Winning. It's not the type of word that would describe the Cleveland Browns, but it's hard to discount a team that has now won three-straight games with a win over the Bills by a score of 37-24. After an 0-2 start, the Browns actually look legit with a first place trip to the AFC North (For now anyway). When was the last time that happened?
Lets cover some of the main news from last night's game:
Everyone Other Than The Browns Offense Dominates
If you played the Browns D/ST last night, you got yourself a A LOT of points. In the second quarter, Travis Benjamin returned a 79 yard punt for a score. In the 4th quarter, T.J. Ward returned an interception 44 yards for another score. The Browns Defense as a whole also notched 4 total sacks. Billy Cundiff booted a season high 3 field goals and another 4 extra points. The defense continues to show that they are for real and could be worth picking up if they are STILL on your waiver wire. This unit was the main reason the Browns put up 37 points because.....
Brandon Weeden Still Isn't An NFL Quarterback
Fantasy Football's recent surprise quarterback Brian Hoyer went down early in the 1st quarter due to a knee injury, which thrust Brandon Weeden in the spotlight. The Browns may have won, but Weeden did nothing to ensure that he can be a replacement if Hoyer winds up missing time. Completing just 13 passes for 197 yards and a score, Weeden continued to stare down his first receiver and held onto the ball too long. He took a total of 5 sacks, a couple coming from his inability to get the ball out quick enough. There is fear that Hoyer could be done for the year after NFL Channel's Alex Flanagan reported that the Browns think Hoyer may have torn knee ligaments. If this is the case, the hooplah that surrounded the Browns for the past couple weeks will be long gone. Josh Freeman anyone?
The Running Back Madness in Buffalo Continues
Running backs have been killing fantasy owners this year. Adrian Peterson continues to dominate, but guys like Doug Martin, Chris Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew have owners in a panic. This leads me to the next item on my list: The status of C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. This is one of the biggest backfield conundrums for owners in 2013. Neither were expected to be ready with a short week of rest. Spiller was dealing with an ankle injury and Jackson injured his knee Week 4, which forced me to list Tashard Choice as a waiver pickup. It's amazing how fast news changes in the NFL. Not only did Spiller and Jackson play, but both were fantasy assets. Spiller ran for 66 yards and a score thanks to a 54 yard touchdown run. Jackson was the biggest winner as he racked up 93 total yards, had 4 catches and 2 rushing touchdowns. As for Choice? Barely a blip on the radar. Many, including myself, drafted Spiller high. After doing much research over the offseason, I figured Spiller to be a steal. This "Lets continue to give Fred Jackson carries" garbage is unnerving. But all you can do is keep plugging Spiller in and hope he can make the most out of the carries he DOES get
On the Browns side, it's looking like Willis McGahee is becoming the lead horse in the race to be the backfield dominator. He only averaged 2.7 yards a carry, but he did put up a rushing touchdown. Chris Ogbonnaya was hit with a concussion and Bobby Rainey was non-existent. McGahee might not be a sexy flex option, but he is clearly the favorite for backfield work. This trend should continue, especially if Weeden is forced to start again.