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Tag Archives: Armonty Bryant
POSITION BREAKDOWN: CLEVELAND BROWNS vs PITTSBURGH STEELERS – DEFENSIVE LINE
Just like I would with the Brown offensive line, I would take their defensive line over the Steelers 10 times out 10. Regardless of who starts, the Browns have seven players they can rotate without skipping a beat and also keep everybody fresh for crunch time in the fourth quarter.
Ahtyba Rubin is one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Mix in Desmond Bryant, Billy Winn, Phil Taylor, John Hughes, Ishmaa’ily Kitchen and one of the players who stood out in the preseason, Armonty Bryant, and you have a group who has the potential to be one of the best D-Line units in the AFC. But to be considered an elite unit, they must improve their run defense, which ranked just 18th in the NFL last season. Also they must tie up O-Linemen to enable the blitzing linebackers, corners or safeties to get to the quarterback, but again the potential for this to happen is there.
The Browns defensive line is definitely one of the strengths of the 2014 Cleveland Browns.
The Steelers defensive line has been poor the last few years because of big swing and misses in the draft and players getting old. But that didn’t stop G.M. Kevin Colbert from trying to hit a homerun or two in this year’s draft. He went out and selected Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt in the second round and he is expected to start. Another draft pick was used on a mountain of man from Tennessee, defensive tackle Daniel McCullers who stands 6’7 and tips the scales at 352 pounds.
Those two young guys will be called upon to join underachieving vet Cameron Heyward, as well as Steve McLendon, Brett Krisel and newly acquired free agent defensive end Cam Thomas. The fact that Pittsburgh drafted two D-Linemen in the first six rounds, signed a free agent and brought back an ancient Brett Keisel at the end of training camp, tells you how bad they were at these positions and how much of a question mark these guys are to start the season.
Without production from their front three, the Steelers linebackers, which are also below average for Pittsburgh, will continue to be ineffective putting pressure on the quarterback and in turn will put an already questionable secondary in jeopardy.
For the first time in a long time the Browns are better in the trenches on both sides of the ball than the Steelers, but will it be enough to help Cleveland post a win in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2003? Will see!
DEFENSIVE LINE ADVANTAGE – BROWNS
MY BROWNS – RAMS OBSERVATIONS
After watching the Cleveland Gladiators get destroyed in Arena Bowl 27 by the Arizona Rattlers 72-32 I was hoping when I left “The Q” I would be getting some good news about the Browns in their third preseason game against the Rams. I was hoping I could go home and pull up on my DVR the Browns looking good in what is considered the dress rehearsal game for the regular season. That was not the case as I checked the internet and saw a 33-14 defeat at the hands of the Rams. So I needed a break from bad football and waited until late Sunday night to watch the Browns game. Here are my observations:
For all Browns fans out there, you have to hope that head coach Mike Pettine and his coordinators are holding a lot back. That they don’t want to show their hand as to what they are capable of doing on offense and defense. That “Vanilla” has been the name of all the game plans so far. If not, this could be a long season after what I’ve witnessed not only in the Rams game, but all of the preseason games so far.
The two biggest things I took away from the Rams game – 1) The Browns don’t have a legitimate, playoff caliber quarterback in Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel. 2) By them not playing in the game, it was made abundantly clear that the Browns have two playmakers, Josh Gordon and Joe Haden. Without those two players in the line-up, the negative domino effect was painfully obvious.
Rookie Justin Gilbert was picked on and beaten repeatedly by whoever was at quarterback for the Rams. With Haden out there, that won’t happen as he’ll take the opposing teams top receiver. 
Gordon is the only player on offense that opposing defenses fear right now and maybe for the whole season. The Rams had 7 offensive plays of 20 yards or more, the Browns didn’t have any….NONE….not even one against the Rams third team defense!
The Rams with 4 different quarterbacks playing thanks to the injury to starter Sam Bradford, averaged 8.5 yards per pass attempt. Hoyer and Manziel averaged 4.7 yards per pass attempt. Pathetic!
What was supposed to be one of the strengths of this team, the offensive line, looked like a weakness Saturday night. Granted the Rams have a very good defensive line, but to give up 4 sacks and only rack up 32 yards rushing in the contest was alarming. That unit, on this team, including Joe Thomas was one I wasn’t overly concerned with, but I am now.
To be out gained by almost 300 yards, at home, in what is considered the most important preseason game of the preseason, is concerning to say the least. Plus the Rams did it with their back-up quarterback, and his back-up, and then his back-up. That’s their 4th string guy!
There were a few positives in the game, not many, but a few, so let’s give them credit.
Rookie linebacker Christian Kirksey had a solid game with 7 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and an interception.
Defensive end Armonty Bryant only had 2 tackles, but he had a number of quarterback pressures (one knocked Sam Bradford out of the game and out for the season with a torn ACL) and he gave great effort whenever he was in the game.
Granted it was against a combo of the Rams second and third team defenses, but Johnny Manziel showed off the one thing he can do and that’s scramble and make a play with his legs as he scored on a 7 yard run.
Punter Spencer Lanning was solid with a 40 yard average but more importantly he landed 2 of 5 punts inside the 20 yard line.
The return game was very good on both punts and kick offs. Good to see Travis Benjamin back as he returned a punt 17 yards and showed the speed we’re used to seeing from him. The Browns also averaged nearly 34 yards per kickoff return.
Also let’s credit the coverage teams as they haled the Rams returners in check on both punts and kickoffs.