21st Sports: NFL 2014-Week 3-Ravens @ Cleveland Browns Preview

Source: This piece was originally posted at The New Democrat

I’m not ready to pick the Cleveland Browns to beat a very good team like the Ravens until they beat one. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2002 and haven’t had a winning season since 2007. Playing a team that won the Super Bowl just two years ago and will be a contender again this year, that for the most part has had its way against the Browns the last five years or so. The Ravens as Pat Kirwan has said have already lost a game in the division and can’t afford to lose another one this early on. Especially to a team with question marks at QB with the passing game that hasn’t done anything in a long time.

The Browns have solid running game and a good young defense. But that won’t be enough against the Ravens defense that will attack the line of scrimmage to try to force the Browns to throw the ball. Which will play into the hands of the Ravens pass rushers. I think the Browns defense will keep them in the game and if they can get anything out of QB Brian Hoyer, they may have a shot. But I think the Ravens will have too much for them with a very good defense, as well as offense.

21st Sports: NFL 2014-Week 3- Ravens @ Cleveland Browns Preview

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Sportsbook Review: 2014 Week 1: Joe Duffy Previews Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger

My only question about the 2014 Ravens is can they run the ball at all in 2014. And they’ll get a very good test against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that has one of the better run defenses in the NFL. Ravens running back Brandon Pierce is now finally healthy and if he’s anything like he was in 2012, that will be enough for the Ravens to run the ball and their offensive line is good enough to give Pierce enough running lanes.

The Ravens passing game will be much better and I believe Joe Flacco who I have more confidence in than Andy Dalton, will be much better with a healthy Pierce, wide receivers Steve Smith and Torrey Smith (no relation, Smith is a very common name) and tight end Daniel Pitta.

If the Ravens were playing a great quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, etc, with a lot of weapons around the QB, then I would be a lot more worried if I’m rooting for the Ravens in this game. But the Ravens have a very good defense that will be even better in 2014 because they are all healthy now and we should see a much better pass rush against Andy Dalton and the Bengals. Who are somewhat limited on offense once you get past EG Green. And I expect the Ravens to play very well especially at home, with their offense just scoring enough points to win.

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Scott Scherer: ‘The Last Days of the Old Cleveland Browns’

Source:Scott Sherer– that famous 1987 AFC Championship Game between the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos, with Browns RB Earnest Byner’s fumble.

“With the recent start to the football season, Art Modell’s passing, and the recent showing of “Cleveland ’95” (NFL)

on the NFL Network, it seemed timely to put this video I made up for viewing. When I first heard the song “These Days”, the storyline of the Browns immediately came to mind.

“But its alright, yea its alright, say its alright…easy for you to say”

From Scott Sherer

Source:Cleveland Browns– welcome to Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

This looks more like the story of the 1990s Browns before they relocated to Baltimore and became the Ravens and the New Browns came into existence in 1999. To me this looks like the story of the Bill Belichick Browns which is a good story because it’s about a guy who was getting his first shot as a NFL head coach and something he deserved, but he inherited a bad football team in 1991.

Coach Belichick’s first season where the good days of the Browns of the 1980s were gone and they had become a team that you could expect to lose ten plus games every year. And Bill Belichick didn’t get off to a good start in Cleveland. And started with three straight losing seasons from 1991-93 where progress was slow, but where it finally paid off.

In 1994 the Browns becoming winners and a playoff team for the first time in five years. But financial problems in Cleveland with the Browns playing at a mammoth, aging, stadium in Cleveland Municipal Stadium and these issues were real and the Browns simply wouldn’t have been successful in Cleveland playing in that stadium.

You can also see this post at FreeState MD, on WordPress.

You can also see this post at FreeState MD, on Blogger.

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Johnny Unitas: ‘The Unitas Legacy’

Source:John Unitas– the leader of the Baltimore Colts.

“The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history which has earned him the recognition of being the greatest quarterback to ever play in the National Football League. An 18-year veteran of the NFL, Unitas played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville (1951-1954), passing for 3007 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Unitas began his pro career with the Baltimore Colts in 1958 and played there 17 years until joining the San Diego Chargers for his final season. His career passing figures include completing 2,830 of 5,186 passes for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns. Among his many records is one that may stand forever, throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

Unitas was selected as the top quarterback of all-time by the Pro Football Hall of Fame 36-member selection committee. In commemorating the NFL’s 25th, 50th and 75th anniversaries, he was honored as the GREATEST QUARTERBACK OF ALL TIME. Unitas was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Proceeds from the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards help to support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. The Foundation provides financial assistance to underprivileged and deserving young scholar-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.”

From Johnny Unitas

What makes John Unitas the greatest quarterback of all-time is that he was able to do things in an era where the rules benefited the defense that are considered amazing today, in an era where the rules benefit the offense like driving his team down the field in a couple of minutes to win the game perhaps with just one or two timeouts if any, pass after pass, completion after completion.

And the other thing being that Unitas called his own plays and had to make all the decisions as well. So he had both great physical skills with his arm and mobility, as well as vision. But also great mental and leadership skills in knowing what plays to call and when to call them.

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