Cleveland Browns Vs. New Orleans Saints: 10 Bits of Browns Info for Week 7
The Cleveland Browns are 1-5 and in last place in the AFC North this 2010 NFL regular season and they are in the meatiest part of their schedule.
In Week 7, they travel to face the Saints, followed by a much needed bye week and then the Patriots and Jets are the weeks following the bye.
Not the easiest schedule for a team that needs all the help and breaks it can get, but the NFL schedule-makers were really tough on Cleveland this season.
With injuries a plenty and a rookie starting at quarterback, the Browns face the reigning Super Bowl champs and it will not be an easy task to come away with the upset.
The following are a few game planning notes that need to be looked at by head coach Eric Mangini and his staff in order to give the Browns any chance of winning.
The Browns Can Beat the Reigning Champs, History Says So
1 of 10
The Saints are the champs, but the past two seasons the Browns have been able to beat the reigning Super Bowl champs.
In 2008, the New York Giants were the champs when they came to Cleveland on Monday Oct. 13, 2008 and the Browns beat them 35-14 in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football.
In 2009, the Browns split their season series with the reigning champs and division rival Pittsburgh Steelers, winning one at home in Cleveland and losing one in Pittsburgh on the road.
The Browns are capable of beating the reigning champs, though at home in Cleveland, which makes beating the Saints in New Orleans a tough task.
Browns WR Injuries Should Give Carlton Mitchell a Chance to Play
2 of 10
After Steelers linebacker James Harrison single-handedly took out two of the Browns top wide receivers in Josh Cribbs and Mohammed Massaquoi this past Sunday, rookie sixth-round pick Carlton Mitchell should get a shot to play.
The Browns really lack on the outside at receiver and they could really use Mitchell to take the next step in his development now and he will get that chance in New Orleans.
Brian Robiskie cannot get open out of coverage and Mitchell is clearly the most physically gifted true receiver on the Browns' roster at 6'3" and 215 pounds.
Mitchell may be raw, but Mangini said the rookie has made great strides in practices this week and he could see significant playing time too.
Tony Pashos Out, Time to Shift the Line
3 of 10
Browns third round pick, offensive guard Shawn Lauvao, has been fighting injuries in the first six games of this season, and it looks like he will finally get to play in lieu of him getting healthy and due to starting right tackle Tony Pashos being placed on the Injured Reserve for the remainder of this season.
The Browns are not too high on right tackle John St. Clair, and the number show that the offensive and especially the running game are more effective without St. Clair on the field.
At the end of 2009, starting right guard Floyd Womack moved over to play right tackle due to injuries and the same may happen starting in New Orleans.
With Womack moving over to play right tackle, look for Lauvao to start at right guard on Sunday.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The Regression of CB Eric Wright
4 of 10
Starting cornerback Eric Wright is in the last year of his rookie contract and prior to the season starting, it looked like he was ready to breakout and become one of the top young corners in the NFL.
In his first three seasons, Wright was never burned and played solid football against whomever he was covering.
This could have been a direct result of opposing quarterbacks throwing at whoever was playing on the other side of the field because they were the weak link.
So far this season, opposing teams have been throwing at Wright and not throwing at veteran Sheldon Brown much, probably out of respect to the fact he is indeed a seasoned veteran.
In the end, Wright has been burned badly and his development has severely regressed to the point were Browns fans want Wright benched.
Which leads into the next slide...
Is It Time to Start Rookie CB Joe Haden?
5 of 10
Joe Haden has been a great addition in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft and has played admirably as a nickelback and in three cornerback formations on defense.
With Wright struggling, it might be that time to give Haden a chance to start and see what his abilities bring to the table.
An aggressive cover corner and tackler, Haden will be tested often if he does start especially against the Saints, but his time is coming sooner than later as long as Wright keeps giving up touchdowns.
More Evan Moore Please
6 of 10
Second year tight end Evan Moore is showing how talented his really is more and more each weekend and with the Browns hurting in the pass catching department, Moore's role should only expand.
At 6'6" and 250 pounds, if Moore is lined up as a receiver (he was a WR at Stanford), he creates a definite mismatch on the outside since most cornerbacks are around the 5'11" height range.
Just line Moore up and throw the ball high enough where only he can catch it.
Quite simple and nearly unstoppable against the shorter defenders.
Marcus Benard Needs to Start
7 of 10
Another second-year player, linebacker Marcus Benard should also see more playing time and possibly start opposite of Matt Roth either this week or in coming weeks.
It is well know that Mangini is very loyal to his two former Jets linebackers Eric Barton and David Bowens, but Benard really represents the future for Cleveland's defense and he is also leading the team with 3.5 sacks this year too.
Even if Benard is only in during passing downs, give him the playing time because he is obviously talented more so than many of the other Browns pass rushers since he has the sacks to prove it.
Look for Shaun Rogers at DE
8 of 10
With the trading deadline come and gone, along with the rumors Shaun Rogers trade possibilities with the deadline, Rogers is still on the defensive line and his time at defensive end may have finally come starting this week.
Starting defensive end Robaire Smith has been placed on the Injured Reserve and is out for the season.
Prior to the season beginning, there were rumors of Rogers moving to the end to play and rush the pass since the younger Ahtyba Rubin has solidified his role as the nose tackle on the Browns 3-4 defense.
Now that Smith is out, it is time for Rogers to show he can still get to the quarterback and cause chaos on the line of scrimmage.
Yamon Figurs
9 of 10
Now that Josh Cribbs is recovering from a concussion, the Browns signed special teams returner Yamon Figurs.
This signing should be a clue as to the real health of Cribbs and Figurs will most likely by returning both kicks and punts against the Saints this weekend while Cribbs rests and gets healthy for Week 9 against the Patriots.
Colt McCoy Factor
10 of 10
Colt McCoy looks to be the starter for the second week in a row and his trial by fire only gets hotter going up against a blitz-happy Saints defense that is very opportunistic and can create many turnovers.
The good thing about McCoy starting this weekend is that he will continue to get on-the-job training against another top-tier team in the NFL which should only help the young quarterback be that much better as a pro.
Also, McCoy does not have too much pro tape for the Saints to watch and prepare for with the exception of in the preseason and last week against the Steelers so McCoy holds a little bit of an advantage since he is new to the league.
McCoy can catch the Saints defense off-guard, but then again this is a Super Bowl defense.
Another week starting means another Monday of pain for McCoy, but those are the pains of growth and learning.
(Also posted on Dawg Scooper: THE Cleveland Browns Blog)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")