I hate to jump on the “The-2007-Cleveland-Browns-are-the-new-Kardiac-Kids” bandwagon, but seriously, I think I might have to reconsider …
Our end-of-game defense is really bad. Our offense’s tendency to turn the ball over and commit senseless penalties is absolutely maddening. Combine the two, and, well, we keep inferior teams in the games much longer than they have any right to be.
I don’t think it’s a matter of playing down to the level of our competition, either. We’re really just inconsistent. We’re inconsistent from down-to-down, quarter-to-quarter and game-to-game. Our best players and worst players all take turns playing heroes and goats.
I don’t get it. See, as soon as every Browns game ends, I spend over two hours in the Jeep driving back to Pittsburgh. During these drives, I think about the games. (I think about other things as well, but it’s mostly about the games.) We just finished our 13th game of the season, and I still haven’t figured this team out.
There are a few things I’m convinced of, however. Feel free to argue with me:
- Derek Anderson is VERY strong, and sometimes it makes up for his questionable decision-making and accuracy issues. Sometimes it doesn’t.
It’s hard to not root for this guy. Big, dumb, small town, whatever … he’s a likable character. If, through some miracle, this team ends up winning the Super Bowl and they turn it into a Miracle on Ice-type movie, whoever plays him will be the next great actor in Hollywood. The role will make somebody a star. Bank on it.
- Romeo Crennel is a heckuva nice guy. He reminds me of Wayne Fonts in that I think everybody has a jolly, chubby uncle that’s just fun to be around. That doesn’t make him a great football coach. In fact, I’m not sure it even makes him a good football coach. Truthfully, I’ve got this drinking buddy that I go to games with sometimes that looks EXACTLY like Romeo. Walking through the stadium concourse, sometimes I introduce him as “Romeo.”
With all the talent on this team (both offensive and defensive), I think the lack of consistency and discipline we discussed earlier falls on the shoulders of the head coach. He’s got to find a way to motivate these guys to sell-out on EVERY play. No more half-speed routes. No more breakdowns in pass coverage. No more halfhearted pass rushes. It’s inexcusable. And it’s time for Romeo to to start demanding accountability from the players and assistants who are ultimately going to either make him or break him.
- We have two rookie cornerbacks that can PLAY. We have one veteran cornerback who is stinking up the field. And yes, I’m talking about you, Leigh Bodden.
I like Leigh Bodden. I’ll root for him, and I hope he gets over whatever the Hell it is that’s affecting his game. If he’s hurt, get somebody else in there. It’s painful to watch, and I say that from a place of love.
- I smoke too much. I smoke WAY too much when I watch the Browns.
That’s less of a theory and more of a fact. For example, I usually smoke a pack-a-day, but on Browns Sundays I’ve been smoking almost two. Also, why has it rained, sleeted or snowed every Sunday since I started driving back to Pittsburgh. It’s uncanny, and I choose to blame the Browns.
Finally, on a somewhat related note, I rooted for the Stillers for the first time today. I know; I know I said it would never happen. But against Bill Belichick and the most overrated 13-0 team in NFL history, I made a one-time exception. And I’m glad I did because they lost.
