I'm not sure what to take from the Browns win on Sunday — except that after losing 10 games in a row, it's good to win one.
That being said, it's not exactly one to build on.
Buffalo looked completely inept. Trent Edwards was easily the worst quarterback I've seen this season (now that's saying something). And were it not for a fumbled punt late in regulation that game might have lasted as long as the Bengals game did, with neither team able to … well … win.
The Browns did not look their gift horse in the mouth, and took advantage of the fumble to kick the game-winning field goal.
But the Browns didn't play well.
No way around it. Two pass completions. Giving up 145 yards rushing. No big plays on offense. No touchdowns.
With the exception of some individuals, the Browns didn't play well at all.
But Buffalo played worse — giving back many of those rushing yard on nine nearly inexplicable false start penalties.
It was a game that set professional football back years.
But when the year ends, it'll count as a win.
I guess.
Random thoughts
–There's really no way to put a pretty face on a game that included nine false start penalties by one team and nine dropped passes by the other.
–Bills QB Trent Edwards said of the false starts: "Their D-line, we saw on tape, tended to jump offside a little bit, so we were using some hard counts. We were using some quick counts as well. I think that's what got us is some of our quick counts, for some reason or other, we weren't set."
–Safety Mike Adams said he walked over to coach Eric Mangini and took the monkey off the coach's back following his first win as Browns coach. It will be interesting to see how the Browns react having finally won — but playing the next game at Pittsburgh will not be easy.
–That could be the understatement of the year. The Browns haven't beat Pittsburgh since the days of John Henry Johnson.
–Dave Zastudil had the game of his life punting. He had seven punts downed inside the 20, three inside the 5. Amazing performance on a very windy day. Interesting that his worst punt of the day led to Roscoe Parrish's fumble as he tried to pick up the ball on the bounce.
–The Browns were quite elated with the win. Mangini acted like he'd won a playoff game, and the relief he showed seemed immense. The pressure has to grow internally when a team struggles — and the evidence is the way a team reacts when it finally wins.
–Among the statements: "I think what we did carried over into this week," from Derek Anderson. "The best team won today," said Josh Cribbs. "It's a positive and it's something we can continue to build on," Mangini said. Maybe I was watching a different game.
–Honestly … that might have been the worst game I've seen in more than two decades of covering and watching NFL games.
–Pitiful. Really, that's what it was. Pitiful.
What they said
That was a game we thought we could win.
Bills QB Trent Edwards
That's a play that ends up costing us a game. I should have made a smart decision, but you know, I'm back there to make plays. I should have let the ball go and it happened that way.
Bills punt returner Roscoe Parrish, on his botched attempt to field a punt on the bounce
I'm happy for the guys, too. They've been working extremely hard for a long time and I thought we made significant progress as a team last week, and we fell short. This week, to be able to come up with a win, it's a positive and it's something that we can continue to build on.
Browns coach Eric Mangini
{ 39 comments }
Municipal Stadium was built on a landfill, so it makes sense that Mangini would say they can build on the win.
well, i guess we could have lost it, so today was preferable
i guess.
i know DA throws too hard, and i'm not going to say he played average at all, but come on, those drops were ridiculous.
A win for the ages. Mangini you are a marvelous coach. Your QB of choice throws for 2 completions in 17 attempts for 1 pick and 23 yds. Brilliant choice. I understand 9 drops but B Edwards is gone. Did he teach the boys some techniques in pass dropping before he left. This is probably the worst coaching staff the Browns have ever had. Anyone want Romeo's crew back. At least they had the team playing inspired football. We had an awful lot of injuries last year and had no patience to keep Romeo around. Why should we be patient. No wonder the Jets dumped him. Maybe we should do it too. Lets compare QBs since each has played 2 1/2 games:
Quinn 45-74-3 400 yds 1 td 60.8% VS Min(5-0) Den (5-0)Bal (3-2)
DA 39-84-5 384 yds 1 td 46.4% VS Bal 3-2, Cin (4-1) Buf
(1-4)
I don't know what you see Mangenius but You Are the Man.
No one is leading the team! There are no team leaders and no "Captain of the Ship!" Lost cause!
Any statistics to support suicides increase in Cleveland during Football season
please art come back
No Winslow. No Edwards. A kick returner/pseudo receiver is actually now the sole playmaking star. Or, in reality, a shooting star who's not really a star. A taller Dante Hall with The Predator's hair. Hey, what's Dante Hall doing these days?
Thank God there's no imaginary "cancer" in that locker room anymore. Just staph.
Pathetic.
we didn't miss BE at all with our remaining receivers committing 8-9 drops, and the UOS guy actually made the largest contribution by not getting open enough to prompt DA to try and throw a ball his way resulting in an INT.
the least worst team won today.
You can't stop this train now. Those yinzers better be careful because their Stillers are in trouble!
Lethargic, uninspired, sloppy, horrible-no that word cannot describe the depths of the offensive play calling-yes "offensive" is a better word to describe it. I was calling the pays from home in my Lazy Boy! Run, run, 3rd and 6, pass, drop! In fact I even called out that (1) screen to Cribbs that was the only real effective, creative play of the day. Yes they will say, it was windy and the Bills have given up and average of 150 yards per game so the logical thing to do was pound it on the ground… BUT, almost every play? My cat could had predicted the Browns next play..The Bills were ready for it every single time, which by the way goes to show just how terrible they are defensively. This is without even mentioning the drops! We talked about Braylon? The Ghost of Braylon remains obviously..it is as though all lost confidence knowing they were the primary go to guys-and why not use Heiden?? Has he not proven over the years his dependability?? Solid blocking, crisp route running along with steady hands? Bob Royal dropped 2 easy passes NOT to mention the other guys and I do not even recall one single pass throw to Robinskie! These are supposed to be NFL players that are supposed to catch passes we ordinary folk cannot. Yes it takes some getting used to one another and Anderson's rocket of an arm, but again-to my point are not these NFL players and coaches for that matter!? Obviously if we continue this horrendous play (calling) this should be the last win of the season. I am frightened at the very thought of what is to become of next weeks game vs. the Steelers, maybe D.A. goes 0-3 , 5 interceptions, 11 sacks and 23 rushing yards. Final score-Steelers 52-Cleveland 0. I am just sick , year after year of the same garbage. I hope these coaches/players don't celebrate this as any sort of victory..We now finally have become national pundit fodder but in the worst of ways-to hear announcers 'laughing" at us! Ridiculous-embarrassing!
Summary of Cleveland Football…
-Quarterbacks can't throw.
-Receivers can't catch.
-Coaches can't coach.
-GM's can't draft.
-Writers can't write.
Sad time to be a Brown's fan!
Pat,
You really have to give all of this hate a rest. Yes, the offense stunk up the joint, but you really thought there was nothing redeeming in that game? You didn't think that the special teams played lights out? Have you ever seen that many punts downed so deep in the other team's territory? The announcers called it a special teams clinic, and it was. And the defense wasn't responsible for holding them to 3 points? It was all because of the Bills' QB being so bad? Really? And yes, the Bills helped us with all of their false start penalties. But you know what? The Browns didn't have any. Isn't that quite an improvement over last year? Is the Mangini discipline maybe starting to take hold? The offense obviously needs a lot of work, but 2/3 of the team actually had their act together.
Alan T wrote;
"Thank God there's no imaginary "cancer" in that locker room anymore. Just staph."
Maybe it should read
Thank God there's no imaginary "cancer" in that locker room anymore. Just STAFF
Hee hee. Some great and on-target comments.
The Browns and Mangini better get this little nugget in their heads: "winning" 6-3 (when the opponent *gives* you the win) is no win at all. This wasn't football. It was crapball. Who in their right mind would sit thru this mess?
Saddest part is, I now have to revise my prediction of 0-16 to 1-15. There is no other team in the league that the Browns could possibly beat. Unfortunately, there are other teams nearly as bad who could easily go 0-16 and take our top draft pick, which we (of course) will botch, anyway.
Whatever happened to parity in the NFL? It seems the weak have gotten truly awful, while the strong get more dominant. Oh, and then there's the teams which do sudden-turnarounds (N.O., ATL, DEN)….but for some odd reason, no one in Berea ever believes that's possible. We need 4- to 5-year "rebuilding" programs here (which never work, BTW).
It could be worse though.
At least we're not Buffalo.
We're not Buffalo!
You've got to bottom out before you can build back up… apparently they've taken that to heart.
I wonder with three games before the Bye Week if the offense doesn't get past the anemic stage if a change (as in coaching) won't be made by then. Granted you've got the Steelers next week, but they played Green Bay and Chicago in the preseason – that should count for something. (I know grasping for straws).
Dear Pat,
Go root for Buffalo-f#@* you-
George Kokinis
They easily could have won last week as well and 2-3 would have been a pretty good start for this mess of a franchise no matter what the wins looked like. I think there will be improvement in the second half of the season.
However you want to spin this, it will remain as a win. Something seemed amiss with the QB play. I'm no fan of either QB, but it just seems that the coaching seems a bit more patient with DA than the "declared" QB starter.
hey it could be worse… yoiu could be Bills fans… we are in deep dodo!
The sad part of being a Bills fan is that when Ralph finally kicks the bucket the team will move up north.
Just wondering why BQ was benched in the second half of the third game. DA comes in and throws three interceptions in one half. I would have been happy if they put Cribbs in as QB against the Bills at least he can be a threat to run the ball. QB rating of 15.1…….15.1!!!!
By the way Pat….you suck!
I actually ignore your articles and read only the comments. You should call the sports writer from the Rep. and ask him why people hate you so, maybe he'll give you a clue.
I've never seen so many negative comments after a WIN! You people, including the great writer Pat himself, are just ridiculous!
1) The defense was GREAT yesterday. They played with alot of energy and heart – they were aggressive and got alot of pressure on Edwards.
2) Special teams play was GREAT.
3) We had a 100+ yard rusher for the 2nd game in a row. Not bad for a team that hasn't been able to run the ball effectively for the last 2 seasons. We even did it when the Bills KNEW we were going to run and stacked 8-9 in the box.
4) We just won our first game to break a 10-game losing streak and the nature of the victory isn't good enough for you so-called fans? Would you rather have lost 44-7 like Oakland did?
5) The horrible windy conditions had something to do with the low score, don't you think? Do you think the Steelers fans were SO embarrassed and felt SO horrible after ONLY winning 3-0 over a bad Dolphins team in the rain on Monday Night football at HOME two years ago? I doubt it.
6) So the only reason why we won now is because the Bills are so horrible? The same Bills team that had New England beat but only lost the game when Tom Brady got hot in the 4th quarter and they had a crucial fumble on a kick-off return late in the game? The same Bills team that scored in the mid-20's in points against NE but only 3 against us?
7) You same so-called fans last week were saying things like the only reason we scored a few touchdowns against the Bengals and put 20 points on the board is because the Bengals defense isn't any good. You mean the same Bengals defense that only gave up 7 offensive points to the Ravens ON THE ROAD this week? A Ravens team that had one of the top offenses in the NFL coming into the game? So should Ravens fans now think that their team is horrible since they only scored 7 points against the Bengals when the lowly Browns scored 20 the week before?
I just don't see how anyone cannot see that this Browns team as a whole is getting better. Yes, our passing game was terrible yesterday. I think we'll continue to get better each week. The conditions were bad and we had to adjust to losing our #1 received mid-week. We still have a long way to go, but we are making major strides. My prediction is that we're going to air it out against the Steelers this Sunday if the weather conditions are decent. I'm thinking 75% passing attempts with many throws downfield. I think fans just need to chill out a take it one week at a time and not expect us to win 31-10 each week. If we would have won 31-28, I'm sure fans would be bitching about how bad the defense is that they gave up alot of yards and 28 points to the Bills. I look at it like baseball – I'd rather get no-hit and win 1-0 than bang out 15 hits, five home runs and score 12 when losing 14-12.
that "game" was evidence that certain games should be blacked out and never shown on TV. However, the announcers and the ex-pros at half-time and after the game and on ESPN had some hilarious comments. I guess that made the fiasco at least somewhat worthwhile.
Tim in Plantation FL, the 31st anniversary of Jonestown isn't until November 18. It appears you've been celebrating early.
Fate sometimes is a funny thing. Mangini would have been able to persuade his way to long-term job security anyway, but their schedule the last three weeks of the season is like playing Buffalo three more times. Perfect timing. It's just like the college polls, the stupid voters give more weight to the later games than the earlier games. And so will stupid fans, stupid media, and Lerner.
By the way, a little trivia here that nobody remembers or knows. Just like Mo Williams really was an undeserving All-Star who got there only because two other guys got hurt, Anderson only went to the Pro Bowl because Tom Brady didn't feel like going. Come to think of it, Winslow wouldn't have gone to that game either if Antonio Gates hadn't decided he felt like doing something else.
Anyway, the dumber fan arguments that the Browns are better off without Winslow and Edwards just boggles the mind.
Didn't we just discuss last week that there was no such thing as a "moral victory" and that the Browns found a way to lose so they shouldn't be looking back at the Cincinnati game feeling that good about themselves?
Now it seems like we're arguing that this game was actually a "moral defeat" and although we got a W in the win column no one should be allowed to feel good about it, because the game was nearly unwatchable. It doesn't work like that Pat. You have to pick one stance or the other. It seems like the rules change every week depending on how the media needs to paint the events of the game to make the coaching staff look bad. Incredibly convenient.
How soon everyone forgets the games from 5 years ago (or jeez even last year with Dorsey/Gradkowski starting) when we could barely get a first down and made it into opponent territory once/twice a game if we were lucky. Granted, little depth and late season injuries added to the patheticness of those teams, but I don't think you can call a victory worse than any of those performances in blowout losses.
At the same time we've been in 4 of the 5 games we've played in the 2nd half now. Obviously we only have 1 win to show for that, and there are many many problems with playcalling, drops, tackling not throwing into double coverage, blocking… I mean you name it really… but I really don't think things are as doom and gloom as Pat makes them out to be.
We won. Try to enjoy it at least a tiny bit.
Jeez, Rich G. Your ilk is the problem when it comes to blindly quoting stats. Not picking on you personally, too many people do it. In fact, quoting quarterback ratings without context is a complete joke. In fact, nobody even knows how to figure it out, including 100% of the media morons who quote it as if it means something. And don't look it up, that's cheating. I mean, do you realize that somebody like Aaron Brooks has a better quarterback rating than Bart Starr?
Please, cut the quarterback ratings crap. Stop it. Anderson has receivers who should be playing at Brush High School. On the junior varsity team, not varsity. Quinn's quarterback rating got bloated courtesy of being behind by 1,000 points and the defensed sending in Pee Wee Herman to play in the fourth quarters while the rest of the defenses stood around and ate pork rinds.
Stop quoting quarterback ratings. Passer ratings. They mean nothing taken out of context. Stop it. I beg of you.
No, check that, I was going from memory from a few years ago. Make that Jake Delhomme and Damon Huard have superior career quarterback ratings to Bart Starr.
Gotta agree with Alan here, the stats never tell the whole story.
An interesting point was made by James Walker over on the espn afc north blog. In 2 games DA started the browns avg. 158.5 yards rushing. In Quinns starts it was 71.3 yards. Now, some of that is the opposing D, but you also have got to credit some of that to the D having to stay back and respect the pass.
Hey other Sean, want to add something to your name so people don't get us confused? Although, I don't usually go off like you did, but still would be nice for people to be able to tell us apart. What do you say?
What do expect from a 17th round draft pick (Bart Starr – 80.5 QB Rating)…he's no Neil O'Donnell (81.8 QB Rating).
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but what did I say would happen pronto with Edwards against Miami? And yet a few shills and a few homers told me I was retarded.
Thank you, thank you very much. I'll be here all week. Remember to tip your waitresses.
Oh, and Brian D., Starr's 17th round as 200th player chosen is equivalent to a 6th round pick today. Tom Brady.
To continue the Starr comment, expansion is the very reason guys like Robert Royal have jobs, let alone are able to start for one of the worst teams in the league. If they had 17 rounds today, I wonder in what round Robert Royal would go.
Braylon's MNF performance was not unexpected. He averaged 120 yards receiving for the Browns in 3 MNF games last year. In his other games, he averaged less than 40 yards/game. Give the cancer a few weeks to spread before making a final diagnosis.
Why do the Browns continue to split Royal out wide when he was never known to be much more than a blocking tight end, one with a finger that needs surgery, nonetheless.
and Braylon drops a go ahead TD pass, but gets bailed out by a terrible interference call.
Oh, horsehockey. Who thought Edwards would be such a gamebreaking star after rolling out of bed in a different city with a completely different playbook? I mean, except me.
And cancer? Give me a break. The Browns are like asbestos. The problem isn't Edwards.
Braylon didn't look too happy about extending HIS personal losing streak.
I'm sure he'll go down to South Beach and punch out one of Dwyane Wade's buddies to blow off some steam.
Pat's still angry about getting fired from the Browns. BWAHAHAHAHA
Comments on this entry are closed.