Monday, December 16, 2013

View From the Dawg Pound, Week 14

            Let me see, have I written this already this season? The Browns lose another winnable game. They had a chance to score a touchdown early but settled for a field goal. Quarterback play was once again good enough to win. The defense falls apart in the fourth quarter, including giving up a touchdown on a pass that should have been an interception.  That’s pretty much how it has been most of the season, that Thursday night win against the Bills seems like lifetimes ago.
Let’s start with the offense. Again, inconsistent, but good enough to win. Jason Campbell played well at times, but did his share keeping the Bears in the game with a interception that was returned 47 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, and an earlier pick that was just an ugly throw. His box score finished at 23 out of 39 for 273 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He spread the ball around to eight different receivers, but no one had a dominant game like Josh Gordon did the last few weeks.
Recently signed running back Edwin Baker got 38 yards on eight carries, but for the most part the Browns’ running game was once again nonexistent. As I say every week, it makes the defensive game plan a lot more effective when you know your opponent can’t run the ball.
The defense did what it has done all year, play good enough to win for three quarters, and good enough to lose in the fourth. An early pick six by Tashaun Gipson was a big time play, and the first of two by Gipson on the afternoon. But it was another signature play that turned the game away from the Browns and its defense. This week it was a pass that almost could be called a ‘Hail Mary,’ except it wasn’t on the last play of the half or game. On the Bears first possession of the fourth quarter, Jay Cutler on a third and eleven at the Browns 44 threw it high and deep and Bears receiver Andrew Jeffrey came down with the ball between two Browns defensive backs in the end zone for a touchdown. Either Browns defensive back could have intercepted it, but neither did. Ouch!
The real story of the day was the fans. There were more at the game than I thought there would be, including a healthy contingent of Bears fans. Most stayed well into the second half and kept the Browns in the game. They really needed to be rewarded with a win.
Another home season has come and gone, and this one will have fans analyzing things well into the winter and spring. Most fans don’t want to here it, but the same front office and coaching staff for two years in a row; an abundance of draft picks; and millions of dollars under the salary cap make the future look rosy for the Browns. Let’s hope things aren’t screwed up like they have been so many times in the past.
            Pregame and post game notes…It was too cold for many, including us, to tailgate, so we hit the Hard Rock Café before the game.  A nice, festive crowd. The brunch looked great, we didn’t want to pig out saw we just had appetizers at the bar. They were good, as was the service.  And their shuttle took us to the game in time for kickoff. I would definitely do it again. After the game we warmed up at the Tilted Kilt, which had a festive atmosphere also, in spite of the results of the game. Maybe people are just getting immune to it? Again, food and beverages were good, as was the service. Maybe we should have just bar hopped all day and avoided the agony of the game?
Text by Greg Cielec
Photos by Dave Hostetler
Section 120, Row B, seats 3 and 4 



















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