Week 12 - 2013

I honestly didn't see that coming.  I should have, because I've been burned before.  But I didn't.  I thought it was going to be different.  It wasn't.  I thought the Browns were the better team.  They weren't.  I thought the coaches would have the Browns ready to play.  They didn't.  I thought the Browns would win.  They didn't.

Does that about sum it up?  Another game against the Steelers, at home, and another loss.  Another lifeless performance, not one but two Brandon Weeden sightings, passive coaching, poor special teams.  Awful all the way around in a 27-11 loss to a lousy Steelers team.


Ben Roethlisberger, sex predator, essentially treated the Browns defense like they were guests in his own personal barroom bathroom.  He did whatever he wanted.  The Browns generated no pressure, they gave Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders ample room, and they allowed Le'Veon Bell to run through them.  They were powerless at times.  The offense certainly doesn't help the defense by constantly turning the ball over and failing to score when given good field position, but the defense needs to create turnovers and pressure quarterbacks.  And the defensive players took shots at the offense after the game.  CHEMISTRY!

Jason Campbell apparently has a rib injury.  It must be bad because getting tackled by the ankle even aggravates it.  If he's hurt then he shouldn't be playing.  He had ample time in the pocket for most of the first half and generated very little, especially when gifted good field position.  If Chris Ogbonnaya can't hold on to the football then stop giving it to him.  Give it to Willis and Fozzie.  They only run the ball ten times every game.  Let's minimize some risk here.  But an ankle tackle forced Campbell out of the game in the second quarter, and Weeden came in and promptly fired a fastball that a quickly regressing Jordan Cameron dropped.  And then the wheels came off, Antonio Brown ran past Joe Haden for a touchdown, then Obie fumbled and Pittsburgh got three more points.  At 13-3, the Steelers had it essentially wrapped up at halftime.

The Steelers knocked the fragile Campbell from the game for good in the third quarter, then the home crowd was treated to some more Brandon Weeden.  He only fumbled once and threw a pick six, so all and all a pretty decent game out of him.  Josh Gordon is the only weapon on this offense now that Cameron has packed it in, and he was uncoverable.  Imagine what he would do with a good quarterback.  He had 14 catches and 237 yards.  He's a stud.  This is a team that is moving towards unwatchable territory.  The pillow fight next week between the Browns and the Jags should be epic.  I might be secretly hoping for a Browns loss, one step closer to a franchise quarterback.

The one thing that the Browns do better than anybody in the league, possibly any other team in the history of football, is throw the ball short of the first down marker on third or fourth down.  IF YOU NEED FIVE YARDS RUN A FIVE YARD PASS ROUTE!  NOT 4 NOT 3, FIVE STINKING YARDS. 

3-10-PIT 36 (7:56) (Shotgun) 17-J.Campbell pass short right to 15-D.Bess ran ob at PIT 31 for 5 yards.

 

3-5-CLE 25 (14:20) (Shotgun) 17-J.Campbell pass short middle to 18-G.Little to CLE 29 for 4 yards (20-W.Allen).

 

3-7-CLE 28 (6:53) (Shotgun) 3-B.Weeden pass short left to 15-D.Bess to CLE 34 for 6 yards (22-W.Gay).

 

4-16-CLE 30 (1:08) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 3-B.Weeden pass short right to 15-D.Bess to CLE 38 for 8 yards (22-W.Gay).

It is the most maddening thing.  I don't understand.  It's going to be a long five games.

Anyways for the 24th time in the 29 regular season games that the Browns and Steelers have played since 1999, the Steelers won.  I don't even know why I'm surprised.  I don't know why I expect anything different.  It's not different.  It won't be until we get a real quarterback, not a fragile journeyman or a 30 year old baseball player.  A real, legit quarterback.  If you think you can win without one in the NFL, you can't.


Random gifs

Pictures is a man's game

This is a pretty solid td dance

Oh Braxton.  Be careful.

#BeatBlue

 

 

 

 

Edit Had to add this gem of two drunk Bears fans racing

 

 

Week 11 - 2013

No pressure, no diamonds, as the old quotes says.  Well in the biggest game in years for your Cleveland Browns, the Browns succumbed to the pressure and created something closer to dog crap than diamonds.  They blew harder than the wind.  They played an absolutely embarrassing game to the Bengals, a team that could not have beaten them had they not beaten themselves.  Andy Dalton is awful.  An absolute liability.  I don't even hate the Bengals like I hate the Steelers and the Ravens.  If they had a real quarterback they'd be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.  But they have Andy Dalton.  And he tried to give the Browns the game.  But these Browns are a stubborn group, refusing the early Christmas gifts and returning the favor in spades. What a travesty.  Bengals 41, Browns 20. 

At some point in the first quarter, before the weather turned nasty, the Browns appeared on their way to destroying the Bengals and launching their playoff push.  Andy Dalton was confused on which Cleveland Brown he wanted to complete passes to.  But something happened to Jason Campbell.  I'm not sure why the Browns want to pass the ball from the 1 yard line.  I don't understand it I would literally qb sneak everytime from the 1.  But what do I know, when you can pass the ball and kick field goals I guess why bother.  Anyway from the 1 yard line Jordan Cameron was wide open and Campbell missed him.  He followed that up by having Greg Little wide open and firing the ball into the chest of the only defender between the Browns and 6 points.  At some point in that sequence, Jason Campbell turned into some sort of Colt McCoy/Alex Smith clone.  He never recovered.  He showed why the Browns are his fourth NFL team, and he's never been viewed as a long term answer at any of his previous stops.  He probably played himself on Sunday and not the role of Otto Graham as he had in his previous 2 starts.  He is who he is.  And he was himself in Cincinnati.  He constantly checked down to his running backs and tight ends, completing just 7 of his 54 passes to wide receivers. He held the ball and didn't move out of the pocket.  I honestly had a moment where I thought Brandon Weeden might give them a better chance.  That's how bad Jason Campbell was.  It wasn't all his fault but if he was better the Browns had an opportunity to win.  Especially early.  The opportunities were there to bury the Bengals, and they couldn't do it.

I can't say what the Browns did on their bye week to prepare for this game.  It really was a big game.  They were 1.5 games behind Cincy with winnable games on the horizon.  Win this one and they're right in it.  But they cracked under pressure.  The coaches and the players.  Cracked.

According to this post if a team blocks a punt they win the game 90% of the time.  The Bengals blocked TWO Cleveland punts.  TWO!!!!!  IN ONE GAME!  What the hell did Chris Tabor do during the bye week?  I don't know who is to blame, but it sure looked like Spencer Lanning was slow getting the ball kicked.  But there were blocking problems as well.  One would think those problems would be solved after the first punt was blocked, but again these Browns are a stubborn bunch.  In addition to the TWO!!!!!  punt blocks in one quarter, the Browns allowed a defensive touchdown off an Ogbonnya fumble.  Devone Bess was wide open on the play also.  But JaColt McCampbell was determined to get his running backs the ball on passes.  ALOT.  I might pay for the All-22 just so I can watch this game.  I'm shocked at how often Campbell checked down.  Shocked.  I can't imagine that Josh Gordon or Devone Bess couldn't win one on one against the Bengals secondary.  Shocked.

The Browns were shocked too.  In the second quarter they allowed 31 points.  31 points.  31 points.  In a quarter.  To a team whose quarterback was playing AWFUL.  Unbelievable.  Only in Cleveland.  To cap off the stupidity show in the second quarter, Jordan Cameron actively worked to get out of bounds on a 0 yard pass play on a third and thirteen with 34 seconds left in the half.  All he has to do is go down and at least force the Bengals to use their last timeout, assuming they would have.  They may have just taken it into the locker room.  But instead the Browns punted, gave up a 27 yard return, and gave the Bengals an additional 3 points before the half.  Just a stupid football play. 

Giving up 31 points in one game is bad.  Giving up two punt blocks in a season is bad.  Somehow the Browns gave this up in one quarter.  There's nothing else to say about it.  What else can possibly be said?

The second half was just as bad as the first from an offensive standpoint.  It was just a horrible game all around.

I can't figure out these Browns.  When I think they need to lose they win.  When they need to win they lose.  It doesn't matter anymore.  They're still in contention for a playoff spot in a weak AFC, especially with their upcoming schedule.  They need to start with Pittsburgh next week. 


Random gifs

Holy Auburn

LOLOL

Apparently this is now a 15 yard penalty in the NFL.  What a joke.

Good try good effort Texas Tech.  Thanks UC.

Week 9 - 2013

Dear Jason Campbell -

I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I lumped you in the same category as Brandon Weeden.  It was an honest mistake.  I just didn't know.  I'm really sorry.  You just played a great football game.  You played through pain all game after Haloti Ngata's giant body tried to smash your insides, making throws and moving the pocket with your legs.  You completed 23 out of your 35 passes, for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns.  You didn't have a turnover for a second straight week.  You are the reason the Browns won.  You are the first Browns quarterback since 2007 to beat the Ravens, and I hate the Ravens.  It was glorious.  You outplayed the Super Bowl MVP, Joe Flacco.  So thank you, and I'm sorry.  And tell Devone Bess I'm super sorry for being super mean to him, too.  He played great.  And War Damn Eagle from my Auburn folk.

Love Eric.


Seriously though I was wrong about Jason Campbell.  I really didn't think it mattered who the quarterback was after Brian Hoyer was injured.  But clearly it matters.  Jason Campbell played a fantastic football game on Sunday, leading the Browns to their first win over the Ravens since 2007, breaking the streak of 11 straight losses.  That is insane.  The last time the Browns beat the Ravens Josh Gordon was a junior in high school.  Joe Thomas was a rookie.  Romeo Crennel was the coach.  Goodness that is almost unfathomable in today's NFL.  The 24-18 victory also marks the first time the Browns have defeated Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh.  Lookout NFL here come the Browns!

The Browns are now 4-1 when Campbell or Hoyer have started, 0-4 when Brandon Weeden started. 


His offensive weapons certainly helped him out this week.  Devone Bess, that's what we've been expecting.  What a great bounce back game for him, catching two of Campbell's touchdowns.  He only caught 3 passes, but two were on fourth down.  He made the play of the game when he came back and secured Campbell's pass on fourth and one late in the game.  That's what we've been waiting for from him.  And seriously what the hell Greg Little?  Why can't you play like that every week?  Little was everywhere, snaring passes in traffic and showing some speed after the catch.  Of course he had two personal foul penalties, but screw the Ravens after 11 straight losses it was good to see some swagger and attitude.  The Browns were the better, more talented team.  Offensively, defensively, and on special teams.  And I'm really starting to love Rob Chudzinski.  I love the aggressiveness, going for it on 4th and 1 early in the game and converting for the touchdown, and late in the game to secure the victory.

Defensively, the Browns were really good.  Baltimore couldn't run the ball.  They couldn't really protect Flacco, although he made some plays with his feet.  The defensive front got great pressure, from just about everybody.  Armonty Bryant looks like he's going to be a pretty good player.  He certainly looks the part with those long arms and seems to use his hands well when pass rushing.  He appears to be a pretty good find by Banner and Lombardi.  Phil Taylor, Desmond Bryant, and Ahtyba Rubin are fun to watch.  Joe Haden got his first interception of the season.  TJ Ward is playing at a Pro-Bowl level.  Ray Horton's defense really is fun to watch, they are fast and swarming and everything I want from a defense.  I still think they're a couple players away from being really really great, but I do love watching them.  The Ravens had two weeks to get a gameplan put together coming off the bye, and the Browns stymied them pretty good.  It was Harbaugh's first loss coming off of a bye. 

The one thing I'll say is that they had the Ravens in third and long almost the entire game and allowed them to convert 7 out of 16 times.  That's not terrible but I think they're good enough to get off the field more frequently.  And again seems like nitpicking here but on offense they need to run to the left.  All game they ran right and got stuffed.  Joe Thomas is really good, maybe they should run behind him.

So here we are again.  When I convince myself that this team is going to lose, and that it is better for them to lose, they suck me back in.  They are 4-5 and have a bye week, then Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.  They certainly have a chance to get back into the race in the AFC North, and again this game proves that with pretty good play from the quarterback, this team is pretty good.  Just how good we will find out here in the second half of the season.  After the roller coaster ride the first nine games have been, I'm sure it will be interesting.


Random gifs

A "Michigan Man" everybody

 

 

Creepy

Justin Blackmon you idiot

Week 8 - 2013

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

 

 





Week 7 - 2013

2 weeks, or what feels like a lifetime ago, the Browns were tied for first place in the AFC North.  Seriously how far away does that feel?  Brandon Weeden, the worst quarterback in the NFL, played one of his worst games.  Jeff Triplette, the worst referee in the NFL, did what he does.  Rob Chudzinski, rookie head coach, doing his Pat Shurmur impression.  31-17 Packers.  This game was basically my worst nightmare.

I defended Brandon Weeden until I watched him vomit away the Miami game.  I was wrong to ever have defended him.  Once the blinders were off, the warts on his game are impossible to overlook.  He is actually getting worse with every start.  Logically this makes no sense.  Quarterbacks don't generally get worse with experience.  But Weeden has.  Every game it seems is worse than the last.  His un-watchability is moving somewhere between Doug Pederson and Charlie Frye.  He sprayed the ball all over historic Lambeau Field, completing a mere 17 of his 42 passes.  The Browns never had a chance, they knew it, and the Packers knew it.

The Browns receivers didn't exactly have a banner day.  Does playing with an inaccurate quarterback who has no confidence have an effect on them?  Possibly.  Josh Gordon looked disinterested, Devone Bess was supposed to be sure-handed but drops a pass every game, Greg Little is not very good, and Jordon Cameron is generally ignored until the game is out of hand.  Kansas City's defense is going to tear this offense apart next week.  Expect press man across the board and between 7-10 sacks.  I'm dead serious. 

As far as changing quarterbacks, I personally don't see it happening, for multiple reasons.  One, Jason Campbell must be terrible or they would have gone to him by now.  Whether they're mad at him for skipping out on the fourth preseason game or there is something else, they obviously don't think he's the answer.  Two, the Browns are done trying to win this season.  They aren't tanking, that's not what I'm saying.  But they aren't trying that hard to be mediocre this season, when they can be bad and get their quarterback in the draft.  The answer isn't outside the building either, in my opinion.  I just don't think that there are any better options than Weeden right now.  I'm not saying I agree, but it is what it is.  So get ready for 9 more horrible games.  Looking at the schedule they may not win again until December, when they take on Jacksonville.  And sadly, as bad as Chad Henne is, if he starts he won't be the worst quarterback on the field that day.  Blaine Gabbert, that's another story.

The coaches were pretty terrible against the Packers as well.  Early in the game Weeden was shooting high and outside pretty regularly.  The Browns had a penalty aided drive going and were facing a 3rd and 1.  And they called a pass.  The guy couldn't hit the broadside of a barn and that's the playcall.  Somewhere Pat Shurmur is smiling.  Shockingly the pass was incomplete.  Third and one should be a quarterback sneak every single time, especially considering they went for it on fourth down.  Well on fourth down they passed it again, and Weeden lobbed an interception.  Brilliant.  Run the ball.  If Marquis Gray is going to come in and run the read option, then teach him how to read the defender.  They ran it twice and he made the wrong read both times.  Late in the game they opted to go for a fourth and fifteen rather than kick a field goal.  Hard to argue if they felt it was out of Cundiff's range.  They actually recovered two onside kicks and were penalized on both.  That's impressive.  But all and all it was a pretty lousy performance from Chud and staff.

I wasn't overly impressed by the defense either, but Rodgers is really good.  They actually plugged the dyke and stopped the flooding in the third quarter.  If the offense had gotten anything going they may have had a chance, but in the end it was too little, too late, too much time on the field.  They have to get more pressure on the quarterback or they have no chance, especially with Robertson now being targeted systematically.  They have a good defense, they are only a few pieces away.

Jeff Triplette is the worst referee in the NFL.  There is no reason he should be allowed to work NFL games.  There were 22 combined accepted penalties, and two egregious misses that I can remember off the top of my head.  The call on Gipson for hitting Finley in the helmet, and the pass interference on Skrine.  Players will be wearing flags soon, because real football is dead.  Gipson had no chance on that play, Finley came in with his head down and Gipson turned away from his helmet.  He has no other option on that play.

Brandon Weeden has now lost every game he's started this season, and there's no reason to think that's going to change anytime soon.  The case can be made that Chud risks losing the team by continuing to roll him out in spite of his obvious and glaring deficiencies.  I won't argue against that, but I also think there is no better option at this point.  The next ten games are going to be long and painful, but so have the past 12 seasons.  3-13 started last week.

Random gifs

Another Brandon Weeden gem, he's throwing the ball to Willis McGahee, who was getting up from blocking on the play.  Another Weeden in a nutshell gif.  Thanks Matt Brocone for sending this over.

Michigan still churning out the hotties

Jameis destroyed Clemson.

This makes me feel slightly better about just about everything

Week 6 - 2013

"Hope is a waking dream", according to Aristotle.  Well the dream of the first place Browns, the dream of a division championship, and probably the dream of the playoffs turned into a nightmare against the Lions on a warm Sunday afternoon in Cleveland.  Yes, there are still ten games left, and yes, the Browns are only one game behind Cincinnati, and yes, it seems early to despair.  But after watching Brandon Weeden's second chance at being the starting quarterback, I'll be stunned if the Browns win more than three more games the rest of the season.  If that sounds overly pessimistic, watch this play over and over.  One play, one bad decision, but no one play has ever summed up a quarterback quite like this one does.

I don't want to blast just Brandon Weeden.  There is plenty of blame to go around after that disastrous second half which saw the Browns give up 24 straight points.  Craig Robertson was systematically targeted and exploited by Detroit.  An average Lions offensive line kept moon faced Matt Stafford clean and upright for a majority of the game.  The coaching was questionable at best, both offensively and defensively.  And the officiating was downright awful.  But the game was in the hands of the quarterback and he failed.


First off, the Browns have had the lead at halftime in every game this season.  And they've managed to lose 3 of those games.  In the first half, they were able to mix in creative running plays with effective passing.  They didn't put it on Weeden.  And it worked as they went into halftime with a 10 point lead.  It was like an entirely different team came out of the locker room.  In this, and every one of those losses, they have been awful in the third quarter.  I'm not sure if they're being out coached in the locker room at halftime or what the issue is, but the fact is they do not execute well after halftime especially with Weeden at the helm.  They have pulled the plug on the running game in each of the three losses, putting the game entirely on Weeden's shoulders.  And quite simply they are not going to win that way.  Against the Lions, they ran nine plays in the third quarter.  NINE.  Three series, three and out on all of them.  They called three running plays.  They were awful, horrible, lousy.  The coaches have to do a better job.

Defensively, this was probably the worst game the Browns have played this season.  The defense is going to keep them in a lot of games, but they weren't that good on Sunday.  In the second half Detroit exploited matchup problems and Ray Horton had no answer.  They got no pressure on Stafford, allowing him to dink and dunk down the field.  They let the Lions convert 8-15 third downs.  Tashaun Gipson, who is really becoming a solid player, had an interception, the only turnover the Browns forced.  And they only sacked Stafford once.  Craig Robertson had a really really tough day.  Joe Haden was called for two horrible pass interference penalties but shut down a hobbled Calvin Johnson.  But it was the inability to get pressure and to stop the Lions on third down that hurt the Browns on Sunday.  This defense will have better days.

But the problem for the Browns, the real problem, is the quarterback.  I stuck up for Brandon Weeden.  I convinced myself that the things that were wrong with him were fixable, that he would get better with a new coaching staff.  But they aren't and they haven't.  The same issues he had in college, and last year, still exist.  He locks on to his primary target and holds the ball too long.  He has trouble throwing receivers open.  He truly is a baseball player who is playing football.  He has no football instincts.  The second the Lions went up by 4 points early in the fourth quarter the game was essentially over.  He proved it when he stupidly took a penalty for intentional grounding, and proved it with that stupid flip pass that was intercepted.  He even proved it on the last series of the game when he didn't throw the ball near the endzone when the Browns needed touchdowns, although more than likely the game was decided.  He missed a wide open Travis Benjamin and a wide open Greg Little for big plays in the second half, although the Little play would've come back on a penalty.  He limits what the offense can do.  It is clear that when he is the quarterback the Browns will not run screen passes.  It is unclear what other limitations the offense works under with Weeden, but after seeing this team with Hoyer and then again with Weeden, there are definite limitations.

And I don't like to blame the officials but Walt Coleman and his crew were criminally bad.  Rarely are games as horribly officiated as this one, and the Browns were on the short end of every bad call.  The pass interference on Joe Haden on 3rd and 2 in the first quarter was awful.  The catch by Greg Little on 2nd and 25 in the fourth quarter sure looked good from the limited angles that were shown by Fox, but was called a no catch.  And the roughing the passer call on Quinton Groves was an abomination.  I still feel the NFL should grade every officiating crew and publish those grades, but this crew was downright awful.  Walt Coleman has now secured his place with Jeff Triplette in the awful referee hall of fame.  So congrats Walt and crew, you are absolutely dreadful.

So this is where we're at.  The Browns are 3-3 and trending down.  Whereas just last week we were celebrating being in first place, this week it seems we're destined for a top ten draft pick.  Such is life as a Browns fan.  Snapped out of this waking dream, back the reality of life in the NFL with Brandon Weeden as the starting quarterback.  He has ten games left to prove himself, otherwise that hope, that waking dream, will be of Bridgewater or Mariota or Boyd or Manziel in orange and brown.


Random gifs

Careful on those sidelines ladies

 

Holla at your boy Tom Brady

Case McCoy crash test dummy

And bonus picture because it's awesome.

Week 5 - 2013

 

 

Let's start with this.  The Cleveland Browns are in first place in the AFC North.  Process that if you can.  First Place.  Sure, they are only 5 games in.  But they are 3-2 for the first time since 2001.  Think about that.  It's been 12 years since the Browns were 3-2 after 5 games.  They haven't even been over .500 since the clock ticked off on the final game of the 2007 season.  This was a big time win last night, on national television, at home, in front of the best fans in football.  Here's some more food for thought - in the NFL, 50% of teams that start 3-2 make the playoffs.  Yup.  Playoffs. 

It was a big win for many reasons.  First of all, in a town with a psyche as fragile as Cleveland's, following the egg the Indians layed in the Wild Card game, there was a feeling of trepidation (for me anyway) going into the game.  Because just when things appear to be going right for Cleveland, the universe has a way of balancing itself out.  It started on Tuesday with the Indians, and seemed to be continuing from the opening kickoff, when Greg Little caught the kickoff deep in the endzone and jogged out to the eight before he was buried.  Despite the raucous crowd, the Browns seemed intent on finishing the let down the Indians started, on a week where Cleveland was going to be the center of the sports world.  Josh Gordon let a potential 80 yard touchdown slip through his fingers, and the Bills used good field position and a horrible pass interference call to jump out to a 7-0 lead.

Then the unthinkable.  The pin that popped the collective balloon.  Brian Hoyer laying on the field, legs crumpled under him, in obvious pain.  Injured.  Out of the game.  Local boy turned hero turned tragic figure.  In stepped Brandon Weeden, who promptly looked like Brandon Weeden while the boos rained down and the frustration boiled over.  The Bills kicked another field goal and led 10-0. Hope was lost, it appeared.  It felt like another Cleveland sports story.  You could feel it. 

Only this time, something different happened.  Maybe it's having a coach that understands the region.  And understands basic football principles, unlike his predecessor.  Maybe the players are mentally tougher.  Maybe it's just different this season.  But there was a spark, a flash, wearing a brown #80 jersey that turned the game around.  Travis Benjamin, on the strength of two long punt returns, one for a touchdown and one that led to a field goal, almost single handedly tied the game at 10.  The defense clamped down, led by a ferocious front 7.  And somehow, in spite of his shortcomings, (and his long holdings) and the rough start to the game, Brandon Weeden calmed down, made some decent throws, and staked his team out to a halftime lead.

Things appeared to be going right.  The Browns took the lead.  The crowd was wild.  The greatest player to ever wear a Browns jersey was honored at halftime.  Everything was going to be okay it seemed.  Then CJ Spiller blew past Barkevious Mingo for a 54 yard touchdown and the air left the stadium again.  And then the Bills scored again, although the drive cost them their quarterback, as EJ Manuel was cut down by Tashuan Gipson and injured his knee.  24-17.  Bills. 

 

Hope had left, for good this time it seemed.  Surely Brandon Weeden couldn't get the job done.  But then he did.  In the face of adversity he did.  A deep pass, thrown perfectly, (and caught!!) to Greg Little for 47 yards.  Then another, following a penalty, to Josh Gordon for a juggling 37 yard touchdown.  Pandemonium.  Tie ball game.  And then Ray Horton did his thing, and the defense did their thing.  They are fun to watch, this Browns defense.  And Weeden was sharp when he needed to be, making some clutch throws down the stretch.  And Jeff Tuel, Buffalo's backup, was not.  And TJ Ward finished the job with a pick 6 to end the game and start the party.  It would not be the same old story in Cleveland.  Not on this Thursday night anyway.  It was a badly needed win for the Browns, but it was a badly needed win for the area.  They had a chance to fold.  They had every excuse to be like every other Cleveland team that has faced adversity and let us down.  But not this team, not this team.  Not this first place Cleveland Browns team.

 

Random gifs

For some reason I can't stop watching this

This is what Texas football has become

LOL Jimmy Haslam LOL