Browns’ McCoy, Rams’ Bradford to meet again

Associated Press

Cleveland

Once reviled rivals, Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford are now fast friends.

However, that doesn’t mean they won’t scuffle.

“They would compete eating ice cream cones,” said Browns coach Pat Shurmur, who has taught both young quarterbacks.

On Sunday, McCoy and Bradford will renew the “Red River” rivalry they began in college during shootouts between Texas and Oklahoma as the Browns (3-5) host the St. Louis Rams (1-7) in a game featuring two struggling teams with low-scoring offenses going through growing pains while trying to develop — and protect — their young QBs.

McCoy went 2-1 against Bradford during college, but the Rams’ starter was quick to point out this week that he got hurt during their final head-to-head meeting, which makes their first matchup in the NFL somewhat of a tiebreaker.

“Games I finished, it was 1-1,” Bradford said. “I don’t really want to count the game I got hurt. I think we were ahead when I went down, but I don’t want to really remember that one.”

McCoy is lucky he can remember last week.

Cleveland’s second-year quarterback took a pounding in the Browns’ 30-12 loss at Houston. With his parents watching from the stands, McCoy was sacked four times, knocked down eight others and was on the receiving end of a vicious hit under the chin from Texans linebacker Brooks Reed. On that play, McCoy somehow managed to complete a pass to rookie wide receiver Greg Little.

It wasn’t until offensive tackle Artis Hicks peeled him off the turf that McCoy knew he connected with Little.

“Then I kind of put all my senses together,” he said.

The Browns are devoting this season to learning about McCoy, who was so impressive while making eight starts as a rookie but has been erratic while trying to grasp Shurmur’s West Coast offense. McCoy enters this week ranked 27th overall among the league’s quarterbacks, with his 5.73 yards per completion average one spot from the bottom.