NBA Report: Cavs’ Anderson Varejao cleared for training camp
September 15, 2013While We’re Waiting… Hoping the Indians can distract us from the ugliness
September 16, 2013More than anything else today, I’m struck by how bad the Browns were as an entertainment vehicle. The Cleveland Browns took a 6-0 lead into halftime, the defense played well, until eventually they started to tire. They gave up 14 unanswered points in the second half as Brandon Weeden missed a wide open Chris Ogbonnaya and Greg Little booted multiple attempts at catches. Delay of game penalties haunted the Browns as well. On the bright(ish) side, Trent Richardson got a decent number of chances and Oneil Cousins kept his name off of our tongues. Ultimately, beyond the loss, it just wasn’t fun football to watch.
Maybe Josh Gordon is the most important player on the Cleveland Browns. We’ll find out next week, I guess. He shouldn’t be able to make this offense any worse, that’s for sure. Maybe it’s Shawn Lauvao that the Browns need so badly. I’m sure there will be arguments against me, but I still think it comes down to Brandon Weeden more than anything else.
Yes, Weeden has tons of pressure in his face. Yes, Greg Little continues to struggle pulling in catches. I don’t think that tells the story though. Weeden waits for guys to be open open. He doesn’t throw to a spot when a guy is going to come out of his break. He seems to lack that instinct and anticipation that’s required to throw a guy open. The Ravens amassed a good number of sacks that just seemed to be the result of an indecisive QB. I’ll reserve complete judgment until I can review the tape, but the results have to say something about what I think my eyes are telling me at first glance.
Weeden also went out in the fourth quarter with a reported thumb injury. The Jason Campbell experience wasn’t much to write home about, either of course as the Browns started his first drive from their own six inch line. We’ll obviously be on that story to see if Weeden will even get the chance to welcome back Josh Gordon from his two game suspension next week.
Divisional road games against the Ravens are never going to be easy, but some years they are winnable. This year was one of those years and the Browns couldn’t take advantage. They peed down their own leg and wasted an afternoon for Browns fans. They didn’t waste the afternoon just because they lost. They wasted it because they were awful to watch while also losing.
135 Comments
I watched the end of the game and wish that I would have spent that time chiseling plaster off of the wall like I had been doing all day.
I’m not defending Trent at all in terms of saying he’s a “star” or anything, but what from our run blocking have you seen that would allow ANY running back to succeed? I mean, some say Trent is “dancing” in the backfield, but when there are three unblocked Ravens there, what is he supposed to do?
Interesting. Now tell me how the Browns can severely improve on talent, coordination, and execution in just 1 day, please?
Huh??
Benjamin isn’t an NFL WR he’s a special teamer period but I don’t get not using Cooper. He and Bess should be running crossing patterns all day allowing Cameron to do other things. With Gordon returning you can add him in the mix. Do what Miami did to the Browns in week one what the Patriots can only do now and what Denver does with Welker. The bright side is even Weeden should be able to recognize Cooper from their college days.
the prob is Cooper isn’t very good, though many fans want him to for reasons unrelated to football. He’s supposed to be Mr. Sticky-Hands but he dropped his share of preseason game balls. Have no idea, all players being healthy, why they kept him over Jordan Norwood, who had a few nice games last year. My suggesting him was desperate. Maybe he’ll get open. Maybe Weeden doesn’t mind looking for him.
$12.00? That’s for two, right??
I was thinking the same thing early Sunday morning.
LoL deja vu
I agree about Cooper but I’m desperate also I need someone who can at least catch the ball. If you can’t catch the rest doesn’t matter. Throw me a bone Harv!
You can say that and I agree, but 2 weeks in a row when this D has absolutely had to get the ball back to Weeden with a chance for the win, they let their opponent drive for a TD.
Blue Jackets?
Throw to a spot. Either the receiver drops the ball or the DB gets a P.I. Thats what real QB’s do.
Pittsburgh Steelers, actually. Took them 39 years to win a playoff game.
become the Hulk, run through them, and drag a 4th Raven 40yds down the field before finally, mercifully flicking him off before running the last 20yds half-speed in defiance of the defense afraid to catch up with him.
I would love for Weeden to approach 2010 Freeman. Heck, I’d take 2012 Freeman over what he is doing too. Yes, this season, Josh has been horrific, but he at least has demonstrated some competency in the past.
at this point though, neither is the answer, so let’s just get through “another” year and find our QB in the draft.
There’s no doubt in my mind the loser Clowns win that one. If we did happen to lose it, there’s also no doubt in my mind that our #1 QB ends up sucking and the guy drafted #2 behind him makes the HOF. It’s the Cleveland way.
this is true. Yesterday’s drives were in the third and early in the fourth quarters. The Ravens lost Rice and they still ran right over defenders. If they set this team up for a dominant front 7, they have to perform when the game’s on the line. Second week in a row the pass rush let up late.
how can I be sure you won’t drop it?
“Browns Football, it’s a new era”
*Facepalm*
That’s as much of a “MUST LOSE” game as I’ve ever seen.
and the FO who decide to roll with the same players
Tie some ladies lingerie to it!!!!!
#BOOM
we are bad, but I still don’t think we’ll be bad enough to contend for that #1 overall pick. we’ll see.
Absolutely!
And that’s the Cleveland way!
I hear what you are saying, They do absolutely have to get the ball back to Weeden for a chance to win, but at that point I doubt they have any faith that he can do it. And yes, 2 weeks in a row it is a problem. and let’s not get started on the anyone in the Secodary not named Joe Haden,
I never said it was possible.
Exactly. Therefore, all we can do is wait and see what develops.
go buy your own
DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMN!
Your statement implies that the rest of the time he looks average. I think that may be charitable based on what I’ve seen.
I just heard most of Chud’s short press conference today and to say I was less then inspired would be an understatement. He sounded like the same down trodden monotone head coach that has been here for years and it’s been just two games. He did have the patented answers down though: we had areas of improvement but obviously there is still a long way to go yadda yadda yadda. When asked for specifics the first thing he said was improved techniques – lol.
Agreed – I think the running back situation says it all. They have like $25 mil in cap space and they go into the season with Rainey and Johnson as Trent’s backups. Just unbelievable.
I know there will be stuff about the Indians. Just frustrating to see how there’s always half a dozen instant analysis Browns article (not just here, but at all Cleveland associated sites) and so little discussion on the Indians while they are in the midst of a playoff race. I like the Browns, but the Browns have long failed to earn any respect, yet they still get so much attention. Maybe other Cleveland fans just enjoy being miserable?
The Indians and the Cavs are farther along, IMHO. I do still believe the new regime can turn things around long term, but things won’t click until the back half of the season.