Just a few hours after their head coach, Chuck Pagano, was released from the hospital, the Indianapolis Colts (3-3) took the field and held on for a 17-13 home victory over the Cleveland Browns (1-6) on Sunday.

“He was at the house, and we’re really excited about that,” said interim coach Bruce Arians said Pagano, who is undergoing treatment for a form of adult leukemia. “That’s probably as big as the win today. … I’m sure he’s feeling great right now.”

Rookie quarterback Andrew Luck didn’t have his best day throwing the football, as he tallied a mere 186 yards on 16 of 29 attempts and zero touchdown passes.

But he instead got the job done with his feet, rushing for two touchdowns and becoming the first Colts quarterback to do so since 1988.

Luck ran one in from three yards out on the game’s opening possession to cap off an 11 play, 80 yard drive, putting Indianapolis ahead 7-0 with 7:23 remaining in the first quarter.

Cleveland responded with a drive that was almost just as long the first time they touched the football – 78 yards on 16 plays. Receiver Greg Little made an acrobatic leaping touchdown catch toward the back of the end zone on a 14 yard pass from rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden to finish off the drive.

A botched hold on the extra point by punter and kick holder Reggie Hodges, however, caused the Browns to miss out on the PAT, keeping them behind at 7-6 with 14:01 left in the first half.

That one point would prove costly toward the end of the game, as it left the Browns in a position where they could not tie the game with a field goal.

A play action fake five yards from the goal line on the next possession allowed Luck to scamper into the end zone untouched, extending the Colts lead to 14-6.

Luck’s success on the ground translated to the rest of the team as well. Indianapolis totaled 148 rushing yards on the day. Vick Ballard did the majority of the workload with 84 yards on 20 carries.

Browns rookie receiver Josh Gordon caught a 33 yard strike to bring Cleveland back within one early in the third quarter, but it was a play about midway through the fourth quarter that will haunt him.

Weeden unleashed a perfectly thrown 41 yard ball to the end zone, which Gordon dropped as the sun peered through Lucas Oil Stadium’s open roof just at the point of arrival. Cleveland would have taken its first lead of the day, but instead failed to score for the rest of the game.

“He makes that catch nine times out of 10, so be it, it didn’t happen on this day, but I stay positive with him,” said Weeden. “He’s made a lot of big plays. He’s coming into his own and he’s becoming a really good player.”

Indianapolis tacked on a 38 yard field goal with only 3:19 left on the clock, and the defense stood its ground to seal the victory.

With the win, the Colts now have eclipsed last season’s total victory mark of two. They will hit the road and take on an AFC South rival next week in the Tennessee Titans (3-4), while the Browns will host the San Diego Chargers (3-3).

Image Courtesy of  Indianapolis Colts

The article Colts Hold Off Browns 17-13 Behind Luck’s Two Scoring Runs appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

After an early 14-0 lead for the Cleveland Browns, the New York Giants prevailed to rout the winless Browns  41-27.

It was a shaky start at MetLife Stadium for the Giants after running back Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled on the first play of the game. The Browns capitalized on the ensuing play with a 15 yard touchdown run by rookie running back Trent Richardson. Bradshaw regained his composure after his fumble, and rushed for a career high 200 yards on a career high 30 carries, along with one touchdown. The Giants were without backup; Andre Brown was ruled out with a concussion. Giants rookie running back David Wilson stepped up and punched in his first career NFL touchdown on two carries for 44 yards.

The Giants were depleted at wide receiver, missing Hakeem Nicks for a third straight week with a knee and foot injury. Furthermore, the Giants were without wide receiver Ramses Barden because of a concussion. This didn’t stop Eli Manning from having a field day against the Browns. Manning threw 259 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Rookie Rueben Randle stepped up, catching a career high six passes for 82 yards. Victor Cruz caught five passes for 50 yards and all three of Manning’s touchdown passes. Cruz’s three touchdown passes is a career high in a single game.

Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden completed 22-of-35 passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Richardson finished off  the game with 17 carries for 81 yards and one touchdown.

Two year wideout Jordan Norwood led the Browns receiving core with nine receptions for 82 yards. In addition, rookie Josh Gordon caught his first career touchdown pass on a 62 yard bomb early in the first quarter. Gordon caught his second touchdown pass in the 4th quarter.

The Browns are 0-5 for the first time since the 1999 NFL season. Additionally, the Browns matched a franchise record 11th straight loss.

The Giants improved to 3-2 on the season, a much needed victory after last weeks gut wrenching loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. Luckily, the Eagles lost against the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-13, the Washington Redskins lost against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons 24-17 and the Dallas Cowboys were on their bye week. The Giants victory keeps them in second behind the Eagles.

New York will have a tough task next week on the road against the San Francisco 49ers. As for the Cleveland Browns, they will be home against division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, and hope to snap their losing streak.

For additional player and game statistics click here. 

Image Courtesy of  The Official Cleveland Browns

The article Giants OverPower Browns appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Baltimore Ravens managed to extend their winning streak over the Cleveland Browns to nine straight games Thursday night, when they recorded a 23-16 victory at the M&T Bank Stadium. The game ends a period that saw the Ravens play four games in just 17 days, and Head Coach John Harbaugh will likely be satisfied to have escaped the game with a victory, albeit a hard fought one, and allow his players some much needed time to rest.

The first quarter was fairly uneventful as neither team’s offense got themselves into rhythm, allowing defenses to dominate the game. Two notable plays came late in the quarter when a huge hit on Josh Cribbs on a punt return dislodged both his helmet and the ball, allowing the Ravens to dive on the ball and regain possession. Unfortunately for the home side however, their subsequent drive ended in quarterback Joe Flacco throwing an interception in the end zone by Craig Robertson.

Fortunately for fans of both sides, the game exploded into action in the second quarter. Flacco lead an excellent drive down the field, finding multiple receivers before linking up with Torrey Smith in the end zone for the opening score of the game. The score remained at 6-0 as holder Sam Koch could not take the ball cleanly on the extra point opportunity and the play collapsed.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker added a 45-yard field goal later in the quarter before rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden took Cleveland on a 94-yard drive, which culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Trent Richardson.

If Flacco had been responsible for the Ravens first touchdown drive, then wide receiver Anquan Boldin was responsible for their second. Boldin was targeted successfully four times on the 89-yard drive, before Flacco ran into the end zone himself to re-establish Baltimore’s nine point lead.

Cleveland pulled back to within one score of Baltimore with a 51-yard field goal, but then gave momentum back to the Ravens at the end of the third quarter. Weeden threw an interception, which cornerback Cary Williams returned for a 61-yard touchdown, giving Baltimore a 23-10 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Browns cut the deficit to just seven points with two successful field goals, but the visiting fans were left wondering what could have been when wide receiver Greg Little was unable to connect with a Weeden pass in the end zone, as the ball seemed to slip through his outstretched hands.

An almost perfectly orchestrated drive from Weeden with just over a minute left on the clock came close to tying the game up and sending it to overtime, but clutch defensive moments from the likes of Ed Reed did enough to ensure Baltimore would emerge victorious with a score line of 23-16.

Cleveland put in a performance which belied their 0-4 record, and there were certainly positives for the Browns, even if it will be hard to take for their frustrated fans. Weeden looked calm and composed, and had his offensive line and receivers shown more consistency, then the game could quite easily have finished with a different result.

The Ravens will be pleased with the victory as they move to 3-1, especially with such a short turnover since their previous game against the New England Patriots. There are still concerns about both their pass rush and their pass defense. Whilst their secondary has not been diminished at all since last season, there is a general consensus that if Baltimore can improve their pass rush, the secondary will also improve as a result. Needless to say, the Ravens are praying for a swift return for 2011 Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, especially given the destruction Haloti Ngata is causing amongst interior offensive linesmen.

Both teams will now have a lengthy break till their next games, allowing their injured players extra time to recover from their knocks. Cleveland will visit current Super Bowl champions the New York Giants, whilst the Ravens head west to play the Kansas City Chiefs, with both games on October 7.

Image Courtesy of  The Official Cleveland Browns

The article Nine in a Row as Ravens Overcome Resilient Browns appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Cincinnati Bengals hosted the Cleveland Browns in what proved to be one of the most exciting games in Week 2 as the Bengals emerged victorious over their AFC North counterparts, 34-27.

Cincinnati got off to the perfect start as cornerback Adam Jones returned a punt for an 81-yard touchdown and gave them the opening score of the game. Both sides seemed tentative in the first quarter and a field goal from Phil Dawson for the Browns was the only other score.

The game exploded into life in the second quarter with Cincinnati striking first, quarterback Andy Dalton finding A. J. Green for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Cleveland struck back quickly, however, with rookie running back Trent Richardson putting his disappointing performance last week against the Philadelphia Eagles behind him and rushed for a 32-yard touchdown.

Mike Nugent then added a field goal for Cincinnati and ensured they took a lead of seven points into the halftime break.

Dalton continued his good form early in the second half, once again throwing a touchdown pass, this time to Brandon Tate for 44 yards as the Bengals threatened to take control of the game. Cleveland needed a quick score to get them back into the game and Richardson stepped up once more. Fellow rookie Brandon Weeden and Richardson connected on a 23-yard touchdown pass, cutting the Bengals’ lead back to seven points.

Both teams shared a touchdown and field goal apiece in the fourth quarter, Cincinnati striking first through a 50-yard touchdown from Andrew Hawkins, followed by a 24-yard touchdown for Greg Little.

Dalton (24/31, 318 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) looked much more composed this week against the Browns than he did in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, but it was losing quarterback Weeden (26/37, 322 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT) who perhaps made the biggest improvement from his performance a week ago, where he had looked abysmal.

Richardson had also disappointed for Cleveland last week, but put on a much improved show this week, rushing for 109 yards and one touchdown from 19 carries, as well as making 36 yards in the passing game and going over for a further touchdown.

The Bengals offense looked impressive in this victory over the Browns, but they will need to replicate this kind of performance against the likes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ravens if they are to become a force to be reckoned with in the AFC North.

Cincinnati will look to improve their record to 2-1 next week as they visit the Washington Redskins, whilst Cleveland will be desperate for their first win of the season as they play host to the Buffalo Bills.

Image Courtesy of  Cincinnati Bengals

The article Bengals Beat Browns Despite Resurgent Weeden appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Cleveland Browns kicked off an important season in their ongoing process of building a playoff caliber team by entertaining Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon. A ferocious defensive effort from the visiting Eagles saw them pick up a hard fought 17-16 victory, which will be all the more heartbreaking for Cleveland fans considering how close they came to upsetting the odds and recording the win themselves.

The Browns got off to a good start in the match as Phil Dawson connected with a 43-yard field goal, before Craig Robertson picked off Vick in the Eagles next drive. Despite having taken the advantage early on in the game, neither Brandon Weeden nor Trent Richardson were able to make a significant impact in the first half. Weeden threw two interceptions in the second quarter, while Richardson was only able to put up 25 yards from 11 carries in the first half, mainly due to the uncompromising defense of DeMeco Ryans.

The Cleveland defense was keeping the Browns in the game during the first half, with Vick under constant pressure and unable to connect regularly with the likes of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. The Philadelphia offensive line did, however, manage to give their quarterback good protection late in the second quarter. Vick stayed in the pocket and found Maclin in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown pass which, along with an earlier field goal, gave the Eagles a 10-3 lead at the half.

Both quarterbacks struggled in the third quarter, with Vick throwing two further interceptions and Weeden adding another to his own tally. The Browns were able to add two further field goals in the late third and early fourth quarter, thanks to interceptions by the Cleveland secondary, narrowing the Philadelphia lead to just one point.

Things went from bad to worse for Vick then, however, as D’Qwell Jackson picked off his pass on the Eagles 27-yard line and returned it for a touchdown, giving the Browns a six point lead with just over 10 minutes left to play in the final quarter.

A long drive late in the quarter by the Eagles resulted in a first and goal on the three yard line at the two minute warning. After a run by Bryce Brown, which culminated in a one yard loss, Vick threw a touchdown pass to tight end Clay Harbor. The extra point was good and Philadelphia once more regained the lead, leaving Weeden a difficult task with just over a minute left to play.

Unfortunately for Weeden and the Browns, any attempt to rescue the game was cut short as the quarterback was intercepted by Kurt Coleman, and the Eagles were able to safely see out the game.

This will be a game for rookies Weeden (12/35, 118 yards, 0 TDs, 4 INT) and Richardson (19 carries, 39 yards) to forget, as their personal performances do not do justice to how close and competitive this game was. Although Richardson’s performance could be attributed to his recent lack of practice due to injury, all but the most optimistic of Cleveland fans will be casting wary glances in the direction of Weeden, the franchise’s 17^th starting quarterback since 1999.

The Eagles weren’t without their own problems, specifically the pressure exerted on Vick by the opposing defense, and the offensive line will have to work hard to rectify this issue. Vick himself wasn’t terrible (29/56, 317 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INT) but the four interceptions he threw are a worry for Head Coach Andy Reid.

Both teams face challenging matches next week, with the Browns visiting divisional rivals the Cincinnati Bengals, while Philadelphia hosts the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns and Eagles will have to take much better care of the ball in those games if they are to stand any chance of beating two teams who both made it to the playoffs last season.

Image Courtesy of   The Official Cleveland Browns

The article Browns Close to Clipping Eagles Wings appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

No matter what additions the Cleveland Browns made in Free Agency and the NFL Draft, the upcoming season was always going to be tough in the talent rich AFC North division, a division which played host to three of last season’s playoff teams.

As it was, the Browns did well in the draft, snagging top running back, Trent Richardson, as well as quarterback, Brandon Weeden, in the first round. They bolstered their offensive line with Mitchell Schwartz in the second round while also adding underrated defensive players, Billy Winn and Trevin Wade, in the later rounds, both of whom could well make the final roster.

Although Peyton Hillis had a poor season for the Browns last year, they will miss the physical style of running he brought to the team, and much of Cleveland’s hopes for the coming season will be pinned upon whether or not Richardson can remain healthy for the entire season. No one doubts that Richardson has elite potential, and is arguably the best running back to come into the NFL in the last few years, but there are concerns over his durability.

Rookie quarterback Weeden also offers the unique quality of entering the league later in life, something Browns’ fans will be hoping helps his acclimatisation to the professional game, but there are worries that they lack the necessary receiving corps to help him shine. Mohamed Massaquoi can be great on his day, but often lacks consistency, and while Greg Little offers great potential, it remains to be seen whether he has refined his skills enough from his rookie year. Josh Gordon, a second-round pick out of Baylor in the Supplemental Draft, could yet prove to be the key to the Browns’ offense after performing very well in the preseason.

Cleveland has a young defense which is continuing to grow and develop, but they will need defensive stars, Joe Haden, T. J. Ward, Jabaal Sheard and Phil Taylor, to step up if they are to have any chance of stopping the increasingly potent offenses of the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

It is almost a certainty that the Browns will finish at the bottom of the AFC North, but they should be targeting an improvement on their 4-12 record from 2011. The playoffs will seem like a far-off notion for many Cleveland fans, but they have certainly taken steps towards improving their roster for the long term, hopefully ensuring they can challenge the division heavyweights of Baltimore and Pittsburgh in the coming years.

Image Courtesy of  The Official Cleveland Browns

The article AFC North – Cleveland Browns Preview appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

With the 22nd pick in the NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns drafted Oklahoma State quarterback, Brandon Weeden. Weeden, the oldest rookie in this years draft at 28 years old, was named the starting quarterback in their first preseason matchup against the Detroit Lions.

Weeden completed 3-of-9 passes for 62 yards, threw one interception, and fumbled in his NFL debut. Weeden was left short handed after wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi left the game with a concussion. In addition, the Browns were without their rookie running back, Trent Richardson, who underwent knee surgery earlier in the week.

Although Weeden struggled,  he still helped his team earn a 19-17 victory over the Detroit Lions. It was definitely not the start Weeden or the Browns wanted to witness, especially with the play of back-up quarterback, Colt McCoy. McCoy completed 6-of-8 passes for 88 yards and also had one rush for 20 yards. The only way McCoy could rise and become the starting quarterback come week one of the regular season is if he continues to outplay Weeden, and Weedon continues to struggle.

The Detroit Lions are coming off their best year, finishing with a winning record for the first time since the 2000 NFL season. In addition, the 10-6 Lions made the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 NFL season. A large part of their success came from the potent offensive duo of quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Stafford threw for a career high 5,038 yards, 3rd best in the NFL behind Drew Brees and Tom Brady. Stafford threw 41 touchdowns, also 3rd best in the league last season. As for his number one receiver, Johnson led all wide receivers with 1,681 yards and was 2nd in the league with 16 touchdowns.

Stafford and Johnson connected twice against the Browns Friday night for 36 yards. Detroit running backs Joique Bell and Keiland Williams both played great games. Bell carried the ball 16 times for 89 yards. Williams carried the ball 9 times for 71 yards and one touchdown. Both running backs are fighting to earn a third-string position on the depth chart.

Sadly enough, this past offseason may have brought more attention to the Lions than last years’ successful season. Last year’s first round pick, Nick Fairley, was arrested twice, and running back Mikel Leshoure was arrested twice and suspended for 2 games in the upcoming season. Cornerback Aaron Berry was also arrested twice. Offensive tackle Johnny Culbreath was arrested, while wideout Titus Young and safety Louis Delmas were involved in an altercation during team workouts.

Ndamukong Suh was pulled over for speeding going 91 mph in a 55 mph speed zone. As a result of their trouble off the field, Aaron Berry was cut and Johnny Culbreath was waived. Nick Fairley could possibly be the next suspended player. (Why would he be the next suspended player? – Please add some more details to this.)

The Lions must overcome their reckless offseason and become more disciplined in order to continue to take strides in the right direction. Detroit will be back in action Friday, August 17 against the Baltimore Ravens. As for the Browns, Weeden will have another shot to prove himself NFL ready against a weak Green Bay Packers secondary on Thursday, August 16.

Image Courtesy of  The Official Cleveland Browns

The article Weeden Earns “W” in NFL Debut appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On a night that NFL fans worldwide have been waiting all offseason for, the drama began a lot earlier than expected when the Cleveland Browns made a bold move for the third pick in the draft, giving up their fourth pick, as well as their fifth and seventh-round picks, to the Minnesota Vikings with less than an hour left till the beginning of the draft.

The night began with Roger Goodell arriving at the podium to announce that the Indianapolis Colts were on the clock, and was soon returning to do the same for the Washington Redskins who had the second overall pick. The Colts and Redskins drafted Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III respectively in two of the most widely expected draft choices in recent years.

The Browns then took Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the third overall pick that they acquired from the Vikings less than an hour before, arguably largely due to rumors that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were willing to trade up for Richardson. The Vikings still managed to get their man, despite dropping down the draft, taking Matt Kalil with the fifth pick.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded their seventh overall pick and an additional fourth-round to the Buccaneers to move up and take wide receiver Justin Blackmon, before the Dallas Cowboys made unexpected waves to grab the sixth pick, trading their 14th pick as well as their second-rounder to the St Louis Rams. The Cowboys bolstered their under strength secondary with the selection of elite cornerback prospect Morris Claiborne.

With much of the early frenzy subsided, the Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins surprised no one with their drafting of Alabama’s Mark Barron and Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill respectively, both teams filling trouble positions for them over the last few seasons.

Many had the Carolina Panthers taking either a cornerback or wide receiver with their ninth-overall pick, but they selected Luke Kuechly to strengthen their group of linebackers and consequently allowed the Buffalo Bills to pick up Stephon Gilmore, the highly talented corner out of South Carolina, with the 10th pick of the draft.

Defensive tackle Dontari Poe was next off the board, taking recently retired Kelly Gregg’s place at the Kansas City Chief’s. Poe’s selection was somewhat of a surprise, with most predicting Fletcher Cox to be the top nose tackle in the draft. The Philadelphia Eagles, a team in dire need of a nose tackle, saw this as too good of an opportunity to turn down and traded the Seattle Seahawks for the 12th pick, allowing them to acquire Cox.

The Arizona Cardinals briefly bucked the trend of drafting defensive tackles with the acquisition Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd, much to the satisfaction of receiver Larry Fitzgerald, but the Rams returned to the defensive line by selecting Michael Brockers. The rush on defensive linesman seemed to get to the Seahawks who were picking at 15, as they shocked a lot of people when they drafted Bruce Irvin out of West Virginia, considered by many to be a third-round pick.

The New York Jets will be hoping that they have solved their need for a genuine pass-rusher with the addition of Quinton Coples whilst the Cincinnati Bengals took Alabama corner Dre Kirkpatrick with their initial pick in the first round. The San Diego Chargers improved their inconsistent defense with the addition of versatile linebacker Melvin Ingram who is one of the premiere pass rushers in this years’ draft class.

The Chicago Bears continued the run on defensive players with the 19th pick, selecting Shea McClellin to help out Julius Peppers on pressuring the quarterback. Baylor product Kendall Wright became the third wide receiver to be taken in the 2012 NFL Draft with the Tennessee Titans picking him up, whilst the New England Patriots, perhaps unsettled by the declining number of top class defensive ends, traded up to the 21st pick with the Bengals and took Chandler Jones out of Syracuse.

The Browns then used their second pick of the first-round to draft 29-year old quarterback Brandon Weeden, casting serious doubt on the confidence the Browns have in their current incumbent, Colt McCoy. The selection of a quarterback seemed to spark teams’ protective instincts, as both the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers drafting offensive linesmen, with Riley Reiff moving to Detroit and David DeCastro to Pittsburgh.

The Patriots proceeded to trade up for the second time in the draft already, trading with the Denver Broncos and allowing them to bring in Dont’a Hightower to aid what is a quickly improving defense.  The Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers then took the last true pass rushers in the first round with Mercilus Whitney and Nick Perry respectively, either side of the Bengals selecting Kevin Zeitler with the 27th pick.

The Vikings then returned to the first round, giving up their second and third-round picks for the Baltimore Ravens’ 29th pick and consequently selected safety Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame. The San Francisco 49ers surprised some by taking A. J. Jenkins before the Buccaneers traded up to 31st pick, with the Broncos, like the Ravens, moving out of the first round. The Buccaneers then took running back Doug Martin with the pick before the New York Giants finished off the first round with the selection of David Wilson from Virginia Tech.

Image Courtesy of   Walter G Arce / Shutterstock.com

The article 2012 NFL Draft 1st Round; All The Twists And Turns appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.