I didn't see that coming. I should have, but I didn't. Expectations of any sort with the Browns need to be tempered, because they usually let you down. But I thought this would be different. It wasn't. The league wasn't wrecked, my feelings were. I expected so much more from the Browns, and although the rookie was making his first start, expected more from Johnny Manziel. The Browns and Johnny fell flat on their faces, at home, in what was essentially a playoff game, 30-0 to the Bengals. The same Bengals who the Browns stomped all over a little over a month ago. Since that first Bengals game, and all the good feelings that came with it, the Browns have gone 1-4. The stadium was electric, but the Browns weren't.
This was supposed to be special. I expected some bumps, a few mistakes. But I expected some big plays to counteract those mistakes. I expected the energy from the quarterback change, and from the crowd, to carry this team to the next level. I was wrong. It was a pathetic showing for the not ready for primetime Browns.
Mike Pettine coaches like a first year coach, because that's what he is. With a stadium buzzing with anticipation the Browns won the toss, and deferred. Why not take the ball? Why not let the rookie get right in there and after it? I don't know, but they didn't. So they gave the ball to the Bengals, and the Bengals proceeded on a 14 play, 7 minute march right down the field punching the Browns in the face and running it down their throat every chance they had. The Browns defense never recovered.
The defense was as bad this week as it was good last. This was a bludgeoning. A beatdown. An ass kicking. Pick an adjective for getting the crap kicked out of you and that's what this was. The defense was manhandled from the first drive of the game. The Cincinnati offensive line looked like the Electric Company from the 70's Bills. Jeremy Hill looked like The Juice. The Bengals could have blocked the Browns down I-71 and still made it home in three and a half hours. There was little resistance. It was a complete reversal from the first Bengals game. They held the ball for nearly 39 minutes. They averaged 5.4 yards per carry. They ran the ball more times (45) then the Browns ran total plays (38). Jeremy Hill just broke contain again. And Donte Whitner just missed another tackle. Why the Browns didn't load the box and let Andy Dalton beat them is the mystery of the day, but the way it went I'm not sure it would have mattered. This was ugly. The Bengals converted 7-14 on 3rd down, 2-2 on 4th. Beat. Down.
Offensively, it was as ugly as it gets. It started ugly early and kept being ugly for the entire 21 minutes they had the ball. 21 freaking minutes of a 60 minute game. 38 plays run. The NFL average is 65 plays per game by the way. It seemed like the offense was in 1st and 15 or 2nd and 13 the whole game. They were behind the chains. They lost the field position battle. It was 17-0 in the second quarter and the Browns had run 6 plays. They couldn't run, and then they were down. And then the game was on the narrow shoulders of a rookie quarterback facing a fired up defense, and then the rout was on.
And Kyle Shanahan did Johnny no favors. The game plan was questionable at best. Manziel did not run much read option in college, but that seemed to be something Shanahan wanted in the offense. So they ran it a few times and it failed each time. There weren't the outside zone runs we've seen all season, and the play action rollouts off of those. Not one pitch play after it had been such a big part of the offense in the previous weeks. One screen pass to Jordan Cameron that the idiot referee Walt Coleman called a penalty on. And once they got behind it just snowballed.
The offensive line was abysmal. I want to know what Ryan Seymour's PFF grade was, it has to be one of the worst in history. He was abused over and over in the middle of the line. Greco. Awful. Schwartz. Not good. Joe Thomas had another penalty. Again, ALEX MACK I'M SORRY. I WAS WRONG ABOUT YOU TAKE ALL THE MONEY. The Bengal defensive line was just as dominant as their offensive line. Football is won in the trenches they say, and the Bengals certainly won in the trenches on Sunday.
And I won't make any excuses for Manziel's performance. He did not play well. No one on the offense helped the rookie out, but he didn't play well. He was late and behind on the first interception, if he hits Hawkins in stride he may still be running. Late and behind is a deadly combination in the NFL. He was high on many of his throws, possibly a product of being too amped up. The second interception was a terrible decision to throw up a prayer toward Taylor Gabriel. At A&M maybe Mike Evans comes down with that. But Evans is 6'5, and Gabriel is 5'7. Regardless, it was inexcusable. At that point in the game they had to get something. But that's what you get with rookie quarterbacks. And that's why Pettine was so hesitant to make the change.
But he made the change, and now he has to see what Manziel has. He is certainly (hopefully) better than he showed on Sunday. It is easy to overreact, and that will definitely happen this week. But it was one game. He also just turned 22 years old. Right now he's a one read quarterback. He was certainly anxious in the pocket, and he'll have to live there to survive in the NFL. He will have to learn to go through his progressions. There has to be a balance between Johnny Football and Browns quarterback, between the backyard and the stadium. He has a long way to go. This is the beginning for him, it takes time. He showed tremendous improvement in each year at A&M, and I expect him to improve with every game. This experience he's gaining is invaluable. And God willing it will never be as bad as it was on Sunday. Johnny Football is supposed to be special, he's got two more games this season to start showing us he is.
Also, for the last time I hope, the all brown is the worst uniform combination ever. Look like crap play like crap. CRAP. Those are hideous.
Random Gifs and Vines
This guy had more fight than any Browns defender. Well done sir.
Santana Moss - I applaud you. Someone had to go after Triplette he's the worst ref in the league.
The little girl in the pink is the Browns. The dad is me.
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