Browns | Seahawks, loud fans present big test in Manziel’s development

But with Pettine, who used his platform last week to throw the front office under the bus to use it this week to criticize the player who has singlehandedly made his team a 15-point favorite this Sunday seems ill-advised. Check them out below. The only question will be by how much.

Bennett took his turn Thursday weighing in on a debate that was raised anew earlier his week when Browns coach Mike Pettine contended that Wilson isn’t in the class of quarterbacks who “can transcend their supporting cast” – naming Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger – and said “he’s certainly played himself into that next tier”.

Wilson’s passer rating over those four games of 145.9 is, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the highest four-game passer rating in National Football League history.

Smith has played in all 77 games in his five-year career, but this is the first time he’s missed two practices during the week this season.

When the season started, not many thought the Browns were headed for a playoff season as the schedule looked formidable on paper. His completion percentage was good (65.8 percent), but still almost 10 percent lower than the past four games.

Another very good, nay, amazing, friend of mine (you got it, I do only have the two) is a Washington fan (not Huskies).

The stat? In the first quarter Sunday against Baltimore, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson had 4.9 seconds from the snap of the ball until he released his touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett.

Seattle, though, has held opponents to a total of 176 rushing yards during its winning streak. CB Richard Sherman has interceptions in two of his last three games after going 11 games without pick…. It appears we were a bit optimistic picking the Browns to be 6-10 as to accomplish that mark the Browns would have to win out. Their three wins this year are all against teams that are below.

As for the off-field stuff, Manziel said this week he promises to figure that out, too.

After starting off the season 2-3, fans and media alike were questioning if this team’s run of greatness was nearing an end. While not being able to utilize Graham properly affected Seattle’s offense, what hurt even more was their inept offensive line play throughout the first half of the season.

OK, so what tier is Russell Wilson on now?

Prediction: Seahawks win, 38-17.

For the season, Baldwin is on pace to be the first Seattle wide receiver with 1,000 yards since Bobby Engram in 2007. Several folks around the country are still wondering which team can slow down Russell Wilson, who has been on an absolute tear these past four weeks, and my guess is that it won’t be the Browns. With Marshawn Lynch still recovering from abdominal surgery and Thomas Rawls out for the year with a broken ankle, the Seahawks are turning to the trio of Bryce Brown, Christine Michael and Derrick Coleman to handle the load. Fullback Derrick Coleman could also get a few carries if necessary.

One final note on the Seahawks” resurgence: “this team has a chance to take an enormous step in terms of how they’ll be remembered historically. The Seahawks defense isn’t the NFL’s No1 any more and Beastmode has been deactivated for the year. That is the place Wilson’s carried out a superb job as nicely, when he is been pressured to get out of the pocket he is a menace to scramble for the primary down.

The Browns’ offense is led by Johnny Manziel, Isaiah Crowell, and Gary Barnidge. Seattle also hasn’t played a road playoff game since the 2013 Divisional Round, when their furious comeback against the Falcons was spoiled by a last second Matt Bryant field goal as they lost 30-28.