Ohio State scores early and often, demolish UNLV, 54-21
September 23, 2017Why can we not show each other mutual respect? : While We’re Waiting
September 25, 2017One quarter derailed the Browns attempt for their first win of the season. The Cleveland Browns lost to the previously winless Indianapolis Colts on the road, 31-28. The Browns put together one of the worst quarters I have ever seen in today’s second quarter. Cleveland attempted to comeback from a 21-point second quarter deficit, but the comeback came up short. The Browns actually outgained the Colts in total yards, 346 to 335 yards. But, the Browns’ second quarter performance has left them still looking for win No. 1.
The first quarter can be summed up with one word, almost. The Browns had a potential big pass play by tight end Seth DeValve, but the play was called back because of a pick DeValve made on a Colts defender. Besides that lost opportunity, the Browns offense struggled to move the ball consistently in the quarter. Almost also applied to the Browns defense. Especially on the Colts final drive of the quarter, the Browns had a couple of almost sacks that would have derailed the Indianapolis drive. But almost was not enough as the Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett led his offense to a touchdown capped off by a touchdown run by the young quarterback. The Browns left the first quarter trailing the Colts 7-0.
Embarrassing would be the word to describe the defensive performance in the second quarter. After the Browns offense tied the game up on their first drive of the quarter, the Browns defense decided to make Brissett look like an All-Pro for a quarter. Brissett led three of the team’s four drives (the final one was just a kneel down) to a touchdown, bursting the Colts lead to 28-7. Jabrill Peppers played the worst quarter of his young career, making Greg Williams decision to put him as a deep safety continually head scratching. It was the Brissett-T.Y. Hilton show. Brissett finished the half 9 of 12 for 206 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing four times for 19 yards and two touchdowns. Hilton caught five passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. The Browns salvaged a little at the end of the half when Kizer led the offense to a touchdown in just over two minutes. The Browns trailed 28-14 at half.
Mistakes and missed opportunities killed the Browns in the third quarter. The Browns completely outplayed the Colts in the quarter, but big mistakes kept the Browns gaining any ground on Indianapolis. The Browns defense finally woke up and was able to stop the Colts offense, giving the young offense a chance to come back. But, Kizer and the offense let those opportunities go out the window. Kizer threw two interceptions on two drives that could have netted them points, including one in the redzone. The unit also was hurt by two big offensive pass interference penalties that negated positive plays. After all of that, the Brown still trailed 28-14 going into the fourth.
The Colts added an early fourth quarter field goal that seemed to put the game to bed. But, Kizer and the offense were not done. Kizer led two straight touchdowns drives that cut the deficit to 31-28. The offense put together a nice aerial display to make the game interesting. The Browns attempted to onside the ensuing kickoff with just over two minutes to play, but the attempt flopped and the Colts picked up the ball. Even with the failed onside, the Browns got the ball back with just over 20 seconds to go in the game. Alas, Kizer could not put together a miracle. The Browns last second effort ended with Kizer’s third interception of the game. The comeback comes up short with the Browns falling 31-28 to the Colts.
The team’s second quarter performance was putrid to say the least and it was stirred up by horrible coaching decisions by Hue Jackson and Gregg Williams. On offense, the Browns were once again pass happy with no consistent run game to speak of. Jackson once again put the weight of the entire offense on the back of the rookie quarterback. He made nothing easy for Kizer. On defense, Williams’ need to put Peppers as the deep safety hurt the team. Peppers took bad angles in the second quarter that allowed Brissett to throw like he was Peyton Manning. Peppers’ game is not best suited as a rangy deep safety, but rather a safety who plays downhill and is around the ball. That needs to change. The coaches put the Browns in a bad position and the Browns players’ bad performance compounded it, resulting in the horrible second quarter that put the Browns behind the eight ball the entire game.
Kizer finished the game completing 22 of 47 for 242 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, along with a rushing touchdown. His leading receiver was Duke Johnson, who caught six passes for 81 yards. Johnson added a 23 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
The Browns will look to win their first game of the season next week when the Cincinnati Bengals come to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
22 Comments
Nah, we don’t need Terrelle Pryor.
This is exactly what you get when your receivers aren’t even rosterable on any other team. That game was a W waiting to be grabbed. But these receivers can’t grab anything with those hands.
This is exactly how you stunt the growth of what seems to be the best QB Cleveland has had since 1999.
Well that went well. The Colts. The Colts!
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Surely there will be much justifiable dissection of individual play in the next few days. What struck me most today were symptoms of poor coaching. Good coaching produces disciplined play, and schemes that give your personnel, no matter how thin on talent and experience, a chance to win or at least compete. Good coaching exploits the opponent’s weaknesses, and today’s opponent has plenty of its own issues.
What we saw were stupid penalties and repeated ones. We saw nothing from our heralded DC that managed to confuse an opposing newbie QB. We saw Hue, again, get caught up in too many passes, especially considering the opponent. And my fav: Hue the HC needing to stop and argue with a ref about a third down offensive PI call, and then not getting the play call to Kizer until there were about 12 seconds left on the play clock, forcing his rookie – on a crucial third-and-long – to hear it, huddle, scan the defense and snap it in a panic. Good coaches are coaches who coach well. Not ones we proclaim as such because the possible alternative is too much to bear 19 years in. Appears to me the team needs an overseer, not one acting in-game as QB whisperer, OC and HC. And if he survives into a third year it’s up to the Haslams to save Hue, and us, from Hue’s excesses.
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Good teams win, bad teams backdoor cover.
I think I was generous with my prediction this season.
The second quarter was who this team is. The rebuild is a disaster because it’s asking young players to make big plays and overcome the sloppiness of the team.
hi CKR … we’re in year 2 of a total rebuild … can’t consider it a disaster yet.
There is a limit at some point I would say. The Browns do not look like a well coached team so far and they didn’t last year. Everything they do is oddly sloppy. And you can’t be sloppy and win games in the NFL.
I don’t mean to gloat and be obnoxious, but did anyone happen to see the Redskins against the Raiders? I have not seen a defensive performance like that from a Redskins team since 1991. I don’t even have any responses loaded for them playing this well, and have instead been sitting around as if someone hit me over the head. I tried to find my old fan manual for successful teams, but the cover had faded and I think I picked up the wrong one. The one I found read as follows:
“Inflate your cheek pouches and ruffle your tail feathers before strutting around your nest while gobbling enticingly to the female”.
It is definitely the wrong manual. Still, it’s the only one I have, so here goes:
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hi SKULB … i agree. and odds are if you have the youngest team in the NFL , in the 2nd year of a total rebuild , there are going to be mistakes … it definitely points to the coaches , but the players are the ones out there making or not making plays.
True. It’s just that I was hoping they would look at least a little less disheveled than they did last year. Still, early yet. We’ll see how it goes.
Random thoughts:
I have been harsh on Duke Johnson for underacheiving but he played really well yesterday, hope to see more of that.
Al Saunders is widely considered a very solid WR coach. At what point can we blame him or does just low-rent talent just expose it’s true nature in the cauldron of a game?
Best line on twitter yesterday “Every time a Browns WR drops a ball, I get a smile knowing we won the Terrelle Pryor negotiation”
I think people most let down yesterday had too high expectations from a 1-15 team. I will change my expectations when I see results, not because it is a new year.
I had Peyton Manning on a fantasy team his rookie year. I lived in LA TV market then and we got many games due to no local team. I remember watching them force-feed him a lot then and seeing a lot of similar results.
Go Tribe.
I have very little positive to say about this game. I’m starting to sour on the coaches more than anything else right now.
Re: Saunders… So you’re suggesting that Teflon Goldfish Tabor has a new tank-mate?
Come get some…
The Browns have lost more games in September than the Indians.
Don’t you worry. I will. I will.
How is Pryor doing this season?
Pryor – 10 catches – 116 yds – 0 TD’s
Britt – 5 catches – 69 yds – 1 TD
I don’t think Pryor would be making much of a difference … we’re probably still 0-3 with him here. at what point is it coaching , lack of concentration or lack of talent when you have 8 dropped passes & FOUR offensive pass interference penalties ??
i don’t care who is playing WR & TE … all of these guys have been doing it for a while & doing it at a fairly high level. sure, they have a rookie QB running things right now & making rookie mistakes , but these guys aren’t helping.
The coaches should use those jug machines all week.
I think he’s a good coach and these guys are mostly bums.