Red Right 88

Brownie Bites

Here are a few Brownie bites to serve as appetizers on a pre-Thanksgiving Wednesday.

According to Cold Hard Football Facts:

• The Browns were effective moving the ball against the Jaguars on Sunday, as their last four drives all went at least 60 yards. Colt McCoy led touchdown drives of 87 yards and 85 yards, one 60-yard drive that ended with Phil Dawson’s field goal that was good but was ruled incomplete, and a 69-yard drive that ended with a McCoy interception.
• McCoy and the Browns may not be putting as many points on the board as we’d like, but they are doing a good job protecting the ball, especially McCoy, who has yet to have a multiple-interception game this season. Meanwhile, 34 of the 44 starting quarterbacks this year have a multi-interception game. Add in relievers Mike Kafka and Jon Kitna, and there’s 36 quarterbacks in total who did that. Overall, only three teams haven’t thrown multiple interceptions in all 10 games: the Browns, Rams and 49ers.

According to Pro Football Focus:

• Left guard Jason Pinkston seems have turned a bit of a corner. Pinkston had a negative grade in through the first eight games, but against Jacksonville he posted his second consecutive solid performance. He pulled left (something missing from the playbook since Eric Steinbach went out) to cut block Paul Posluszny on Chris Ogbonnaya’s touchdown run and only gave up one pressure in pass protection – a season low.

A few nuggets to chew on:

• Even though he wasn’t in the starting lineup until recently, receiver Greg Little is first in the NFL among rookie receivers with 42 receptions. That’s three more receptions than former second-round pick Brian Robiskie has in his entire career.
• Defensive tackle Phil Taylor is fifth in sacks among rookies (first among defensive linemen) and ninth in tackles (second among defensive linemen), while defensive end Jabaal Sheard is 11th in tackles (fourth among defensive linemen).
• The Browns are eighth in the league in red-zone defense. Cleveland has given up 12 touchdowns on 28 drives inside its own 20-yard line. In the Browns’ four wins, they’ve allowed 12 points in the red-zone.

That’s probably too much positive stuff for some to take, however. Because if you listen to some fans, the Browns are losers, Pat Shurmur isn’t qualified to coach a junior high JV team and every decision Mike Holmgren makes is wrong.

Yep, no progress is being made at all.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.