- Joined
- Feb 9, 2014
- Messages
- 20,922
- Name
- Peter
http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2015/10/25/9611926/browns-vs-rams-7-talking-points
Browns vs. Rams: 7 Talking Points
By Joe Ginley @JoeGinley on Oct 25, 2015
/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47514879/usa-today-8883719.0.jpg)
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Todd Gurley tore through Tank Carder and the Browns' defense in a 24-6 Rams win.
This is a bad team.
If fans didn't know before, they know now. The Browns played terribly in St. Louis on Sunday, losing 24-6 to the Rams.
The final score does not properly represent the parade of errors made by the Browns. The team played undisciplined football, committing 11 penalties and fumbling four times. Even worse, the Browns once again failed to run the ball or stop the run, dropping to 2-5 on the year.
But the fun has just begun. Josh McCown sustained an injury late in the fourth quarter. Depending on the status of McCown's shoulder, a quarterback controversy could be brewing in Berea.
On that note, here are seven takeaways from Sunday's loss to the Rams:
1. Slow start: The Browns again stumbled out of the gate, allowing the Rams to take a double-digit lead in the first quarter. For the fourth time in five games, the Browns fell behind by 10 points in the first half.
The Browns' first two offensive drives resulted in disaster.
On the second offense play from scrimmage, the Browns called a quick screen to Taylor Gabriel. Just a few moments after Gabriel caught the pass, Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins popped Gabriel, forcing a fumble. Rodney McLeod Jr. scooped up the ball and dashed 17 yards for the first score of the game.
Gabriel deserves most of the blame for failing to firmly secure the ball, but Travis Benjamin blatantly missed his block on Jenkins. Either way, the Rams took a 7-0 lead.
The Browns’ next drive also resulted in a costly turnover. Mitchell Schwartz whiffed on a pass block on Rams' defensive end William Hayes. A vulnerable McCown lost the football in the fracas in the pocket, and Akeem Ayers recovered the fumble at the Cleveland 25-yard line.
The Cleveland defense answered the bell and kept the Rams out of the end zone, but the hosts still notched three points on a 39-yard Greg Zuerlein field goal.
If the Browns want to win again, starting strong is a must. This team is incapable of overcoming double-digit leads every week.
2. Fumbling the game away: Four fumbles sunk the Browns on Sunday. The three turnovers resulted in 17 of the Rams’ 24 points. Two fumbles in the first quarter gave the Rams an easy 10-point lead, and two more in the fourth quarter allowed the hosts to seal the game.
As described above in point #1, fumbles by Gabriel and McCown led to an early lead for the Rams. Gabriel and McCown are responsible for not holding onto the ball, but their teammates did not help.
The offensive line allowed Rams defenders to pressure McCown throughout the day, and Benjamin missed a block that allowed Jenkins to crush Gabriel. Fumbling is typically an individual issue, but today it was a team problem.
The third fumble occurred early in the fourth quarter. Trailing 17-6, McCown and the Browns had a 1st and 10 at their own 38-yard line. McCown completed a 20-yard pass to Benjamin across the middle. Upon absorbing a hit by T.J. McDonald, Benjamin coughed up the ball, whichNick Fairley recovered at the St. Louis 44-yard line.
Benjamin’s fumble cannot be blamed on another teammate. Benjamin receives all of the blame for this blunder, which led to the Rams scoring a game-sealing touchdown.
The fourth fumble came on Cleveland’s next drive. Ten plays into a big drive, McCown rolled right on 2nd and 10. As McCown began his throwing motion on a short pass, Hayes hit McCown’s arm, causing a fumble. In the confusion following the forced fumble, a Rams defensive lineman tripped McCown, sending the veteran tumbling. Eugene Simsrecovered the fumble, and McCown left the game with a shoulder injury.
Again, McCown cannot be faulted for this turnover. Schwartz missed his block on Hayes, allowing the big defensive end to hit McCown’s arm.
If you commit four turnovers, you’re likely going to lose. It’s a matter of execution and focus. The Browns don’t have either right now.
3. Grounded and pounded (again): Todd Gurley tore the Browns’ front seven apart, especially in the second half. Gurley rushed for 128 yards on 19 attempts (6.7 yards per carry) and two touchdowns.
For the fourth time in the last five games, the Browns allowed an opposing running back to hit the century mark. In all but one game this season, the Browns have surrendered 150 total rushing yards.
The game began innocuously enough for the Browns’ defense. The first two St. Louis drives resulted in just a net gain of three yards. The Rams’ first 10 points cannot be blamed on the Cleveland defense.
The cracks began to appear as the first half continued.
On his first seven runs, Gurley recorded just 18 yards. On his next two, his last of the first half, Gurley notched 27 yards. On his first carry of the third quarter, Gurley galloped 48 yards to the Cleveland 22-yard line to place the Rams in field goal range, though Zuerlein missed the 35-yarder.
Gurley responded by scoring two touchdowns. Gurley capped off the Rams’ next drive with an easy 1-yard touchdown run and dashed 16 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Gurley’s second score upped the St. Louis lead to 24-6, far out of reach for an inept Browns’ offense.
The culprit of the failure to stop Gurley? Missed tackles. On nearly every big Gurley run, a Browns’ defensive lineman or linebacker had a shot to make a tackle.
The Browns’ front seven began the game well, plugging holes and making tackles behind the line of scrimmage. For whatever reason, the defenders simply stopped making plays as the game continued.
As Kevin Jones wrote in a Sports Illustrated article on Friday, this is a significant problem for the Browns. If it continues, it could cost head coach Mike Pettine his job.
4. Failure to block: The Browns’ offensive line performed poorly all game. For a unit that is supposedly the strength of this team, the offensive line looked terrible today.
To quote Cool Hand Luke, "What we got here is failure to communicate." The Browns’ offensive line missed Rams’ defenders all day and frequently missed assignments. This miscommunication on the front line led to sacks, fumbles, and an injured McCown.
Thanks to the Cleveland offensive line, McCown took a beating today. The Rams registered four sacks and seven quarterback hits in the contest.
Individually, the Browns have a top-notch offensive line. Joe Thomascould be a Hall of Famer one day. Joel Bitonio has outstanding potential.Alex Mack is a Pro Bowler and anchor of the line. Joel Greco is a solid guard. Mitchell Schwartz received solid grades six games. Cameron Erving is a stout rookie.
As a unit, however, the offensive line looks awful. The Rams defensive line dominated at the point of attack against the run and swarmed McCown on the edges on passes.
Each lineman made mistakes, but Schwartz receives the lowest grade from me. Schwartz missed blocks on each of McCown’s fumbles and drew a false start call in the second quarter.
To the running backs’ credit, Duke Johnson and Robert Turbinperformed admirably in pass protection. The two fended off Rams’ pass rushers and saved McCown from a few more sacks.
I’m not sure how to fix the offensive line woes. This is a deep-rooted communications problem with a solution beyond my expertise. But if the coaching staff does not adjust, the Browns’ offense will struggle, regardless of the quarterback.
5. Foiling Foles: If a silver lining exists in the loss, it’s the Browns’ secondary. Missing Joe Haden and Tashaun Gipson, the Browns’ secondary held its own, limiting Nick Foles to just 163 yards.
Except for Kenny Britt’s 41-yard reception and a pass interference call,Pierre Desir enjoyed a banner day as Haden’s replacement. Desir did not allow any touchdowns or too much space in coverage. Desir deserves credit for his part in containing Foles.
Jordan Poyer also performed admirably as a stand-in for Gipson. Poyer led the team in tackles with 10 and also recorded a tackle for loss. Poyer tackled Gurley a handful of times in the open field, bailing out the team’s front seven. The 24-year-old safety also deserves praise for not allowing any receivers to beat him deep.
Tramon Williams did not play as well, missing tackles and allowing a few catches. The veteran didn’t make any big mistakes, though. Donte Whitner turned in a similar performance, though he forced a fumble in the second quarter, stopping a promising St. Louis drive inside the red zone.
As a unit, the secondary played a huge role in limiting the Rams to a conversion rate of 1-of-9 on third downs today.
If only the run defense could play as well on first and second down.
6. Airing dirty laundry: The Browns struggled with penalties on Sunday, handing juicy opportunities to the Rams. The Browns finished the game with 11 penalties for 98 yards.
Penalties bit the Browns at inopportune times on Sunday.
In the first half, false start calls halted Browns' drives. Thomas, Schwartz, and Bitonio were all flagged for false starts in the first half, and Jim Draylater drew one in the third quarter.
Holding calls hurt the Browns in the third quarter. Gary Barnidge,Cameron Erving, and Thomas all received holding penalties on the same drive midway through the third. The penalties erased big gains of 10 and 36, and resulted in an eventual Andy Lee punt.
Penalties in the secondary became vogue in the third and fourth quarters. Desir drew a pass interference two plays before Gurley scored his 1-yard touchdown. Foles’ pass to Britt set up the touchdown, but Desir’s penalty cost the Browns 26 yards.
Midway through the fourth quarter, K’Waun Williams was charged with a 5-yard holding penalty following an incompletion on 3rd and 8. The call granted the Rams another chance, and Gurley took advantage. The Georgia grad sealed the game with a 16-yard touchdown run on the next play. In my opinion, the call was borderline. Regardless, the referee saw it and the Browns paid for it.
The Browns’ lack of discipline is not a new problem. It’s a problem of coaching and execution, and it is inexcusable.
7. Johnny Time: Johnny Manziel entered the game after McCown exited with an injury, turning in a decent outing. Depending on the severity of McCown’s injury, Manziel might receive another shot at starting next Sunday.
Following his second fumble, McCown left the game with a shoulder injury. McCown finished 26-of-32 passing for 270 yards. The Rams went three-and-out on their ensuing drive, giving Manziel the ball at the Cleveland 45-yard line with 3:26 remaining.
Manziel’s stint lasted seven plays, which resulted in a total gain of 17 yards. Manziel completed 3-of-4 passes for 20 yards and scrambled twice for five yards. The drive ended after Manziel ran for five yards on 4th and 6.
The second-year signalcaller stuck to short passes over the middle. Manziel did not look comfortable in the pocket, perhaps due to the offensive line’s iffy effort. On two of the throws, he did not set his feet properly before throwing, and he left the pocket early on his first run.
Manziel did not put on a show, but he didn’t play horribly. If McCown has to sit out next week, Manziel should be fine.
At this point, why not let Manziel play? The Browns are 2-5 with zero playoff potential. It’s time for a change.
---------
It got so bad I went out and cut the grass.
--------
The Housler? (or Barnidge) call for holding (wasn’t) and the lack of calling the Rams for facemask penalty and maybe a few more but that is not why we lost the game. We lost because we lacked fundamentals like holding onto the ball and penalties. When Barnidge catches a pass, his first reaction is to wrap the ball with both hands. Gabriel and Benjamin did not do that and fumbled.
McCown is too slow on his back pedal and too slow to make reads and he holds onto the ball so long, you can clearly see Browns receivers in the open but by the time McCown throws it the receivers are covered. What a horrible, wretched, stinking game the Browns played. Fire Ray Farmer.
--------
What frustrates me most is the offensive line. These guys were supposed to be, what, top 5 as a unit? It’s a rhetorical question but how can the product be so much worse than the component parts? I just do not get it. Mueller might have been a good coach, but these dudes aren’t rookies and don’t need to be coached up on every freaking play.
Thomas and Mack should be voices of leadership here…..unless they’ve both become so disgusted that they’re more or less mailing it in. Heresy, I know. But I also trust my eyes and the scoreboard when they agree.
--------
6 penalties on the offensive line (only Mack not flagged)
For sale: one offensive line
Penalties on the Tight ends:
For sale – two tight ends
Penalties on K’Waun Williams and Pierre Desir
For sale: Defensive back field – Young!Want to buy – Years of continued suckiness…
We had two strip sacks – I think it’s easy to suggest that McCown is holding on to the ball too long – especially against teams with tough Defensive lines
We had two WRs get trucked after the catch for fumbles – this is something for which small WR are at risk.
and the O.L. got tagged for holding and false starts – in an attempt to protect their slow-to-deliver pocket passer
But – Sure! Let’s blow it up:
---------
Agree that the smaller WR’s are prone to coughing it up on the big hits. It is something they have done many times and I bet the opponents see that on film and are eager to pop them.
--------
Thoroughly doubt that this is limited to our team
T.Benz Got completely trucked and there aren’t many WR of any size that don’t cough up the ball on that hit
---------
They replayed multiple plays with missed assignments. There is two glaring ones that come to mind, a blitz to his blindside that should’ve been a strip sack that was only a sack, and Bitonio double teaming Donald while Thomas took on the outside blitz leaving the defensive end unblocked with a big hole
---------
The local media loves the statuesque cornfed bumpkin QB’s. It blows my mind that people everywhere I look are saying things like "hope Mccown is OK and can play next week" WHAT ? WHY?? A loser QB with good stats is still a loser QB. He simply does not have the intangibles to be a successful NFL QB, next man up please.
--------
Aaron Donald is everything that Browns fans HOPED Danny Shelton would be.
At the snap, #99 Aaron Donald blew by Alex Mack before Mack could hardly move and Donald nearly caught McCown as he back stepped back to hand off to Crowell. He takes Crowell down for a big loss.
Here, Donald had put Bitonio on his ass—that is Bitonio that Donald is landing on and at the same time, hits McCown causing QB hit and an incomplete pass.
Ray Farmer COULD have SHOULD have drafted Aaron Donald instead of Justin Gilbert. While Aaron Donald is wrecking havoc on the Browns, 1 sack, 3 comb, 1 tckl for loss, 2 QB hits, 1 pass defensed, what is Justin Gilbert doing? Gilbert is taking a knew in the end zone for touchbacks.
If Ray Farmer, for some reason, did not like Donald, then Farmer could have drafted Khalil Mack. If for some reason Farmer did not like either for those two, Farmer could have drafted Odell Beckham Jr. If Farmer did not like any of those three, Farmer could have drafted any number of current stars and future super stars and Hall of Famers.
---------
This is the problem with Shelton—he has no SPEED. Aaron Donald has quickness and speed. It doesn’t matter if Shelton weighs 339 pounds or 3.339 tons, if you can’t move, you will never blow by your OL and sack or tackle the runner for a loss. There are teams out there who put a red flag over Shelton in the 2015 draft and would not touch him if he was handed to them because they knew he was too slow to move.
What did the Browns say? Didn’t they say something like "we don’t care if he was the slowest 40 yard guy in the history of the draft, we like his ‘game tape speed’".
Well guess what, watch the tape of Sunday’s game and check out Shelton’s "game speed" and then check out Aaron Donald’s game speed, the two plays I imaged above are just for starters!!!
---------
One of my biggest frustrations with this message board and Browns fans in general is our cherry-picking of draft picks that worked out for other teams and saying "WESHOULDA DONE DRAFTED THAT GUY THAT 12 OTHER TEAMS PASSED ON TOO — FIREEVERYONE!!" This post is the epitome of that. Donald was the #13 pick and Beckham was #12 pick. Lots of GMs miss on lots of picks and fail to see guys who will develop into elite talents.
Donald is an elite talent – but he’s also not a rookie and he’s playing on one of the best DL’s in football – meaning he doesn’t see double teams as often. Shelton certainly isn’t a "miss" 7 games into his career.
Now, I agree Farmer’s picks in the first two rounds are certainly bringing his viability as our long-term GM into serious question – but a more measured and thoughtful approach is usually the best course of action.
--------
The really dumb thing on that first picture is that Bitonio was pulling on that play LEAVING DONALD UNBLOCKED. Mack couldn’t get over in time.
---------
What I don’t get is why more players don’t cut the DT in that situation. The play is going to the right, if you get a chip or any kind of contact on Donald he can’t make the play. Ideally, you want to take a head on angle block to seal the defender and create some kind of concept of cutback lanes, but if worst comes to worst, just cut his legs out from under him. At least give your back a chance to find the original running lane. It’s pretty sad that our center wasn’t quick enough to make what is a simple backside angle block on a DT.
---------
I expect the zebras to give calls to their masters (NE/Pitsburgh etc) but to the Rams?!? We also got a roughing roughing passed penalty where Fairly ha do chance to know the ball was gone, didn’t like that either. But the facemask, and that holding on the DB. Really?
--------
Gurley is one talented running back. Blazing speed. And his power… if he isn’t mobbed at the los, there aren’t many LBs or DBs who would be thrilled about tackling him 1vs1 (Dansby included).
-------
Yesterday was on the O, which is even more disturbing as they’d been pretty serviceable so far.
I can’t believe our OL stinks so much with the players there. Has to be coaching.
---------
http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/inde...nd_browns_in_big_troubl.html#incart_big-photo
Cleveland Browns in big trouble after being beaten physically and emotionally in St. Louis -- Terry Pluto (photos)
ST. LOUIS -- Josh McCown sounded like a man trying to talk with a swollen jaw. That's because the Browns quarterback was belted in the jaw as he was knocked to the artificial turf.
He also banged his right elbow into a wall. His right shoulder is a problem, too.
Then there was coach Mike Pettine, whose voice was raspy, punctuated with some concerned head shakes.
"It's a pretty simple formula to lose," he said. "Turn the ball over three times, it results in 17 points. Commit 10 penalties, and a lot of them were self inflicted..."
It was a very grim Sunday for his team, losing 24-6 in St. Louis. The Browns sounded emotionally drained. They also looked and felt very black and blue after facing the Rams' relentless and often overpowering defense.
Safety Jordan Poyer left the locker room with his arm in a sling from a shoulder injury. Poyer was starting for Tashaun Gipson, who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury.
Tight end Gary Barnidge had a tooth knocked out and took stitches in his lip at halftime. He kept playing and finished with six catches and 101 yards. Receiver Andrew Hawkins has a concussion.
As for McCown, it hurt to watch him stand at the podium and try to talk.
"Josh, how did it feel to hit the wall?" someone asked.
"It didn't feel good," he said.
Nothing did for the Browns on this day.
QUESTIONS HANGING OVER TEAM
The Browns are 2-5 and full of question marks that border on doubt.
It's hard to imagine McCown being ready for next Sunday's game against Arizona after all the shots that he took. He was sacked four times, knocked down another four times. He was under mental duress for four quarters.
If McCown is out, Johnny Manziel will start. Is he ready? He is talented enough? This may be a chance to find out, but it's a very tough spot for the second-year quarterback.
"I hope people have not given up on me," said Manziel, meaning the fans.
Manziel should not worry about that. Fans are always willing to embrace any quarterback who brings even the slightest semblance of hope.
IT'S MORE THAN THE QUARTERBACK
At the end of the first quarter, the Rams had three yards of offense and a 10-0 lead! That's because two Browns fumbles led to a touchdown and a field goal in their first two possessions.
Travis Benjamin blew a block that led to Taylor Gabriel being blind-sided after catching a short pass and fumbling. Safety Rodney McLeod picked up the ball and bolting 20 yards for a touchdown.
On their next possession, McCown was hit and fumbled. The Rams recovered. That set up a field goal.
As for the rest of the game, the Browns never could find the end zone. The offensive line was physically dominated and shaken by the crowd noise. The Browns were flagged four times for false starts. They were penalized four times for holding penalties.
That happens when you're being bullied by the opposing defense.
A HUGE CHALLENGE
For the Browns, the biggest obstacle will be not to think, "Here we go again."
The team started last season with a 7-4 record, but lost its last five. Pettine was hoping for a quick start this year, but they are 2-5. So for those players here in 2014, they now have lost 10 of 12.
The Browns still have five games left with AFC North opponents. That's a major obstacle. But so is the culture the Browns want to change.
I didn't detect a lack of effort Sunday. But there was a real deficit when it came to confidence. That happens when the losses pile up.
"We were just shooting ourselves in the foot," McCown said of the turnovers.
Right now, the Browns are limping emotionally, and that can be very hard to heal until a few wins come along.
-----
Once again, the officials were watching a different game then the rest of us. How can they throw a flag on a late hit one week, and the next week ignore it. And tell me why, when you are up 3 touchdowns, would you crush a quarterback? I've seen some dirty football teams, but these guys made the rest of them look like church nuns.
Yes, our team could have played better. But I would imagine when you are out on the field and every call from the ref's is going for the other team it gets a little overwhelming. Hey NFL, hire some guys that actually know the rules of the game and act totally neutral. Those guy were the worst I've watched this season.
-------
Has it occurred to anyone that tiny receivers have a harder time holding onto the ball when hit by large safeties than big receivers? That there might be a reason other teams don't stock 5'7" receivers?
--------
Crowd noise? seemed to me that the place was only 2/3 full and not all that loud. . . I hope no one else mentions that as an excuse for the worst performance by the o line I have seen in several years. . . which says a lot.
--------
hey guys let's not blame our offensive line for blowing or completely misreading blocking assignments until we have very good wide receivers
-------
Stick a fork in 'em. They are fone. Wait until next year. Time for a fan boycott. The offensive line is underperforming. Thed backs are underperforming. There is no quality wr on board. The front seven on this defense stinks. And our drafting absolutely has stunk.
-------
Which running backs are underperforming? Who are they, where did they come from and what are the resume's? At least with STL we knew who Gurdley was.
-------
Who really cares anymore? I quit watching this train wreck and Sundays are much more enjoyable. I've missed nothing.
-------
The Browns franchise is an embarrassment to this area.
If the fans had some sense and balls, they would boycott the next home game and just drink and eat sh_t at the tailgate areas.
-------
Such a combination of bad, here, that its hard to note it all:
-Fumbles caused by having WRs who are too small to handle the beating. (The GM has no clue on what to look for in a good NFL WR....case in point Vince Mayle (gone), Dwayne Bowe (should never have been signed), Terrell Pryor (gone), Josh Lenz (gone).
-A "loud stadium" (half full) is something that shouldn't be such a surprise that the snap count gets lost. Bad coaching.
-The Sunday afternoon experience still seems like "new training ground" to Pettine and O'Neill. I applaud DeFillippo for what he's done coming in here with no OC experience....but the HC and DC are way over their heads, mentally and emotionally. Neither one are better than coordinator and position coach, respectively, on any other team in this league.
- The players are starting to get that "lost cause" aura about them. As they'd make good plays that got called back by penalty...as first downs became lost fumbles.....a blind man could see it on the bench.....a deaf man could hear it in the post-game press conference. Pettine, McCown, and Manziel all sounded like beaten men...with only Manziel showing any sort of "chin-up" (because he's about to be the starter).
- This o-line and this defense somehow convinced themselves since training camp that they're "GOOD!" and they get man-handled every week. Its on THE COACHES to show them that, "No, they're not good...in fact, they kinda suck and need to get much better" every week. We're not seeing that, at all.
Haslam should be, AT THIS MOMENT, pursuing other ($$$ will bring better coaches here) options at the GM, HC, and DC positions for his franchise. (I wonder if Nick Saban, former Browns DC, could be persuaded ($$$$) to bring his entourage here and be both HC and GM.)
--------
Not sure how they expect the midget WR crew to stand up to the big hits they must take in the NFL.
-------
The TV announcer called Gabriels screen play before it happened based on the formation....you dont think Janoris Jenkins saw the same thing? He blew up Gabriel...end result ...6pts.
-------
The image of Travis Benjamin on the bench--looking lost--said it all.
This team is a drift and the owners/coach/GM have no clue how to fix it.
The team looks like it will win 2 more games at most and end up 4-12--if they are lucky. That is a sad state of affairs after have multiple first round picks the last 3-4 years and have little to show for it. An inexperienced owner combined with an inexperienced coach and front office would appear to the formula for a team with a continual losing record.
No easy fix here, folks. Jimmy has his own ideas and they don't seem to be the ones to fix this problem.
Better bet would be for him to cut his losses--sell the team--or move the team to a more deserving local--like LA. Only LA could love a team like this one, and Jimmy likes the bright lights.
-------
As poorly as the Browns played yesterday, they were in it until the fourth quarter. The only group who performed more poorly than that Browns were the officials. This has been a constant theme with the officials and the league since our return to the NFL. McCown was hit in the head twice and face masked once without a flag. The hold on Barnidge was crap, and the hold on Thomas was marginal as best. The PI on Williams was a ghost call.
Even the color analyst was questioning the officials. I'm sure he received a call from CBS higher ups that Gooddell wasn't pleased with his on-air assessment of the officiating. The league is only interested in money and ratings. They want Manziel. Well, give him to them. We're not going to get any borderline calls from the officials until we play by the league rules.
One NFL official from Dayton that I know, is an Ohio lacrosse official. He sucks at that, so what makes you think he could referee an NFL game. I wouldn't trust him to walk my dogs.
---------
After this game, I felt sick.
---------
Funny how the announcers didn't question any of the calls on the Rams. They only pointed out the calls the Rams weren't called for.
--------
I don't know if you were at the game. I was. There were maybe 40,000 people in a stadium that holds 67,000, and probably 10,000 of them were Browns fans. A few times it got loud, but to say they were shaken by the crowd noise is misleading.
And for as many stupid penalties the Browns committed, the Rams came close to returning the favor. How many times did their D line jump offsides or simply line up offsides? At least four. I think three of them resulted in a first down for the Browns. For the second week in a row, a defensive line completely dominated our O line. 4 sacks, 4 knockdowns, and 18 hurries.
I'm not a huge McCown fan, but the guy was a warrior yesterday. 26 of 32 (81% completion rate) for 270 yds and nothing to show for it but bumps and bruises and a swollen jaw. The defense played well the first half, but then reverted pretty much to the being the league's worst defense in the 2nd half as the Rams turned a close game into a blowout. This team is bad in so many ways, and right now there appears to be no way they can come even remotely close to the 7 wins they got last year.
---------
I still don't quite understand the "crowd niose" part. Didn't anyone notice that the upper deck was about empty. That stadium was at best 60% filled. I'm not talking sold tickets I"m talking butts in seats. If the crown noise crap was relevent St. Louis would never lose a home game. That's a tired, worn excuse for losers.
Did you ever wonder why crown noise doesn't seem to bother New England? The only problem here is we ARE a crappy team from the top to the bottom!!! And, Haslem knows he has a collections of suckers for fans.
Browns vs. Rams: 7 Talking Points
By Joe Ginley @JoeGinley on Oct 25, 2015
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Todd Gurley tore through Tank Carder and the Browns' defense in a 24-6 Rams win.
This is a bad team.
If fans didn't know before, they know now. The Browns played terribly in St. Louis on Sunday, losing 24-6 to the Rams.
The final score does not properly represent the parade of errors made by the Browns. The team played undisciplined football, committing 11 penalties and fumbling four times. Even worse, the Browns once again failed to run the ball or stop the run, dropping to 2-5 on the year.
But the fun has just begun. Josh McCown sustained an injury late in the fourth quarter. Depending on the status of McCown's shoulder, a quarterback controversy could be brewing in Berea.
On that note, here are seven takeaways from Sunday's loss to the Rams:
1. Slow start: The Browns again stumbled out of the gate, allowing the Rams to take a double-digit lead in the first quarter. For the fourth time in five games, the Browns fell behind by 10 points in the first half.
The Browns' first two offensive drives resulted in disaster.
On the second offense play from scrimmage, the Browns called a quick screen to Taylor Gabriel. Just a few moments after Gabriel caught the pass, Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins popped Gabriel, forcing a fumble. Rodney McLeod Jr. scooped up the ball and dashed 17 yards for the first score of the game.
Gabriel deserves most of the blame for failing to firmly secure the ball, but Travis Benjamin blatantly missed his block on Jenkins. Either way, the Rams took a 7-0 lead.
The Browns’ next drive also resulted in a costly turnover. Mitchell Schwartz whiffed on a pass block on Rams' defensive end William Hayes. A vulnerable McCown lost the football in the fracas in the pocket, and Akeem Ayers recovered the fumble at the Cleveland 25-yard line.
The Cleveland defense answered the bell and kept the Rams out of the end zone, but the hosts still notched three points on a 39-yard Greg Zuerlein field goal.
If the Browns want to win again, starting strong is a must. This team is incapable of overcoming double-digit leads every week.
2. Fumbling the game away: Four fumbles sunk the Browns on Sunday. The three turnovers resulted in 17 of the Rams’ 24 points. Two fumbles in the first quarter gave the Rams an easy 10-point lead, and two more in the fourth quarter allowed the hosts to seal the game.
As described above in point #1, fumbles by Gabriel and McCown led to an early lead for the Rams. Gabriel and McCown are responsible for not holding onto the ball, but their teammates did not help.
The offensive line allowed Rams defenders to pressure McCown throughout the day, and Benjamin missed a block that allowed Jenkins to crush Gabriel. Fumbling is typically an individual issue, but today it was a team problem.
The third fumble occurred early in the fourth quarter. Trailing 17-6, McCown and the Browns had a 1st and 10 at their own 38-yard line. McCown completed a 20-yard pass to Benjamin across the middle. Upon absorbing a hit by T.J. McDonald, Benjamin coughed up the ball, whichNick Fairley recovered at the St. Louis 44-yard line.
Benjamin’s fumble cannot be blamed on another teammate. Benjamin receives all of the blame for this blunder, which led to the Rams scoring a game-sealing touchdown.
The fourth fumble came on Cleveland’s next drive. Ten plays into a big drive, McCown rolled right on 2nd and 10. As McCown began his throwing motion on a short pass, Hayes hit McCown’s arm, causing a fumble. In the confusion following the forced fumble, a Rams defensive lineman tripped McCown, sending the veteran tumbling. Eugene Simsrecovered the fumble, and McCown left the game with a shoulder injury.
Again, McCown cannot be faulted for this turnover. Schwartz missed his block on Hayes, allowing the big defensive end to hit McCown’s arm.
If you commit four turnovers, you’re likely going to lose. It’s a matter of execution and focus. The Browns don’t have either right now.
3. Grounded and pounded (again): Todd Gurley tore the Browns’ front seven apart, especially in the second half. Gurley rushed for 128 yards on 19 attempts (6.7 yards per carry) and two touchdowns.
For the fourth time in the last five games, the Browns allowed an opposing running back to hit the century mark. In all but one game this season, the Browns have surrendered 150 total rushing yards.
The game began innocuously enough for the Browns’ defense. The first two St. Louis drives resulted in just a net gain of three yards. The Rams’ first 10 points cannot be blamed on the Cleveland defense.
The cracks began to appear as the first half continued.
On his first seven runs, Gurley recorded just 18 yards. On his next two, his last of the first half, Gurley notched 27 yards. On his first carry of the third quarter, Gurley galloped 48 yards to the Cleveland 22-yard line to place the Rams in field goal range, though Zuerlein missed the 35-yarder.
Gurley responded by scoring two touchdowns. Gurley capped off the Rams’ next drive with an easy 1-yard touchdown run and dashed 16 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Gurley’s second score upped the St. Louis lead to 24-6, far out of reach for an inept Browns’ offense.
The culprit of the failure to stop Gurley? Missed tackles. On nearly every big Gurley run, a Browns’ defensive lineman or linebacker had a shot to make a tackle.
The Browns’ front seven began the game well, plugging holes and making tackles behind the line of scrimmage. For whatever reason, the defenders simply stopped making plays as the game continued.
As Kevin Jones wrote in a Sports Illustrated article on Friday, this is a significant problem for the Browns. If it continues, it could cost head coach Mike Pettine his job.
4. Failure to block: The Browns’ offensive line performed poorly all game. For a unit that is supposedly the strength of this team, the offensive line looked terrible today.
To quote Cool Hand Luke, "What we got here is failure to communicate." The Browns’ offensive line missed Rams’ defenders all day and frequently missed assignments. This miscommunication on the front line led to sacks, fumbles, and an injured McCown.
Thanks to the Cleveland offensive line, McCown took a beating today. The Rams registered four sacks and seven quarterback hits in the contest.
Individually, the Browns have a top-notch offensive line. Joe Thomascould be a Hall of Famer one day. Joel Bitonio has outstanding potential.Alex Mack is a Pro Bowler and anchor of the line. Joel Greco is a solid guard. Mitchell Schwartz received solid grades six games. Cameron Erving is a stout rookie.
As a unit, however, the offensive line looks awful. The Rams defensive line dominated at the point of attack against the run and swarmed McCown on the edges on passes.
Each lineman made mistakes, but Schwartz receives the lowest grade from me. Schwartz missed blocks on each of McCown’s fumbles and drew a false start call in the second quarter.
To the running backs’ credit, Duke Johnson and Robert Turbinperformed admirably in pass protection. The two fended off Rams’ pass rushers and saved McCown from a few more sacks.
I’m not sure how to fix the offensive line woes. This is a deep-rooted communications problem with a solution beyond my expertise. But if the coaching staff does not adjust, the Browns’ offense will struggle, regardless of the quarterback.
5. Foiling Foles: If a silver lining exists in the loss, it’s the Browns’ secondary. Missing Joe Haden and Tashaun Gipson, the Browns’ secondary held its own, limiting Nick Foles to just 163 yards.
Except for Kenny Britt’s 41-yard reception and a pass interference call,Pierre Desir enjoyed a banner day as Haden’s replacement. Desir did not allow any touchdowns or too much space in coverage. Desir deserves credit for his part in containing Foles.
Jordan Poyer also performed admirably as a stand-in for Gipson. Poyer led the team in tackles with 10 and also recorded a tackle for loss. Poyer tackled Gurley a handful of times in the open field, bailing out the team’s front seven. The 24-year-old safety also deserves praise for not allowing any receivers to beat him deep.
Tramon Williams did not play as well, missing tackles and allowing a few catches. The veteran didn’t make any big mistakes, though. Donte Whitner turned in a similar performance, though he forced a fumble in the second quarter, stopping a promising St. Louis drive inside the red zone.
As a unit, the secondary played a huge role in limiting the Rams to a conversion rate of 1-of-9 on third downs today.
If only the run defense could play as well on first and second down.
6. Airing dirty laundry: The Browns struggled with penalties on Sunday, handing juicy opportunities to the Rams. The Browns finished the game with 11 penalties for 98 yards.
Penalties bit the Browns at inopportune times on Sunday.
In the first half, false start calls halted Browns' drives. Thomas, Schwartz, and Bitonio were all flagged for false starts in the first half, and Jim Draylater drew one in the third quarter.
Holding calls hurt the Browns in the third quarter. Gary Barnidge,Cameron Erving, and Thomas all received holding penalties on the same drive midway through the third. The penalties erased big gains of 10 and 36, and resulted in an eventual Andy Lee punt.
Penalties in the secondary became vogue in the third and fourth quarters. Desir drew a pass interference two plays before Gurley scored his 1-yard touchdown. Foles’ pass to Britt set up the touchdown, but Desir’s penalty cost the Browns 26 yards.
Midway through the fourth quarter, K’Waun Williams was charged with a 5-yard holding penalty following an incompletion on 3rd and 8. The call granted the Rams another chance, and Gurley took advantage. The Georgia grad sealed the game with a 16-yard touchdown run on the next play. In my opinion, the call was borderline. Regardless, the referee saw it and the Browns paid for it.
The Browns’ lack of discipline is not a new problem. It’s a problem of coaching and execution, and it is inexcusable.
7. Johnny Time: Johnny Manziel entered the game after McCown exited with an injury, turning in a decent outing. Depending on the severity of McCown’s injury, Manziel might receive another shot at starting next Sunday.
Following his second fumble, McCown left the game with a shoulder injury. McCown finished 26-of-32 passing for 270 yards. The Rams went three-and-out on their ensuing drive, giving Manziel the ball at the Cleveland 45-yard line with 3:26 remaining.
Manziel’s stint lasted seven plays, which resulted in a total gain of 17 yards. Manziel completed 3-of-4 passes for 20 yards and scrambled twice for five yards. The drive ended after Manziel ran for five yards on 4th and 6.
The second-year signalcaller stuck to short passes over the middle. Manziel did not look comfortable in the pocket, perhaps due to the offensive line’s iffy effort. On two of the throws, he did not set his feet properly before throwing, and he left the pocket early on his first run.
Manziel did not put on a show, but he didn’t play horribly. If McCown has to sit out next week, Manziel should be fine.
At this point, why not let Manziel play? The Browns are 2-5 with zero playoff potential. It’s time for a change.
---------
It got so bad I went out and cut the grass.
--------
The Housler? (or Barnidge) call for holding (wasn’t) and the lack of calling the Rams for facemask penalty and maybe a few more but that is not why we lost the game. We lost because we lacked fundamentals like holding onto the ball and penalties. When Barnidge catches a pass, his first reaction is to wrap the ball with both hands. Gabriel and Benjamin did not do that and fumbled.
McCown is too slow on his back pedal and too slow to make reads and he holds onto the ball so long, you can clearly see Browns receivers in the open but by the time McCown throws it the receivers are covered. What a horrible, wretched, stinking game the Browns played. Fire Ray Farmer.
--------
What frustrates me most is the offensive line. These guys were supposed to be, what, top 5 as a unit? It’s a rhetorical question but how can the product be so much worse than the component parts? I just do not get it. Mueller might have been a good coach, but these dudes aren’t rookies and don’t need to be coached up on every freaking play.
Thomas and Mack should be voices of leadership here…..unless they’ve both become so disgusted that they’re more or less mailing it in. Heresy, I know. But I also trust my eyes and the scoreboard when they agree.
--------
6 penalties on the offensive line (only Mack not flagged)
For sale: one offensive line
Penalties on the Tight ends:
For sale – two tight ends
Penalties on K’Waun Williams and Pierre Desir
For sale: Defensive back field – Young!Want to buy – Years of continued suckiness…
We had two strip sacks – I think it’s easy to suggest that McCown is holding on to the ball too long – especially against teams with tough Defensive lines
We had two WRs get trucked after the catch for fumbles – this is something for which small WR are at risk.
and the O.L. got tagged for holding and false starts – in an attempt to protect their slow-to-deliver pocket passer
But – Sure! Let’s blow it up:
---------
Agree that the smaller WR’s are prone to coughing it up on the big hits. It is something they have done many times and I bet the opponents see that on film and are eager to pop them.
--------
Thoroughly doubt that this is limited to our team
T.Benz Got completely trucked and there aren’t many WR of any size that don’t cough up the ball on that hit
---------
They replayed multiple plays with missed assignments. There is two glaring ones that come to mind, a blitz to his blindside that should’ve been a strip sack that was only a sack, and Bitonio double teaming Donald while Thomas took on the outside blitz leaving the defensive end unblocked with a big hole
---------
The local media loves the statuesque cornfed bumpkin QB’s. It blows my mind that people everywhere I look are saying things like "hope Mccown is OK and can play next week" WHAT ? WHY?? A loser QB with good stats is still a loser QB. He simply does not have the intangibles to be a successful NFL QB, next man up please.
--------
Aaron Donald is everything that Browns fans HOPED Danny Shelton would be.
At the snap, #99 Aaron Donald blew by Alex Mack before Mack could hardly move and Donald nearly caught McCown as he back stepped back to hand off to Crowell. He takes Crowell down for a big loss.
Here, Donald had put Bitonio on his ass—that is Bitonio that Donald is landing on and at the same time, hits McCown causing QB hit and an incomplete pass.
Ray Farmer COULD have SHOULD have drafted Aaron Donald instead of Justin Gilbert. While Aaron Donald is wrecking havoc on the Browns, 1 sack, 3 comb, 1 tckl for loss, 2 QB hits, 1 pass defensed, what is Justin Gilbert doing? Gilbert is taking a knew in the end zone for touchbacks.
If Ray Farmer, for some reason, did not like Donald, then Farmer could have drafted Khalil Mack. If for some reason Farmer did not like either for those two, Farmer could have drafted Odell Beckham Jr. If Farmer did not like any of those three, Farmer could have drafted any number of current stars and future super stars and Hall of Famers.
---------
This is the problem with Shelton—he has no SPEED. Aaron Donald has quickness and speed. It doesn’t matter if Shelton weighs 339 pounds or 3.339 tons, if you can’t move, you will never blow by your OL and sack or tackle the runner for a loss. There are teams out there who put a red flag over Shelton in the 2015 draft and would not touch him if he was handed to them because they knew he was too slow to move.
What did the Browns say? Didn’t they say something like "we don’t care if he was the slowest 40 yard guy in the history of the draft, we like his ‘game tape speed’".
Well guess what, watch the tape of Sunday’s game and check out Shelton’s "game speed" and then check out Aaron Donald’s game speed, the two plays I imaged above are just for starters!!!
---------
One of my biggest frustrations with this message board and Browns fans in general is our cherry-picking of draft picks that worked out for other teams and saying "WESHOULDA DONE DRAFTED THAT GUY THAT 12 OTHER TEAMS PASSED ON TOO — FIREEVERYONE!!" This post is the epitome of that. Donald was the #13 pick and Beckham was #12 pick. Lots of GMs miss on lots of picks and fail to see guys who will develop into elite talents.
Donald is an elite talent – but he’s also not a rookie and he’s playing on one of the best DL’s in football – meaning he doesn’t see double teams as often. Shelton certainly isn’t a "miss" 7 games into his career.
Now, I agree Farmer’s picks in the first two rounds are certainly bringing his viability as our long-term GM into serious question – but a more measured and thoughtful approach is usually the best course of action.
--------
The really dumb thing on that first picture is that Bitonio was pulling on that play LEAVING DONALD UNBLOCKED. Mack couldn’t get over in time.
---------
What I don’t get is why more players don’t cut the DT in that situation. The play is going to the right, if you get a chip or any kind of contact on Donald he can’t make the play. Ideally, you want to take a head on angle block to seal the defender and create some kind of concept of cutback lanes, but if worst comes to worst, just cut his legs out from under him. At least give your back a chance to find the original running lane. It’s pretty sad that our center wasn’t quick enough to make what is a simple backside angle block on a DT.
---------
I expect the zebras to give calls to their masters (NE/Pitsburgh etc) but to the Rams?!? We also got a roughing roughing passed penalty where Fairly ha do chance to know the ball was gone, didn’t like that either. But the facemask, and that holding on the DB. Really?
--------
Gurley is one talented running back. Blazing speed. And his power… if he isn’t mobbed at the los, there aren’t many LBs or DBs who would be thrilled about tackling him 1vs1 (Dansby included).
-------
Yesterday was on the O, which is even more disturbing as they’d been pretty serviceable so far.
I can’t believe our OL stinks so much with the players there. Has to be coaching.
---------
http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/inde...nd_browns_in_big_troubl.html#incart_big-photo
Cleveland Browns in big trouble after being beaten physically and emotionally in St. Louis -- Terry Pluto (photos)
ST. LOUIS -- Josh McCown sounded like a man trying to talk with a swollen jaw. That's because the Browns quarterback was belted in the jaw as he was knocked to the artificial turf.
He also banged his right elbow into a wall. His right shoulder is a problem, too.
Then there was coach Mike Pettine, whose voice was raspy, punctuated with some concerned head shakes.
"It's a pretty simple formula to lose," he said. "Turn the ball over three times, it results in 17 points. Commit 10 penalties, and a lot of them were self inflicted..."
It was a very grim Sunday for his team, losing 24-6 in St. Louis. The Browns sounded emotionally drained. They also looked and felt very black and blue after facing the Rams' relentless and often overpowering defense.
Safety Jordan Poyer left the locker room with his arm in a sling from a shoulder injury. Poyer was starting for Tashaun Gipson, who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury.
Tight end Gary Barnidge had a tooth knocked out and took stitches in his lip at halftime. He kept playing and finished with six catches and 101 yards. Receiver Andrew Hawkins has a concussion.
As for McCown, it hurt to watch him stand at the podium and try to talk.
"Josh, how did it feel to hit the wall?" someone asked.
"It didn't feel good," he said.
Nothing did for the Browns on this day.
QUESTIONS HANGING OVER TEAM
The Browns are 2-5 and full of question marks that border on doubt.
It's hard to imagine McCown being ready for next Sunday's game against Arizona after all the shots that he took. He was sacked four times, knocked down another four times. He was under mental duress for four quarters.
If McCown is out, Johnny Manziel will start. Is he ready? He is talented enough? This may be a chance to find out, but it's a very tough spot for the second-year quarterback.
"I hope people have not given up on me," said Manziel, meaning the fans.
Manziel should not worry about that. Fans are always willing to embrace any quarterback who brings even the slightest semblance of hope.
IT'S MORE THAN THE QUARTERBACK
At the end of the first quarter, the Rams had three yards of offense and a 10-0 lead! That's because two Browns fumbles led to a touchdown and a field goal in their first two possessions.
Travis Benjamin blew a block that led to Taylor Gabriel being blind-sided after catching a short pass and fumbling. Safety Rodney McLeod picked up the ball and bolting 20 yards for a touchdown.
On their next possession, McCown was hit and fumbled. The Rams recovered. That set up a field goal.
As for the rest of the game, the Browns never could find the end zone. The offensive line was physically dominated and shaken by the crowd noise. The Browns were flagged four times for false starts. They were penalized four times for holding penalties.
That happens when you're being bullied by the opposing defense.
A HUGE CHALLENGE
For the Browns, the biggest obstacle will be not to think, "Here we go again."
The team started last season with a 7-4 record, but lost its last five. Pettine was hoping for a quick start this year, but they are 2-5. So for those players here in 2014, they now have lost 10 of 12.
The Browns still have five games left with AFC North opponents. That's a major obstacle. But so is the culture the Browns want to change.
I didn't detect a lack of effort Sunday. But there was a real deficit when it came to confidence. That happens when the losses pile up.
"We were just shooting ourselves in the foot," McCown said of the turnovers.
Right now, the Browns are limping emotionally, and that can be very hard to heal until a few wins come along.
-----
Once again, the officials were watching a different game then the rest of us. How can they throw a flag on a late hit one week, and the next week ignore it. And tell me why, when you are up 3 touchdowns, would you crush a quarterback? I've seen some dirty football teams, but these guys made the rest of them look like church nuns.
Yes, our team could have played better. But I would imagine when you are out on the field and every call from the ref's is going for the other team it gets a little overwhelming. Hey NFL, hire some guys that actually know the rules of the game and act totally neutral. Those guy were the worst I've watched this season.
-------
Has it occurred to anyone that tiny receivers have a harder time holding onto the ball when hit by large safeties than big receivers? That there might be a reason other teams don't stock 5'7" receivers?
--------
Crowd noise? seemed to me that the place was only 2/3 full and not all that loud. . . I hope no one else mentions that as an excuse for the worst performance by the o line I have seen in several years. . . which says a lot.
--------
hey guys let's not blame our offensive line for blowing or completely misreading blocking assignments until we have very good wide receivers
-------
Stick a fork in 'em. They are fone. Wait until next year. Time for a fan boycott. The offensive line is underperforming. Thed backs are underperforming. There is no quality wr on board. The front seven on this defense stinks. And our drafting absolutely has stunk.
-------
Which running backs are underperforming? Who are they, where did they come from and what are the resume's? At least with STL we knew who Gurdley was.
-------
Who really cares anymore? I quit watching this train wreck and Sundays are much more enjoyable. I've missed nothing.
-------
The Browns franchise is an embarrassment to this area.
If the fans had some sense and balls, they would boycott the next home game and just drink and eat sh_t at the tailgate areas.
-------
Such a combination of bad, here, that its hard to note it all:
-Fumbles caused by having WRs who are too small to handle the beating. (The GM has no clue on what to look for in a good NFL WR....case in point Vince Mayle (gone), Dwayne Bowe (should never have been signed), Terrell Pryor (gone), Josh Lenz (gone).
-A "loud stadium" (half full) is something that shouldn't be such a surprise that the snap count gets lost. Bad coaching.
-The Sunday afternoon experience still seems like "new training ground" to Pettine and O'Neill. I applaud DeFillippo for what he's done coming in here with no OC experience....but the HC and DC are way over their heads, mentally and emotionally. Neither one are better than coordinator and position coach, respectively, on any other team in this league.
- The players are starting to get that "lost cause" aura about them. As they'd make good plays that got called back by penalty...as first downs became lost fumbles.....a blind man could see it on the bench.....a deaf man could hear it in the post-game press conference. Pettine, McCown, and Manziel all sounded like beaten men...with only Manziel showing any sort of "chin-up" (because he's about to be the starter).
- This o-line and this defense somehow convinced themselves since training camp that they're "GOOD!" and they get man-handled every week. Its on THE COACHES to show them that, "No, they're not good...in fact, they kinda suck and need to get much better" every week. We're not seeing that, at all.
Haslam should be, AT THIS MOMENT, pursuing other ($$$ will bring better coaches here) options at the GM, HC, and DC positions for his franchise. (I wonder if Nick Saban, former Browns DC, could be persuaded ($$$$) to bring his entourage here and be both HC and GM.)
--------
Not sure how they expect the midget WR crew to stand up to the big hits they must take in the NFL.
-------
The TV announcer called Gabriels screen play before it happened based on the formation....you dont think Janoris Jenkins saw the same thing? He blew up Gabriel...end result ...6pts.
-------
The image of Travis Benjamin on the bench--looking lost--said it all.
This team is a drift and the owners/coach/GM have no clue how to fix it.
The team looks like it will win 2 more games at most and end up 4-12--if they are lucky. That is a sad state of affairs after have multiple first round picks the last 3-4 years and have little to show for it. An inexperienced owner combined with an inexperienced coach and front office would appear to the formula for a team with a continual losing record.
No easy fix here, folks. Jimmy has his own ideas and they don't seem to be the ones to fix this problem.
Better bet would be for him to cut his losses--sell the team--or move the team to a more deserving local--like LA. Only LA could love a team like this one, and Jimmy likes the bright lights.
-------
As poorly as the Browns played yesterday, they were in it until the fourth quarter. The only group who performed more poorly than that Browns were the officials. This has been a constant theme with the officials and the league since our return to the NFL. McCown was hit in the head twice and face masked once without a flag. The hold on Barnidge was crap, and the hold on Thomas was marginal as best. The PI on Williams was a ghost call.
Even the color analyst was questioning the officials. I'm sure he received a call from CBS higher ups that Gooddell wasn't pleased with his on-air assessment of the officiating. The league is only interested in money and ratings. They want Manziel. Well, give him to them. We're not going to get any borderline calls from the officials until we play by the league rules.
One NFL official from Dayton that I know, is an Ohio lacrosse official. He sucks at that, so what makes you think he could referee an NFL game. I wouldn't trust him to walk my dogs.
---------
After this game, I felt sick.
---------
Funny how the announcers didn't question any of the calls on the Rams. They only pointed out the calls the Rams weren't called for.
--------
I don't know if you were at the game. I was. There were maybe 40,000 people in a stadium that holds 67,000, and probably 10,000 of them were Browns fans. A few times it got loud, but to say they were shaken by the crowd noise is misleading.
And for as many stupid penalties the Browns committed, the Rams came close to returning the favor. How many times did their D line jump offsides or simply line up offsides? At least four. I think three of them resulted in a first down for the Browns. For the second week in a row, a defensive line completely dominated our O line. 4 sacks, 4 knockdowns, and 18 hurries.
I'm not a huge McCown fan, but the guy was a warrior yesterday. 26 of 32 (81% completion rate) for 270 yds and nothing to show for it but bumps and bruises and a swollen jaw. The defense played well the first half, but then reverted pretty much to the being the league's worst defense in the 2nd half as the Rams turned a close game into a blowout. This team is bad in so many ways, and right now there appears to be no way they can come even remotely close to the 7 wins they got last year.
---------
I still don't quite understand the "crowd niose" part. Didn't anyone notice that the upper deck was about empty. That stadium was at best 60% filled. I'm not talking sold tickets I"m talking butts in seats. If the crown noise crap was relevent St. Louis would never lose a home game. That's a tired, worn excuse for losers.
Did you ever wonder why crown noise doesn't seem to bother New England? The only problem here is we ARE a crappy team from the top to the bottom!!! And, Haslem knows he has a collections of suckers for fans.
... The guy had pads and a helmet on while trying to win a game, just like everybody else. The rules don't change with the score. Had it been the other way around, you would've been jumping up and down high-fiving yourself.:jerkoff: I'd venture to say that you've never seen even one dirty football team let alone some. Those officials were the worst you've seen this season? First game, eh? :snicker:
