HEEEEEEERRRRREES JOHHNY!!!!!

[Hawktawk]

Bennett chimed in with a fairly spirited defense of Wilson's accomplishments his first 4 years in response to Pettines comments.I dont have a transcript but Bennett is Bennett as we all know.
So it sounds like Cleveland's players aren't the only ones rallying behind their QB. Its my guess that defensive players around the league relish the chance to get a shot at Johnny and the LOB is equipped to do just that.
Heck even Micheal Sam got to flash the money sign standing over Manziel after sacking him a preseason ago.

Pettines ill conceived comments have certainly turned up the wick on this match up, its been a major topic of discussion on sports media.

[RiverDog]

The Hawks don't need any locker room articles to get them fired up. This is the stretch run to the playoffs, and we have to win 2 of the next 3 or else we could be picking chit with the chickens. We don't have a lot of room for error, and the players know that. There's no need for any "Win one for the Gipper" speeches.

[HumanCockroach]

Actually, one win in the next three ( unless you think Washington and the NYG as well as Minnesota are going to win out) gets us in the dance ( though I seriously doubt that is what they produce the last three weeks).

Honestly, I haven't given up on the division, despite the long odds in accomplishing it. And won't until out is mathematically impossible. Hell right now there's a higher probability of gaining the two seed, than missing the playoffs entirely.

[RiverDog]

Actually, one win in the next three ( unless you think Washington and the NYG as well as Minnesota are going to win out) gets us in the dance ( though I seriously doubt that is what they produce the last three weeks).

Honestly, I haven't given up on the division, despite the long odds in accomplishing it. And won't until out is mathematically impossible. Hell right now there's a higher probability of gaining the two seed, than missing the playoffs entirely.

I haven't looked at all the possibilities, either. All I know is that if we win 2 of 3, we are certain to get in. 1 out of 3 and it depends on other factors.

I did see the scenerio for us winning the division, and it's extremely long. Even if the Cards lose out and wes win out would only get us tied. It would throw it into the 4th or 5th tiebreaker. Personally, I've written off the division ever since we lost to the Cards.

[Hawktawk]

I did see the scenerio for us winning the division, and it's extremely long. Even if the Cards lose out and wes win out would only get us tied. It would throw it into the 4th or 5th tiebreaker. Personally, I've written off the division ever since we lost to the Cards

Heck RD I attended the AZ game and walked out writing off the playoffs, much less the division. But its an interesting scheduling quirk that makes it look a little more feasible now.
AZ is on the road at an improving Philly team then home for Green Bay who is in a dogfight for the North division. News flash AZ if Bridgewater gives you fits in your house wait for Mr Rodgers.
Meanwhile Seattle will be a huge favorite again next weekend assuming they handle their business today.
Neither game should be taken lightly and the Rams have won 2 in a row in convincing fashion but still a much easier task than AZ has.
Imagine it coming down to a winner take all battle in Glendale in week 17?

Its not over yet.

[RiverDog]

I did see the scenerio for us winning the division, and it's extremely long. Even if the Cards lose out and wes win out would only get us tied. It would throw it into the 4th or 5th tiebreaker. Personally, I've written off the division ever since we lost to the Cards

Heck RD I attended the AZ game and walked out writing off the playoffs, much less the division. But its an interesting scheduling quirk that makes it look a little more feasible now.
AZ is on the road at an improving Philly team then home for Green Bay who is in a dogfight for the North division. News flash AZ if Bridgewater gives you fits in your house wait for Mr Rodgers.
Meanwhile Seattle will be a huge favorite again next weekend assuming they handle their business today.
Neither game should be taken lightly and the Rams have won 2 in a row in convincing fashion but still a much easier task than AZ has.
Imagine it coming down to a winner take all battle in Glendale in week 17?

Its not over yet.

Even if the Hawks win out and the Cards lose out, we would only tie them for the title, and the tiebreaker would go all the way down to strength of victory. The only two teams that we have beaten, the Steelers and Cowboys, that the Cards haven't beaten are a combined record of 12-15. The two teams that the Cards have beaten that we haven't beaten, the Bengals and Saints, are 15-11. That's a 3.5 game lead, huge when there is just 11 games left between the four teams.

We needed the Cowboys to beat the Jets yesterday, which they didn't. They have Buffalo and Washington left. The Steelers also have to win, and they have the Broncos, Ravens and Browns. For us to catch the Cards, at least 4 of those 5 games have to go our way.

Plus the Bengals and Saints have to lose. The Bengals have the 49'ers, Bronco, and Ravens while the Saints have the Lions, Jags, and Falcons. In addition to the Cowboys and Steelers winning 4 of 5, the Bengals and Saints would have to lose at least 4 of their last 6.

Those are damn long odds. You'd be better off hoping to win the lottery.

[EmeraldBullet]

The Vikings fumbling away to the cardinals really sealed the division. I really believed we would take the division but RD really nailed it with the strength of victory tie breaker there. I still think we can win on the road as a WC though.

[RiverDog]

The Vikings fumbling away to the cardinals really sealed the division. I really believed we would take the division but RD really nailed it with the strength of victory tie breaker there. I still think we can win on the road as a WC though.

Yea, that was a killer. Bridgewater screwed us.

[HumanCockroach]

Ticket stamped! Post season we'll see you soon.

[Uppercut]

I think Johnny will be OK for the Browns if he can stay out of the bottle and the party scene!

[Hawktawk]

Johnny showed a little bit of moxie, ratball.He didn't look incompetent I don't think he's going to quit partying completely so if that's a deal killer in Cleveland he needs to move on.
He said after the game he would like his coach and teammates back next year so it doesn't sound like he wants to leave personally.
Whether that's a good thing is yet to be determined. A couple of things were made clear yesterday. Pettine was wrong about Wilson and Manziel isn't Wilson either.

[RiverDog]

Manziel looked great on that first drive, much less so afterwards once our defense adjusted. But IMO given the circumstances, I thought he played very well, at least well enough to where the Browns will probably not be drafting a QB in this year's draft if he continues to play like he did yesterday. I don't see him as ever becoming franchise QB material or earning a 2nd contract, but IMO he's earning a chance at a starting job if he can keep his nose clean in the offseason.