Factory Lines: Cleveland Browns Fallout, Indians Sweep White Sox
Sep 7, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham (6) kicks the game-winning field goal against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won the game, 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Mornings after and the Cleveland Browns go together about as well as waking up from a night on West Sixth. Both result in drinking too much and waking up feeling crummy–and this is one of those days.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine should continue to be second guessed about why he didn’t attempt a 53-yard field goal with Billy Cundiff with four minutes remaining in the game, but Pettine should be given credit without the team responded after halftime.
The Browns entered the locker room down 24, and started the second half rejuvenated, scoring 24 unanswered to tie the game at 27.
Here’s what Pettine said about halftime, via Cleveland.com:
"“As much as I’d like to say it was a fire-and-brimstone speech, it wasn’t. It was far below our standards, and we needed to play like us. . . The hardest dent to take is the first one. The leadership on this team stepped up at halftime. The coaches really didn’t have to stay much.”"
No credit given here for a moral victory, but major props to Pettine and his coaches for ADJUSTING their game plan. So many previous coaches have failed to adapt in the past, but Pettine and Kyle Shanahan dropped the long play calls and let Hoyer play his style of ball in quick, up-temp no-huddle offense.
• If, and it’s a big IF, there was a moral victory, it belongs to Brian Hoyer. Peter King said as much in his Monday Morning Quarterback column:
"“Hoyer led the Browns to touchdown-touchdown-field goal-touchdown on four straight second half drives, tying the Steelers on the road in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh won the game, but a moral victory was Hoyer’s.”"
• King also stands up for Johnny Manziel, who was blasted over the weekend by Meril Hoge.
"“I think you’re taking the Johnny Manziel criticism a little too far, Merril Hoge. Read your words. “Juvenile punk?” Yeesh. “"
When asked if Pettine ever considered playing Manziel, he simply said, “No.” When asked again about Johnny Football, Pettine replied, “The way the game went, we never felt the need for it.”
• Why did it take the Browns so long to unleash the no-huddle offense? They didn’t run it in preseason play. Were they that scared of letting opponents getting it on film?
“We never ran no-huddle in the preseason and I don’t know how much you guys saw of that in the practices, but now it’s on tape for the rest of the league,” continued Hoyer. “It was great, but we can’t put ourselves in that type of hole, especially against a team like Pittsburgh.”
It seems like there’s too much worrying about what the other team has on film, when, for a down-trodden team like the Browns, the focus should only be on winning this week’s game.
Sep 7, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (59) pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
• The Indians played yesterday and won, which means the Tribe swept the Palehosers from the West.
Carlos Carrasco was terrific, surrendering just four hits while striking out eight in 8 2/3 innings. He threw 74 of 103 pitches for strikes.
Since he resumed his role as a starter Aug. 10, Carrasco is 4-0 with a 0.70 ERA in six starts. In 38 2/3 innings, he has given up three earned runs. He has given up 25 hits, walked four and struck out 42.
• With Carrasco’s emergence, someone, and thank the Lord it’s the Indians, is finally getting real value for Cliff Lee, via Terry Pluto.
• The Tribe plays a makeup game today at the Prog against the LA Angels. Entering the contest, the Wahoo’s are 5.0 games behind first-place Kansas City and 3.0 behind second-place Detroit in the AL Central.
I still feel like the Indians are chasing Detroit. Kansas City’s never been in this position before. Can they really keep it up? I’m skeptical, but so far, it looks good for the Royals.
• Jared Weaver (15-8, 3.56) will start for the Angels, while Danny Salazar will take the rubber for the good guys. The Angels’ ace just recorded his third straight quality start, a stretch in which he’s posted a 2.29 ERA in 19 2/3 innings.
• Salazar (6-6, 3.80) is coming off his first big-league complete-game shutout. Dating back to April 27, Salazar has spun a 2.73 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings in a dozen starts.