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Cleveland Browns: Gary Barnidge Week 4 Player Review

By Justin Blum

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The Cleveland Browns may have not received the result they wanted last week. However, the team did use a player that should be key to their offense this season.

Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge had a great day on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. In fact, you could almost call it a career day. Barnidge came through on the Browns’ final possession big time.

After having a solid outing against the Oakland Raiders in Week 3, I was interested in seeing if QB Josh McCown would target Barnidge again against the Chargers.

The answer of course was yes. Yes, McCown would look to Barnidge when he needed a helping hand. McCown also threw the ball to rookie running back, Duke Johnson all afternoon.

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WR Travis Benjamin was targeted several times as well, but nobody had a bigger day than Barnidge.

Late in the fourth quarter with the Browns trailing the Chargers by eight, McCown directed a drive that was nothing short of impressive. His main weapon was Barnidge. He also made a SportsCenter top 10 play when he tipped a pass, then caught it on his way to the ground and out of bounds, just shy of the goal line.

After a run was stuffed on first down, Barnidge went in motion on second down, just as he had on the previous play. This is when Barnidge made the play of the day. Barnidge went in motion, turned back, then slowed down and came to a stop just behind the right tackle. When the ball was snapped, Barnidge jumped forward to block for Johnson.

On his play of the day, Barnidge ran the same pre-snap motion and when he approached the stopping point behind the right tackle, he slowed down slightly. Just enough and for just long enough, Barnidge made it look like he was going to block for Johnson again. Prior to the ball being snapped, Barnidge accelerated down the line and at the snap, he streaked into the end zone where McCown hit him with a strike.

Barnidge laid out to make the catch and all that was left was the two point conversion. WR Taylor Gabriel caught a slant to tie the game.

Barnidge’s last two catches were spectacular. Barnidge had shined for consecutive weeks and now looks to be McCown’s security blanket. Even though the Browns lost the game against the Chargers, the offense looked like a professional team. They even looked good at times…quite a few times.

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Barnidge looks like a found treasure for McCown and the Browns. The guy is 6’5 and weighs over 250 pounds. He’s not the quickest or the fastest but he has great hands and he knows how to get open.

Barnidge is a true asset and he’s a weapon. The Browns will hopefully continue to keep Barnidge involved in the offensive game plan. He is the only legit big body threat the Browns have at any of the skill positions.

Let’s see how often Barnidge is targeted in Week 5 against the Ravens. I predict he will get two receptions.

Next: Cleveland Browns: NFL Is Looking Into Haden Not Playing

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