The injuries have piled up so high for the Cleveland Browns that even News-Herald columnist Jim Ingraham wonders if Colt McCoy should have played on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Ingraham didn't wonder too loud because he writes that it didn't get that bad, but it came close. Apparently, the Browns were serious when they said before the season started...
Josh Cribbs The injuries have piled up so high for the Cleveland Browns that even News-Herald columnist Jim Ingraham wonders if Colt McCoy should have played on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
Ingraham didn't wonder too loud because he writes that it didn't get that bad, but it came close.
Apparently, the Browns were serious when they said before the season started that this would be a learning year for McCoy. A learning year unencumbered by any actual, you know, playing time.
The education continued Sunday, when McCoy learned from Wallace how to hop off the field on one foot after injuring your ankle.
Next, McCoy learned from Delhomme how to run the Statue of Liberty play, at least the part of the play where the quarterback stands like a statue in one spot until the pocket caves in on him. Over and over and over again.
Ingraham also writes how McCoy, although more healthy than Delhomme and Wallace, doesn't mean he would have been successful on Sunday. It's obvious, despite how bad things were (or could become), McCoy will not play this season.
Starting QB
Ohio.com columnist Marla Ridenour suggests Josh Cribbs should start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that's only if Jake Delhomme and or Seneca Wallace can't play.
Ridenour writes that coach Eric Mangini only has three options:
Turn the offense over to rookie Colt McCoy, whom president Mike Holmgren hoped would only watch and learn this year.
Pick up former Browns backup Brett Ratliff off New England's practice squad.
Or go with Cribbs, the former Kent State quarterback.
Ridenour notes that Cribbs has thrown only 11 times in his six years with the Browns and completed four for 45 yards with an interception.
Key play
AJC.com reporter D. Orlando Ledbetter writes about a key part of the game when the Falcons took advantage of cornerback Sheldon Brown.
A blitz left Brown in one-on-one coverage against Roddy White. It ended with a 45-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Ryan to pump some life into the offense.
Falcons coach Mike Smith called it "due diligence" by the coaching staff.
"We saw the guy leave the field, there is no doubt about that," Smith said.
The touchdown put the Falcons ahead for good, 13-10 with 7:57 left in the third quarter.
"Matt did a good job of throwing the ball," White said. "I did a good job of tracking it and getting it in the end zone."
Game stories
The News-Herald: MASH up
Ohio.com: Failure against Falcons
CantonRep.com: Wounded Browns
Medina County Gazette: Injuries pile up on the Browns
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Falcons defense too much for Browns