Week 16 - 2014 - Panthers

I don't really have a lot to say about yesterday's game.  The Browns lost to the Panthers, 17-13.  It was boring.  The Panthers ran the ball all over the Browns, again.  At this point the Browns run defense couldn't stop my 4 year old.  They are soft.  They get pushed around.  Donte Whitner can't tackle anybody.  They are terrible.  It is pathetic watching a team get out muscled, just physically dominated.  Pathetic.  The Panthers had the ball for 38 minutes.  They averaged 4.6 yards per carry on their 45 running plays.  They converted 9/16 on 3rd down.  They had 27 first downs to the Browns 8.  Dom. In. Ation.  It's amazing that the score was even as close as it was.

I'd have to say right now I was just flat out wrong about Johnny Manziel.  I'm not ready to completely write him off yet but he doesn't look like he has anything that is required to be an NFL quarterback.  I thought he could play from the pocket, nope.  I thought he could make plays with his feet, nope.  It doesn't look like he can read a defense.  His footwork is just disastrous.  He just turned 22, maybe he'll learn.  I don't know.  I wanted badly for him to be the answer.  Now there are just more questions.  To be honest it may be advantageous to resign Brian Hoyer for a couple years and let him run the team.  There's something I never thought I'd write.  But seriously I thought Manziel could be a Russell Wilson type player, after seeing the two yesterday they aren't even in the same Stratosphere.  Manziel has A LOT to learn if he's going to be successful.  Again, he's a 22 year old rookie and he may turn out okay but man these last two games have been rough.

It's hard to run an offense though if the interior of your offensive line gets blown up every play, and that's what happens to *insert shitty replacement center's name* and John Greco play after play.  It didn't matter if it was Seymour or McDonald, both of those guys are so incredibly awful it almost boggles the mind.  Again, we say it every week.  Football is won in the trenches, and the Browns got dominated by the Panthers. 

I won't even get into the awful special teams play, more stupid penalties, more lousy punting.  I've never seen a punter just put them into the end zone like Spencer Lanning.  Garbage.  Every game we lose special teams is a factor.  And we've now lost 8.

I don't want to talk about how Mike Pettine can't manage the clock and seems clueless on major decisions that head coaches have to make.  I don't want to talk about a defense that looks unprepared to take the field every week.  I don't want to talk about the bushleague officiating that took a clear touchdown off the board on the Billy Winn interception.  I don't want to.  Instead, here's my Browns Christmas Wish List.

• I wish Brian Hoyer just would have played a little bit better, and we never would have seen Manziel this year and could have still had hope that we had our quarterback of the future.
• I wish I could be satisfied with using our injuries as an excuse.  All teams have injuries.
• I wish we had one defensive lineman who could make a play
• I wish I could be happy with the fact that we have 7 wins, and that's pretty good considering what we expected going into the season.
• I wish we didn't progressively get worse as the season went on.
• I wish I understood how the return of an All-Pro receiver could ruin an offense.  Because that's what has happened since Gordon came back, and I don't get it.
• I wish we had Odell Beckham instead of Justin Gilbert.
• I wish the Browns would come out next week and just kick the hell out of the Ravens, and end this season on a positive note.
• For Mike Pettine I wish for some clock management lessons.
• For Johnny Manziel I wish for some humility and hopefully some resilience.
• For Alex Mack I wish for health
• For Chris Tabor I wish for a pink slip
• For Browns fans, I just wish we had a team to be proud of, we deserve it.

Random gifs and Vines


The Lions are a dirty dirty team




Beast Mode is the best




Merry Christmas

Week 15 - 2014 - Bengals

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.

 

 

Merry Christmas

Week 14 - 2014 - Colts

I usually try and wait a little while before I write these after the games.  Not today.  I want to type with my fists today.  What a sad, disappointing, embarrassing performance by the Cleveland Browns.  With their season on the line, at home, they vomited away a chance to stay in the hunt.  Their garbage quarterback, backed by a rookie head coach who made multiple poor decisions, beginning on Wednesday when he announced he was starting Hoyer, gave the Colts the game.  They lost 25-24, at home, in a must win game.  THE DEFENSE SCORED TWO TOUCHDOWNS, and forced two additional turnovers.  The "quarterback who gave them the best chance to win", the same one who has played like absolute dog crap for the past 6 weeks, WAS AWFUL.  What a joke.  If Brian Hoyer was from Cincinnati or Pittsburgh or ANYWHERE but here no one would defend him.  No one.  He's been consistently terrible for at least the past 4 games, he's inaccurate, he looks scared in the pocket, and he can't complete a deep ball to a wide receiver to save his life.  Defenses have had him figured out since Jacksonville, and he's done nothing to adapt.  His coach, Mike Pettine, said that he gives the Browns the best chance to win.  If that's true we're screwed, and we better draft a quarterback in the first round again.  Because if Johnny Manziel can't do better than 14-31, with 140 yards, 0 touchdowns and two interceptions, then we are in terrible shape.  And I refuse to believe that's the case.  Mike Pettine also said that we don't run a "QB-centric Offense" which is literally the stupidest thing I think I've ever heard a head football coach say.  If he thinks that's possible in the NFL today than he is the dumbest head coach in the league.  They've won in spite of their quarterback a few times this season.  It's happened.  They've played a last place schedule and have games with the worst division possibly in NFL history in the NFC South.  They've been fortunate.  But it's not happening any more.  This was an unmitigated disaster.

Mike Pettine made a cowardly decision to start Brian Hoyer this week.  Save me the "he could have lost the locker room" and the "Hoyer got them here" and "Joe Thomas thinks that if you put in Manziel you look like you're playing for next season".  I don't want to hear it.  It was cowardly.  It is clear that Brian Hoyer is either in a tremendous funk or just is who he is, but he's been garbage for a month.  Manziel came in after Hoyer puked all over himself against Buffalo, and injected life into the offense.  If nothing else he would have given the offense a different element.  Maybe the results would have been the same, but you won't convince me of that.  But coaches have to make tough decisions in the NFL.  They are leaders of a group of men.  Joe Thomas might think Brian Hoyer should start, but Joe Thomas isn't the coach.  Mike Pettine is.  And he took the easy way out, and he lost because of it.  And the Browns are probably out of the playoff hunt now.  And now, Joe, next year is just about upon you.

Hoyer should have a hard time looking the defensive players on this team in the eyes.  They did all they could against the number one offense in the league, including scoring two touchdowns themselves.  And the Browns lost.  It is almost mind boggling.  I don't even know what else to say about it.  Once again Brian Hoyer failed to capitalize on tremendous field position and turnovers by the defense.  It's a broken record.  Poor Joe Haden.  Poor Paul Kruger.  Poor Des Bryant and Craig Robertson and Jim Leonhard.  They deserved better.

The sad numbers are really sad.

3 second half first downs.  That's it.  The Browns defense was on the field for 48 plays in the second half.  That's insane.  Hoyer was 3-14 passing on third down for 49 yards.  In the past 9 trips to the red zone, Hoyer has zero touchdowns and two interceptions.  The Browns have 21 turnovers forced in the past 8 games and only scored 3 touchdowns off those.  Best chance to win with Hoyer, says Mike Pettine.  AWFUL.

And good old Billy Cundiff has now missed a field goal in 5 straight.  And Chris Tabor is still employed.  And special teams have had a huge role in every loss this season.  I don't even know how many times I can say it.  Those two should be on the first bus out of town.  Cundiff is terrible.  Benjamin is terrible.  The entire special teams unit needs overhauled, starting at the top.

I could have written this entry on Wednesday, it would have read the same, except the defense played much better than I anticipated.  Scores and stats would have changed.  But the second that Mike Pettine said that Brian Hoyer was going to start again, I knew this garbage was coming.  Zebras are zebras.  Tigers are tigers.  Average quarterbacks are average quarterbacks.  We are what we are.  Mike Pettine was content to be maybe mediocre, rather than take a chance on being great.  And they lost because of it.


Random Vines.  All Vines this week. 

Manziel didn't think too much of this Hoyer pass




Dude. Gross.




Not. A. Penalty.

Week 13 - 2014 - Bills

As the snow melted in Buffalo on an unseasonably warm day, so did the Browns playoff hopes.  They aren't out of it, but the road got tougher following a 26-10 beatdown by the Bills.  Brian Hoyer was awful for the third straight game, and may have seen the his last game as a starter for the Browns.  His fall from grace has been steady, and the Browns offense has fallen with him.  In the past 3 games he has completed 50.1% of his passes, he has thrown 1 touchdown, and 5 interceptions.  He has thrown 9 interceptions and 5 touchdowns in his past 8 games.  He was horrible on Sunday, not even his biggest supporters can defend that performance.  Johnny Manziel came in and led an impressive drive, looked like he gave the team a spark, and looks to be the quarterback that will lead this late season playoff push.  But the Browns laid an egg, and it was ugly.

Hoyer and the Browns' biggest problem in the past few games has been the inability to generate points off of turnovers.  The defense gave him the ball twice in Atlanta, which he and the offense turned into two field goals.  That is unacceptable, and that and the fact that Hoyer threw three picks were the only reasons that the Falcons were in the game.  Against Buffalo, the defense again came up with 2 interceptions, which resulted in zero points.  On the second turnover they got the ball on Buffalo's 30 yard line and proceeded to get stuffed on a run, throw a one yard pass to a fullback, and get sacked to push them out of field goal range.  I'm not sure I've even seen a team spit in the face of momentum like the Browns do.  It was pathetic.

The defense held the Bills to 2-15 on third downs.  The Bills were 0-10 at one point with a 14-3 lead.  What more can a defense do? 

The Browns were not beaten by the Bills offense, they were beaten by the Bills defense and they lost the special teams battle.  And they were called for 10 penalties, almost all of them untimely.  Jerome Boger is an awful referee.

Kyle Shanahan did not call his best game in my opinion.  Too many outside runs against a fast Bills defense and a stacked box.  It's hard to call games when your quarterback can't beat an 8 man box though, and Brian Hoyer was not beating anyone on Sunday.  His chemistry was still clearly off with Josh Gordon, who did not have a great game either.  But forcing passes into triple coverage is inexcusable, and Hoyer did that on multiple occasions.  Thus the switch at quarterback, and the first real live action for Johnny Manziel.  Manziel showed a live arm and excellent mobility on the touchdown drive.  I personally don't think they are going to go back to Brian Hoyer.  I think that Johnny Manziel fits Kyle Shanahan's offense perfectly.  I think that if Manziel is the starter the Browns will be in the shotgun or pistol more, I think Shanahan will scheme to utilize Manziel's quickness and speed, and I think there will be both some excitement and some rookie mistakes.  But I don't think they will go back, and I don't think they should.  We've seen the best of Brian Hoyer, and that was 8 weeks ago.  He has regressed.

So the Browns will be making a playoff push with (possibly) a rookie quarterback, two rookie running backs, a third string center, a rookie guard, and their star receiver still working out the kinks following a 10 game suspension.  It should be quite a ride, but these guys are growing up in a winning culture and gaining experience which should be invaluable to them.

Speaking of rookie running backs, that fumble by Terrance West was the play of the game.  That is inexcusable.  It might be time to see what Glenn Winston has.  Running backs cannot fumble the ball.  Period.  That was a game changing turnover.  It was TERRIBLE.  Joe Thomas also had the worst game I can remember him having.  Ever.  It was just a mess on offense.

Defensively the Browns played well, they harassed Orton, they held the Bills to 3.5 yards per carry, and they forced the two turnovers.  I'm not sure what else a defense can do other than score points themselves.  The offense and special teams let the Browns down on Sunday.

And those special teams, boy they just continue to let the Browns down.  I hope Chris Tabor has his bags packed and is out on the first bus.  His unit continues its pathetic ineptitude, Billy Cundiff has now missed a field goal in four straight games.  4.  Straight.  Games.  The media likes to make fun of the fans adulation towards Phil Dawson but geez can't we get ANYONE in here that can make 37 yard field goals?  CUNDIFF IS TERRIBLE.  TABOR YOU ARE THE WORST.  Benjamin was running backwards on punt returns, then tripping over his own feet.  They embarrass themselves on a new level weekly.  Pure hot garbage.

It was a tough loss for the Browns, but it may mark the beginning of a new era.  I know there are some fans who will now root against Johnny Manziel out of pure spite.  Go ahead.  There shouldn't be this divide but there is.  If Manziel wins they'll be the first ones jumping back on the bandwagon.  But one thing is clear, Brian Hoyer wasn't getting it done.  It's Manziel's turn to see if he can right the ship and lead this team into the playoffs.  It may have been a week too late, but it's his turn now.  The Browns future is now, it should be a wild ride for the last 4 games.



Random gifs (and vines if I can get them to work)

Cheerleaders fight on, the stand up sign works here too





Dickie V had some wiggle back in the day

 

 

Mike Evans.  That's all.




Bonus pic of Johnny Football because it was hilarious

Week 12 - 2014 - Falcons

In a season of odd games for the 2014 Browns, this one may have been the oddest.  They won on the road against the first place Falcons, 26-24.  The game was odd before it even started, as the first place Falcons were 4-6 in the NFC South and the Browns came in at 6-4 and in last place in the AFC North.  The big news was the return of Josh Gordon, fresh off a 10 game suspension.  The Browns, battling for their playoff lives, did all they could to win, then give the game away, then snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  It was just a weird game, but the Browns won and the bottom line is that they are 7-4 and still in the thick of the playoff hunt. 

The defense and the running game carried the day.  It should have been much easier than it ended up being for the Browns.  Between turnovers, missed opportunities, and shoddy clock management (by both teams), they certainly made it hard on themselves.  But winning is hard as we've all seen around here for a long time, and the Browns keep winning, and that's what matters.  They won consecutive road games for the first time since 2008, and are 7-4 for the first time since 2007.  They also guarantee that they will not end the season with double digit losses for the first time in 6 years.  That is ridiculous. 

The defense played one of the best games they've played all season.  They held the Falcons to 63 yards rushing and a 2.7 ypc average.  That is outstanding.  They generated consistent pressure on Matt Ryan, led by Paul Kruger who has been awesome this season.  Kruger has 8 sacks on the season and 6 in the past 5 games.  He's been playing phenomenally.  Craig Robertson filled in admirably for the injured Karlos Dansby.  The defense looked faster than Atlanta's offense.  Joe Haden had another great game, and had his second consecutive game with an interception.  Donte Whitner dropped a pick 6, and Buster Skrine dropped an interception.  Those two plays could have made it easier, but the defense did their part, forcing two first half turnovers.  Hell even Justin Gilbert made what may have been the play of the game when he batted down the ball on the 3rd and 2 at the end of the game before Atlanta's field goal attempt.  That's how weird this game was.  The loss of Tashaun Gipson will be a big one as he suffered what looked like a pretty bad knee injury.  But the defense played well and that's encouraging after last week.

Offensively, welcome back Josh Gordon!  Gordon had a big game in his return, and man it would have been nice to have him all season.  He is big and fast and dominant when he wants to be.  It was clear that Brian Hoyer forced some passes to him, and clear that there are some chemistry issues with all that time apart, but there are worse players to force the ball to.  However two of Hoyer's interceptions came on passes to Gordon, the one in the end zone was clearly on Hoyer, and the second looked like a miscommunication but Gordon was wide open.  Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West both ran hard, and ran effectively.  This is the best situation for the Browns running game, having those two splitting carries.  Two's a company and three's a crowd.  The Browns probably should have run the ball more, they averaged 5.6 ypc on their 29 rushes.  Brian Hoyer made some uncharacteristic, careless mistakes and again struggled with accuracy at times, but he got the job done when he needed to.  That's 4 fourth quarter comebacks on the season for Hoyer.  He's 10-4 as a starter.  He's not going anywhere until the Browns are out of the playoff chase, the team is not going to dive into the unknown while still in the hunt.  He had back to back 300 yard games, the first Browns player to do that since Brian Sipe.  And after he tried to give the game away, he moved the Browns into field goal range in four passes, and the Browns won, and that's what matters.  And I'm as tough on him as anybody, but the Browns are 7-4, and 6-2 in their last 8 games, and it's a bottom line business.

The follies before the half in the Jacksonville game appear to have broken Mike Pettine.  Another game, another head scratching clock management issue at the end of a half.  The Browns were sitting on timeouts and didn't use them.  They cost themselves 20 seconds, and that forced them to attempt a 60 yard field goal.  The problem with that is that Devin Hester was waiting in the endzone to return the kick if it was short.  Cundiff kicked one and it was well short, but wait, Mike Smith called a timeout.  Instead of doing the logical thing, and either kneeling or throwing a hail mary, Pettine and that idiot Chris Tabor send Cundiff out again.  The kick was even shorter, and it took a hellava play by Joel Bitonio to save a touchdown after Hester returned the ball 60 yards.  That was pure stupidity.  Other than that Pettine was the better head coach on Sunday, as Mike Smith is in way over his head.  Smith helped the Browns by calling a timeout and saving the Browns from having to use theirs in the final minute.  He also was kind enough to sit back in a soft zone defense on the final Browns drive, allowing Hoyer to move down the field.  Mike Smith had a rough game.  Kyle Shanahan should have run the ball more.

This Browns team has found a way to win games that previous Browns teams would have lost.  Brian Hoyer led the comeback.  They should have won the game much more easily, but they won.  They have Josh Gordon for the rest of the season.  They have two rookie running backs who appear to be more than capable.  They are in the thick of the playoff chase.  It's going to be a fun ride the rest of the season.  There has been too much losing around here to be mad about how they win.  Yes it was an odd game, there have been many of them this season.  But victory Monday always feels good, so let's enjoy it.  Eat drink and be merry, the best holiday of the year is Thursday.  There is plenty to be thankful for with these Browns.


Random gifs

They finally fed the Crow.  Crowell runs farther on this one play than Ben Tate did in his last three games.

Lots going on here at Tennessee for a touchdown against Missouri.  They haven't had anything to celebrate there since Alabama's last national championship though. #sec

OBJ.  This is just amazing.

Bonus pic.  Amazing.

Week 11 - 2014 - Texans

Well that was a fun 10 days.  10 days of joy and bliss in first place for the Browns.  10 days to get ready for the 4-5 Texans, at home, with their best offensive player out and Ryan Mallett making his first start.  10 days to get ready.  And it only took a little over three hours to erase all those good feelings with a vomitous effort in front of the Dawg Pound.  The Browns were out coached, out classed, out-physicaled, and outscored 23-7 by the visiting Texans.  They were thoroughly beaten in all phases, it was as bad this week as it was good last.  It was a short stay in the penthouse for the Browns.

Everyone was awful.  I can't think of a single player that played well, possibly with the exception of Joe Thomas and Joe Haden.  Brian Hoyer stunk the place up.  But this game was lost by the coaches.

There was no reason not to come out with an aggressive defensive gameplan.  Ryan Mallett, strong armed statue, was making his first career start.  And while Ryan Mallett has all the arm talent on the planet, decision making has never been his strong suit.  So frankly, it seems easy to see that the way to beat him is by getting pressure in his face, moving him around in the pocket, and letting him make bad choices.  So what did defensive minded Mike Pettine and his hand picked defense coordinator Jim O'Neil do?  They sat back in coverage and let Mallett get comfortable.  They rarely brought pressure, instead playing passive.  This game was lost in the first quarter, when they didn't rattle Mallett.  He settled in, and the Texans offense starting dominating.  It makes no sense.  I have no idea what the Browns were trying to do.

I'll even blast Kyle Shanahan, who I really really like, because he didn't call his best game either.  Even if you are a team that likes to run to the right like the Browns are, you don't run at JJ Watt.  Maybe once or twice.  But your gameplan should not be to run wide zone toss plays at the best defensive lineman in football.  But it seems like the Browns were stubbornly going to attempt to do just that.  Again, it makes no sense.  It will be interesting to see what this run game looks like with Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron, but I'm not sure it would have made a difference in this one. 

And Chris Tabor, the worst special teams coach in the league, had his unit performing at the level we've all come to expect.  Missed field goal.  Check.  Kickoff return for touchdown called back by a penalty.  Check.  Snap over the punters head.  Check.  Classic Tabor.  Absolute garbage coach.

So yeah, the coaches were a big part of the problem.  The players were the other part.  Brian Hoyer, scatter passer, was terrible.  He's inaccurate as it is but was even more off against the Texans, owners of the 26th ranked pass defense in the league.  He looked uncomfortable from the beginning.  The run game was somewhat effective before it was abandoned in the 4th quarter.  Isaiah Crowell got the start and looked good until he fumbled the ball on the Texans 20 yard line going in.  It is unacceptable and that play really turned the game around, as the Texans took advantage of the turnover and scored before the half.  You cannot turn the ball over as a running back and he's now fumbled 4 times in the past 5 games.  Ben Tate had 2 carries for negative 9 yards, and then whined some more in the locker room after the game.  He can get on the first bus out of town and I don't think too many people would miss him.  Miles Austin had some brutal dropped passes.  The whole offense looked out of sync from the beginning.  It was extremely disappointing.  And yeah JJ Watt is good, I get that.  But this was an abysmal performance.

The defense was bad as well.  And I blame the coaches for most of those problems, but there are bigger issues starting to bubble up to the surface, starting with the toll that injuries are starting to take.  The defensive line has been ravaged by injury and with Phil Taylor now on the IR it isn't going to get any better.  They were worn down by the Texan offensive line, and depth is a big time concern.  Jabaal Sheard went down with an injury as well, and that is really bad news.  Additionally Karlos Dansby sustained a knee injury.  If those two are out for an extended amount of time the Browns are in big big trouble.  The run defense was pathetic, letting Alfred Blue carve them up.  If Foster plays I have to think the Texans win by 30.  They let Mallett and the Texan offense get comfortable, and played on their heels the entire game.  The soft coverage and passive play was incredibly frustrating to watch.  It was extremely disappointing, I can't use that word enough.  Disappointing is the best adjective to describe almost every aspect of that game by the Browns.

So for 10 days the Browns were on top.  They were 6-3 and in first place in the AFC North.  The P word was starting to seem more and more realistic.  And then they had an incredible failure from the top down.  This was a bad loss, at home, to a team that they should have beat.  If they have any realistic expectations of making the playoffs they need to win on the road next week in Atlanta and then again the following week in Buffalo.  Another performance like this against the Falcons and it should be Johnny Football time.  So the pressure is on Brian Hoyer and this team.  How they handle that will dictate the direction of the season.  Will it be like the last 10 days?  Or the previous 15 years?

Random gifs


Don't EVER make Gronk Mad

 

Ouch.

WARNING Close your eyes if you don't want to see an ear explode in a women's MMA fight.  Cleveland's own Jessica Eye doin work

More Gronk the guy is just the best

Bonus pic if Gronk is the best Beast Mode is a close second I just love the guy

Coworkers buddy ran into beastmode last night. Seems friendly. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/K8Jpr2d9yh
— DRMiller (@DRscrilla8) November 15, 2014

Week 10 - 2014 - Bengals

VICTORY FRIDAY FOR YOUR FIRST PLACE CLEVELAND BROWNS

What a game.  A dominant road performance in Cincinnati by the Brownies on national television has your Cleveland Browns in first place in the AFC North, the toughest division in the NFL.  It's November 7th, and the Browns are in first place.  The offense was dominant.  The defense was DOMINANT.  It was a brilliant performance by Brian Hoyer, by Kyle Shanahan, by Mike Pettine, Jim O'Neil, pretty much by everyone involved.  Hell they even overcame the worst official in the league Jeff Triplette.  They did it without Josh Gordon, without Andrew Hawkins, without Jordan Cameron.  The Browns won and are in first place in the AFC North.  The Browns are back.

The Browns had lost an NFL record 17 straight division road games.  They hadn't won in Cincinnati in 7 years.  The Bengals were riding a streak of 14 home games without a loss (13-0-1).  Greg Little (what an ass) was going to make the Browns pay.  The odds were certainly not on the Browns side.  However it was clear from the start that the Browns had the better quarterback and in my opinion the better coaching staff.  They were ready to go out of the gate, dominating in the trenches on both sides of the ball early and throughout the game.  And on a windy night in an AFC North tilt, that's where the game needed to be won.

Terrance West, Isaiah Crowell, and Ben Tate had lanes all night, and none of the three backs tip toed around as has been the case the past few weeks.  All three scored touchdowns.  The Browns now have 12 rushing touchdowns in 9 games.  Except for a couple of blown assignments by John Greco the offensive line was great.  There looked to be even more yards on the field than the backs gained.  Brian Hoyer played great as well, directing the offense and making timely third down completions.  He was in total control again, a welcome site after the previous 3 games.  Miles Austin has been tremendous, it seems like every catch he makes is for a first down.  It wasn't an offensive clinic but it was a winning recipe for a game like this.  Kyle Shanahan continues to be tremendous.  This was classic AFC North football.

And it wouldn't be classic AFC North football without hard hitting, dominating defense.  The defense continued to do what it has been doing for the past couple of weeks, forcing turnovers and stiffening up as the game went on.  Joe Haden was a lockdown cornerback again, his third straight outstanding performance.  Frankly he looked like the best player on the field.  Buster Skrine had 2 interceptions and only one penalty.  Tashaun Gipson forced another fumble and almost had another interception.  That guy is a player.  The defensive front, possibly bolstered by the return of Phil Taylor, was able to shut down the Bengal run game and keep consistent pressure on Andy Dalton.  Andy Dalton, by the way, was not very good.  Desmond Bryant has been playing lights out the past couple of weeks, and he had two sacks.  Kruger and Sheard were in the backfield most of the night, abusing RT Marshall Newhouse.  It was just beautiful to see.  They were organized, disciplined, and aggressive.  They were everything we expected them to be when Pettine was hired.  It has taken some time but this defense has really come together.  And they are still getting healthy on the defensive line.

And how great were Browns fans?  Not that Bengal fans are anything to write home about (they are terrible), but the Browns fans showed up and showed out for their team, leading audible chants and barking wildly in the second half.  It was awesome.  This is a sleeping giant of a fanbase that is starting to rise up, the largest fan backers group in the world belongs the the Browns.  The beast is waking.

Not even dirtbag Jeff Triplette could spoil the party, hopefully we are done with that crew for the year.  I just can't stand the guy, he is awful.

Proud.  That's how Browns fans can feel about their team today.  Proud.  Proud to wear their orange and brown.  It's been far too long since we've been able to feel this way.  The Browns are in first place on November 7th.  They have outscored the last two division opponents they've played 55-10.  They are a team on the rise that is purging the demons of the past on a weekly basis.  They are doing it with an old school toughness.  And they are a team we can be proud of.  Finally.  Victory Friday.  For your first place Cleveland Browns.


Random gifs

Hardest hit by a Bengal all night

Here's a truck driving into a pool

Bonus Pic nice work Matt Dalakas.  Greg Little can take your order now.