tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Browns Win But It Is Brutal To Watch

Had the opportunity to go to yesterday's Browns-Seahawk game. I was hopeful that the Browns would be able to get a win and that Colt McCoy would give me something to believe that he is a franchise quarterback. The Browns did win but it was painful to watch and McCoy deserves full marks for withstanding a physical beating. However, I didn't see anything to make me believe that he is a franchise quarterback.

The Browns defense had a great game registering 3 sacks and continually pressuring Seahawk quarterback Charlie Whitehurst. They also shutdown the small Seahawk running backs but to be fair did not have to deal with Marshawn Lynch who had back tightness during pre-game warm-ups and was held out of the game. That notwithstanding, the defense played very well and there is reason for hope. The defensive front four played really well. Jabaal Sheard and Jaime Mitchell each had a sack and Ahtya Rubin was a problem all day for the Seahawks. Chris Cogong registered a sack and the second year tandem of TJ Ward and Joe Haden made an impact once again. The transition from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense has gone very smoothly to this date. Tom Heckert has done a very good job in building the defense through the draft as evidenced by Haden, Ward, Sheard and Phil Taylor.

The offense is a whole different story. The Cleveland brand of the West Coast offense is boring and ineffective. The Browns had nearly a 3-1 time of possession advantage yet only managed 6 points. Montario Hardesty rushed for 98 yards but it took him 33 carries to do it. On one of the most promising drive of the day, McCoy threw an interception as he was trying to hit Evan Moore. The play would have brought the Browns into the red zone. McCoy on numerous occasions was running for his life and the Seahawks corner blitzed at least 4 times and the Browns had no answer for it. One would think that on those plays someone would be open.

To make matters worse for this offense, guard Shawn Lauvao, wide receiver Mohammad Massaqoui and tight end Ben Watson were all knocked out of the game. Losing all three will certainly hurt an offense that seems to be regressing as the season rolls along. One has to begin to wonder if McCoy needs a good supporting cast to be a good NFL quarterback. That is not the making of a franchise quarterback. While I love McCoy's intangibles, I really am starting to believe that he is not the answer. In his defense, the offensive line has been woeful in pass blocking and the receivers are less than stellar. However, a franchise quarterback can make his receivers look very good and I think Greg Little has the talent to be a go-to-receiver.

Next week the Browns head to San Francisco to take on a vastly improved 49er team whose defense is one of the best in the league. The young Browns defense will certainly be tested as they will face Frank Gore and Vernon Davis. Unfortunately, this one could get ugly very early. In a season where Browns fans were looking for some improvement, it seems that it is going to be more of the same. While most fans were not expecting a winning season, we were expecting improvement particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Instead it seems to be regressing. Can't wait for next Sunday in San Francisco. Oh Brother!!!!

Hillis Situation Reflects Badly On Browns

This past week, Mike Holmgren indicated that there was nothing new to report on the Peyton Hillis situation. Hillis currently makes $650,000 a year and his contract runs out at the end of the season. He has indicated that he loves Cleveland. He is the sort of players that blue collar Browns fans can relate to and he is the type of back you need on cold November-December days when protecting a lead. Yet, from where I sit it appears that the Browns may be willing to let Hillis go at the end of this year.

Holmgren indicated that the team had no intention of trading the bruising back nor were they thinking about franchising him. He basically said that the Browns would seek Hillis' services but the running back will have the ability to explore all options. To be honest with you I don't get it.

Probably one of the most dominating drive that the Browns have had since they have come back was last year against the Patriots. After New England had scored in the fourth quarter to cut into the Browns lead, the offense got the ball and it would be imperative to run off some time on the clock to leave Tom Brady as little time as possible to mount a comeback. The Browns mounted an 11 play drive which saw Hillis carry the ball 9 times and rip off chunks of yards including a touchdown which put the game away for the Browns. It was the type of running that the Browns have not seen since Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner.

Somehow I'm not so sure that Pat Shurmur is all that enamored with Hillis and Holmgren & Company must feel that he is not a fit for their West Coast offense. An offense that has been putrid this season. If you are ultimately going to let one of your best players go after the season, why not trade him for a draft pick. Certainly the Browns need more talented players. But that's why this whole thing makes absolutely no sense. You have a player who wants to stay in Cleveland. A player who has talent. A player who the fans can identify with yet the team does not seem to be all that interested. I can't understand it. But then again, it's difficult to understand anything that this team has done since 1999.

Were We Better Off If The Browns Never Came Back??

Typically after another disappointing Browns loss I ask myself the question, "Would we be better off if the Browns never came back?" I have followed the Cleveland Browns for 50 years. In the 60's, the Browns were always contenders and they actually won the NFL Championship in 1964. In the 70's there was a down period until toward the end of the decade when Brian Sipe and the Kardiac Kids bursted onto the scene. After Sipe, there were the Bernie years. Bernie Kosar led the Browns to the AFC Championship 3 times, twice having victory stolen from them by the Denver Broncos late in the game. Then they moved to Baltimore where they ultimately won the Super Bowl.

In 1999 the NFL graciously allowed Cleveland to have a football team again and it has been misery ever since. In one year during the Butch Davis era, the new Browns made the playoffs blowing a first half lead to the Pittsburgh Steelers and being eliminated. Then they went 10-6 under Romeo Crennel but did not make the playoffs as Derek Anderson couldn't distinguish Bengals from Browns and the Colts decided they were going to rest everyone against the Tennessee Titans. Absent those two years, to be a Browns fan has been terrible.

Yesterday continued the misery as the Browns lost to the Oakland Raiders 24-17. The score doesn't really indicate how bad the Browns played. In spite of all of that, the Browns had a chance to tie the game after recovering an onside kick with about 1:20 left in the game. Yet, not one play was directed to the endzone. All dink and dunk passes. They needed a touchdown to tie not a field goal. Just terrible.

I so wanted to believe in Colt McCoy but after watching yesterday's game I really believe that this kid doesn't have the physical ability to win in the NFL. He is too small and his arm strength is average at best. The kid's got a great head on his shoulders and is a solid citizen. Mind you the offensive line has been terrible. It seems like McCoy doesn't have much time to set up and it also looks like the O-line can't run block either. It's pretty basic that in order to slow down a pass rush you need to be able to run the ball, something it seems that the Browns can't do anymore.

Not sure what to believe anymore as it pertains to Peyton Hillis. Initially it was being reported that Hillis tweaked a hamstring and would not play the rest of the game. On a FOX game it was reported that the reason Hillis was out was a "coach's decision." Then it comes out that Hillis will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the hamstring injury. If Hillis is out for an extended period of time, the Browns will have to solely rely on Montario Hardesty, who has shown very few glimpses as to why Tom Heckert moved up in the second round two years ago to draft him.

What was also odd was that Hillis started the game and had six carries. He then was out and came into the game in the third quarter for a series before being banished to the bench again. If the hamstring injury pulled him out of the game in the first half, why was he put back in the game in the third?? Did Hillis push the coaching staff to go back into the game??? One thing is clear, in order for the Browns to win they must run the ball 20-30 times because the dink and dunk passing is not getting it done. And if Hillis is out for an extended period of time, the Browns are in trouble.

Let me be clear, I did not expect the Browns to make the playoffs this year. I understand that they were at a disadvantage with the lockout since they were bringing in a new coach with a new offensive and defensive system. But we are going into Week 7 and I'm not seeing any improvement, especially on offense. My hope was that with an offensive minded coach we would see some creativity. But quite frankly it doesn't seem to be that much different than the moribound Brian Daboll offense. Which brings me back to McCoy. Is the problem that Pat Shurmur is in over his head or is the problem that McCoy doesn't have the ability to throw down field??

I want to give Shurmur and McCoy a chance but I am getting tired. Tired of having my hopes raised only to be left watching terrible football. I'm tired of every Sunday knowing that there is a better than even chance that they are going to lose. I'm tired of believeing that its only going to get better when it seems to only get worse. That's why I wonder, would be better off if the Browns never came back? My heart says no but my head says yes.