Cleveland Browns: 4 Candidates For Week 7’s Dawg House

Offensive Line

I could pick the offensive line for the Dawg House every week, but it would be agonizing. Once again, the line didn’t fail to take out another quarterback. Kessler was knocked out of the game in the second quarter after Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap tackled him after completing a shovel pass to tight end Gary Barnidge.

With that, the era of Hogan began. He came in for a few “Wildcat” plays in the first quarter and converted a few third downs. Hogan was then QB1 after the Kessler concussion.

For most of the game, he was running for his life because of the line’s inability to block. Terrelle Pryor was behind center for a few plays, but with a hamstring issue, he was best staying at wideout.

Center Cameron Erving didn’t return to the game at halftime due to a “illness” he suffered. Guard Spencer Drango, who started in place of Alvin Bailey left the game at the beginning of the second quarter after suffering a knee injury.

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The injuries and “depth” on the line keeps getting worst. Bailey came in for Drango, and John Greco moved to center. Bailey has been one of the more consistent players on the line, which might surprise a lot of Browns fans.

The line didn’t improve, and besides Hogan’s draw plays, the offense was stagnant. Coach Hue Jackson got away from the run game again, and everything was predictable and one-dimensional.

Almost every play was blown up from Bengals defensive linemen. Either a Browns lineman was thrown down to the ground, or they were bull-rushed.Right tackle Austin Pasztor also made one of the weirder plays of the game.

After Hogan threw an interception to safety Shawn Williams, he fumbled the ball, but Pasztor rushed over and jumped on the ball, and the Browns got the first down.  That’s a classic “only the Browns” moment.

With thin depth, the Browns claimed center Gabe Ikard off waivers from the Buffalo Bills. He brings more depth to the center position with the uncertainty of the health of Erving on a game-to-game basis.

Point blank, the line is a joke. But this news will make things even better. They will be going up against one of the best defensive lines in the NFL with the Jets.

When McCown starts, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first quarter with that line and vicious pass rush of New York.

If so part two of the Hogan era will begin, along with the beginning of newly acquired quarterback Joe Callahan.