RENTON – Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy and Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas had their fair share of battles on the practice field as teammates at the University of Texas.
But for the first time in the NFL, the second-year pros will meet on the field this Sunday when Seattle travels to Cleveland to face the Browns.
According to Thomas, he won more times than he lost to McCoy on the practice field back in Austin, Texas.
“He would never say it, but he kind of kicked off my career in a way,” Thomas said. “In the spring game (my freshman year), I picked him off for like 50 (yards) – he was chasing me (to) the end zone. I kind of did him bad right there. But he’s always saying it was a (pass interference) call – you know how quarterbacks are. But he’s a good guy, though.”
Of course, McCoy offers a slightly different version of that story.
“Yeah he picked us off,” McCoy said. “He should. He’d seen all of our plays all spring.”
What’s evident is that each player has a healthy dose of respect for the other’s ability and they are highly competitive athletes who don’t like to lose.
“He’s more of a show-me guy on the field,” Thomas said about McCoy. “But he also, if he feels like the team’s slipping, he’ll step up and say what he’s got to say.He plays with a chip on his shoulder, and it shows on the field.”
Said McCoy: “Earl’s a great player, and he’s having a great career so far. He’s playing good this year. We competed hard while we were at UT in practice and definitely made each other better.”
In his second season as Cleveland’s starter, McCoy is trying to shake off some inconsistent play while leading the Browns’ version of the West Coast offense.
At 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, McCoy isn’t considered a prototypical pocket passer. Cleveland has struggled running the ball, and McCoy threw a mind-boggling 61 times in one game, a 31-13 loss to Tennessee three weeks ago.
After completing 70 percent of his passes at Texas, McCoy is completing 56 percent of his passes this season and has a pedestrian 78.1 passer rating.
Similar to the Seahawks, the Browns have had a tough time getting going early in games. They have been outscored 34-3 in the opening quarter this season.
“My attitude is, I’ve just really got to continue to try to work and improve and get better and make the guys around me better,” McCoy said. “And at some point, we’re going to kind of click and put it all together.
“Right now, we’re just a little bit off, a little bit inconsistent. You can blame that on a lot of different things – you’re young, new system, new coaches, no offseason – but those are all excuses. We’ve just got to keep plugging away and find a way to win some games.”
Although McCoy’s statistics aren’t pretty, Seattle coach Pete Carroll is not taking him lightly.
“He’s just a really good football player,” Carroll said. “He’s not as tall as some guys, he’s not as big and strong as some guys, he’s not maybe as fast as Michael Vick and those guys, but he’s got really good mobility, and he knows what he’s doing on the field.
“He’s really dangerous when he starts to move. He’s been making plays his whole life, and it shows up.”
QB JACKSON LIMITED
Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson participated in practice Wednesday but was limited, doing some light throwing in individual drills, along with some handoffs during inside running drills.
Charlie Whitehurst handled the majority of repetitions with the first unit during the team portion of practice, and Josh Portis got a handful of reps with the starters.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell echoed what Carroll said earlier this week – that the team will prepare as if Whitehurst will be the starter on Sunday and will get rookie Josh Portis ready in case he has to play.
“Right now, you go with Charlie. That’s the way we’re planning on it,” Bevell said. “Tarvaris is doing all he can to get back. He’s working hard. He’s throwing the ball a little bit. He took some reps today. But that’s the way you plan. And that’s the way you go with it.”
PLAYERS ON PUP LIST RETURN TO PRACTICE
Seattle’s three players on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list – defensive back Roy Lewis, receiver Deon Butler and tight end Cameron Morrah – were eligible to practice for the first time on Wednesday. All three looked explosive and made it through practice without any setbacks.
Lewis, a former Washington Huskies player, said he hopes to show the defensive coaching staff enough this week that he can be added to the active roster Sunday.
“Absolutely,” Lewis said. “I don’t know what the decision-making process is upstairs, but my job is to go out there every day with the highest standards to perform to that standard that we set here. And I’m going to do that every day.”
Said Butler: “I’ve been watching long enough. So I’ll kind of go through my bumps, bruises and mistakes and get out there and get into the flow of this thing.”
EXTRA POINTS
The Seahawks released recently added running back Allen Bradford and signed linebacker Heath Farwell, a seven-year veteran who last played with the Minnesota Vikings. Seattle has seven linebackers on the active roster. … Offensive lineman Robert Gallery (groin), receiver Mike Williams (concussion), running back Marshawn Lynch (ankle) and linebacker Malcolm Smith (hamstring) were full participants in practice. Center Max Unger (foot) and tight end Zach Miller (head/neck) did not participate in practice.
Eric D. Williams: 253-597-8437 eric.williams@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/seahawks
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