A Missed Opportunity

There are two ways to get to the playoffs in the NFL.  First, you can build a core of talented players and coaches, establish a system, and maintain the system notwithstanding the ravages of free agency and personnel changes.  The Patriots, Colts, and Steelers all fall into this category.  The second option is for a less talented team to take advantage of opportunity — a soft schedule, the unexpected emergence of a previously unheralded player, and a favorable bounce or two — and come from nowhere to win enough games to make the playoffs.  Once you are in the playoffs, anything can happen.

The Browns are a long way, talent-wise and system-wise, from falling into the first category, although I believe that is where Mike Holmgren and, if he is retained, Eric Mangini are aiming.  Therefore, the Browns’ only hope of making the playoffs this year was to fall into the second category — and it is there that the Browns have, I think, missed an opportunity.  They had a chance to come roaring out of the gate with some easy initial games.  They built upon the run-oriented success they had at the end of last year by finding a big back, Peyton Hillis, whose tough running style put them in a position to compete against the better teams in the league.  And the Browns’ defense played much better than expected.  With some grit and determination, and a lucky bounce or two, at this point in the season the Browns could be in the thick of the playoff fight.

It hasn’t happened that way.  The easy initial wins did not materialize, and after last week’s very disappointing loss to Buffalo the Browns stand at 5-8 and are on the outside looking in.  The game against the Bills neatly captured the Browns’ shortcomings this year.  After a good opening drive, the Browns stalled on the one-yard line and kicked a field goal instead of going for it on fourth down.  After the defense forced a turnover, the offense gave the ball right back through a Peyton Hillis fumble.  And when the game turned into a defensive struggle, the Browns offense stuck with a predictable run, run, pass on third down offensive style that Buffalo easily defended.  The fact that Jake Delhomme is really no longer an NFL-caliber quarterback and the Browns’ wide receiver corps is lackluster isn’t helping, either.

If you are one of the less talented teams in the NFL, you have to be willing to take some chances.  You need to gamble on fourth down, run a few trick plays, and maximize your scoring opportunities.  The Browns’ defensive coordinator, Rob Ryan, understands this.  His defensive takes risks and looks for big plays and turnover opportunities.  The Browns’ offense also did this in some games, such as their signature wins against the Saints and the Patriots.  For some reason, however, they stopped taking risks in recent games, and their one-dimensional offense has not done the job.  And so, for yet another year, the Browns Backers of the world are disappointed, and thinking wistfully of what might have been.

The Browns Press On

The Browns play the Dolphins today in Miami.  The Browns stand at 4-7 and are pretty much out of the playoff hunt — unless they can somehow run the table.  If the Browns hold out any hope, they must win this game.

This will be one of those rare games where the location probably doesn’t give an advantage.  The Browns stink on the road (1-4) and the Dolphins stink at home (1-4).  The Dolphins have a pretty good defense and have been especially good against the pass.  The Dolphins’ offense, however, has been iffy, and their quarterback (for now at least) is Chad Henne, a name familiar to anyone who follows Big Ten football.

Unfortunately for the Browns, Colt McCoy is still out, so Jake Delhomme will start at QB.  Delhomme played a good first half against Carolina last week, then had an abysmal second half that let the Panthers back in the game.  Although he bounced back to lead the Browns on a drive to get a field goal to put the team ahead, his bad decision-making was deeply troubling.  If a vet like Delhomme hasn’t learned good judgment by now, what does he bring to the table?  No doubt the Browns, again, will hope Peyton Hillis can carry them to victory on the ground — and also hope that the defense recovers from its near-disastrous end-of-the-game breakdowns against Carolina.  The Browns were saved from another ignominious loss only because Carolina’s field goal kicker gagged on a game-winning field goal with time running out.  They’ll need to play better, on offense and defense, if they hope to win today.

No Quitters Here

The Browns play today in Cleveland against the Carolina Panthers.  The Browns stand at 3-7, the Panthers are 1-9.

This is the time of the NFL season where some teams are still in it, and some teams are out of it.  The Browns and the Panthers are in the latter category.  Some teams in the “out of it” category just quit.  Our neighbors to the south, the Cincinnati Bengals, are a good example.  The Bengals started the season with high hopes and have been putrid.  The team appears to be riddled with dissension, the coach is on his way out, and the players look like they have given up.  If I were a Bengals fan, I would be furious and embarrassed.

Last year the Browns did not quit, even after a string of early losses eliminated them from playoff contention.  It was a tribute to their coaching and the professionalism of the players.  We will see if, this year, Coach Eric Mangini can work the same magic.  Unfortunately, the Browns will be without the enthusiastic play of quarterback Colt McCoy, who is out with a high ankle sprain, and instead will turn to the aged Jake Delhomme.  I’m hoping the Browns can get back on the winning track against a dismal Carolina team.  Even if the playoffs are out of reach this year — and it certainly looks that way — I want to see some character and grit.  The Browns need to show that they aren’t the Bengals.