1st blog

1st blog 09/20/2009

Browns, Browns, oh Browns. When will you give me something to cheer for? As a fan for over twenty years, I cannot ever remember being this disappointed to start a season. After an emberassing week two loss to at Denver, whom I didn’t see winning seven games this year before the season, I have become very pessimistic about this team. Where do I start in trying to address our deficencies? How about on the line? Today I saw Jon St. Clair be manhandled by an under-sized end at linebacker in Elvis Dumerville. And I asked myself, as he recorded his fourth sack against Brady Quinn, why can’t we get sacks from our outside rushers like that?

The answer to that question is as simple as it is complicated. We have the wrong personnel for our defensive scheme. We don’t have great line backers like the Steelers or Ravens, who both run the 3-4. Don’t get me wrong, I like D’Quell Jackson just as much as the next Browns fan, but he is no Ray Lewis. Kamerion Wimbley certainly isn’t Lee Suggs or Adalius Thomas either, for that matter. On the Defensive Line Corey Williams and Robaire Smith aren’t Defensive Ends. They are both Defensive Tackles. Maybe I’m trippin, but I think Wimbley maybe best served as being a versatile end in a 4-3 Defense. Shaun Rogers can do whatever he wants against whomever he wants. But “Big Shaun isn’t going to want to stay in Cleveland the way the team is looking now. And why would anyone?

I am mad at Mangini. Romeo Crennel was fired prematurely in my opinion. I suppose he had to go, but I liked the guy. I don’t care for Mangini’s philosophy as it translates to play on the field. Mangini brought in a lot of old Jets players. Ratliff, Poteat, Moseley, and Coleman have all been unproductive or not played. Hank Poteat is especially terrible! Retire! Are you still being paid by the Steelers to make us lose Poteat? But as bad as he is, Abram Elam is just as impressive. It doesn’t balance out though. And Mangina, don’t get me started on the conservative play calling and poor personnel packages on offense in the first two weeks.

Oh yeah, I said it. I have a problem with the play calling, already. Going into week three we’ve had one offensive touchdown all season. Good teams average that a game. Some get that in a good quarter. Houston there is a problem. First off where are Massaquoi and Robiskie? You don’t draft both of them in the second round to let them ride the pine. Will someone please inform Mangini and his staff that Josh Cribbs isn’t a number two receiver. Never has been, probably never will be. He is an excellent returner and a good Wildcat, X-Factor type player. But by over-using him on offense it has taken away from his effectiveness in the return game. Furrey can be a number two on a bad team (which we are right now). But, its time to start playing the rookies. That also includes playing Coye Francies on defense. He has got to be better than Poteat.

I am frustrated. After going 10-6 two years ago we are back to the bottom of the barrel. Kellen Winslow was my favorite Brown that season. Just like Crennel I guess he had to go. But, who did we get to replace him? Robert Royal, are you serious? I’ll take Kellen and his attitude anyday over just about all other tight ends. At running back we are a joke. Jamal Lewis can’t run hard throughout a whole game and Jerome Harrison is a situational back as well. We may not have a 100 yard rushing performance this season. I guess we have to depend on James Davis being good. Don’t worry James, you won’t be going against Antoine Winfield every week.

One last thing, Browns fans, don’t blame Brady Quinn for us losing. Its been a total group effort, or lack there of. Do you remember the pass reception by Braylon Edwards for a TD that was called back because of a bad call in the Vikings game? Well, if you do that is what we have to encourage Brady Quinn to do. Let him throw the ball down field with multiple WR packages. Why not? What do you have to lose?

I hope someone in the Browns front office reads this vent because I don’t want the 2009 Browns to go winless like Detroit did last year. Oh yeah, we’re looking that bad. But, as we Browns fan say, “There’s always next year.”