The Colt McCoy Conundrum: Should he start?

Your buddies all have opinions. Your Dad has a take. It's all anyone wants to talk about. The papers, blogs and talk radio have beaten this bye-week fueled controversy to death.

Who should start for the Browns once everybody is healthy?

First off, let's make something clear; no ones job is on the line based on this decision. You have to think that this is a decision that will be made by Mike Holmgren and Eric Mangini together, so the whole-Mangini-is-just-playing-the-veteran-to-save-his-job take doesn't cut it. This will be a joint decision.

Secondly, I'm not going to delve into the Jake Delhomme-Seneca Wallace debate. Let's not debate if we should give credence to his good preseason play and a decent half of play (besides for the terrible almost-pick six, oh yeah and that touchdown throw to MoMass? Should have been picked, kudos to ex-Brown Sean Jones for that gift).

Let's discuss Colt vs. The Field.

The two reasons one might suggest that Colt McCoy should start:
A) He gives us the best chance to win.
B) We have to see what we have before next year's draft.

The counter-arguments:
A) The Browns have to play to win every game, they can't just play for the future.
B) The plan was to sit him this year; that shouldn't change just because of injuries.

Let's take a closer look:

He gives us the best chance to win:

Not sure you can make that case at this point. Based on what we've seen, it's hard to say the coaching staff feels the same way, looking at the game plans they prepared for him. Then again, the Browns actually were chucking it early against the Saints until they built a little lead and started going Republican.

That being said, I do think he has shown more than just poise, namely he's not afraid to and can make throws in tight windows and he's accurate. Was his performance blown out of perspective? Sure. Did he show something besides poise? Definitely.

We have to see what he has for the future vs. you have to play to win at all times:

The answer is somewhere in the middle. If your not sure he's your guy and he's not your best option I don't think you can justify starting him the rest of the season on the premise that your 2-5 and your not making the playoffs anyway. You don't treat the rest of the season like extended training camp and preseason.

You only use the regular season to "develop" your young QB if your certain he's your future at the position.

On the other hand you have to look at the big picture and do what's best for the Browns long term. I don't think anybody disagrees with September call-ups in baseball and playing your young talent at the end of the season.

Are you really going to tell me that if the Browns think that he might be their franchise quarterback and that if they feel they can glean important information to that end by playing him the last four games of the season that they shouldn't do it and should play a washed up Delhomme or a career backup Wallace instead?

Of course not.

The point is that just playing young talent when your out of playoff race early is not the best thing for
the Browns, whereas playing them at the end to assess the long term needs of the franchise is.(Once again assuming that Colt McCoy is not your best option right now).

The plan was to sit him; injuries shouldn't change that:

This is not as clear cut as people think; it depends what their reasoning was behind making such a statement.

Let's assume they felt that there was a very good chance he was the future and that the best way for him to maximize his potential was by sitting and learning while slowly getting acclimated to the "speed of the game" (Cliche of the Post brought to you by ESPN) then the reasoning behind the original plan is still in play.

But if the reason was that he was just viewed as a intriguing prospect and a long-term project that wouldn't preclude the Browns from drafting a quarterback high in the near future and then suddenly he showed serious promise, that's a whole other ballgame. Then it might make sense to see what McCoy is about before investing more capital into the position.

There are myriad other scenarios that could have effected the logic behind "The Plan". I won't bore you with all the back and forth; suffice it to say that  just because that was the plan doesn't mean that train of thought still applies.


The bottom line is this; if the Browns feel Colt McCoy is close to being the man who gives us the best chance to win then obviously he should start the rest of the season. Even if they feel he's not there is still a strong case to be made for him to get some serious playing time come December.

Throw in the fact that Holmgren surely will get a itch to see what the itch he got in middle of the third round of the draft is all about, and I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing plenty more of  Colt McCoy this season.

Which Brown's blog is Best?

        I know we really haven't been to faithful to the blog since, gosh, the George Kokinis days(remember that?). Anyway it's good to be back.

      Let me throw this out there: There are plenty of blogs about your Cleveland Browns. Which  blogs to you like the best? Who do you go to for info? For analysis? For wit? Where do you go just to get some easy reading? Who can't you stand? Really curious what the general consensus is.

Think Mike Holmgren Is A Safe Bet? Think Again.

So your already dreaming of all the Super Bowl rings Mike Holmgren is going to bring us, right? Check out this excellent peice by some dude named Cliff Olsen. It will blow your mind.

After reading that do we still want this guy?

Let the debate begin.

Mike Holmgren? In Cleveland?

 Well, the rumors are swirling that former Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay packers head coach Mike "Big Show" Holmgren is being wined and dined in the city that rocks by Randy "Randy Baby" Lerner for the position of "Football Pimp".

Toni Grossi claims he left Berea today without a deal. He knows this because no announcement has been made as of yet.

He did not know however whether the former Super Bowl Champion was on his way to the airport or downtown to sample Cleveland's awesome night life (Too bad the casino's aren't up yet. Are you telling me this guy doesn't look the Blackjack-all-night-hit-free-buffet-three-times-to-make-back-my-money kind a guy?).

Holmgren would instantly give the Browns credibility and much needed direction. Not to say that the current squad hasn't shown progress of late, but Holmgrens been involved in football for more years than Mangini has been alive. (By the way, my current favorite nickname for Mangini? Linguini.)

Not to say there aren't question marks, like the fact that Holmgren had his General Manager responsibilities taken away from him by the Seahawks, not that he would be G.M. here, just that he definitely  will have a strong say organizationally. Let's hope the reason he floundered in that role was that he already had a twenty-hour-a-day job, namely being head coach and all.

Also, what of Mangini? Sources say he's going to get canned, victory over a flat Steelers team that quit notwithstanding. Hey, I'm one of Mangini's biggest critics and even I admit to seeing progress over the last month.

But let's not get carried away here. They came back against a Chargers team that was cruising in prevent mode and beat a Pittsburgh team that was already beaten by K.C. and Oakland.

Plus, you can't forget that the roster is pretty bare, resulting in a lot of players who wouldn't get a lick of playing time on any other roster seeing significant snaps. They know there is a new sheriff coming to town and they are auditioning for next year already. Naturally they are going to bust tail.

Bottom line, things continue to be interesting in Cleveland. Look for it to become more so as the offseason approaches.

And thank God Holmgren is no Bill Parcells. He would never be in Cleveland just to drive up the price for Seattle, right?

So what do you think Browns fans? Is this our man? Finally?

Stay tuned.

"Information" (if you could call it that) from the Cleveland Plain Dealer was used in this "report".

BROWNS-RAVENS MNF

It will be interesting to see if the Browns will "BRING IT" (I hate Michael Reghi) tonight. Here are the different looks the Browns might give the Ravens:

Either......
A) Flatter than Helen Hunt. Always a distinct possibility with the Brownies, especially due to the hard practice conditions. Thank you Jamal Lewis for all your "leadership".
B) Half-ass it like Braylon. "Yes Rex, we knew he drops passes that cost games. What? No, you can't have your draft picks back. You want to speak to Kokinis? Sorry, he doesn't work her anymore."
C) Concerted effort but totally over matched like the Rams every week. Win or lose, "Spags" has them playing hard every week. Think the Giants don't miss him? Ask Tom Coughlin.
D) Total domination like the Browns-Giants game from last season. Just threw in this option because I needed a D). Chances are not good. All we can do is pray.

Other things to watch tonight: if Daboll (re:Mangini) finally switches up his approach by throwing screens and using Cribbs, if there is any hope for Brady Quinn, how many times the announcers use the word "protest" and the patronizing/sympathizing line that the "Browns fans deserve a winner", if any of Mangini's faces can top the Peyton Manning interception faces from last night.