Cleveland Browns

I tried to watch the short cut of the Patriots game this morning. Got about halfway through and then just turned it off. It’s not often there are maybe 3 things in the entire game that make you feel positive.

We were due for a game when the rookies and young guys played like rookies and young guys. It didn’t help that Fredo Mangini and Brian Daboll (who I am pretty sure I caught screaming “F You Belichick! F You Belichick” on camera) had the bye week to get all cutesy with their game plan.

The Pats sucked. The Browns couldn’t screw a play up if they tried. Sometimes that’s just how the pigskin falls. So of course in today’s NFL, where everything must be ranked and predictable, the Patriots will fall from the unstoppable team with the best record to an atrocious team that shares the best record. What does it mean? That the Patriots aren’t there yet. Big whoop. It’s November 8th.

The fact is that the Pats just wrapped up the second quarter of their season going 3-1. I’ll take that. The fact that they capped it off with the second and ugliest loss of the season should only serve as motivation as we move toward the real heart of the schedule.

So there won’t be much further reflection on the Browns game. Anyone who’s played sports knows there are some days you just can’t do anything right. It’s best to bury those games and not get too over-analytical about what went wrong and what it all means. 

Football especially is a game of choreography and timing. When you are lacking those elements to your game you’re going to look like my freshman football team.

Some quick hit notes so I can just be done with this turdfest.

– One thing I don’t understand is why the Patriots opened with a Wilfork – Pryor Wright defensive front. We knew going in that the Browns revolved around Peyton Hillis, yet the Pats have a pass rushing front three. Granted Brace, Deaderick and Warren didn’t do much better when they were in there, but this was an interesting decision to me. If an idiot like me was gameplanning I’d stack the line with my best run stoppers, and dare them to make Colt McCoy throw it 30-plus times to beat us. Instead it seems like we were daring them to just keep giving the ball to that beast Hillis and he ran all over us.

– Methinks we need Patchung! back asap. Especially this week.

– Of course Jonathan Wilhite picks the one game everyone else stinks to actually have a good game.

– I’m guessing Gronk isn’t going to have an enjoyable film session with BB today.

– I’m also guessing that Peyton Hillis will spend most of today in an ice bath.

– Did anyone else notice Meriweather get blasted on the TD run by McCoy? I mean BLASTED.

– Shocker that Mankins started and played a ton. I guess that shows you what the coaching staff think of him as a player.

– For all those crying that the loss of Moss is killing Welker, let’s remember he wasn’t 100% to begin with and commented that getting that last little separation quickness back was the hardest part. 

– The Browns did exactly to our defense what I was worried about. I was making a half joking comment at Blogapalooza that I wasn’t looking forward to seeing Colt McCoy get off to a 6-7 for 117 yards start. Sadly I wasn’t far off. The Pats have been imminently susceptible to the short passing game, and I thought Jerod Mayo had possibly his worst game of the season because he was out in coverage way too much. 

The next two games are going to tell us a lot about this team, at least Pittsburgh will be coming off a short week.