Week 3 - 2014 - Ravens

I forget who said it, maybe former Steeler Ryan Clark, but I was watching NFL Network one day and the comment was made about the Browns that you know if you play them close, they'll find a way to lose the game (EDIT It was former Ravens and current Browns coach Wilbert Montgomery).  Well whoever said it had it right.  Play like a Brown, Pettine says.  Boy did they.  He should use Coach like a Brown, too, because boy they did.  They blew another game, 23-21 to the Ravens.  They played like the Browns we've all seen over the past 16 seasons.  What other franchise consistently loses games they should win?  I can think of a couple teams blowing a couple games, but the Browns do it almost weekly.  At least the Jaguars are a consistent dumpster fire, same with the Raiders.  I think those two are the only other franchises I hold in the same esteem that I hold the Browns.  Garbage teams that make stupid mistakes, but they don't just give away wins like the Browns do.  NO ONE DOES!!!!  It seems impossible to blow it week in and week out.  But no, alas, it's possible.  Because this team will do it.  They'll find a way to lose.

I don't even know where to begin.  First of all, what did we as a collective fan base do to deserve having to be emotionally invested in this team, other than being born in a certain area or having parents that were fans?  No one in the past 20 years has just up and decided "Oh I'm going to be a Browns fan that seems fun!"  Because it's a horrifying existence.  I want to change sides, to become a fan of an actual, respectable team.  Maybe the Colts or the Bears.  But I just can't.  And I hate myself for it.

Instead I get treated to games like the one on Sunday.  Let's just check some boxes on how much this loss sucked.  At home.  Check.  To the scum of the Earth, and a division rival.  Check.  Had the lead in the 4th quarter.  Check.  Lost on a last second play.  Check.  Yup I'd say that about covers it.  It sucked, and not just a little.  A bunch.  This group of Browns had a chance to be different than the other Browns, and announce that they aren't going to be a punching bag in the AFC North anymore, that they have a chance to really make some noise this year with a soft schedule, that it's not going to be the same old Browns.  But it is.  IT ALWAYS IS.

Mike Pettine put the loss on himself and the coaches.  Uhh yeah Mike, that's where I'd start.  So Mike Pettine has a defensive coordinator, Jim O'Neil.  And Jim O'Neil calls the defenses sometimes, but Mike Pettine wants to call the defenses sometimes.  And then for the second straight game there are 12 players in the defensive huddle on multiple occasions.  Hmmm, I wonder what would cause confusion with that streamlined setup?  Garbage.

Chris Tabor, our special teams coach, is literally the worst coach in the league at his position.  Somehow, like a little blond parasite, he keeps surviving coaching changes.  He is horrible.  People think he's good.  He's not.  I've been saying it for two years.  His unit loses the Browns games.  On a team without a bunch of big play offensive threats you cannot lose the special teams battle, but we do.  Often.  His unit has consistently underperformed, going back as far as last year.  Remember that one time when we had two punts blocked in one quarter?  That was fun.  On Sunday he tried to up even that performance.  First play of the game, offsides on the kickoff.  Two missed field goals, well I guess one was blocked so that doesn't count, right?  His long snapper is low on everything, his kicker can't hit a kick further than about 40 yards, and the defensive tackle protecting the right side let a guy run right in front of him to block a kick.  We lost by 2, by the way.  Oh and let's not ignore the fact that when we needed our punter to let one fly on the last series he powered one for 40 yards.  Oh and why were we in that position?  Because Travis Benjamin, the most terrified football player I've ever seen, let a punt go sailing over his head instead of fair catching it, giving up 20 yards of field position in the process.  TRAVIS BENJAMIN IS AFRAID TO GET HIT.  GET HIM THE F OFF THE FIELD!!!!!!!  He had no business being out there, especially with a reliable option like Jim Leonhard on the bench.  Chris Tabor.  Billy Cundiff.  Christian Yount.  Travis Benjamin.  Get rid of them all they are putrid.  You could put this loss squarely on this unit, and you wouldn't be wrong.

Defensively, in addition to the stupid penalties, not a great game.  They were pretty much gashed by the Ravens run game.  Ahtyba Rubin is just stealing Jimmy Haslam's money at this point.  He can't stop the run.  Going into this last game he was PFF's worst rated defensive tackle, I can't imagine this performance changed that.  Craig Robertson is still playing for some reason.  I just can't figure it out.  But nonetheless, the defense did rise up and make some critical stops when they needed to.  They stopped Baltimore on a key fourth quarter 4th down, they held them to a field goal from the goalline to maintain the lead, and they got the Browns the ball back with a chance to close out the game.  But when it was really time to make a play, they played like Browns.  Joe Haden, $67.5 million dollar Pro Bowl shut down cornerback, gets burned on a straight go route by a 36 year old wide receiver, and that's your ballgame.  Joe Haden, maybe the best defensive player on this team, has been absolutely destroyed in every game this season.  He and Gilbert, this great cornerback duo, have been simply awful.  If they don't get better this team isn't winning too many more games.  And get set before the plays start, Browns defensive backs.  Bill Kern is right, they never look ready for the snap.

On offense, no team in the league knows how to waste momentum like the Browns.  Lets take a look at some big plays.

43 yard pass completion to Travis Benjamin!  Have to call timeout after the play.

21 yard pass to Miles Austin on a 2nd and 23!  Next play, Brian Hoyer 1 yard scramble, then punt on 4th and 1 from the Baltimore side of the field.  (Punt went into the endzone, of course).  Never punt on 4th and 1 from the other teams side of the field.

Creative pass play to Manziel for 40 yards!  Penalty on Terrance West.

22 yard run by Crowell!  Next play, some sort of reverse counter to Taylor Gabriel that lost 10 yards.

Interception by Tashaun Gipson!!  Next play 8 yard loss on a bungled looking pitch play to Crowell.

70!!! Yard pass to Gabriel (who fell down on a perfect pass)!  Next play, one yard loss on a West run.  Then a sack.  Then a touchdown except Hoyer threw the ball 5 yards past the line of scrimmage.  Then a easy field goal.  Blocked.

And the offense actually played well!  Hoyer had his best game, probably the best game a guy like that can have, and he lost at home and put 21 points up.  When Hoyer had to make a throw, even tossing out the second to last series where he threw two incompletions when they could have run the clock, when he absolutely had to hit Andrew Hawkins between the 1 and the 6, to seal the game, he was behind Hawkins who couldn't pull it in.  Ballgame.  He played well, I'm not discounting that.  No turnovers, long sustained drives, big plays.  But when they needed it he missed Hawk.  And they lost, and that's what matters.

I hate the Ravens on a plane that not even the Steelers can touch.  I hate them with all of my being.  I hate losing to them.  I hate that the Browns lose games consistently that they should win.  I hate that I'm invested in this team after seeing this for so long.  I hate Chris Tabor.  But most of all I hate the feeling in this city after a loss like that.  This team had a chance to do something big, and they let us all down.  Offense, defense, special teams, coaching.  All of them.  They all played like Browns.  Someday, that will mean something different.  Not today.

Random gifs

Browns fans baby

Ouch

Ouch

Bonus pic new favorite fan

Week 2 2014 - Saints

I've been to many home openers over the past 16 seasons.  I had yet to see them win an opener, until yesterday.  It was always the sad walk back over the bridge, the sad angry walk.  The sad lowering of expectations.  The sadness and fear that it's going to be another long, lousy season.  Not yesterday.  Yesterday that walk was pure joy.  It had been 10 years since they won their first home game, when Butch Davis and Jeff Garcia led the Browns to a victory over the Ravens.  10 freaking years, until yesterday.  So apparently the right combination of people to go to a game with to see a victory is Biff, Jack, Peebs, and DeSantis.  Thanks again Biffer.

But I digress.  The Browns beat the Saints yesterday, 26-24.  The Browns beat the Saints in front of a LOUD and rowdy crowd.  Brian Hoyer led the Browns on a game winning drive, and the Browns beat the Saints.  The defense held Drew Brees in check for the most part, and the Browns beat the Saints, in their home opener, 26-24 running their record to 1-1.  It just feels good to say.  The Browns won.

For what it's worth in terms of making the playoffs, teams that start 0-2 only make the playoffs 11% of the time, so they really had to win this game in order to stay ahead of the chains, so to speak.  41% of 1-1 teams make them.  Had to have this one, and they got it.

There are a few takeaways from the big win. 

First off, and this is coming from a big time Johnny Manziel guy, this is Brian Hoyer's team.  Hoyer is now 4-1 as a starter for the Browns.  He also has not turned the ball over in his last 4 starts.  He is efficient, he is a leader, and he has a knack for turning it on when he needs to.  It's hard not to root for him, he's one of us.  And this is his team, and while I had the timetable for Johnny Football taking over as after the bye, it seems apparent that Johnny will have to wait.  I'd love to see Hoyer throw with more accuracy early in the game, but at least today that seems like nitpicking.

Manziel did make his debut, on a package of plays in the 3rd quarter, but I'm not sure how effective that package will be assuming it continues.  If it did anything it pissed Brian Hoyer off, because he was 15-19 following Manziel's insertion.  And Kyle Shanahan is the best offensive coordinator we've had here in a long time.  And yes I'm basing that off of two games.  The guy can call a game.

The two rookie running backs looked impressive.  They both fit Shanahan's one-cut zone blocking scheme.  Hawkins is a great little receiver.  And you have to give Gary Barnidge credit, he had his best game as a Brown, his biggest play was the catch on the 4th down conversion on the final drive.

Everyone used to love Rob Ryan while he was here, but that last drive was classic Rob Ryan.  Blitz but don't get to the quarterback and leave a wide receiver wide open.  Classic.  Rob.  Ryan.  Sean Payton didn't appreciate it either it seems.

Defensively, that was an impressive performance.  Except for Jimmy Graham, who is almost impossible to cover, the Browns defense limited the Saints' high powered offense.  Karlos Dansby has already made more plays in two games than D'Qwell Jackson did in 8 years here.  He is awesome.  Paul Kruger looks GREAT.  He looks like a totally different player.  Pettine's defense clearly had Brees confused in the beginning of the game, and they made a huge play when they needed to, when Dansby sacked Brees on a 3rd and 7, knocking the Saints out of field goal range and giving the Browns the ball back with a chance to win the game.  The defense was aggressive all game.  All things considered they played great.  They even added a pick 6 by my man Tashaun Gipson.  The Saints ran the ball better than you would have expected them to, but it's pick your poison with them.

And although the special teams had the hiccup on the extra point, they were decent enough.  K'wuan Williams had some big hits on kick coverage.  And of course, Cundiff hit the game winner from 26 yards.

But again, the sun shines brighter around here when the Browns win.  People smile more.  The flowers smell better.  Life is just a little more pleasant.  And in terms of the season, this is a big win for the Browns.  It's big because it was at home, against a good team, and it's big because 0-2 is probably too big of a hole for this team to dig out of.  Let's see if Hoyer can keep the magic going next week against the Ravens, and keep that walk from the stadium joyous. 


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So Happy




Poor Jay Cutler this looks painful




Nice Catch Rueben





Bonus Pic - DEAL WITH IT

Week 1 - 2014 - Steelers

The hours before the season opener (besides the draft our Super Bowl) are usually the best time as a Browns fan.  Nothing awful has happened yet.  There is a glimmer of hope that maybe this year is our year.  Maybe the balls bounce our way this season, maybe we finally have a competent and functional organization, maybe this year's opener will be different then the last 9 (all losses) and 14 of the 15 since we've been back.  Maybe Mike Pettine will be a diamond in the rough and turn into a great head coach, maybe Brian Hoyer will write the hometown hero story, or maybe Johnny Manziel will take over and wreck this league.  There is hope, optimism, anticipation.  And then the games start and it's the same old same old, poor quarterback play, poor tackling, poor coaching.  It's the same play with a different cast of characters.  And yesterday, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, ultimately the result was the same.  A loss, which makes it ten (10!!!!) straight opening day losses for the Browns, who fell to the Steelers 30-27.  Only this time, the second act played out a little differently and may have kept hope and optimism flowing in this town for at least another week.

The game was really a game of two different halves.  Really different halves.  The first half caused this guy to make this, (warning - foul language alert) and I was right there with him.  It was an unmitigated disaster that made the Pat Shurmur coached Browns look like the 1964 championship team.  It was bad.  It was really really bad.  They couldn't block.  They couldn't tackle.  They couldn't execute simple football plays.  The punter got kicked in the face.  The Steelers racked up nearly 370! yards and staked out to a 27-3 lead.  It was Shock and Awe. 

It was clear to me anyway that Hoyer was not comfortable throwing in the first half, and was afraid to get hit.  Everything was off his back foot.  He did not trust his knee and did not want to get hit in it.  Travis Benjamin also did not want to get hit, jumping out of bounds short of first downs and fair catching punts with ample space in front of him.  Benjamin was awful in my opinion, but I suppose it's worth noting that he too is coming back off of an ACL tear.  The defense was embarrassingly bad.  The tackling was wretched.  Special teams was a disaster.  I don't even want to list the players who were awful in the half because they all played so bad.  All of them.  They were all horrible.  It seemed like Daryl Ruiter's prediction may not have even been safe.

This will be the first time in 3 years that the #Browns will return from Heinz Field and not fire their head coach after
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) September 5, 2014

Something happened though at halftime that has rarely happened in the recent history of the Browns.  The Browns decided they weren't going to get bullied anymore.  The Browns have LEADERSHIP in their locker room this year, and those leaders were not going to let them lay down and take it.  I honestly don't think they've had that in a long time.  They came back out ready to fight.  And they took it to the Steelers in the second half.  The offensive line was dominant for the most part.  The no huddle was effective (SHOCKING).  Hoyer looked far more comfortable.  The receiving corp that everyone was complaining about got open and caught the ball, and that was without Jordan Cameron.  And back the Browns came.  All the way back, behind the running game and offensive line and smart decisions by Hoyer.  Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West looked awesome.  Andrew Hawkins looked great.  Kyle Shannahan was in a groove calling plays, and never abandoned the run *cough cough Norv Turner*.  It all clicked.  Defensively, the Browns looked like an entirely different team.  They stuffed the run.  They rushed the passer.  They came back and forced a 3 and out after Pittsburgh converted a fake punt.  Jabaal Sheard played great.  Paul Kruger probably played his best game as a Brown.  They came all the way back to tie the game 27-27.  But they couldn't close the game out.  And a loss is a loss.  That's why I feel weird about the game.  The outcome was obviously not what they want but it's hard not to be encouraged by what they did in the second half.

And they probably could have won, but for a couple of calls that can be second guessed in hindsight.  The first was in the fourth quarter with the game tied, on a third and seven from the Pittsburgh 37.  The line had been outstanding and they were just outside of field goal range.  They had a tired Steeler defense on the ropes and all the momentum.  If they were out of Cundiff's range then the smart decision would have been to run the ball and either kick or go for it on 4th down.  They passed incomplete and ultimately punted (!!!) into the endzone.  If the kicker on your team can't kick a 54 yard field goal in perfect conditions then why is he on your team?  Honest question.  Not that he's automatically going to make it but that he doesn't even have the leg to try?  Disappointing.  The second decision was on the Browns final possession, after the sack on first down.  And I know Schwartz is going to take flak for giving it up but it looked like a three step drop and that ball should have been out.  They should have run the ball on second down and played for overtime.  Pettine is a rookie head coach.  He needs to learn how to win.  But there were encouraging signs, even in a loss.  And yes that pains me to think that way.

And I don't want to hear about what a great special teams coach Chris Tabor is.  I think he's terrible.  I've thought it since he got here.  Constant coverage breakdowns, Tank Carder is still on the team and he SUCKS, penalties, he left a gunner wide open so Pittsburgh could convert a fake punt.  He's terrible.  They better get that unit right they are not good enough to win if they lose on special teams.

And Justin Gilbert, it's hard to play cornerback in the NFL.  But boy oh boy you are a work in progress.  Hopefully there will be better days ahead for the rookie.

So the maybe the play that we've all seen so many times will be different.  Right now it looks the same, they are 0-1 in a bottom line business.  But this cast might play it out differently this time.  At least we get to keep our hope for another week. 


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So this happened.......




Ouch Dez...



Your Tampa Bay Buccaneers everybody



Bonus Pic cereal guy is my new favorite fan.  Nice work buddy, sneaking in a box of Frosted Flakes.