Browns vs. Phily – pregame
Watching ESPN's lead-in to this game really brings home how ESPN can overdo just about anything. It's the network of overdramatization. … Though you do have to give Donovan McNabb a lot of props for lasting as long as he has in Philadelphia. Imagine, he was drafted the same year as Tim Couch, Daunte Culpepper and Cade McNown. … More after the first quarter.
First quarter – Just too easy for the Eagles
Eric Wright made a tackle. … Wow. … This is too dadgum easy for the Eagles. … The failings of the Browns defense have been obscured this season, but they are significant. … Waaaaay too easy as Kevin Curtis scores over Wright. … That was just ridiculous. … Josh Cribbs takes the snap on play two for the offense. A good sign. Especially because he ran a different play! … Lawrence Vickers – football player. … Darnell Dinkins does a Braylon Edwards and the Browns (again) settle (again) for a field goal (again). … Always good to see Bill Carollo working a game. … Carollo will retire as an NFL ref after the season to take over the Big Ten's refs. … Is this a step forward? … Browns pass rush is totally AWOL. … Ridiculously easy for McNabb. … The quarter ends with Philadelphia leading 10-3.
Second quarter – End zone picks keep the Browns a little close
Kevin Curtis, the next Jerry Rice. … Do the Browns have a secondary? … Do the Browns have a run defense? … So far this defense is being shredded, and if the Browns have a straw of a hope, the defense has to carry the day. … So far, it's not. … Hey, nice interception by Sean Jones, but what in the world was Andy Reid thinking giving the snap to DeSean Jackson when everything Philadelphia tried was working? … This is a case of a good coach outthinking himself. … In Cleveland they'd be calling for him to be fired and his dog to be taken to the kennel. … But Ken Dorsey gives it back. … Sorry, folks, it would not matter who's coaching. The Browns cannot win with Ken Dorsey at quarterback. … At 17-3 the rout is on. … On the next possession the Eagles blitz blows up a third-down play. Looong night ahead. … Why do no teams ever consider Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson as a head coach? … Brandon McDonald gets beat on a third down. Eric Wright gets beat on the next play. Who'd have thought? … It's just sooo easy for the Eagles. … Poor clock management by McNabb there, though. … Pretty amazing interception by McDonald. One-handed. Wow! … Too bad he didn't score. … Thanks to two end-zone interceptions the Browns still have a slight chance. … The half ends with Philadelphia leading 17-3.
Halftime adjustments
The end zone interceptions give the Browns a chance, but they have to pick up the Eagles rush and they have to play flawless on offense. … The defense is getting pummeled, but made some plays to thwart Eagles scores. … Without that this game would be gruesome. … McNabb threw for 190 yards the first half. … That's a lot of yards. … Time of possession had to be about 26 minutes to four. … Is anyone out there watching this game?
Third quarter — A one-sided game turns into a yawner
Love Hank Williams, Jr., but given the choice of looking at him or Faith Hill on TV, I'll take Faith. … For all the obvious reasons. … Time of possession the first half was actually 22:42 Philadelphia, 10:18 Cleveland. … Braylon Edwards is playing tonight like Braylon Edwards should. … Unusual time to unleash the Charles Ali package. … Another sack of Dorsey. Joe Thomas is having a rough game. … The Eagles move down the field again. Another end zone interception looming? … This defense is just awful. … Very few penalties called – note how Carollo's crews call a good game. … The Eagles backup quarterback does not look happy. … Third-and-11 and McNabb makes it look easy again. … Remember folks, there are not a lot of injuries on the Browns defense. … The third quarter ends with the Eagles leading 20-3.
Fourth quarter
Perhaps Faith Hill should replace Adriana Lima as the official Female Obsession of the Blog for 2009. … Not much happening in this game. … If anyone can think of something pithy to say, please e-mail. … The Browns do not have the wherewithal — or the players — to compete with a team like Philadelphia. Perhaps with Cincinnati. Not Philadelphia. … There's really not much more to say here. It's going to be a rout. … And it is as McNabb throws a touchdown pass to put the Eagles up 30-3. … Say good night now. … Kind of wondering, though, what Emmitt Smith might have to say about this game. … Can Bruce Gradkowski be any worse? … McDonald gets another INT and scores with a somersault into the end zone. … That little move didn't make the Eagles happy. … Oh well. Whatever. … Final score: Philadelphia 30, Cleveland 10.
You know, this game got me thinking, If you were to put a gyroscope in a baseball bat, would it help you swing more level? Or, would it just make it too hard to check swing? Anyway, when's kickoff for the Force? Crunch? Whoever – are they still around? I think it might be Kai Haaskivi time. Was he the goalie or Otto Orf? I think I'd rather be watching Emmitt dance again. Or at least that partner of his. Oooh la la.
Faith Hill retouched for Pat:
http://www.afterellen.com/blog/annawahrman/redbook-retouches-faith-hill
Just stopped to say I seriously will question your football knowledge for the rest of time, as your blind loyalty to Romeo Crennel is absolutely disgusting and baffling. As good as your writing is your knowledge of NFL football is seriously lacking, Pat.
Kai Haaskivi time? A classic Force reference! Those were the days – Simon Loooooook! Ruben Astigarraga! Bernie Kosar! Frank Minnifield! Opps, sorry, back to reality. I never thought that the Bengals would be a tough game, and Pittsburgh? 3-and-out 3-and-out 3-and-out, etc… Will the Steelers be favored by 30? 40?
Seems RAC was a good defensive coordinator, but a team needs someone to get them fired up and on the same page. It used to drive me crazy when I lived in Indy well before Dungy arrived, and Ted Marchibroda used to say things like "Well, we needed to score more points if we wanted to win." Reminds me of RAC: good guy (I suppose), but even though I know that you need to score more points, and the Browns haven't contacted me about the coaching vacancy yet… Watch films with Cowher, Shottenheiner, Rutigliano in them & there is something more. Just like business: the players should respect the coach and want to rally for him, but he's got to have a drive and vision to be great, not just to maybe try a little better. It's obviously over for this year.
Whats the name on the door say? Exit.
This is what it looks like when a team has a "dead coach walking," as I think it was Bud Shaw who wrote. I understand a lot of why Romeo was not canned after the Houston game, not the least of the reasons being no one on the current staff could step up to assume the mantel, but ownership essentially said, when it allowed him to remain in charge: "The rest of the season doesn't matter anyhow."
So, that is how it looks, that is how they played, that is how it will be.
What is furthermore distressing is all we are getting is more of the same old approaches, the same defective formula, the same inadequate personnel, the same bunch of disparate pieces who will not be returning next season.
If it can be done, I'd waive every elder to playoff contenders and use their roster slots on younger guys with some potential upside. Let's get a head start on reconstructing. Let's also get a QB in there who gives us at least a chance to compete with an NFL opponent.
When things are not working, that is not the time for the same old, same old.
glad to see the players still playing hard for the coach they love so much. there is nothing like seeing acrobatics from a player who cuts the deficit to 20. i'm proud to be a browns fan! great coaching romeo! i'm so happy that you haven't turned the rest of the season into a mockery of football. here's a suggestion for the team. when you finish at 4-12 gather up the players to form a circle around randy lerner swimming naked in a pile of money. then have everyone do their best charles haley imitation. not only will that scene be guinness book of world records worthy, it will symbolize the way the organization is run.
hail romeo crennel! 4-12 here we come!
Crennel is not having a good week.
Phillies game and then swallowed by a lake monster!
http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/mutants/browns-coach-missing/
Pat,
Leave Adriana alone. Faith has jumped the shark.
Actually, I'd strongly prefer to see and hear Joan Jett sing her altered theme song, but I think she'd be considered way too lesbo for manly hetero primetime TV, which is the reason I presume they dumped Pink in the first place after the first season. Without the tons of lighting and the tons of makeup and the 100 gigabytes of wild digital alterations, if you saw her sitting eating link sausages at Denny's, Faith Hill looks like every high school kid's mom. But hey, maybe that's what turns Pat on.