2011 Regular Season
We get through the preseason with the usual scrapes and dings, but no huge losses. After a pretty nice preseason QB battle, I decide to at least start this season with my veteran QB Tyrone Glover at the helm. I have Clancy as my #2, and promising youngster Houston as #3 – we’ll be okay down the road, but for right now, I like the hope for stability that we get from a veteran like Glover (who nominally ought to make fewer mistakes).
We look super sharp on both sides of the ball beating Cinti 27-11 in our opener. However, Glover suffers yet another injury (he’s just cursed) and my QB plans are right in the dumper. We install Clancy as our top guy, with rookie Houston slotted #2. Right away, we have a backup plan in place.
Marco Clancy comes through, carrying the load for the offense in a nice 31-7 win in week two. Four scoring passes help the stat line look good – and Clancy is trying to stake his claim to the spot, it seems.
We get dropped 21-16 at Kansas City, but we right the sip and get rolling again – out to a 5-1 start for the year. QB Tyrone Glover is healthy again, but I am comfortable enough with Marco Clancy that I decide to stick with him, and his 89 passer rating (and 12/5 ratio, higher than any season by Glover). Arsenault is on a 100/game clip, and we are running along pretty smoothly.
A mid-season loss to Pittsburgh drops us to 6-3, and into a tie with the Steelers. Cincinnati, though, is the big surprise team – up by two games for the division lead.
Off our bye week, we look around and assess. RB Archie Ramsey’s early season injury seems to have converted him into a clipboard holder – not even worthy of being #3 on our depth chart, I fear.
In week 11, we get thrashed by mighty Cinti, and our season looks to be in some trouble. The division title is all but gone – now we must try just to return to the playoffs. However, we win three in row, get to 8-4, and are within one game of the Bengals again – even with Pittsburgh.
A tough loss at Seattle drops us to 8-5, and even after two more wins, we need a final victory and probably a loss by Kansas City to get into the postseason, I assess. Now it’s Baltimore at 11-4 who lead our division, and they come to town for the final game. We get the 34-24 win at home in the last game of the regular season, and that fortunately places us where we wanted to be: back in the playoffs, albeit as the #5 seed this season.
Code:
2011 Regular Season Standings
AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Baltimore 11 5 0 .688 395 285 8-4 4-2
Cleveland 11 5 0 .688 373 252 8-4 3-3
Cincinnati 10 6 0 .625 334 249 8-4 3-3
Pittsburgh 8 8 0 .500 277 316 7-5 2-4
AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Indianapolis 7 9 0 .438 268 390 6-6 5-1
Houston 7 9 0 .438 313 369 6-6 4-2
Jacksonville 5 11 0 .313 360 383 5-7 3-3
Tennessee 4 12 0 .250 285 416 2-10 0-6
AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Miami 9 7 0 .563 344 316 8-4 5-1
Buffalo 8 8 0 .500 379 364 6-6 3-3
New York J 6 10 0 .375 250 298 5-7 2-4
New England 4 12 0 .250 268 382 3-9 2-4
AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Oakland 11 5 0 .688 349 250 8-4 5-1
Kansas City 10 6 0 .625 327 327 7-5 2-4
San Diego 9 7 0 .563 356 306 6-6 2-4
Denver 5 11 0 .313 291 335 3-9 3-3
NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Green Bay 10 6 0 .625 330 269 7-5 5-1
Detroit 5 11 0 .313 268 368 5-7 4-2
Chicago 4 12 0 .250 315 401 3-9 3-3
Minnesota 2 14 0 .125 266 390 1-11 0-6
NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Atlanta 13 3 0 .813 297 247 10-2 5-1
Carolina 11 5 0 .688 369 282 7-5 3-3
New Orleans 10 6 0 .625 341 287 8-4 3-3
Tampa Bay 7 9 0 .438 269 321 4-8 1-5
NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Philadelphia 13 3 0 .813 392 283 9-3 5-1
Dallas 10 6 0 .625 355 310 6-6 2-4
New York G 7 9 0 .438 322 331 6-6 3-3
Washington 6 10 0 .375 325 366 4-8 2-4
NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Seattle 10 6 0 .625 361 317 8-4 3-3
Arizona 9 7 0 .563 356 269 7-5 4-2
San Francisco 8 8 0 .500 286 300 6-6 3-3
St. Louis 6 10 0 .375 301 343 5-7 2-4
Our division suddenly got very, very tough. And Indy gets in at 7-9, while Cinti sits out at 10-6. Shame, really. Heh.
Code:
2011 Summary for Cleveland Browns
Record: 11-5
Winning Pct.: .687
Cleveland Browns Team Rank
Rushes 398 24
Rushing Yards 1643 22
Yards Per Carry 4.12 10 (T)
Pass Attempts 618 3
Completions 370 2
Passing Yards 3843 7 (T)
Yards Per Attempt 6.21 28
3rd Down Conversions 41.7 12
Points Per Game 23.3 4
Turnovers 27 20 (T)
Turnover Margin +4 10
Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 415 10
Rushing Yards 1509 7
Yards Per Carry 3.63 2
Pass Attempts 538 16
Completions 285 1 (T)
Passing Yards 3234 1
Yards Per Attempt 6.01 3 (T)
3rd Down Conversions 34.6 3
Points Per Game 15.7 4
Turnovers 31 2 (T)
Week Team Versus Oppnt
1 27 CIN 11
2 31 SFO 7
3 16 at KCY 21
4 36 TEN 10
5 19 at JAX 7
6 33 at HOU 10
7 13 at BAL 21
8 35 IND 18
9 16 PIT 21
11 3 at CIN 27
12 27 STL 24
13 17 NYJ 0
14 9 at SEA 17
15 22 at PIT 10
16 35 at ARI 24
17 34 BAL 24
$$WC at IND
Passing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
8 Clancy QB 521 319 3233 6.20 28 19
2 Glover QB 96 50 602 6.27 4 3
**Team --- 618 370 3843 6.21 32 22
Rushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
33 Arsenault RB 291 1257 4.31 3
32 Ramsey RB 70 253 3.61 3
**Team --- 398 1643 4.12 6
Receiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
18 Holmes TE 124 81 706 8.7 182 6
81 Blair WR 125 65 746 11.4 102 8
86 Causey WR 101 61 808 13.2 96 7
85 Sasser WR 89 56 637 11.3 89 2
87 Ellard WR 56 28 359 12.8 59 2
33 Arsenault RB 32 25 196 7.8 98 0
30 Aguilera RB 32 19 91 4.7 48 2
**Team --- 617 370 3843 10.3 777 32
Defense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
92 Goodwin ILB 82 23 0.0 0 2 4
24 Weed S 77 25 4.0 0 0 10
46 Ellery S 69 21 1.5 0 5 6
91 DiGiacomo OLB 65 27 6.0 4 1 6
39 Callens CB 63 11 0.0 0 8 12
58 Frederick OLB 47 11 6.0 4 0 4
90 Casey ILB 44 22 3.0 1 0 5
72 Cascadden DT 44 23 3.5 4 0 0
43 Richmond CB 38 16 0.0 1 1 18
27 Gomez CB 37 3 0.0 1 0 9
97 Holton DE 33 12 5.0 21 0 0
94 Moseley DE 26 11 5.0 5 0 0
52 Regalado OLB 22 3 4.5 5 0 1
75 Gustafson DT 20 8 2.5 8 0 0
93 Fox DE 18 8 4.0 16 0 0
**Team --- 802 256 49.0 81 17 79
On offense, Arsenault had another solid season – again carrying most of the load for our running game. We did throw a pretty fair amount, and Clancy was effective, though his interception rate was a bit high down the stretch. TE Jonathan Holmes led the team in catches, despite missing a couple of games – he is very solid.
Defensively, we kept up our end of the deal, with dominating performances against the run and pass, despite once again facing major injury problems. Butch Holton was solid again, but we spread around our sacks and pressures among many players – and as a team we did fine: #2 in yards per carry allowed, #3 in yards per pass allowed, and #4 in points per game allowed. Strong.
2011 Postseason
As we prepare for the postseason, here is our injury picture – a little grim:
Code:
Injury Report:
Cedric Goodwin, MLB - Strained Deltoid Muscle, Probable, full strength in about 1 week.
Bennie Heinlein, LT - Broken Nose, Probable, full strength in about 2 weeks.
Jimmy Ellard, FL - Shoulder Tendinitis, Probable, full strength in about 2 weeks.
Jonathan Holmes, TE - Hyperextended Knee, Questionable, full strength in about 2 weeks.
Tim Hendrix, RDE - Broken Clavicle, Out, full strength in 2012.
Marco Clancy, QB - Pulled Groin, Doubtful, full strength in 2012.
Cris Moseley, LDE - Back Surgery, Out, full strength in 2012.
Harvey Gustafson, RDT - ACL Knee Surgery, Out, full strength in 2013.
Oscar Goodwin, SE - Turf Toe, Probable, return to full strength unknown.
So, with Marco Clancy this banged up, we will (for what seems like the fourth straight season) head into the postseason with a different QB than our main regular season starter. We will fall back to Tyrone Glover, and hope that his veteran hand can help us in the playoffs.
Only two starters from the DL are out for the year – so this is a light year for injuries, I guess. How pleasant. We have bodies to throw out there, and should be okay.
Our opener is against Indianapolis, the 7-9 division winners. They feature a great QB and an outstanding offensive line, but not a lot else on offense – this team could really use a playmaker or two at the skill positions. Their defense is mostly slanted to stop the run, but their LB corps is just awful. I think we should be able to move the ball on them, especially passing underneath their secondary – to guys like TE Holmes and WR Blair. We are made 9 point favorites, despite playing on the road at the division champions.
AFC Wild Card Round: Cleveland (10-6) at Indianapolis (9-7)
We get the ball first, and drive pretty smoothly to get an opening FG. We stop them quickly, get the punt in good field position, and drive for another FG. The first quarter ends with us ahead 6-0, and an 80-yard edge in offense. Good so far, but touchdowns would be a lot better.
Indy senses that, too, and their defense comes up big with a series of plays (and penalties against us) pinning us deep, and forcing a punt to our own 40. The Colts move downfield, and strike to take the 7-6 lead. The Colts gain field position again, and ad a field goal just before the half to lead 10-7 at the break.
On our first possession in the third quarter, Glover hits Causey on a third-and-long to keep our drive alive, getting to the IND 33. We take our third kick, and get back within one point. We get an injury announcement on Tyrone Glover, and have to wait and see if he can still play.
Our next possession, it’s James Houston on the field, leading the offense. He hasn’t had to play any meaningful snaps for us – now he’s in charge for the playoffs. Arsenault and Blair make plays to get us into position to try another FG, and Vallejo hits the 36-yard kick to put us ahead again, 12-10. Our defense has been perfect in the third quarter, and they stuff the Colts again – we take over near midfield as the third quarter wraps up.
From the Indy 34, I think I probably would call for a punt, but my coach lets Vallejo try again – and he nails the 51-yard kick to give us a five point lead. Indy strikes immediately with a big pass play, though, getting 43 yards and striking into our territory for the first time in this second half. Three plays later, though, they face fourth and 16 from their 48 – our defense again rises to the occasion.
Houston keeps it under wraps, throwing plenty of safe underneath passes (which was our game plan anyway) and avoiding a big mistake. Indy takes over with 6 minutes to play, near midfield. This might be their best chance to get it back. QB Droughns decides to go for it all from our 45, and the hail mary pass is picked off by Ellery, which give sus the ball back with 4:28 on the clock.
A key completion to Causey gives us a first down, then we have to punt it back – Indy takes over with 2:11 remaining, at their own 11 yard line after a brilliant 53-yard punt by our rookie Creighton. Three incomplete passes, one of them batted down by LB Regalado, and we have them up against fourth and 10. We give them the first down, though, on a penalty – bad timing for that. Droughns makes us pay – competing a 48 yard pass on second down, and they are at our 36 with 1:13 left. A sack and a penalty push them back to face 2nd and 19, and two incomplete passes make it fourth down. Unbelievably, they manage a 25-yard completion, and have a last shot at the win, with a first down at our 20. They spike the ball to stop the clock with 22 seconds.
Code:
Offense: Strong Formation, Normal, Strength = Left.
Defense: 43 Alignment, Nickel Personnel, Man-to-Man (Loose), Pass - Aggressive. Blitzing: 56 Perez, 24 Weed.
IND 8 Droughns pass fell incomplete, intended for 88 Durham.
CLE 39 Callens simply beat the receiver to the ball.
Offense: Pro Formation, Normal, Strength = Right.
Defense: 43 Alignment, Nickel Personnel, Man-to-Man (Loose), Pass - Aggressive. Blitzing: 56 Perez.
IND 8 Droughns pass fell incomplete, intended for 83 Flake.
CLE 90 Casey defended the pass.
Offense: Pro Formation, Normal, Strength = Right.
Defense: 43 Alignment, Nickel Personnel, Man-to-Man (Bump & Run), Pass - Aggressive.
IND 8 Droughns sacked by CLE 72 Cascadden for a loss of 6 yards.
Sack allowed by IND 62 Frazer.
The defense looked very well prepared for that play.
The ball goes over on downs.
That’s the defense that got us this far – good individual plays (by less-than-star players) and good preparations overall. They stand up, and seal this one for us.
So, we have our first playoff victory – and get back to the divisional playoffs for the fourth straight season. QB Glover is listed as questionable, Clancy remains doubtful. I don’t have a great feel for what we should do here – Houston is just so green, that seems like begging for a problem. My plan will be to start Glover, and hope that he can get through this one for us.