The latest loss to Pittsburgh had barely ended before the e-mails started rolling in.
"I dare you to defend Crennel," one wrote.
"Romeo has got to go," said another.
"When you have the ANNOUNCERS criticizing the coach's decision, it is not good," said a third.
First, announcers make their living criticizing coaching decisions. They can get away with it – unlike us newspaper mopes – because their networks pay godzillions of dollars to broadcast the games.
Second, if Romeo has to go, there are bathrooms in the locker room.
Finally, I will defend Crennel the man. Steadfastly. This is a good man, a good father, a good grandfather. His steady hand had much to do with the team's success a year ago. He is worthy of respect because of the way he lives his life and conducts himself. He's the kind of coach you wish would win, because not all coaches have the same quality of character. Personally, there's not a better place to start when choosing leaders.
But good men do not always make decisions I think are the best. Sometimes they're right, sometimes they're not right.
Crennel's decisions with every key field goal/touchdown situation in this short season have been different from the ones I'd have made.
We've already discussed Dallas. End of the first half against Pittsburgh, I'd have taken the points – and there are witnesses in the press box who heard me say it before the interception.
Late in the game, I wasn't as sure. Crennel seemed to have his reasons for making the score 10-6 with 3:24 left. He was counting on his defense.
In one sense, this is the way Crennel coaches.
He trusts his players. He asks them to do something, and they either do or don't. It's a reason his players like him so much. Players appreciate trust.
Sunday night his players did not return the trust. They let Pittsburgh just about run out the clock. Same with the pre-half time decision to go for the end zone. He trusted his quarterback, and his quarterback did not respond.
But the more I think the more I think I would not have tried for the field goal in the fourth quarter.
Because no matter what, the Browns needed a touchdown. They were down seven. If they make the field goal, they're down four and need a touchdown to win. If they don't get the first down, they're down seven and need a touchdown to tie. And if they get the first down and go on to score a touchdown, they're tied and win with a field goal.
In every scenario, they need a touchdown.
And the worst situation is that if they get a touchdown the Browns are tied.
No matter what happened offensively, the Browns defense had to stop the Steelers and the Browns had to score a touchdown.
So me, sitting in the booth, not being on the sideline, not being in meeting rooms, I'd have gone for the first down in the fourth quarter and the field goal in the second.
Crennel didn't.
And the thing about sports is that decisions are sometimes played out on national TV with millions watching and announcers commenting. Ultimately, he'll be judged on these decisions.
I find it interesting today, though, that Mike Shanahan is being feted as a hero and for his guts for going for two to beat San Diego.
Clearly he deserves some credit.
But Shanahan went for two because he had no confidence in his defense. And he got to go for two because of a gift call and another quirk in the replay system that negated a turnover that would have won the game for San Diego.
He went for two; bully for him.
But his players backed him up by making it.
Browns players did nothing to help their coach. Through two games all we've seen from this team is hype and talk.
If Braylon Edwards wants to be an elite receiver, he doesn't drop key passes – most especially the third-down slant prior to the field goal.
If the Browns want to win, they recover the botched kickoff return and they don't let Ben Roethlisberger stand in the end zone for 10 seconds before he throws.
If they want to win, they don't give the other team 20 yards in penalties on a night when offenses need every yard, they line up properly on onside kicks and they manage a two-minute drill with a sense of professionalism.
If this, if that. If, if, if, if … if.
Crennel did not make decisions I would consider wise.
But he had a lot of help in losing that game.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
pat, romeo is the coach. the players screwed up in key situations (especially at the end of the first half) because of poor preparation on crennel's behalf. romeo coached like he had never seen a 2 minute drill. and the field goals????? two weeks in a row?
c'mon pat, you are the last sportswriter left standing who is willing to defend the indefensible. romeo must go. regardless of what kind of man he is off the field, his job on the field has been horrific. poor tony grossi over at the pee dee sounds like he just came off a 6 month bender and found out the woman in the bed next to him was really just a dust broom. join team sobriety pat. crennel ain't the guy.
fire romeo now!
Hard to argue your points here Pat. I agree with your defense of RAC the man. I have given him the benefit of the doubt, probably for too long, because of these qualities as well as the make up of the team. Some of his game day moves defy logic. It's one thing to make a mistake and learn from it but he seems to make the same type of errors over and over again (replay challenges, time management, questionable play calls).
Now that we have some talent and expectations have been raised his coaching weaknesses seem more pronounced and apparent. Perhaps the players have too much trust or have had it too easy with him. BE needs a reminder that he has proven to be nothing if not inconsistent despite the stellar season in '07.
Bottom line is as good of a guy RAC does not appear to be the coach to take the Browns into and through the playoffs. It pains me to say this but we cannot continue to sacrifice success on the field for the sake of continuity. Your move Randy…
Along with the giving of trust, Romeo is likely cognizant his is a young team that is still learning how to compete with the best and to win at the highest level. Twelve months ago, it was a demonstrative loser joining all of us in hoping it could win.
Some of his in-game decisions cannot be defended; that much is true.
But to call for his head, when few (if any) of his critics have any concept of what it requires to coach grown men in the NFL nor much informed appreciation for how much he means to them is irresponsible, short-sighted and very probably counter-productive.
Both Edwards and Winslow matured immensely under Crennel last year. Romeo's influence should be factored in their '07 excellence. It can be assumed the coach knew very well this year's challenge was, among other things, in seeing how these young professionals would respond to the relative success they had last year and also deal with elevated expectations.
Given all that is on the plate and all that remains of this season, as well as what damage an interruption in the process might do to this clubhouse, unseating this man at this time is not an easy decision to make, nor is it one to be taken lightly.
And it would be mistaken to do so.
This is not the time, nor is it time for Quinn talk. This is a time for patience, for a different kind of growth and for all of us who claim to have the best interests of this organization in our hearts to shut up, keep out of it and observe.
At least allow the squad to first regain its health and its bearings.
There was some progress evident in last night's performance. There will be more this week. This will still be a productive season, even with the schedule what it is. This is all part of the process.
Keep the faith. You'll be rewarded yet.
nice "these aren't the droids you are looking for" jedi mind trick salinian. but i'm laughing like jabba the hut at that attempt to convince me.
keep the faith? i may find salvation in the afterlife but i'm 100% certain romeo crennel is not the guy to deliver the browns to the promised land. the brewers canned ned yost today and they were tied for the wildcard lead. time will tell if it is the right move but at least the organization is aware that something is at stake. we've been watching romeo's brain farts on t.v. for long enough and i've been reading/hearing excuses for this team for my entire life. i saw my season ticket holding grandfather bail on the team when modell ruined it. my dad checked out as well. i'm the only sucker left in the family. i would rather see the team tear it down to start again then knowingly go down the wrong path.
fire romeo now!
Pat, I understand how you can opine and judge a man in his role as an NFL head coach, but out of curiosity, precisely what qualifies a sportswriter to opine and judge an NFL head coach in his private role as a father and a grandfather? That, I don't get in the least. Seems to me the only folks qualified to make that call would be the kids and grandkids. Mike Wallace wouldn't discover anything fishy if he requested a copy of your birth certificate, would he?
Alan … Valid question. And I would say that we're around these people enough and we talk to enough people about them to get a very good sense of them as people, and should Mike Wallace decide to check into things I am very confident he will find nothing untoward. Not one single statement, public or private, on the Bridge to Nowhere. pat.