Cleveland Browns at Green Bay Packers - 20Oct2013

Browns at Packers - 4pm game - in the first qtr, GB alread leads 14-0! My 24-14 GB win prediction could be way off. Browns only look bad on offense, defense, and special teams in the first qtr. #browns #nfl

(Trying this in one post instead of 100+ microblog posts.)

Will defensive coordinator Ray Horton blame fatigue for the bad Browns defensive play in the first quarter? 14 points?

Weeden did through an interception in the first qtr to give GB a short field, but Rogers passing and Lacy running are shredding the Browns. 38 points surrendered by Browns defense in the last 3 qtrs going back to the second half of last Sunday vs Detroit when the Lions scored 24 second half points.

First qtr offense poss for Browns:
- 3 and out
- int
- 3 and out, then a fake punt, generous spot by refs, measure, first down, but challenge by GB on the spot. could be short and GB's ball with another short field for the Packer offense.

Why can't the Browns defense hold the offense to field goals?

After review, the refs say the call on the field stands. Close call. Probably not enough info to overturn ruling on the field.

2:09 left in 1st qtr and Weeden is 2 for 10 passing. A couple drops by Browns pass catchers and overthrows by Weeden.

It just seems like Weeden is too afraid of throwing an interception. Can't force passes nor make dumb decisions, but the QB needs supreme confidence to trust his arm and receivers.

After the Browns successful fake punt on 4th and 4, the Browns stall on the next series and punt. Touchback. GB starts on own 20, leading 14-0. 1:12 left in 1st qtr.

Need big play or at least a stop by Browns defense now. Play some field position. So far so good. Now 3rd and 6 on GB first series. Packers on own 24. First qtr ends.

First play of 2nd qtr, Rogers completes pass to Nelson for 13 yard gain, plus a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Browns LB Kruger. GB at Cle 48.

Pass to Lacy gains 25 or so, but hold penalty on GB. Packers, 1st and 20 on own 42.

Hey, the Browns defense stopped Lacy on a running play for no gain. Kruger with the good tackle.

Short pass completion gains 5. 3rd and 15. GB at own 47. False start GB. 3rd and 20. GB self-destructing on this drive. It's not the Browns defense stopping GB. Short pass completion and run gains 12. 4th and 12. Whatever works. GB offense stopped themselves on that drive.

After the punt, Cle starts on own 12. Cannot have another 3 and out. Browns offense has looked horrible thus far. Comical. Rusty. Klunky. Like a team in its first preseason game. The offense needs to take this ball to midfield before punting. Get a couple first downs.

Weeden under center. 1st down run up middle by Obj gains nine. Nice.

2nd down run by Obj gains nothing. May have lost a little. That's weak.

Gray in on 3rd down. McGahee runs up middle, stopped, extends arms, got the good spot. Will measure. First down. 3 running plays gain 10 yards. Oh well, move the sticks. Control the clock.

Moderate pass to around the Cle 42 yard line, dropped by Gordon. Holy crap. Struggling QB and the Browns pass catchers are dropping passings. That was a nice pass, chest high, and simply dropped by Gordon. But a GB DB threw Gordon to the ground after the dropped pass for some moronic reason. 15 yard penality. Cle now at GB 37.

Browns now 3rd and 7 on own 40, and first down! Great protection, Weeden in the pocket, nice pass to sideline to Cameron who makes a fine sliding catch. Cle at GB 44. Good drive going.

Running play gains 6. Obj, I think ran the ball. That's good offense. At GB 38.

Short out pass completed for first down. Now the Browns offense looks professional on this drive.

6:40 and ticking. Run gains 2. Weeden has time, and then he gets sacked. Pocket protection was good, and Weeden did nothing to move nor throw the ball away. Loss of 10. 3rd and 18.

Weeden scrambles and runs for 11 or so. 4th down. 46 yard FG attempt. Good! 5:11 left in 2nd. 14-3 GB leads. Good drive. Took a lot of time off the clock. Weeden, however, needs to avoid the big sack. That hurt. He dropped back and set himself, looked around, looked around, and then finally a GB defender broke free and sacked Weeden.

The Browns defense got plenty of rest on that poss by Cleveland. Browns defense needs to force another punt. Maybe Cle can snag another FG before halftime.

After short kickoff, GB starts on its own 31. Players scrapping after play. Hey how about that. A kickoff return. Almost forgot what a kick return was like.

First GB series, 3rd and 2, pass compl, first down. GB on own 45. Browns defense struggles with 3rd down plays.

Misleading stats. Browns defense is ranked 7th overall in the NFL.

Rogers moves well enough that he can run the ball at times for at least a short gain.

Lacy runs for first down. GB at Cle 33.

Quick pass by Rogers, nearly intercepted, but Browns penalty. 5 yard penalty for unknown reason. 1st and 5 at Cle 28.

Little dump pass to Lace gains 5. Prob a first down. 1:59 left. Play stopped for 2 min warning.

Browns defense failing here. At the very least, need to hold GB to a FG attempt.

Rogers missfires on a wide open WR in the end zone. Browns defense lucky there. That should have been a touchdown for GB.

Pass compl gains 9. 3rd and 1. Rogers takes a long time to snap. Inside handoff, run to Franklin, first down.

First goal just inside 10. Run gains a yard or two. GB not using timeouts.

Pass knocked down. Browns call timeout. 3rd and goal from 8. 0:14 left. A little strange that GB did use a timeout after one of those running plays. What if Cle commits penalty on this next timed play, and it's 3rd and goal with only 8 seconds left? What if Cle commits penalty that is automatically first down for GB?

Browns fortunate that Rogers missfired a couple plays ago on that one pass play to end zone.

Rogers scrambles to his right, nobody open, pass thrown away. Good defense. A little fortune on that drive for Cle.

FG is good. 17-3. 0:03 left in 2nd.

After kickoff, halftime ends. Browns fortunate it that it's not 21-3. Rogers missfired badly on that one play a short time ago. Busted defense or WR just got free when Rogers scrambled to his left. Rogers was running forward and overthrew the wide open WR. He could have underthrown the pass, let WR stop and wait for ball, and it still would have been a TD.

I figured that if the Browns had a chance, the Browns defense would have to hold GB under 20 points, 24 max. Unfortunately, the Browns offense only had one good possession in first half.

Weeden was 5 of 14 for 48 yards in the first half. Most of that production occurred on the FG drive. Cannot take a sack and a 10 yard loss when protection was good. Have to chuck the ball away.

GB gets ball first in 2nd half. After kick return, GB starts on own 25. A few plays later, GB at Browns 44.

Now GB at Cle 27. Rogers tearing up the Browns defense.

Unless the Browns defense played basketball at halftime, they should be rested right now.

Hey, a 3rd down play now. Browns defense has stiffened on this series. 3rd and 10.

Kruger sacks Rogers!. Nice. Loss of 8. Kruger's first sack since game 1 vs Dolphins.

GB will attempt 52 yard FG. No good. Browns defense did its job after getting scorched on the first few days of the drive. Give up the yards between the 20s but force field goal attempts. That 3rd down sack was huge. A loss of 8. That changes the FG attempt from 44 to 52. May have made the difference.

The Browns defense has done enough on the last two GB poss to keep Cle in the game if the offense can score a TD.

I start 2nd half with a vodka and tonic along with some almonds to munch on. I ate a some Canal Junction cheese at halftime. Cheese called 'Flat Rock' (Abondance Style). Bought the cheese yest at Toledo Farmers Market.

Cle gains 5 on first down. Weeden, plenty of time on 2nd down pass attempt, moves forward, tackled, loss of 2. 3rd and 7 now. All that time, good protection, nobody got open?

And now a false start by Cle. Holy hell. 3rd and 12. After having 2nd and 5.

Underneath pass to Little. Pass caught 2 yard beyond line of scrimmage. Little ran for 9 more yards. So 4th and 1. The false start on 3rd and 7 really hurt. Do the Browns need to call time out on 3rd down to ensure everyone knows the damn count? Bonehead, self-inflicted errors.

Browns punt. GB starts on own 9.

Man, last Browns poss, 2nd and 5, Weeden dropped back, had plenty of time, then Weeden ran forward, got tripped up, and lost 2 yards. Weeden does not have the speed or agility of Rogers. Why didn't Weeden simply throw the ball away. Would have been 3rd and 5. But that false start was horrible too.

GB backed up after a penalty. Rogers scrambles in the end zone. Looked like a Browns lineman got tackled (holding) in the end zone, but no call. Should have been a safety. Rogers threw pass away.

Packers punt from end zone. Fair caught or no gain on punt return. But good field position. Browns defense did well on that last poss. The GB penalty helped.

6:48 left in 3rd. Browns start at GB 46. Nice.

Underneath pass caught by Best. Run after the catch gets total of 11 yards. Browns at GB 35.

Weeden rolls to his right, time, nobody open, he throws ball away. Good.

And now Weeden sacked, but 15 yard facemask penalty on GB when tackling Weeden. The Packer penalties are keeping this game within reach for Cle.

Wildcat play for Cle. Gray keeps ball. Loses 1 or 2 yards. Gray was in shotgun and faked handoff and kept it.

Weeden throws pass to Gordon in the end zone, but pass is underthrown and the defender knocks it away. Pass needed to be a little deeper.

3rd and 12 now for Cle at GB 26 or 27. Cle calls timeout. Prob too far for FG attempt. For some reason, the kickoffs are not as deep today as last week. Maybe the chilly, overcast day is minimizing the kicking game some.

Weeden under pressure immediately. GB defense brought everyone. Weeden scrambles right, throws a short pass that gains nothing. 4th and 12. 44 yard field goal is good!

Unfortunately, field goals won't work in this game. I can't see the Browns defense holding the Packers out of the end zone. Cle needs to avoid these 3rd and long situations. Why the wildcat play? Really? In the NFL in 2013?

17-6 with 5:03 left in the 3rd qtr.

Kickoff touchback. GB starts on own 20. Lacy runs for 7. Wow. GB offense runs no huddle but not a hurry up. Quick out pass, short gain, first down.

Looks GB is running the sugar huddle or the old Bengal, Sam Wyche huddle where the offense gathers near the line of scrimmage.

Inc pass, then a short running gain. 3rd and 7. Okay. Browns defense needs this stop. GB at own 33.

Pass complete, run, total gain of 15 yards. GB to Finley who was open. Made it look easy.

Short pass to Lacy. Gains 4. Rogers under pressure, twirls, moves up in pocket, avoids sack, throws pass to 10 yard line, incomplete.

3rd and 6. At Cle 47. Rogers avoids another sack and completes pass to Cle 26, but it's coming back. GB flagged for holding.

3rd and 16. Thus far, GB is 7 for 11 on 3rd down. Again, Cleveland's defense struggles on 3rd down. GB's offense helped Cle on that play with the penalty.

Rogers throws pass away. Self destruct on offense and the Browns defense will finish off the offense. 4th and 16.

Punt nearly blocked, ball not caught by Cle, ball rolls and stops at one yard line. But another penalty on GB. Will re-punt. Wow. Huge break for Cle. GB playing like Detroit.

Short punt this time. Goes out around the 25 to 30 yard line. Great break for the Browns. But a penalty on Cle. Personal foul. Cle player blew up a Packer out of bounds. WTF? Moron.

Actually, the punt went out of bounds at the Cle 41 !!! After the previous punt was downed at the 1. So the re-punt produced a horrible punt. But the moronic Cle penalty pushes Cle back to its own 24 yard line.

This game is winnable for Cle. Or it was winnable. Outside that first qtr, the Cle defense has played well, benefitting from numerous GB penalties. But Cle special teams and the offense have struggled too much.

It's amazing how much better Hoyer played compared to Weeden.

Anyway, this is now. Browns start on own 24. First play, run, loses 4.

Browns gain 12. 3rd qtr ends.

4th qtr. 3rd and 2 at own 32. Quick slant pass compl to Whitaker for first down.

Cle at own 42. 1st and 10.

Weeden deep drop, good pocket protection, plenty of time, pass compl for 7 yards. Take what the defense gives.

McGahee runs well. First down. Cle at GB 43.

Another nice run for McGahee. Gains 6. Hey, Cle offense looking good here, but need TD, not FG. Except FG would make it a one-score game.

Damn. Pass inc over the middle to Whitaker who was open a little. Overthrow.

3rd and 4. At GB 37. Holy moly. Pass caught along sideline to Cameron. Nice pass, better grab. Got the feet down. Finen play.

At GB 26.

(stupid ass hp tablet ran out of power. it warned with 5% left. i should have shut down or began to save frequently. no warning at the end. the five minute auto-save with this writing area is not short enough. lost too much content. browns had 4th and 15. i don't remember the plays now. browns went for it. gordon dropped easy pass around the 5 yard line. very poor peformance by gordon on that play. major f-up by gordon. packers take over.)

(pass caught by finley, he ran a couple steps, lowered his head, browns defender lowered his shoulder and used his shoulder to collide with finley's lowered head. major collision. ball comes loose. fumbled recovered by browns. but wussy-ass refs ruled that the browns defender hit a defenseless receiver. tv announcer disagreed. finley ran with the ball. how is that defenselss. the browns defender used his shoulder to hit finley. tough play. finley carted off but the refs made wrong call. packers drive and eventually score td with 9+ minutes left in game.)

(From Yahoo! sports, lame descriptions of the plays that I lost when the tablet died.)

Brandon Weeden incomplete pass to the left
11:49 2nd & 10, GB26
Brandon Weeden incomplete pass to the left
11:45 3rd & 10, GB26
Cleveland committed 5 yard penalty
11:20 3rd & 15, GB31
Brandon Weeden incomplete pass to the right
11:09 4th & 15, GB31
Brandon Weeden incomplete pass to the left

(I used the Apple Bluetooth keyboard with the HP tablet, and I'm doing the same now with the iPad. I should have switched to the iPad when the 5% warning flashed. For reading, I like the tablet. But for a lot of typing, I still prefer a laptop. The wireless keyboard with the tablet is okay, but having a small mouse is helpful too.)

Benjamin nearly takes kickoff return back for TD.

Browns 3rd and goal at 4. Pass to Gordon broken up. Gordon is no Megatron.

6:17 left. 24-6. Browns going for it, of course. Pass inc to Cameron. Not close to Cameron. But the GB was offsides. Repeat 4th down.

4th and goal at 2. Finally, a TD. Bullet pass to a sliding Cameron at the back of the end zone. If Gordon was not asleep today, the Browns may be kickingn the PAT for its 20th point. Inexecusable for Gordon on that 4th down drop on the last poss.

6:09 left. 24-13. It was an 86 yard kickoff return by Benjamin that setup that scoring drive.

Browns cover on-side kick. Naturally, flag. Of course, offside on Browns. The Packer receiver simply dropped the ball. The offsides had nothing to do with aiding Cle but it was a penalty.

Another on-side kick. Covered by Browns again, but I don't think the ball went 10 yards. But maybe Packers hit the ball first.

Refs confer. May need replay challenge. Can't tell. Ball definitely did not go 10 yards, but someone hit the ball early.

Zebras call illegal touching on Cle. Then also unsportsmanlike conduct on GB player. But it will be Packer ball, backed up a little. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called because number 97 Jolly of GB took his helmet off while on the field. Okay. Another assinine rule by the NFL.

Bad pass interference penalty called on Cle DB. Makes no sense. The Cle player had better chance at catching ball. A really bad call by the zebras.

Packers eventually scored a TD. Browns defense checked out in the 4th qtr.

3:44 left. 31-13 GB.

Good kick return by Whitaker, I believe.

Browns moving the ball a little. 2nd and 10 at GB 21. Weeden under pressure, going down, flips ball underhand, incomplete.

Pass compl for first down at 7 yard line. 1:44 left. Browns need to hurry up a bit more. Taking too long. Clock running. No chance to comeback, but show some life. Good practice, anyway.

Weeden takes way too long to decide to throw the ball out of the end zone.

3rd and goal after two inc passes. Pass in the end zone broken up.

4th and goal. I'd target Cameron. Pass inc in the end zone to Little. Pass slightly behind Little. Ball klangs off Little's hands. Pass could have been thrown a little better. Weeden rifled the ball. A bullet. That's fine. But pass needs to be on target. Pass thrown to Little's back side.

Mop up time now.

Cle calling timeouts. WTF? Crowd booing.

GB punting. Punt not caught. Why not? Why call timeouts and not catch the punt?

Flag. Holding on Cle or something. Anyway, GB gets the ball back. Bizarre. Penalty must have occurred before the punt.

Now GB can end the game.

Game over.

Cle 13
GB 31

Ugly game for Cle.

On that 4th and 15 pass to Gordon around the 5 yard line, I'd like to see a replay to ensure that defender did not tip that pass away from Gordon. It seemed like Gordon was not agressive enough on that play. Too complacent. Maybe he assumed he would catch it. The pass looked good. It appeared that Gordon simply dropped it.