Week 1

Well, Browns regular season football is back.  Like the Chinese proverb, I'm not sure if that's good news or bad news.

We need some perspective though.  Who honestly thought that the Browns were going to beat the Eagles?  While they certainly could should have, they did as we all expected them to do.  Their record is no different than most predicted coming out of week 1.  The reasons for that are many.  The Browns started a rookie quarterback, a rookie running back, a rookie right tackle, and had two rookie receivers on the field much of the day, against an Eagles defense that has some serious talent.  The struggles were expected, albeit incredibly frustrating.  And there will be more struggles this season, rest assured.  It's the nature of the beast with the way this team is constructed.  There were positives.  The defense played outstanding.  Phil Dawson was his usual self.  The special teams looked pretty solid.  But yes, undeniably, those positives were overshadowed by the negatives, especially on the offensive side of the ball. 

Let's start with the bad.  This is how Brandon Weeden's day started.

It actually got worse from there.  He looked like a rookie quarterback making his first start.  He overthrew Massaquoi on a sure touchdown early in the game.  That one I chalked up to adrenaline.  He was high on many throws early, and had guys in his face most of the game (more on that in a bit).  The corner route to Alex Smith late in the game was a terrible pass, he missed a wide open Smith by 5 yards.  He drops that one in and the Browns probably win.  Whether it was his first read to throw to the 5'8 Travis Benjamin on go routes against 6'2 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie I can't say, but after the first one I might have avoided that matchup.  And the final interception was an abysmal pass that was at least 5 yards high and behind Massaquoi.  His accuracy was Derek Anderson-esque, which hurts me to even type. 

He certainly wasn't helped out by his supporting cast, namely Greg FREAKING Little, who caused Weeden's first pick with an absolutely unforgivable drop on a bullet that hit him in the hands/face at the 3 yard line and bounced into Kurt Coleman's hands.  If he catches that one it's a different ballgame, at the very least the Browns get 3 there if he hangs on.  At the end of the half, on a 3rd and 1, with the Browns seemingly content to run out the clock, Weeden put on directly into the hands of Owen Marecic, who predictably dropped the ball.  John Lynch who was announcing for FOX said they ran the that same play in practice, and that Marecic dropped that one.  He was stunned that they ran the play in the game (obviously his first Pat Shurmur experience).  I was happy when the drafted Marecic, but I've honestly never seen him block well or catch 1 damn pass.  He's as worthless a fullback as has ever existed in the NFL.  I would have cut him at halftime if I was the GM.  I read on a Browns forum that last season he made a total of 2 good blocks and sustained concussions on both.  He didn't have to worry about that on Sunday, because he did nothing.  Anyway, Browns punt, Eagles get the ball back, and score.  Different ballgame.  The margin for error is going to be so small with this team that those mistakes are going to be the difference, and in this game they were.

Weeden was bad, but Mitchell Schwartz was horrible.  Jason Babin owned him the entire game.  He was abused on every play I focused on him,  Babin is a good player, don't get me wrong, but he flat out dominated Schwartz the entire game.  It was ugly.  He was a big part of the problem with the offense on Sunday, they couldn't run his way and he couldn't block one on one in the passing game.  Hard to be a successful offense with a defensive end in the backfield the entire game. 

Trent Richardson looked like a rookie running back, although he didn't have too much room to operate.  He dropped a screen pass and ran into the pile a few carries, but hard to find too much fault with him.  He's going to be special.  At least there was this.

Again, there were some bright spots.  The defense played an outstanding game.  D'Qwell Jackson is an absolute stud.  Every player on the defensive line looked good to me.  Both Craig Robertson and LJ Fort stepped in to a tough situation and made plays.  If Fort could've made one more though.....

Joe Haden is a stud and it is really going to hurt when he gets suspended, and TJ Ward played well.  It's really hard to find fault with a defense that can hold that explosive of an offense to 17 points.  They were outstanding and fun to watch.

Josh Cribbs had some nice returns and Phil Dawson is awesome.

It was one game, the first for many key players that will hopefully be a part of this franchise's turnaround.  I think they will all get better.  I expect Schwartz and Weeden to improve a ton, starting this week against Cincinnati, and continuing throughout the season.  I think Richardson is a beast.  If Haden plays I actually think they beat the Bengals next Sunday, though that may be getting ahead of myself.

I'm not going to get into all the reasons here, because there will be plenty of time for second guessing this season, but Pat Shurmur is the worst head coach in the NFL.  GO FOR 2 DUMMY.  And mix up your stale, predictable playcalling.  He's terrible. 

There is hope for the future, and even though this one hurt, they're going to be better.  And there's this.