Every week, I try to reach as far as I can into the bag of optimism for the Cleveland Browns. The result usually predicts the Browns to still lose by two possessions every week. Where does the level of optimism come in? It comes in the fact that for some reason, I keep on picking the Browns to break out on offense with at least 17 points. The facts indicate I should be projecting otherwise. Out of the nine games the Browns have played this season, the team has scored six points or less in six of those games. Over the last three games, the Browns have a combined nine points.
I guess the problem is that I just can't imagine an NFL offensive coordinator topping himself week after week with a more putrid gameplan. I also can't imagine that after having drafted two wide receivers in the second round that neither of them has developed very well this season. I also can't imagine that our top two quarterbacks are considered jokes in the league after we had seriously thought a year or two ago that either one of them could've been dealt for first- to second-round draft picks.
Last week, I had three keys that the Browns needed to follow on offense to see more efficiency from Quinn at the quarterback position. Let's see how those keys worked out:
If we can't accomplish anything different over our bye week, how can I have faith in our offense against any NFL franchise? Some might argue that the Detroit Lions haven't been much of a franchise as of late, but there's a reason that 84% of users are picking them to win against the Browns this week -- it's because although they might still be "a joke" in terms of competition, they aren't playing some of the most pathetic football you'll ever witness at this level.
So, will I say "GO BROWNS!!!" at the conclusion of tomorrow's game thread still? Of course. But with how Daboll (FAIL) and the offense (FAIL) has played, predicting success against the Lions is bound to end up with fans seeing the same product they've seen all season: nothing.
0 recs | 50 comments
i threw up a little bit after reading that.
emily522 - November 21, 2009
I didn’t realize it was that many.
Brad D - November 22, 2009
ew
Brownsyup - November 22, 2009
it was a joke
emily522 - November 22, 2009
Having never watched a single Lions game I’ve heard that their offense is bad (citing example of Stafford’s pick-fests). But what about their defense?
The way I see it, if both offenses suck, and our defense is better… then we win right? Unless of course, our offense is so much worse that that cancels out. Forgive my optimism.
skipkirk - November 21, 2009
The Lions offense is not that bad this year they are scoring points and their running back Kevin Smith can run with the ball. Like you said our defense is good, but when our offense gives up more points then our defense it doesn’t matter.
The Brown Note - November 22, 2009
That’s one hell of a Dawg in your prof pic.
skipkirk - November 22, 2009
Sadly, a fair representation of our team.
Simmsinns - November 22, 2009
The lions have more more play makers then the Browns.
holmes213 - November 22, 2009
its the lions line the sucks the rest the O is desent
i put big babey at 4 sacks
det32 - November 22, 2009
Browns 37 — Lions 13
golanbatrac - November 21, 2009
i like your optimism. that would probably be some kind of NFL record, a defense scoring 37 points in one game…
Dawg Nuts - November 22, 2009
rec
emily522 - November 22, 2009
heh.
golanbatrac - November 22, 2009
Isn’t that close to doubling the total points scored this year? Nevermind, there is absolutely no way we have scored 37 points this season.
Chief WaDrew - November 22, 2009
i think it’s 74.
emily522 - November 22, 2009
Sorry, should have attached… /sarc.
Chief WaDrew - November 22, 2009
ahem
I’m going to assume that I’m the only person in the world who got the Browns’ points right this week.
golanbatrac - November 22, 2009
wow
TheRealSlimShady - November 22, 2009
omg. nice.
emily522 - November 22, 2009
Belated rec. I’ll be honest, I thought you were on drugs.
Roger Dorn - November 23, 2009
Wow, got the 37 right anyways. Nice call.
sether1 - November 22, 2009
Barf
Please-
the abundance of FAIL references everywhere is making me nauseous. There are better ways to describe our Brownies’ ineptitude than using a teenage internet troller idiom. It was funny 3 years ago in the picture of that idiot miking up a guitar amp instead of the cab. That’s all, other than- Go Browns! Lose by 1 so we can edge out those pesky Lions for the #1 draft pick. We need some type of strategy at least.
LABrownsGuy - November 22, 2009
FAIL.
johnnyphoenix - November 22, 2009
6-3 Lions
Grockcubs - November 22, 2009
6-3 is relistic i would not be shoked at 2-0 hell 0-0 could happon
det32 - November 22, 2009
I wouldn’t call it downgrading to nothing, I would call it upgrading to nothing. If the Browns offense can keep the Lions defense out of the end-zone, we might just have a chance. If that happens, it could be a barn burner, coming down to an overtime field goal. Only an overtime field goal.
sether1 - November 22, 2009
If Jerrome Harrison gets 10 + touches, I think we can score against this D. Did anyone hear his radio interview on WKNR? The host asked him why he wasn’t getting the ball, Harrison’s response was about a 5 second pause, followed by “I have no idea man…” Maybe Daboll will give him a chance this week.
mackAttack5 - November 22, 2009
Harrison is not a primary back, he is a switch up/ 3rd down back. If Davis was healthy he would get harrisons carries and some of Lewis’.
holmes213 - November 22, 2009
Wishing Brady Quinn the best of luck in looking good against the Lions. He can improve his chances of negotiating a good deal with a new franchise with a good showing.
The win however, should be out of reach. The Lions are much improved, and the only reason they´re losing, is because they had the guts to hand the keys to a rookie QB.
The real Browns QB since before last week´s game is Brett Ratliff, even from the sidelines.
Once again, my challenge is to Rob Ryan to make his personnel function within a 3-4 alignment. He has not been able to do this.
mooncamping - November 22, 2009
In a dream I had last night, Quinn continued to throw erratically, even some passes were reaching the upper deck of the stadium as he tried to prove he could throw the deep ball. By the time of the third quarter it was Ratliff in the game. But in my dream Ratliff was an attractive woman with long blond hair. Her first play from scrimmage was a pass to Robo on a go-pattern. Not a pretty throw as it went into heavy coverage, but I was happy to see a pass go more than 5 yards downfield and still be in the field of play.
Spidey - November 22, 2009 via mobile
green
golanbatrac - November 22, 2009
So here’s my reason for optimism:
Lion’s defense much worse + our offensive players not this bad + Daboll’s/Mangini’s putrid gameplan was shoved in their face by the national media last week.
dgcambridge - November 22, 2009
Media means nothing to these guys. You have to respect that. They stick to what they think is the best for the team, even though it is being Webster Slaughtered by the media.
holmes213 - November 22, 2009
Quinn and DA epically suck. Thank you Phil Savage. There is good reason no teams gave up any picks for either of them; they knew what Savage didn’t know.
We are paying for Savage’s ineptitude on this. At least Lerner is smart enough to know this.
Spidey - November 22, 2009 via mobile
I disagree. Are either of them sure-fire franchise QBs? Probably not. However, I think both of them can be successful in the right system. The problem is that there is no running game here, nobody to throw the ball to, not a lot of time to make decisions behind a bad line, and inept playcalling to put it all together.
Fundamentals - November 22, 2009
A nice gut-wrenching summation of the 2009 season thus far.
JustBob - November 22, 2009
With all of those problems, I go back to blaming Savage for not putting the right pieces in place and establishing a system.
Spidey - November 22, 2009 via mobile
Lions by 10
I’m a bit of an enigma. I have a passion for two NFL teams. I was born in Michigan and love my Lions, but I’m also a Michigan football fan (no apologies necessary) and my favorite childhood player, Derrick Alexander, was a first round pick of the Browns in ’94… so I jumped on the Browns bandwagon and have been holding the reins (in Michigan) ever since.
So, my sappy life story aside, I know both teams well and I’m certain of two things; the Browns will score a touchdown and the Lions will win by two scores. These Browns are THAT bad.
toledomudhen - November 22, 2009
alexander had a better career with the ravens though.
rockybrown - November 22, 2009
i live over here just south of youngstown and the youngstown tv stations are broadcasting the steelers game today. this is the first time this year they are not showing the browns. the browns have been trumped by the kc chiefs.
rockybrown - November 22, 2009
ouch
Dawg Nuts - November 22, 2009
No, I get Youngstown tv stations, the first game that was overlapped for the Steelers was the Browns v. Packers game.
But are you serious? Cux that just ruins my whole day.
SpecialBrownie - November 22, 2009
Great post Chris, I was just looking on si.com and this story is posted.
holmes213 - November 22, 2009
Every football preview program that even touched on the Browns/Lions game this morning used the Browns as the obvious example of crapitude. Among the quotes:
“The Ravens defense isn’t as good as their numbers would indicate as they have played the Browns twice…”
“Josh Cribbs is good to go giving the Browns their ONLY playmaker…”
I’m going against all these negative vibes and I’m sticking with my prediction of Browns 9 Lions 6. I think the Browns ability to harass Stafford and contain the Lions running attack is the key to this game. A skittish Stafford means passing miscues (he has 12 INTs and 6 TDs this year) and that will result in some good field position for the Browns which plays into the scoring juggernaut which is the Browns kicking game. GO BROWNS!
Brownsyup - November 22, 2009
I’m not pinning my hopes on our D rattling Stafford. I’m not saying our defense isn’t getting better – they looked really good vs. Baltimore. But when they went up against Green Bay, a team that had given up tons of sacks, the defensive game plan was changed to allow Rodgers to stay on his feet. So for this week I expect that Mangini has pulled Ryan aside and told him to focus strictly on covering Calvin Johnson and stopping the run. Expect the rest of the field to be wide open and plenty of time for Stafford to use it.
JustBob - November 22, 2009
The only player we need to game plan for is Brandon McDonald. If we can minimize the chance that he has to make a tackle, we can shut down the Lions offense.
golanbatrac - November 22, 2009
you havent seen any lions games have you??all of his int have came from 3rd and long some the WR falt some his… stadfford is far from skittsh he is a risktaker
det32 - November 22, 2009
if you saw the vikings game last week
you wouldnt be saying his skittish eather… any one the get hit something like 40 time isent a pussy
det32 - November 22, 2009
Casserly just denied having any discussions with Cleveland and says he has no plans to meet with Cleveland.
golanbatrac - November 22, 2009
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