Some people don’t watch preseason football because they say that the games don’t matter. I have no idea how any knowledgeable football fan can say that with a straight face, because the effects of preseason games can linger long into the regular season…just ask any fantasy football owner who drafted early and watched one of his players go down with a season-ending injury in a preseason game! (Worse yet, ask any owner who didn’t bother to check the newswire before drafting and drafted a player who was hurt moments before the draft began. Yes, that was me in 2006, drafting Clinton Portis right after he separated his shoulder in a preseason game against the Bengals.)
Anyhow, under most circumstances, I’m dialed into the Browns’ preseason games just like they were a regular season game. However, I’m sitting this week’s game out because my brother in law–a great guy and one of the biggest supporters of my football writing endeavors–is getting married! Nevertheless, I still have a few things that I’d like to see in this week’s game.
1. A strong performance from Evan Moore: I’ve been a big fan of Evan Moore. He’s got decent speed and great size. Moore has had flashes of brilliance over the past two seasons but has been derailed by injuries, inconsistent quarterback play, and Eric Mangini’s love of running the ball. However, recent reports from The Plain Dealer have said that Moore has been one of the strongest performers so far in training camp. I’m hoping that he translates his strong practice play into a successful performance against the Packers.
2. A solid performance from Colt McCoy: The truth of whether the Browns’ rumored interest in Kevin Kolb and various rookie quarterbacks was sincere or merely a bargaining chip for draft strategy purposes is a fact only known by Mike Holmgren, but in any case, Colt McCoy’s status as the presumptive starter heading into training camp was never clearly solidified until only recently. I feel that McCoy is a winner who will be a solid quarterback for the Browns far into the future, and I’m glad that the Browns are sticking with him. I’d love to see him come out, put up solid numbers against an above-average defense, and silence the doubters.
3. Great punting from Richmond McGee: As I blogged last week, I feel that the loss of Reggie Hodges to injury will be more significant than most people expect. I was hoping that the Browns would sign an experienced free agent punter. Hopefully McGee will show us what the Browns’ braintrust saw in him and claim the starting job.
4. Strong performance from the second-string cornerbacks: The Browns’ inactivity in free agency and loss of Eric Wright at cornerback has left the team perilously thin at cornerback. I’d feel a lot better about the defensive back situation if Dimitri Patterson and Buster Skrine are able to slow down the Packers’ solid wide receiving corps.
5. A strong return from D’Qwell Jackson: Jackson has been hurt for much of the past two seasons, but many observers feel that he will excel in the Browns’ new 4-3 defensive scheme. Before his injuries, Jackson was a great contributor to the Browns’ defense, and I’d like to see a great start to what will hopefully be a full and healthy season from D’Qwell Jackson.
Of course, I’d like to see a win too. Beating the defending Super Bowl champions, even in a preseason game, would make for a great debut for Pat Shurmur! In any case, I’m excited to see how the Browns perform tomorrow night, and I’m honestly just glad that NFL football is back in business. GO BROWNS
