What was more painful, watching the Browns/Jets game or
writing this blog about it?
I knew when they had a chance to go up 7-0 early and had to
settle for a field goal, that they were going to lose. When they didn’t score
on a fourth and short on the next drive, everyone in the bar knew it. And after
they blew a 10-0 lead before half, everyone everywhere knew. That’s the way it
has gone this season.
Where do you start with this one? Probably the only thing positive
about the afternoon was that the Browns actually had a running game, with Edwin
Baker rushing for 64 yards and a touchdown (close to what Trent Richardson gave
them weekly last year). The Jets were unprepared for Baker running right at
them, the Steelers won’t be this week.
For weeks it was Brandon Weeden who was the scapegoat. Then
it was Jason Campbell. But the problems with this team don’t start at
quarterback. The Jets exploited the same things everyone else has this
season. Don’t worry about the
running game, and take Josh Gordon out of the game. Let the Browns do whatever
they want on defense, as the game goes on they will show their holes and start
making major mistakes.
And speaking of Weeden, play him this week. He is the only
one of the three quarterbacks who the Browns can get anything for. Campbell and
Hoyer have both been passed over several times by everyone in the league, but
somewhere there is a coach or two who will see Weeden’s million dollar arm and
will think they could do something with him and trade a draft pick or two for
him.
And, just like proceeding weeks, the front office is nowhere
to be seen. They let Coach Chud face the press and take the blame. It’s too
late to blame it on previous regimes. This team has gotten worse as the season has
gone on. A culture of losing permeates through the team and organization as
much as anytime since they have returned. And I stick with what I said at the
beginning of the season, this Browns team has talent and should have challenged
for a playoff spot.
But don’t worry, they will send us emails each week asking
about our fan experience. And next season we will once again see every gimmick
used in every other stadium each Sunday until the NFL can’t be recognized from
the NBA. And the new super scoreboards will allow us to see the replays of all
those fourth quarter touchdowns the Bengals and Steelers and Patriots score.
And in this sad, strange, frustrating Browns season, the
thirteenth such season in the fifteen years since they returned, the Browns have
one more game that they could salvage for their fans. One more game to tell the
people who pay for their salaries, that buy their uniforms and revolve every
Sunday around them, that things are going to be alright. The Browns could beat
the Steelers this weekend and many fans would consider the season a success. But
I don’t see it happening. I see another game of field goals instead of
touchdowns, of blown leads and a leaky defense giving up fourth quarter
touchdowns.
And then after the game Coach Chud will stand in front of
the press and tell them that it is all inexcusable. Another losing season in a
long line of losing seasons. But don’t worry; the new scoreboards are going to
be beautiful.
Greg Cielec
Section 120, Row B, seats 3 & 4
No comments:
Post a Comment