Should the Browns have more Pro Bowlers?
We know it is hard to think of a 5- (possibly 6-) win team having multiple Pro Bowl players, but it’s worth asking: are the Browns are under-represented this year?
Winning teams are always going to have more players, which makes sense, and you’ll always have players like Ed Reed or Ray Lewis making it on reputation, but it seems as if the Browns should have received a little more love on the offensive side.
Peyton Hillis easily could have taken the place of Maurice Jones-Drew. Hillis only trails Jones-Drew by 160 rushing yards, but has scored 11 rushing touchdowns to five for the Jacksonville back. When you put in the receiving numbers, Jones-Drew only has three more yards from scrimmage than Hillis, while Hillis also doubles Jones-Drew in touchdowns – 13 to seven.
We think Lawrence Vickers should have made the team over Houston’s Vonta Leach. While the Texans’ Arian Foster leads the league in rushing, Houston has only gained less than 200 yards more on the season than the Browns rushing attack. And with an offense that includes wide receiver Andre Johnson and quarterback Matt Schaub, it is certainly easier to run the ball as the defense has to worry about the passing game.
Can’t say the same about the Browns’ attack.
Finally, it’s irrelevant how good Pittsburgh’s Maurkice Pouncey may be, there’s no way he’s better than Alex Mack as a center; Mack should have been the back-up to Nick Mangold.
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Here is someone else who gets it in regards to the Browns and coach Eric Mangini.
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No love for the Cavs new court design.
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Marla Ridenour at The Beacon-Journal ponders some questions while waiting for the inevitable return of Eric Mangini as Browns coach.
No need to wait for Holmgren to answer these next week, we can figure this one out no sweat:
1. Can Holmgren foster the kind of atmosphere he wants in his organization when he and Mangini seem to be such different personalities? Of course.
2. Will Mangini eventually come around to Holmgren’s pass-first mentality and give up on a Neanderthal running attack when the Browns have more offensive weapons? Why wouldn’t he?
3. Would Mangini accept an ultimatum from Holmgren on Daboll, possibly with Holmgren picking the next offensive coordinator? See No. 2.
4. Can the Browns get an experienced offensive coordinator to work with Mangini other than Gil Haskell, already on the payroll as Holmgren’s senior advisor? Would that pairing work? What would stop them?
5. Is the fact that the Browns lost seven games by seven points or less and three games by three points or less a sign of progress or a sign of the staff’s weak game-day adjustments? A clear sign of progress, especially in light of question No. 7
6. How will losses to two-win teams Cincinnati and Buffalo and a near-loss to one-win Carolina be weighed? The same as wins against New England & New Orleans, as well as a “near-loss” to the Jets.
7. How hamstrung were the Browns by a lack of talent? There are many holes to fill, including right tackle, defensive end, backup running back, No. 1 receiver and pass-rushing outside linebacker. You just answered your own question: if there are “many holes to fill” how can the team be expected to win consistently?
8. Can Mangini succeed next year if the front seven is upgraded? No, better talent does not equal better results.
9. Can Mangini be given a pass for his 2009 second-round draft picks — Brian Robiskie, Mohamed Massaquoi and David Veikune? Veikune is no longer on the team. Irrelevant as Mangini doesn’t make the draft picks any more.
10. Is Mangini still growing into the job? He turns 40 on Jan. 19. Yes
See how easy that was?
Red Right 88 