Browns Not Good but Getting Better

The Cleveland Browns continue to underachieve.  That's right.  The talent is here, thanks to Ray Farmer.  Yes it is.  Stop it.

The offensive line, combined with a blocking scheme well-suited to it, should dominate.

The Jets and Raiders present formidable defensive fronts, so no team can dominate them, but the Browns offensive line should have done better there.

The Brown's defensive line is very talented as well, but has been pushed around too much.

Here there are some ready explanations: Aside from occasional breakthroughs, it's been solid vs the run inside, but outside the tackle box has coughed up massive yardage in big chunks.

In truth, this is more often on the outside linebackers, who are the edge-setters here, than the down linemen.

Three key defensive linemen are inexperienced.  The outside linebacker part of the pass rush has been stifled.

The problems, in fact, have been more at outside linebacker than on the line.

Nate Orchard is a rookie, Scott Solomon is injured, it's becoming evident that Barkevious Mingo will not become much more of a run defender.

So the front seven has some growth yet to accomplish.  The offensive line has no excuse.

Against the Chargers, both units showed some improvement, but San Diego's offensive line has been all but destroyed by injuries, and the Browns front should have wrecked that offense, period.

The entire offense should have functioned smoothly.  But runs still got stuffed, and McCown still got swarmed.  He made two great completions while being tackled.

The good news was that Isaiah Crowell broke some tackles, Duke Johnson emerged in a great surge, and Gary Barnidge exceeded expectations.

The offense rallied to tie the game.  It showed once again that despite pundits' opinions, this offense can come back. It doesn't quit, either.

The news wasn't all bad.  The team, overall, showed improvement.

The offensive line thing is maddening.

In this Hey Tony, written before the San Diego heartbreaker, the black helicopters, lynch mobs, and tin foil hats were in attendance.

Tony properly dismissed some of it, but tacitly endorsed some of these hysterical hallucinations.

This entry will be completed later.  After reading this article I have to take a shower now.

Ok time to feel dirty again: One guy wants to trade Manziel "in the current chaos of management and emotions"

Another guy says  "we are in year two off the farmer/pettine regime and I think it's time to move on".

Then there's the Haslam wants to lose so he can move the team and Farmer is arrogant baloney.

Here is some intelligent post-Chargers analysis by Terry Pluto.

Grossi is pretty good, but I can't see Terry letting those questions zing by like Tony did.

Terry would ask the Manziel trade guy "why?", and ask the "time to move on" guy just how long a new crew should get to establish systems and players.

I can't help but wonder if Mister "Ah say we haing em" also complains about Hair Trigger Haslam firing people all the time.

Tony talked about "proven" head coaches, and let me translate: Head Coaches that somebody else fired.

It's been a long time since Marty won 13 games and got fired.  Cowher or Gruden aren't coming back.  Every great Head Coach was an assistant first.  But that's Tony.  

Pat Kirwan, speaking specifically about Haslam and the Browns, said that a new head coach should have three years, and a veteran Head Coach should have two.

That's about right.  It goes for Farmer, too.  Look at Gilbert, Manziel, Erving, Shelton.

Johnny has already demonstrated great promise; already proven something.  Gilbert might or might not emerge as the player they envisioned, but he has to get the chance.  Erving isn't playing only because of the talent in front of him.  Shelton is already the lynchpin of the defense.  He can't stop the outside runs, but has all but shut them down inside.

The undrafteds and lower picks are too many to mention, but the most experienced of these have just entered their second season as well.

They were drafted for Mike Pettine and his system.  Fire people again, and some of them won't fit the new scheme, and the new guy has to start from scratch again.

I hope Jimmy Haslam meant what he said about continuity.  And I hope he meant three years.

If he listens to Kirwan, this will have a chance to develop.  If he listens to the mob, here we go again.