Detmer. Couch. Pederson. Wynn. Holcomb. Garcia. McCown. Dilfer. Frye. Anderson. Quinn. Dorsey. Gradkowski. Delhomme. Wallace. McCoy. Weeden. Lewis. Hoyer. Campbell.
There are your twenty starting quarterbacks of the Cleveland Browns since they returned in 1999. I've seen the jersey with all the names, but actually typing it out is stunning. What a world class collection of never were's and never should have beens. Jason Campbell started against the Chiefs at Arrowhead on Sunday, losing 23-17. Jason Campbell makes 20 starting quarterbacks in the past 14 seasons. Jason Campbell wasn't terrible, Jason Campbell was better than some names on that list, and Jason Campbell may end up starting every game for the rest of the season. When the clock runs out on the 2013 season, the main priority will be to find quarterback 21, and have him be the long term solution that this franchise has been lacking.
It's a difficult thing, watching your team and knowing that despite being only halfway through the season the best thing for them would be to lose. Even with the knowledge and understanding that it is not in the Browns best interest to win anymore games, I cannot help but root for them, to get excited, to want to see them victorious. I am a Browns fan, one who has seen a tremendous amount of losing in my lifetime. So yeah, I wanted the Browns to win on Sunday, when they had an opportunity to do so. But ultimately it's another loss, and another step closer to a franchise quarterback. This is going to be the way I soothe myself after these games, by continually telling myself that this is true. It is the truth. But DAMMIT the Chiefs aren't as good as their record, Alex Smith is terrible, and the Browns should have won. What the hell Devone Bess??? *Exhales*.
Jason Campbell played okay. He did not do anything to lose the game. I think it's fair to say he played better than Brandon Weeden would have. He found Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron, his two best playmakers. He got rid of the ball. He played a decent game, but that's what he is - a decent quarterback. He is not the quarterback of the future, he's the next in line until that franchise quarterback is found. The performances by Hoyer and now Campbell prove two things. One, that Brandon Weeden is pretty awful. And two, that if this team had a good quarterback, it would make some noise.
The game itself started miserably, both for the offense and the defense. It was an admirable job by the coaching staff to both slow down the Chiefs and get the offense going after falling behind 13-0 and then 20-7. Ray Horton's defense played a great second half and the Browns were in a position to win the game. Norv and Chud pulled out the flea flicker to revitalize a stagnant offense. They were able to get back in the game. However it wasn't enough. Devone Bess (more like Devone Worse AMIRITE) was absolutely awful. Not only did he fumble away a punt that would have put the Browns near midfield down only three points, he also dropped 3 passes, none more important than the fourth down play in the 4th quarter with the game on the line. What a horrible game from a player that was supposed to stabilize the wide receiver position. But ultimately the Browns lost, which is the best thing for the Browns. And that sucks but it is the truth.
It is going to be a rough final 8 games I have a feeling, but in the end it is what is best for the future of the franchise. I'm going to be writing that a lot I have a feeling.
A final takeaway from this game is that Josh Gordon is the best player on the Browns offense, and trading him for a second round pick is lunacy. Here's another list - Kevin Johnson, Quincy Morgan, Dennis Northcutt, Brian Robiskie, Mohammed Massaquoi, Greg Little. Those are the second round receivers that have been drafted by this team since '99. AWFUL. All of Gordon's 8 career touchdowns have come from 20 yards or more. He is one of the most talented wide receivers I've ever seen in a Browns uniform, and he's only 22 years old. But because he's one strike away from a one year ban, they are going to trade him for pennies on the dollar? Instead of putting a program in place and throwing all the resources they have to work with him? I just don't get it. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won't. Either way it will be a relief when the trade deadline has passed. I'd still trade Greg Little for a bag of footballs.
Random gifs
I love Dez and I hate Romo so I get it
TBDBITL
Sus girl shaking
Hi Eric,
ReplyDeleteThat was a little painful watching. What was worse, the beginning or the end? Helen Keller could tell you that the Browns have QB problems, but you'll get scant sympathy from fans in, say, Tampa, or Philly, or Jax, or Minnesota, or Phoenix, or for that matter - Houston. It would help tremendously if they had anything even resembling a running attack- then again you have to have more than Joe Thomas on an island by himself manning the OL for that too. Fozzy could use some touches. The injury to Benjamin: devastating. The Cameron pirouette and catch whilst falling on his back: Priceless.
Dez is a baby at times, but his frustration is understandable, at least on some level. OTOH, he came across acting like a selfish idiot. Very unprofessional behavior on the sideline. I'm not a Romo fan either, unfortunately he is probably better than all 20 guys you listed. Take care,
UC