Rookie QB is real McCoy as leader

By Marla Ridenour
Akron Beacon Journal sports writer
http://www.ohio.com/
POSTED: 10:28 p.m. EDT, Oct 17, 2010

PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 17: Colt McCoy #12 of the Cleveland Browns waits under center during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 17, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

PITTSBURGH: Colt McCoy left the locker room in round-toe cowboy boots, not the plastic one that has become the preferred footwear of fellow Browns quarterbacks Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace.

Considering he'd just wrestled some steers otherwise known as the Pittsburgh Steelers and an angry bull in linebacker James Harrison, the fact that McCoy emerged upright from his NFL debut was stunning in itself.

But just as surprising was that McCoy walked out of Heinz Field with his poise and confidence intact after a 28-10 loss. So much so that left guard Eric Steinbach lauded the rookie for having the ''it'' factor and seemed ready to follow him for the rest of the season, if not the rest of his career.

''You can tell he's a natural-born leader,'' Steinbach said. ''It's good to have him in the huddle. A lot of rookies can't come in right away. They might want to be a leader, but he's got that 'it.' If he's our guy from here on out and we can build off what we started. . .we'll be all right.''

McCoy's numbers — 23-of-33 for 281 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions and an 80.5 rating — were inflated by the Browns' final possession. McCoy completed 4-of-5 for 58 yards in a drive that ended at the Steeler 29 as time expired.

He admitted he should have had three interceptions, the other on a hitch to Brian Robiskie that was broken up by linebacker LaMarr Woodley. McCoy said that ball was probably a completion for the University of Texas, but not against the Steelers, who are ''really fast and really good.''

Just as telling was how McCoy handled his first interception, off tight end Ben Watson's hands and into those of safety Ryan Clark with 11:12 left in the first quarter. With offensive coordinator Brian Daboll ready to attack, McCoy threw into tight coverage and paid for it.

But he said he came back to the huddle, told his offensive line it had given him great protection and moved on.

''I [said] 'It's over. We got one, it's just like a punt, let's get the ball back and keep working,' '' McCoy said. ''For the most part, it's just shaking that off. It's not easy to do, even now. We did and kept moving.''

Even though he absorbed five sacks and was hit four more times, McCoy seemed to grow stronger as the game went on. He stood in the pocket in the face of the ever-blitzing Steelers and even drew praise from their architect, hall of fame defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. He wasn't afraid to throw over the middle. He scrambled out of trouble. His targets went all-out for him, especially after receivers Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi were knocked out of the game with head injuries at the hands (and helmet) of Harrison.

The son of a high school football coach, McCoy even worked with center Alex Mack to change the Browns' snap counts on every play and proudly pointed out that twice they got the Steelers to jump offsides. The Browns may not have had another rookie quarterback since 1999 with such clarity in his debut.

Browns fans have been smitten before. Brady Quinn's first start in a losing effort against the Denver Broncos in 2008 also drew good reviews. But there was no escaping the comparison to rookie Charlie Frye's game against the Steelers in 2005, a 41-0 drubbing. A third-round pick from the University of Akron, Frye was sacked eight times and fumbled four, losing one.

There was no doubt that McCoy's poise set him above those who preceded him.

''At no point during the week did I think this was too big for him and at no point during the game did I feel that way, either,'' coach Eric Mangini said.

And Mangini wasn't the only one. Running back Peyton Hillis knows McCoy's background at Texas, where he set the NCAA record for victories with 45, and at Tuscola, Texas, High School, where McCoy went 34-2.

''He's been leading all these teams his whole life to titles, so he knows how to manage a team,'' Hillis said. ''Once a winner, always a winner, I always say. I really look forward to him to bring that here with us.''

Even Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was complimentary.

''I'm sure they're excited about him. They should be,'' Tomlin said. ''He showed some innate things that are quarterback things.''

He showed some more in Saturday night's team meeting.

''When he talked to the team, he stands up and looks everybody in the eye,'' tight end Evan Moore said. ''Most guys sit down. That's the kind of leader he is.''

Asked what he said, McCoy responded like a true Texan.

''I told them the hay was in the barn,'' he said. ''Just meant we worked really hard all week and we were prepared and we had a good game plan.''

And did he have to translate like he did for the media?

''Some of the city folk, I had to,'' he said.

Mangini wasn't ready to commit to McCoy for next week's road game against the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.

''We'll see what our quarterback situation is next week before I can even say that,'' Mangini said.

But with the Browns 1-5 and the Saints, New England Patriots and New York next up, the latter two after an Oct. 31 bye, handing the reins to McCoy — until Delhomme and Wallace are healthy or even for the rest of the season — makes sense. What's to be gained by playing 35-year-old Delhomme or 30-year-old Wallace, especially when McCoy seemed more than ready for the Steelers' defense, perhaps the truest test of all?

President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert need to find out whether they have a quarterback of the future before they draft another one. And perhaps the hay is already in the barn.


Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at http://marla.ohio.com/. Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MarlaRidenour.