Hush up any talk of the Browns win over Miami being ugly, reporter Dennis Manoloff insists. Watch video
Cleveland, Ohio -- Don't tell Plain Dealer sportswriter Dennis Manoloff that the Browns' 13-10 win over the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday was ugly. Dman insists there's no such thing as an ugly W.
Today's Starting Blocks poll, which asks which Brown was the game's Most Valuable Player, is heavy on defense, as you might expect in a game with only two touchdowns. Rookie Joe Haden is the runaway leader from voters, but Dman casts his lot with tight end Ben Watson.
Dman, as he does with all away games, spent a lot of close, personal time with his DVR and analyzes the win. Some of what he saw was obvious to those of us who are regular fans. Some, like the play of Watson, who was having a great but quiet season until Sunday's 10-catch performance, might have been lost on casual observers. Watson runs good routes, and is a better blocker than advertising, Dman says.
The win was bad news for the Eric Mangini haters, Dman says. The coach is building something solid here. Dman expects him to win the next two games, at Buffalo next week and at Cincinnati the following week, and possibly even split the two final games of the season, both at home. That would be the Baltimore Ravens coming to town the day after Christmas, and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 2. A 7-9 record is probable, and an 8-8 isn't beyond the realm of possibility ... and both scenarios cement Mangini's lock on the job.Join us for a very special SBTV on Tuesday when legendary Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar will be our guest. If you have some questions for him (and SBTV is dying to know what he thinks of the potential of rookie Colt McCoy), let us know in the comments section below.