67/86/67/71 - 74

No one retires (yeehaw).

Please welcome the following players for induction
into the Hall of Fame this season:
Charlie Batch
Levon Shepherd
Andy Ross
Justin Miller
Jackie Lane
Roy Groves
Glen Saathoff
Ernest Muerch
Burt Hampton
Mo Feusse
Harvey Wallace 83%
B.J. Mudgett 83%
Donnie Sheen 91% (highest non-real NFL player %)

We retain Johan and Paniagua. Our franchise value is 5th in the league. Our profits increase 23,378%. Our attendance was at 99.5% (3rd). In order to maintain cohesion, we franchise starting C Antoine Coleman (even though we dont intend on starting him next year).

Free Agency
We are only 11 mil over the cap going into free agency, so we need to unload some contracts.

1. We deal a first round pick (24) and DE Lester Foreman to NY Jets for our new starting OLB (and 2nd Team All League LB) Lenny Spano (79/92/100/96). Our starting LB corps of Kobeski, Wheeler, and Spano is SCARY. We also pick up some cap room because we arent paying Spano's bonus.

2. Since our Guards are all over 10 yrs in the league, we need a future starter - so we offer a first pick from this year (20) and next year (ours) to Miami for 4th yr Guard Duane Hanson (90/100/94). He'll be on our line for years to come.

3. We still have 7 picks over two years, so we continue to move. We trade our remaining two first round picks and backup LB Sammy Fujimoto to Houston for the third pick in the draft.

We resign backup FB Mel Chinn to a 2-year deal. S Joseph Swift will not sign with us.

Draft

We trade our 1st round pick (3) and a first round pick from next year to Kansas City for two first round picks this year (6&26) and a first round pick next year.

We turn around the late first rounder from this year (26) and the Chief's first rounder from next year for the 9th pick in this year's draft.

1. (6) Seth Gordon, LB, Syracuse (91,100,89,95). Kobeski's understudy - he'll join Wheeler and Spano in two years to wreak havoc on the rest of the league.
1. (9) Arnold Storey, S, Southwest Louisiana (77/100/73/x/x/82). Insurance at Safety if something happens to Foster or Dunkleberger.

We fill out our roster with free agents and go through training camp, focusing on receiving sets.

Matt Champion has slipped something awful in his old age, so we decide to get a decent backup DE to step into the third spot behind our stud bookends. Recent LB moves have made LB Norman Faulk expendable, so we move him and a 4th rounder in 2019 to New England for DE Jimmie Willis (62/69/65).

Exhibition Season

Cleveland 17 at New Orleans 34
Not as bad as it looks - they return 2 ints and a kickoff for a td - so our defense only allows 13 points and 125 yards. Clark looks good, Peterson was dismal (4-21 throwing).

Clark 15-23-194-2-2
Rodriguez 15-77
Jeffries 6-66-1
Cole 6-69-1
Porter 3-42
DT Hamilton 1.5 sacks
DE Copeland, DE Duncan a sack each.

Philadelphia 29 Cleveland 14
Yuk. Back to the game plan drawing board.
Cole 7-141
Spano 8 tckls

Atlanta 17 at CLeveland 13
Growing pains. We change around some formation percentages.
Peterson 13-17-186-1-0
Cole 3-79-1
Porter 5-82

Cleveland 31 at San Francisco 24
Peterson 16-23-175-2-0
Clark 5-12-78-0
ROdriguez 10-69-1
Pearson 4-72-1
Wheeler 9 tckls
DE Copeland and DE Duncan 1.5 sacks each

Burt Porter dislocates his shoulder and is out 3-5 weeks.

Here is the starting lineup for the 2018 season with ACTUALS:

Offense

QB Lee Clark 2013 (74,81,79,79,76,95,80,80,87,95)
RB Rico Rodriguez 2014 (52,61,68,89,71,85,88,74,86)
FB Clarence Lee 2016 (84,86,96,84,90,72,80,99,94)
TE Bruce Pearson 2017 (83,100,93,86,96,100,94)
WR Robbie Jeffries 2016 (95,97,98,95,98,x,x,100)
WR Burt Porter 2017 (98,99,96,94,98,x,x,95)
WR Desmond Cole 2017 (65,100,71,96,100,x,x,96)
C Antoine Coleman 2014 (89,87,79)
RG Cory Corbett 2008 (74,84,93)
LG Norbert Page (76,91,82)
LT Stanley Hamilton (73,88,90)
RT Scott Fleming (86,75,83)
P Harris Kindred (62,78,93)
K Burt Milne (84,82,88)
RET Gerald Stegeman (92/84)

Defense

DE Sedrick Copeland (88/71/94)
DE Clifton Duncan (93/72/93)
DT Phillip Hamilton (85/85/100)
DT Louis Kirk (61/69/100)
OLB Lenny Spano (75/86/94/76)
MLB Alvin "Eighteen" Wheeler (95/94/94/99)
OLB Freddie Kobeski (78/57/94/83)
FS Trevor Foster (94/97/95/x/x/96)
SS Gerald Dunkleberger (71/84/98/x/x/97)
CB Christian Ferderer (88/88/87/32/44/94)
CB Roy Mathews (91/94/98/x/x/81)
Salary Cap 189.9 million
Room Under Cap 25,490,000 (everyone is resigned through at least next year except for Rodriguez and Foster).

Passing Cohesion: 69 (27th)
O-Line Cohesion: 86 (6th)
D-Front Cohesion: 83 (7th)
Secondary Cohesion: 87 (8th)

QB Strength: 72 (9th)
RB Strength: 94 (4th)
FB Strenth: 85 (5th)
TE Strength: 93 (3rd)
WR Strength: 100 (1st)
C Strength: 77 (4th)
G Strength: 91 (2nd)
T Strength: 99 (2nd)
P Strength: 100 (1st)
K Strength: 78 (8th)
DE Strength: 100 (1st)
DT Strength: 100 (1st)
LB Strength: 100 (1st)
S Strength: 100 (1st)
CB Strength: 100 (1st)

Regular Season

WEEK 1

Cleveland (0-0) -2 at Baltimore (0-0)
We trade punts in the first quarter and things look sketchy when Clark hits the best fourth WR in the league (Marc Francis) for 19 yd td strike. A Milne FG makes it 10-0 at the half. A FG in the 3rd Q gets the Ravens on the board, but a Rodriguez 8 yd run and Clark pass to Desmond Cole stake us toa 24-3 lead. Our old nemesis Jesse Sieh makes things interesting with two td strikes, but time runs out and we start off the right way. Clark earns player of the game and offensive player of the week!
Cleveland wins 24-17

Clark 19-41-301-2-1 (6-54 rushing) (PoG, OPoW)
Rodriguez 14-69-1
Cole 9-120-1
Jeffries 6-60
MLB Alvin "Eighteen" Wheeler 8 tckls
DE Duncan 2.0 sacks
OLB Kobeski and CB Mathews with a pick each.
Injuries: RB Rodriguez and WR Francis are probable, WR Porter still out.

WEEK 2

Jacksonville (1-0) at Cleveland (1-0) -8
A defensive struggle as Jacksonville stuffs our running game. Return man extraordinaire Gerald Stegeman comes through with a clutch punt return in the 4th quarter and we are able to eke out a win. Our defense makes plays when it has to, collecting sacks and turnovers. S Foster is obviously in a contract year and picks off 2 passes to prove it.
Cleveland wins 17-10

Clark 17-26-142-1-0
Rodriguez 22-40
Eighteen Wheeler, Kobeski, and Spano combine for 22 tckls
Hamilton and Duncan pick up a sack
Foster picks off two passes
Injuries: Burt Porter will return to the lineup next week.

WEEK 3

Cleveland (2-0) at Cincinnati (2-0) E
A must win game early in the year, our boys respond by jumping out to a 24-0 lead behind a ferocious defensive front. The only bad news is that Clark, on his way to a great day, gets knocked out half way through. He's ok, though and will start next week. Our defense holds an opponent to 10 or less points for the 3rd straight week and holds Cincy to 280 total yards. Our offense has a nice balance to it too, as we run 32 rushing plays and 29 passing plays.
Cleveland wins 24-6

Clark 11-16-152-0-0
Peterson 5-13-0-1
Rodriguez 21-97-2
Jeffries 5-97
Cole 5-103
DE Bookends Duncan and Copeland get 1.5 sacks each
DT Hamilton picks up a sack
Future star CB Matthews gets a pick
Injuries: No one beyond probable.

WEEK 4
New York Giants (2-1) at Cleveland (3-0) -8
Turnovers kill us against a defensively inept team. We get as close as 17-14 in the second half, but our defense can't hold them in the 4th quarter. Rodriguez seems physically incapapble of running around end and Clark is 0-10 on passes from 21-30 yards. This team will get its ass worked off in practice this week. In addition, we lose Captain Christian Ferderer for 2-3 months. WR Bruce Porter aggravates his injury and will sit for another week. Luckily we are deep at CB and WR.
New York Giants win 31-24

Clark 20-37-304-3-2
Rodriguez 15-42 (5-48)
Cole 3-60-1
Jeffries 5-101-1
Alvin "Eighteen" Wheeler, Kobeski, Spano, combine for 25 tckls
Injuries: CB Ferderer - OUT, WR Porter - Doubtful, C Coleman - Doubtful

WEEK 5
Cleveland (3-1) -1 at Tennessee (3-1)
Another huge tilt in the AFC Central. Tennessee beat us three times last year and we look for revenge. A defensive battle ensues as teams trade field goals and we go into the second half tied 3-3. The Browns defense wakes up as Lee Clark connects on a 19-yd pass play to Robbie Jeffries. The Titans put one more score on the board and we can't score - Milne misses a FG from our 2 - and the game goes to OT. We kick off but quickly get the ball back. Rodriguez runs for 18 yds, CLark passes to Cole for 24 yds and Francis for 30. We get stopped in our tracks, and Methusla (aka Burt Milne) trots onto the field. The snap, the kick is up. The kick is good. Milne adds to his career league leading total and the Browns win!
Cleveland wins 10-7

Clark 11-22-185-1-0
Rodriguez 22-117
Jeffries 3-55-1
Cole 3-63
LB Kobeski 13 tckls!
DE Duncan 2.0 sacks
DT Hamilton 1.5 sacks
Injuries: DE Copealnd and TE Pearson join the mounting injured list. Good thing we have a Bye Week coming up.

WEEK 6
BYE - We are 4-1. 4-0 in our div and 4-0 in our conf.

WEEK 7
Dallas (1-5) at Cleveland (4-1) -11
We give some of our injured guys the week off and set up our defense to key on the run - Dallas runs a lot. Our strategy pays off as we run out to a 17-0 lead. The offense rolls up 30 first downs, 423 yards and no turnovers. The defense picks up 5 sacks, 2 ints, while allowing just 220 yds of offense.
Cleveland wins 33-7

Clark 16-23-210-2-0 (10-63-1 rushing)
Rodriguez 20-116-1
Jeffries 6-82-1
Foster 6 tckls 1 int
Kirk, Duncan, Champion each get a sack
Hamilton gets 1.5 sacks
C Small 5 KRB, no Scks allowed
Injuries: Still nursing, but with a big division game coming up, everyone plays except for Ferderer.

WEEK 8
Cleveland (4-1) -1 at Pittsburgh (4-2)
Pittsburgh has a tough 3-4 defense, so we try and play smashmouth behind the Tackles. Milne, who has been shaky this year, comes through with two 41 yd field goals in the 2nd half. The defense rises to the occasion once again with 5 takeaways, 3 sacks, and 282 yards allowed. We have the number one rated defense in the league with respect to scoring offense. Trevor Foster gets 3 picks and is named Defensive Player of the Week.
Cleveland wins 13-6

Clark 18-29-209-1-2 (11-48 rushing)
Rodriguez 14-57
Porter 16-97
Foster 3 ints (DPoW)
Duncan 1.5 sacks
Injuries: Wheeler gets a case of shoulder tendonitis and goes on the shelf for a week or two. Ferderer is still 2 games away.

WEEK 9
Tennessee (6-2) at Cleveland (6-1) -5
The biggest game of the year to date, we spend about 30 minutes scouting individual players on the other team as we tinker with our game plan. We find the weak link, as the left side of the Titans D-line looks soft. We also gamble a bit by reducing our running % on 1,2,and 3rd down (to 60%). When Rodriguez busts a 73 yd run for his 3rd touchdown and its still the 2nd quarter, we realize the gamble has paid off. We dominate in every aspect of the game and I get giddy thinking that this team may have gelled. Our defense holds them to 12 first downs, 39 yds rushing, and 14-40 passing. They throw non-stop in the second half and our prevent mode fails us, so they get into the endzone a couple of times - but its never close. We end up rolling up 591 yards of total offense. Rico Rodriguez is the OPoW as he ties the record for most tds in a game. We reward him with a 3 year 21 million dollar contract.
Cleveland wins 46-25

Clark 20-33-314-0-1
Rodriguez 34-255-5 (OPoW, 5th most rushing yards in a game, most tds in a game)
Jeffries 8-187
Copeland 2.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Duncan 2.0 sacks
Injuries: Wheeler and Ferderer still listed as doubtful for next week.

Mid Season
QB Lee Clark 142-228 (62.2%), 1,817 yds, 10td, 6int, 90.7 rating (3rd)
RB Rico Rodriguez 162-799-9 (3rd in yards, 1st in tds)
WR Robbie Jeffries 39-662-4
DE Clifton Duncan 11.5 scks (2nd)
S Trevor Foster 6 ints (2nd)

4th in rushing offense, 10th in passing offense
11th in rushing defense, 16th in passing defense
7th in scoring offense (194), 1st in scoring defense (112)
Power Rating: 89

WEEK 10
Cleveland (7-1) -7 at Arizona (4-4)
We play neck and neck for the entire game and an Arizona FG with 6 seconds left puts the game into overtime. Three punts later and we get the ball back on Arizona's 44. CLark shows his inexperience though, and throws and interception. Arizona marches down the field in eight plays and scores. A terrible follow up to our previous game - maybe there was a hangover because our defense got torched for 454 yards.
Arizona wins 29-23 OT

Clark 19-40-263-2-1 (6-45 rushing)
Rodriguez 19-64
Jeffries 5-73
S Dunleberger and Foster 8 tckls each
DT Kirk 2.0 sacks
DE Duncan and Copeland one sack
Injuries: Ferderer and Wheeler remain doubtful.

WEEK 11
Cleveland (7-2) -8 at Oakland (4-5)
After leaving our Blitz % at 50 for the year, we amp it up to 58 for this game. It pays off with 6 sacks and 4 ints. Rodriguez gets back on track and we dominate another opponent - its 28-3 at the half and Oakland never manages a td. It doesnt even matter that CLark gets knocked out early (he's fine).
Cleveland wins 37-6

Clark 4-7-100-1-0
Peterson 11-19-130-0-1
Rodriguez 20-119-2 (fumble recov for a td)
Jeffries 3-48-1
Foster, Dunkleberger, Matthews, Whiting each get a pick
Copeland 2.0 sacks
Eddings and Kirk 1.5 sacks
Injuries: T Mitch Banks is out for the year with a broken jaw. We hit FA.

WEEK 12
Pittsburgh (7-3) at Cleveland (8-2) -2
Only a game up on the Steelers, we look to maintain our perfect record in the division. The Steelers probably have the best D in the league after us. Its a defensive struggle as expected - we take a 17-7 lead into the 4th quarter, but we hold them to field goals on three series and we squeak by with a win.
Cleveland wins 17-16

Clark 13-25-187-1-1 (6-25 rushing)
Rodriguez 14-45-1
Jeffries 2-56
Foster 9 tckls, 1 pick
Dunkleberger 9 tckls
Copeland 2 sacks
Injuries: Wheeler, who we brought back from this game, aggravates his shoulder injury and is out til the playoffs.

WEEK 13
Baltimore (3-8) at Cleveland (9-2) -13
The Ravens have a deceptively good rushing defense, but we swarm with 8 sacks, 3 takeaways - and Lee Clark has a big game. It shouldnt be close and its not. We rested some hurt guys this week but we suffered some major losses. Starting G Norbert Page is done for the year and starting LB Lenny Spano is done til the playoffs.
Cleveland wins 41-14

Clark 20-28-302-1-0 (3-15-1 rushing)
Rodriguez 16-62-1
FB Lee 6-12-2
Cole 5-124-1
Copeland 4.0 sacks
Duncan 2.5 sacks
Foster another Int
Matthews another Int
Injuries: Page, Banks gone for the year. Wheeler, Spano gone til the playoffs.

WEEK 14
Cincinnati (3-9) at Cleveland (10-2) -15
Let's cut to the chase and just say that this was another tough loss in OT - 2 of our 3 losses have come in OT. I won't metion that Milne missed two FG. Ooops. We remain but a game ahead of the Steelers in the division, but still hold all of the tie breakers.
Cincinnati wins 20-17

Clark 16-32-192-1-1
Rodriguez 16-64 (3-20-1)
Porter 10 tckls
Foster 8 tckls
Gordon 7 tckls, 1 int, 1 td
Hamilton 3.0 sacks
Duncan and Copeland 1 sack each

WEEK 15
Cleveland (10-3) -2 at New England (9-4)
We fumble the ball on our first possesion and NE returns it for a td. Lovely. We manage to score 3 touchdowns in the second quarter and go into the second half with a 21-7 lead. We hold them of in the secind half with three Milne fgs. A big win.
Cleveland wins 30-17

Clark 21-34-194-1-1
Rodriguez 21-51-1
Jeffries 8-94
Hamilton 5 tckls, 1 sack
Kirk 5 tckls, 1 sack
Foster, Matthews, Dunkleberger 1 int each
Copeland 1 sack
Injuries: none - hoping Wheeler, Spano, and Ferderer get healthy for the playoffs.

WEEK 16
Buffalo (4-10) at Cleveland (11-3) -15
It's 26-0 in the 4th quarter - Buffalo beats the prevent but doesnt come close as our defense gets 3 sacks, 4 ints, and holds Buffalo below 300 yards.
Cleveland wins 36-14

Clark 21-32-217-1-1
Rodriguez 20-54-2
Porter 5-61
Copeland 8 tckls
Foster 1 int
Dunkleberger 1 int for a td
Matthews 1 int
Duncan 1.5 sacks
Injuries: Pearson goes on the shelf for the last game. Hopefully we get a first week bye and some of these guys get healthy.

WEEK 17

Cleveland (12-3) at Jacksonville (8-7) E
Jax needs this game more than us - we have a first round bye no matter what. We get a shoot-out as the two teams combine for over 800 yards in offense and 67 points. Lee Clark has perhaps the best day of his career as he cooly drives the team down the field for the game deciding score. We lose Trevor Foster to a broken hand - hopefully the Bye week will help him heal.
Cleveland wins 35-32

Clark 20-31-241-4-0
Rodriguez 24-109 (2-15-1)
Jeffries 6-74-1
Porter 4-49-1
Duncan 1.5 sacks
Injuries: Wheeler, Pearson, Spano, Ferderer, and Foster now have a week to heal.

Playoffs

Wildcard

Detroit (9-7) 3
New Orleans (10-6) 28

Milwaukee (10-6) 17
Oakland (9-7) 24

Philly (8-8) 31
Tampa Bay (10-6) 41

Tennessee (11-5) 25
Pittsburgh (11-5) 31

Quarterfinal

Oakland (10-7) 13
New England (10-6) 23

New Orleans (11-6) 3
St Louis (11-5) 13

Tampa Bay (11-6) 27
New York G (10-6) 28

Pittsburgh (12-5) at Cleveland (13-3)
This might be the scariest team in the league because their defense is so damn good. They struck first and it looked like the route might be on, particularly when our starting CB Whiting went down. But as so many times before, our defense came through as Gerald Dunkleberger intercepted a Brendan Tomich pass and returned it 57 yards for a td. We tacked on another td pass and 2 Milne FGs in the 2nd quarter and held on thanks to 4 takeaways and 3 sacks. Clark also played a flawless game.
Cleveland wins 22-14

Clark 20-37-238-1-0
Rodriguez 17-46
Cole 3-65-1
Burroughs 8 tckls, 1 int
Dunkleberger 1 int for td
Duncan 1.5 sacks
Injuries: Everyone stays stubbornly doubtful. TE Pearson goes down and joins them.

League Finals

New York G (11-6) 13
St. Louis (12-5) 21

New England (11-6) at Cleveland (14-3) -8
New England takes a quick 17-0 lead and things look grim. It is 17-3 going into the 4th quarter, but we are able to add another FG and TD, but miss the conversion, making the score 17-12. Our defense, missing Foster, Ferderer, Wheeler, and Spano, can't hold the Pats, who score a td on a 4 yd pass play. Lee Clark marches us back down the field and hits Burt Porter with a 10 yard pass to make the score 24-19. New England gets the ball, goes 3 and out and Lee Clark gets the ball at his 36 with 21 seconds on the clock. He completes a short pass to Porter - Porter has daylight - 40...50...40...30...and he gets tackled from behind on the 26 to end the game. Son of a bitch. Our defense got 4 sacks, 2 takeaways and held them to 240 total yards, but we couldnt get the ball into the endzone when it counted.
New England wins 24-19
Clark 16-31-217-1-1
Rodriguez 26-106
Jeffries 5-71
Copeland 6 tckls, 1.5 sacks
Duncan 1.5 sacks
Hamilton 1.0 sacks
Matthews and Story 1 int

Super Bowl
New England (12-6) 17
St Louis (13-5) 16

Our natural enemy wins again. They are tied with us for most Bowl wins. THey are the only team with a better playoff record than us. I hate the Pats.

Post Mortem

Honor Roll
Qb Lee Clark 276-457, 60.3%, 3,513, 22 td, 11 int, 90.4 rating, All-League First Team QB
DE Clifton Duncan 19.0 sacks All-League Second Team Defensive End
CB Roy Mathews 46 tckls, 7 int, 1 td All-League Second Team Cornerback
S Trevor Foster 81 tckls, 11 int All-League Second Team Safety