I’m hearing if this continues, the offensive offense, he might be in trouble. And by trouble, fired. I think Andrew Berry is safe mainly because of the great draft he had. It’s amazing what you can do with all your draft picks. This Sunday, the Browns play Miami in only their third home game. After that they go to Foxboro and play the Patriots. Both of these games are winnable. Then they have their bye. After that they play teams like the Jets, the Raiders, the Titans and the Bears. Add to this they could play the Ravens without Lamar Jackson and the Bengals without Joe Burrow.

This team was never going to make the playoffs, and I never thought that, but I thought the Browns would be watchable. Right now, they aren’t. If they had made one kick against the Bengals and one more first down against the Vikings, we wouldn’t be having this drama. Stay safe and Go Browns.

Before I start my rant, a little breaking news, the Browns have traded QB Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick to the Bengals for a fifth-round pick. This is the first ever trade between the Browns and the Bengals. Before you ask, no Deshaun Watson will not be activated to the roster and I’m going to assume Bradley Zappe will be the backup and Sanders will still be QB3. But tomorrow’s practice will help make that decision. If Sanders seizes the moment, then he’ll be QB2. Hear that Sanders fans he’s going to have to earn it just like any other job in the NFL. I’m also sure there will be some on Browns twitter who will hate the trade, only because they hate Andrew Berry.

I understand people are tired of seeing the Browns lose, but what the hell did you expect this year? They’re coming off a three-win season where the quarterback position sucked. Did you expect a winning season? Or the playoffs? Let’s fire the coach because a certain section of the fanbase have unrealistic expectations. I’m tired of the losing, but I also tired of the endless rebuilding where the front office and the coaching staff wouldn’t work together and be at each other’s throats. The back biting and the stupidity. The team actually had a GM who texted the coaching staff during a game to tell them to play his preferred quarterback. Or a power-hungry GM who kept a coach who went 1-31 and replaced him with a guy who he knew he could control. The ” what have done for me lately” crowd doesn’t remember and they won’t bring it up because it goes against their preferred narrative.

Both Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski have gotten a free pass because of the owner’s involvement in the Watson trade. The owner admitted it and took responsibility for it. His statement also tells you Watson will never play another snap for the Cleveland Browns. But of course, there will be those on social media and in the local media who will try and tell you different for the clicks. Now if Stefanski loses the locker room, then that’s a different story. And he has NOT lost the locker room. Let me repeat that for the Stefanski haters, He’s Not Lost The Locker Room.

Right now, anti-Stefanski fans are flooding the zone with all relative and unrelative talking points. Points to justify their means. They’re screaming for the head coach to take responsibility for the play calling at the end of the game. I hate to spoil your fun, but he did. But that won’t satisfy the pitchfork crowd because he didn’t beg for their unjustified forgiveness. As for Andrew Berry, he’s had three good drafts and this year’s is excellent.

Yes, the play calling was conservative, but remember, they had a rookie QB making his first start on a short week of practices. It was a short week because the team had to take a day to travel overseas. Could things get better against the Steelers? Sure, right now the entire league is playing bad football. Did you see the Cardinals/Titans game. Pittsburg lost a game because the rookie running back didn’t know the kickoff rules. Last night the Chiefs had a penalty on every kickoff, and they’re supposed to be a Super Bowl contender. The vaunted Baltimore defense looks like a college team.

Finally hating a coach and GM because they’re smart is the laziest argument I’ve ever heard. I don’t know about you, but I want smart people running my favorite pro football team. And just one more thing to point out, analytics have been around since Paul Brown, and he used them to full advantage. So get used to it because it’s used by every team in the league. Stay safe and Go Browns.

That’s the on way to describe the Lions game. After beating the Packers where all three phases of this team contributed, watching two of the three not even play average, thud is the only word I can use. I had my doubts going in they could win, but this Browns defense is elite and in games like this one they can drag them to an improbable victory. But the offense and the unspecial teams were directly responsible for 24 of the Lions 34 points. Basically, the Browns defense only allowed ten points. as with the Green Bay game where they only allowed 10 points. I still believe the Browns will win more than three games, just because of the defense.

The big topic going into the Vikings game is who should start at quarterback. I’m still not there on replacing Flacco. Everyone saw the first six games of the season on the schedule and knew it would be tough. I said I would be happy with 2-4 after six games and the Browns are still on track to achieve that goal. Their next two games are against the Vikings in London and the Steelers in Pittsburg. Both teams can play very good defense and I don’t want a rookie having to face either. Besides, Dillon Gabriel is left-handed, so the Browns would have to shore up the right tackle spot. The team did trade for Cam Robinson, a true left tackle, but unless you can guarantee Jack Conklin will play, there’s not a chance I would start Gabriel.

As for the Lions game, the only good things I can say is running back Quinshon Judkins is the real deal. As is Isaiah Bond. I think he’s ready to step into the number two wide receiver spot. The Browns need to give him more opportunities. But they need to protect the QB. I have no doubt they plug Robinson right into the left tackle spot and if Conklin plays, then Flacco will have the time to throw. This will be the fifth OL combination is five games. Robinson isn’t the long-term solution at LT, but he’s a hell of a lot better than KT Leveston. It’ll be a tall task to keep Jonathan Greenard, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave off the QB. One saving grace is edge Andrew Van Grinkel is not expected to play.

The defense is playing well, very well. I think they’ve found their number three cornerback in Myles Hardin. Unfortunately, this week the defense has to content with wide receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Adam Thielen. There’s word out of Minnesota J.J. McCarthy will practice this week, but I’ve heard they’ll wait till after their bye to bring him back to start. So, it looks like the Browns will face Carson Wentz. Also, the Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill will not play because he was injured during last week’s game.

I still don’t like the fact that the Vikings are playing back-to-back games overseas and get to stay for two weeks. The Browns have to travel tomorrow, a wasted practice day, then travel back to play the Steelers the next week, after Pittsburg has a bye. Screw you NFL. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.