Browns Halftime Blurb - 12/24 @ Ravens

I was going to write up a full post but I'm so disgusted with the sequence of events that ended the half, I'll just sum it up in few bullet points because I just...I just can't.

• The Browns are down 17-0. Not 17-3, not 17-7, 17-0. Wow. 
• Peyton Hillis is having a good day running the football with 68 yards on 15 carries—good for 4.5 yard average. I'd like to see him back next season.
• You know how I wrote that "Fire Pat Shurmur" post? Yeah, the clock management he just did at the end of the first half is a fireable offense. If Holmgren was in the building, he should honestly come down from the box, put on a jumpsuit and coach this team during the second half. That's the worst display of clock management I've ever seen in my life, and I watch a whole lot of football.
• I know there's a big talent gap, but it doesn't have to be this bad. Just give a little effort guys, c'mon! 
• Can it get any worse? 

I'll see you after the game. If I make it, that is.
Ugh.
~MAS

The Final Word — We Got Spanked, Plain and Simple

As I continue to watch Browns games this year, it's starting to become more and more difficult to justify my Browns fandom. I love football, especially the NFL, and so I watch a whole lot of it—good teams, bad teams, those in-between. 9.23 The Fan Brown beat reporter Daryl Ruiter tweeted out earlier that Josh Cribbs said there's a "big gap" between the talent level of the Browns and their other AFC North opponents. Cribbs may have overstepped by saying that in the heat of the moment right after the 24-10 loss to Ravens, but he's right. So. Incredibly. Right.

And it's not just the AFC North that we have to contend with. I'm not sure how the heck we beat Miami, because I'm telling you, we wouldn't beat them today. And we're certainly nowhere close to the same orbit as the 49ers, Patriots, Saints, and Packers. Hell, even the Giants gave the Packers a great game today. You think we could do that with the horse crap product the Browns are putting on the field right now? 

Yeah, I don't think so either. 

The score today was a whole lot closer than the game actually was. Honestly, I can't think of any better word to use to describe their effort today than "pathetic." And no one can escape this—the offense, defense, special teams or the coaching. There was no positive unit today, and that makes this a complete team loss. 

I don't often think like that when going over a game, but think about it. The Browns were down just 10-0 at the half. They came out, traded punts with the Ravens, before taking the ball down the field and scoring  a field goal on a drive highlighted by a 52 yard pass from Colt McCoy to Peyton Hillis. It was a wheel route, and I guess the Ravens just forgot he was there. And after that, the Browns pretty much got nothing, but they cut into the lead 10-3, and suddenly it felt like a whole new ballgame. 

But then the defense came out and showed their pathetic side by giving up a 67 yard run to Ray Rice on the first play after the kickoff. Are you kidding me?! 

I don't have to tell you how after that, the wind was just completely knocked out of the Browns' sails. 

And so begins our talk of the myriad of problems the Browns had today, the most glaring of which was the Browns (lack of) run defense. They gave up 295 yards on the ground today—204 of them to Ray Rice on 29 carries. Yikes. 

Colt McCoy looked really bad today, going 17/35 on his throws for just 192 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Peyton Hillis didn't look too great either, gaining just 45 yards on 12 carries—but he only carried the ball twice in the second half. Yes, a healthy Hillis only carried the ball two times in the second half, when we came into the third quarter down by just 10 points. 

And that bring me to my newest favorite whipping boy—head coach Pat Shurmur. What the hell was he doing today? Let me be clear, hell yes I still want this guy fired, because he's completely incompetent! 

What have we been saying since week one? The offense lacks creativity. You know how many times Josh Cribbs got the ball in his hands today? A big fat zero! He's a playmaker! You have to put the ball in his hands somehow, someway. Put him at running back and throw it to him in the flat. Screen pass. Reverse. Something!

Now I know Colt didn't execute well, but the fact is that it looks like there are too many three step drop and throws that result in just five yard plays. I found this little gem out today—last year Pat Shurmur's offense in St. Louis averaged 5.9 yards per passing play. This year, it's the same number in Cleveland. 

Can you guess what the Packers and Saints average?

Aaron Rodgers gets a whopping 9.6 yards per play, and Drew Brees (who I think might be playing even better than Rodgers) averages 8.02. Those guys are playing a completely different sport than McCoy and the Browns offense, and it's not going to get any better until the coaches figure out how to maximize the talent we have. 

Look, the bottom line is it was bad today and we've got the Steelers on Thursday (grrrrrrreat...). This team is just nowhere near good enough to compete with the big boys and they proved it today. But none of that is an excuse to just go out and lay down like they did today. 

There's absolutely no excuse for that, and to me, it makes this year's version of the Browns a complete embarrassment to the history, colors and fans of this franchise. 

I'll see you Thursday...

~MAS

Start Me Up - Browns vs. Jaguars

Alrightey, I've calmed down a bit since last week, but I'm still on the "Fire Pat Shurmur" train. To me, he's inept, he's daft, and he doesn't belong as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

But that's probably a post better saved for sometime later this week when I'm at home and basking in the glow of Thanksgiving Break (!!!). So for now, let's just get right to it with the Browns versus the Jacksonville Jaguars.

There's a lot of speculation surrounding this team as of late—if Jack Del Rio will be their coach after his contract runs out in this upcoming offseason, and whether they'll be the franchise to relocate to LA when that big new stadium opens. All that being said, they're not playing that poorly for a team with a rookie quarterback.

Yes, they have the same record as we do in 3-6, but they beat Baltimore on Monday Night Football. Not a bad gig, if you can do it. What sets this team up for wins like that is their dominant defense. So far they're ranked fourth in overall defense, with their passing D ranked fifth (we're first in that category! How bout that...) and their running D ranked fourteenth. Not bad at all for their defensive coordinator, Mel Tucker. And if that name sounds familiar, it should—he was the secondary coach for the Browns from '05-'07, and the D-coordinator in '08 under Romeo "Mr. Snuggles" Crenel.

So what does that mean for us? Well, I'm no sure it's particularly good news. The offense has been strugg-a-ling as of late, and I honestly don't think Shurmur is the coach that's going to make them get over the hump. I will say this, if they get into the endzone in the first quarter, I think they have a real shot to win. Now, do I think they'll actually do that? No, I really don't. But I've been wrong plenty of times before.

Colt McCoy is going to have to be flawless in order for the Browns to win this game. The Browns don't have a running game, despite what they did last week, and so Colt is going to have to find passing lanes to Watson, Little, Massaquoi (who's back today after his concussion) and Cribbs. Hopefully Evan Moore will find some passes thrown his way too—I don't understand why Shurmur doesn't use that big target more than he does.

The defense is going to have its hands full with Maurice Jones-Drew. The guy is small but extremely powerful and bursts through the line with authority. We're ranked 30th against the run, allowing 142.8 yards per game. If Del Rio is any kind of coach—which I think he is—he's going to pound the ball with MJD all...game...long... and only allow rookie Blane Gabbert to throw when absolutely necessary. That's what I would do against such a poor running defense.

So what do I think is going to happen? Well, I think the Factory of Sadness will once again earn its name. I'm sorry, but Browns D + MJD = Disaster, by my calculations. I think Colt will have another good game, but ultimately playing for field goals—which Shurmur said he'd "go to the wall" with—will probably let us down once again. Boo.

The Prediction: JAC 16 - CLE 12

No touchdowns for the Browns today, and one for the Jags late will seal the deal against the Browns.

I'll see you at the half...
~MAS