By: Erik Drost

Eighteen games into his head coaching career Pat Shurmur continues to puzzle me. Here are five questions about which I am curious going into the Browns week three match-up against the Bills.

1. Why does Owen Marecic start at fullback? Better yet, why does he even play on special teams? Through the first two games he has recorded zero receptions and has yet to be observed making a play-changing block. I have repeatedly seen him get beat and drop passes. Just think how much more Trent Richardson could do with a solid fullback (Lawrence Vickers, anyone? Raise your hand if you miss that guy.) I’m ready to see rookie Brad Smelley get a shot. At least he has shown that he can make plays by catching the ball. The Bills’ front four is top notch, so solid fullback play would be more than beneficial on Sunday.
2. What’s up with the pre-snap penalties? Right guard Shawn Lauvao is to the Cleveland Browns what J.T. Shugarts, err Jeff Shugarts (as he now apparently prefers to be called) was to the Ohio State Buckeyes. While overall the right side of the offensive line has been playing well, Lauvao consistently manages to get called for a false start. However, even pro bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and veteran center Alex Mack have been called for one this season. Nothing is more frustrating for an offense than a pre-snap penalty.
3. Where was linebacker LJ Fort against the Bengals on Sunday? After the undrafted rookie’s NFL debut against the Eagles in which he recorded both a sack and an interception, I thought he would begin to see more playing time, even with Scott Fugita returning to the line-up; however, that was not the case.

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Written by Heather

I have been a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan ever since I can remember and was a football cheerleader from the age of nine until I graduated from high school. I was devastated when the Browns left for Baltimore. I couldn’t watch the NFL anymore and refused to become a fan of any another team. I drive two and a half hours from Columbus, OH to Cleveland to almost every home game where I sit in the row six of the Dawg Pound. I have attended training camp and also try to go to away games whenever I can. I have seen them play in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, and Jacksonville, and my goal is to eventually see them play in every stadium in the league! I refuse to miss a single play of a game (whether it is a pre-season or regular season game) no matter how badly they may be losing or how awful the weather may be off Lake Erie. I literally schedule my life around their games and have missed baby showers, bowling (I’m a bowler), and other events just to watch their games live. My dog is even named Dieken after the great former Brown and current Browns radio color analyst Doug Dieken. I am a member of Browns Backers Worldwide and bleed orange and brown. Go, Browns!

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