Written by Chris Hutchison

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Hiko

A View From The Cheap Seats

Week 2 - Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh

I can't even muster up the energy to feel righteous indignation. 

I saw it coming because I've seen it before.  Over and over again.  Like a terrible episode of Full House (what other kind are there?) that I'm doomed to watch repeatedly until I eventually - and mercifully - die. 

You can only remain furious for so long before you get numb.  Since 1999, hell, since 1990, I've known a helluva lot of fury.  Just when a corner seems to be turned and the team is finally heading back to the upper echelons of the NFL world, they get scared and run back around the corner again. 

When it happens enough times, you start to not trust hope, not to trust that a corner has actually been turned.  You get gun shy. 

Eventually, apathy sets in.  You watch the game because of a sense of duty, because somewhere, deep down, you still have a modicum of hope.  You hate to think that you wasted all those years faithfully living and dying with this team just to throw it all away, then have the team go on to glory without you. 

But you know what's going to happen before it does.  You know it, and then you have to sit and watch as your low expectations are met.  Again. 

Most people, myself included, seem to feel there's enough talent on the Cleveland Browns to be a better team than what they are.  The depth is shaky, and the injuries have taken a toll, but everyone has injuries, and everyone is shallow in one position or another.  That's life in the big city. 

There's no reason the Browns should've gotten a beatdown versus the Cowboys.  There's no reason they should've killed themselves against the Steelers. 

They're not prepared.  Their game plans are unimaginative.  They don't make adjustments.  They make stupid mistakes.  They commit costly penalties.  They mismanage the clock.  They mismanage the personnel.  They make poor decisions. 

Who's to blame?  It has to be the coaches, right?  The GM is responsible for the talent, which may or may not be adequate, but it's difficult to tell when the team itself is being bungled so massively by the coaching staff. 

So what's keeping me off the Fire Romeo bandwagon? 

Is it the fact that his firing will only come as a result of a terrible season, and I don't really want to face that prospect at this juncture?  Is it the fact that there are 14 games left, and, even before the season, I felt that this team would emulate the Indians - getting themselves out of the playoff hunt early, then coming on strong at the end?  Is it the fact that, despite the plethora of mistakes, the Browns were every bit as good as Pittsburgh on Sunday night? 

I'm not ready to give up just yet. 

No, I'm not talking about the season.  I gave that up before it even started.  I'm talking about this group - this corps.  I want to believe that it's only one draft and one year of experience away from being a contender.  I want to believe that this year of lumps will be the impetus of a great leap ahead.  I want to believe that this is the step back before we take the two steps forward. 

If we're bringing in a new coach in 2009, then it's probably back to the drawing board - another "3 Year Plan".  Who knows if he keeps the 3-4?  One could argue that it should be scrapped anyway, but we have 3-4 personnel now, and switching back to a base 4-3 means another massive player overhaul.  Regardless, the first year will probably be a throw away.  One hopes that by Year 2 or Year 3, the team has the right guy in place and is destined for a Patriots-esque stay at or near the top.  But there are no guarantees.  It could easily mean just another 3 years of frustration until the eventual "Fire John Doe" chants come out. 

Over and over again - a vicious cycle without end.  I don't want rebuild again right now.  It's like the Browns house stands on railroad tracks.  Just when you think you've got it repaired, along comes another train. 

So, despite my serious qualms about Romeo's abilities and preparation, I'm still hoping he gets his shit together and evolves and blooms.  I can't say I have a ton of hope, but what I do have left, I have to invest in this.  I have to stay off the bandwagon for the time being.  It's for my own sanity. 

If they lose to Baltimore, remaining off will not be easy.  Not easy at all.

Pregame

Ohio State played USC on Saturday night.  Cleveland played Pittsburgh on Sunday night.  How could this Ohio boy not be excited? 

Because watching my two favorite teams get "rear-ended" wasn't that appealing to me.  I had little to no hope for a victory from either of them, and no real reason to watch other than masochism. 

But watch I must. 

I expected the OSU game to be ugly - not THAT ugly, but ugly.  What happened to them was not pretty.  The game belonged on an episode of Faces of Death.  I've seen rabbits get sucked into wood chippers that came out looking better. 

For some reason, the idea of facing the second half of an evil butt-whoopin' doubleheader wasn't that appealing to me.  So it was with much trepidation and anxiety that I approached the beginning of the Steelers-Browns contest.   

Come here beer, my dear.

First Quarter

The Browns got the ball first, and predictably ran the ball up the gut on 1^st Down for no gain.  That led to 3^rd and Long, and Cleveland got to punt after a quick 3 and Out. 

The Steelers did manage to get a 1^st Down, but it was evident that the Browns intended on bringing a lot more pressure than they did against Dallas, and Corey Williams, Nick Sorensen, and D'Qwell Jackson all met at Ben Roethlisberger for a sweet sack on 3^rd and 2. 

Derek Anderson totally underthrew Braylon Edwards on 1^st, but hit him on 3^rd and 7.  Unfortunately, Braylon doesn't like balls thrown right to him, so he dropped it in protest.  For some reason, the crowd was displeased with him. 

Brandon McDonald almost picked a pass from Roethlisberger on 2^nd Down, and Ugly threw it to no one in particular on 3^rd, and it seemed that the Browns D had come to play. 

The Browns had bad field position at their own 8, so they went unsurprisingly conservative, running Jamal Lewis for 2 short gains.  Then DA went and threw another terrible pass, missing an open Winslow in the middle.  Certainly, the weather had to be taken into account for Derek's poor passes.  But, for some reason, Ugly was on target most of the night.  Maybe the wind only blew when Anderson was passing. 

Dave Zastudil kept the Browns in the field position game early since the Browns O had nothing but three 3 and Outs to show for their efforts.  His punts were long, impressive, especially into the wind.   

On the 3^rd play of the Steelers' next possession, Ugly had all day and threw a perfect deep pass to Willie Parker at the 1.  But Brodney Pool knifed in and knocked the daylights out of him - and the ball out of his hand.  Hines Ward inexplicably dropped the 3^rd Down pass, and the Browns were clinging desperately to life. 

Cleveland looked poised to shoot itself in the foot again after a Rex Hadn't (Hadnot is so formal) False Start, but Braylon actually caught a slant pass, and the Browns picked up their initial 1^st Down.  The drive seemed like it was about to become pertinent, but Syndric Steptoe picked up an Offensive Pass Interference, and they ran a stupid useless quick screen to Josh Cribbs on 3^rd and 18 (dropped), and it was over as soon as it begun.  

End of 1^st:  Browns 0, Steelers 0. 

Second Quarter 

Pittsburgh gave the Browns a heavy dose of Willie Parker, and it was apparent his runs were getting more effective as the Defense got worn down by lack of rest.  But Ugly tried to quick-snap sneak it on 3^rd and 1, and he got stuffed. 

Throwing with the wind now, DA went deep for a streaking Braylon, who was open.  To our chagrin, the pass was a floater, a soft, awful throw that was at least 10 yards too short.  Naturally, it was picked at the PIT 30. 

Pool penetrated the backfield and slowed Parker down, and Shaun Rogers ate him for a loss.  Soon after, Shaun Smith had Ugly for a sack, but made the mistake of grabbing his facemask, securing the Personal Foul and a PIT 1^st Down.  On 3^rd and 6 from the CLE 45, Rogers barely (if at all) beat the snap and got called for Offsides, killing a nice stop.  Pool made a great tackle on 3^rd and 1, but the Steelers decided to go for it on 4^th and 1. 

Willie McGinest, having a bad game, jumped Offsides, but was saved because PIT coach Mike Tomlin called Time Out just before.  On the actual 4^th and 1 play, it looked like Robaire Smith might get Parker in the backfield, but just missed, so Willie bounced it outside for 13.  McGinest had "contain". 

From the CLE 11, Hines Ward, suffering from Braylonitis, dropped a Touchdown on 2^nd.  But the Browns allowed Ugly way too much time on 3^rd, and this time Smiley McWard didn't drop it.  Steelers 7, Browns 0. 

DA finally threw to 2^nd WR Steptoe, then Cribbs picked up Cleveland's second 1^st Down of the Half on an end around to Cribbs.  Lewis got a nice chunk as he finally ran outside the Guards, and Vickers picked up the 1^st on 3^rd and 1 with that stupid quick Fullback handoff that everyone in the stadium knows is coming.  Anderson tried to quick snap it with 2:01 left on the clock, but the Defense knew they were going to try that, and threw Lewis for a 2 yard loss.  Either get up to the line quicker, get set, and run a proper play, or wait until the 2 minute warning.  Don't try and get cute. 

Winslow made a great 19 yard catch to the PIT 30, then the Browns screwed around and finally called a Time Out with 1:23 left in the Half.  They got to the 16 with 55 seconds left, where Hank Fraley snapped the ball before DA was ready.  I mean, he was still walking up to the line.  Eric Steinbach just sat there, obviously not expecting the snap either, as all Confusion broke loose.  Buddha knows what possessed Fraley to snap the ball at that moment, but it was just all part of the Mess. 

In the end, it was an Illegal Shift penalty, so the Browns got the option of using their last Time Out or having 10 seconds run off the clock.  They wisely opted for the latter.  Play was resumed at 45 seconds, but the Browns waited to snap the ball until 33 seconds were left, then threw a screen to Jason Wright down to the 12.  They unwisely opted to not use their Time Out, instead blowing more time and sneaking for a 1^st Down.  The final Time Out did not come until only 8 seconds were left. 

Feeling the pressure of only having one shot to throw an 11 yard TD, Anderson instead threw it to Troy Polamalu over the middle, and the drive was botched, butchered, and killed. 

And the Browns trotted into Halftime to a chorus of Boos. 

(If this line seems familiar here, it's because I wrote the exact same thing at the exact same spot last week.) 

Halftime:  Steelers 7, Browns 0. 

Third Quarter 

Pittsburgh got the ball first in this Half, and almost immediately got hit with a Holding call, setting them back.  On 2^nd and 15, Brandon McDonald blitzed and almost got Ugly, making him step up in the pocket, where Shaun Rogers finished him off with a belly flop.  The joy was tempered, however, because Robaire Smith was down with an obviously bad ankle injury.  From the way he was helped off, you knew it was all over for him. 

Ugly hit Heath Miller for a short gain, and the Steelers punted. 

The Browns killed their next drive when Winslow randomly dropped a pass on 2^nd and 5, then caught the 3^rd and 5 ball short of the 1^st Down.  Why he didn't ensure that he was past the sticks is beyond me. 

After another great Zastudil punt, Ugly went deep for Holmes.  McDonald was in good position for the pick, and went for it.  But somehow, some way, he totally misjudged the ball and whiffed, allowing the completion.  Maybe it was the wind.  Yeah, that's it - the wind. 

The Browns D went strong after that, with Eric Wright making a nice Defensive play on Holmes on 3^rd and Short, and the Steelers had to settle for a 48 yard FG that barely drifted over the crossbar.  Steelers 10, Browns 0. 

On the ensuing possession, CLE got two 1^st Downs primarily by running the ball.  1^st & 10 from their 41, DA threw his best ball of the day, a floater to Winslow on the sideline for 10 as he was getting hit.  Tack on the Roughing the Passer penalty, and the Browns were down to the PIT 34.  From there, Braylon caught his 2^nd ball for 13, but reverted to form on the next play by dropping the pass over the middle at the 3.  Sure, he got decked as soon as he touched it, but replays clearly showed him dropping it before he got hit. 

That's 6 drops in 2 games, B. 

James Farrior of PIT foolishly got himself a taunting foul after that, so the Browns were still in great position - 1^st & 10 at the PIT 11.  DA screened to Lewis for 6, but, on 2^nd and 4 from the 5, the run play was blown up because the Browns were foolish enough to try to run to the left with Kellen Winslow as the primary blocker.  Winslow is a great pass catcher, but he can't block a lick.  James Harrison plowed him and nailed Lewis for a 3 yard loss. 

Then Winslow got a False Start.  Then, on 3^rd and 12, DA misfired on a little screen to Jason Wright that had no chance of scoring even had the ball not been in the dirt.  The Browns held up their foot, grabbed, their .22, and took careful, careful aim... Steelers 10, Browns 3. 

The following Kickoff blew away from the Rashard Mendenhall, and the ball was live around the 10.  Jerome Harrison, who had a great game on Special Teams, dived at it, hopped up, and dived at it again.  He probably should've come up with it at the 7, but, alas, the ball got knocked out of bounds at the 2, and PIT retained possession. 

Backed up deep, it seemed the Browns D would come alive, stuffing Parker for no gain.  However, on 2^nd Down, they inexplicably called off the blitz, rushing only 4 and dropping everyone back into coverage.  Given all day, Ugly threw an easy 31 yard pass to Smiley, and the field position was wasted. 

End of 3^rd:  Steelers 10, Browns 3. 

Fourth Quarter 

A rash of penalties on both sides left the Steelers with 2^nd and 9 at the PIT 48.  Ugly swung it to Smiley, but Rogers and Sorensen converged on the ill-conceived play, and then Ugly barely missed Smiley on a deep pass down the middle on 3^rd and 12.  Rogers quickly became one of my favorite Browns on that play, purposely lowering his shoulder and plowing into Ugly well after the ball was thrown.  Really, it was a cheap shot that probably could've been called for Roughing.  But it wasn't, and it was a beautiful thing to watch Ugly wince his way to the sideline. 

The Browns got the ball back and finally had the brilliant idea to maybe throw a screen pass to Jerome Harrison, who excels in such roles.  He caught on the left side of the field, avoided and broke tackles all the way to the right side of the field, and put a sweet move on Polamalu (who rarely whiffs).  Unfortunately, he just stepped out on that move, but it was still an electrifying gain of 23.  It seemed to breathe life into the tired Cleveland O. 

Three plays later, on 3^rd and 5, DA threw to Winslow, but Polamalu was right there to bat the ball up in the air.  Winslow maintained his concentration and pulled in the pop-up for the 1^st Down. 

On the next 3^rd and 7 from the PIT 43, Steptoe made a nice catch to keep the drive alive.  Then they converted another 3^rd and 7 to Braylon, moving the ball to the PIT 32.  Finally, finally, the Offense was looking good. 

So what do you do now that everything's starting to click?  Run the ball up the gut 2 straight times, netting 3 yards.  3^rd and 7 couldn't be converted 3 times in a row, as Braylon didn't get position on his Defender on the slant, and the ball fell harmlessly to the ground.  I won't call it a drop, but Edwards could've done more to get that pass. 

The crowd wanted Romeo to go for it on 4^th and 7 from the PIT 20 with 3:24 left to go, but he would hear none of it.  He loves those moral victory Field Goals, and Phil booted another one through here.  I've never heard Cleveland Browns Stadium boo a scoring drive so loudly. 

The Browns lined up as if to go for the Onside Kick, but with 3:21 left and 3 Time Outs, the smart play was to boot it deep and let the Defense try and make a stand.  They stopped Parker's run on 1^st Down, but were surprised that Ugly rolled out on 2^nd, getting plenty of time and heaving a 19 yard pass to Heath Miller.  Then Parker got another 1^st Down on a 19 yard run, and, with all the Time Outs used earlier in the drive, that was pretty much ball game. 

Cleveland did stop Pittsburgh on 4^th Down with 26 seconds left at their own 26, but DA's long attempt to Braylon was well covered, then he got sacked, and the last desperate snap-throw he got off was so ugly that it kind of capsulated the entire game.  

Even 50 mile an hour winds couldn't drown out the Boos. 

Final:  Steelers 10, Browns 6. 

Offensive MVP:  Kellen Winslow.  New Offensive Game Plan - throw to Winslow on every down.   

Defensive MVP(s):  Shaun Rogers & Brodney Pool.  Rogers for good penetration, swallowing some running plays whole, and cheap-shotting Ugly Ben in the shoulder.  Pool for being all over the field and actually being a difference maker in the secondary. 
 

Conclusion 

~~~Naturally, one of the first situations that many people cite when claiming that Romeo should be fired is his mismanagement of the clock at the end of the 1^st Half.  Here's my breakdown: 

Coming out of the Two Minute Warning, the Browns had 2 Time Outs left.  The 1^st play was the 19 yard pass to Winslow.  He was tackled down at 1:51.  Anderson kept looking to the sidelines, begging for a play.  Confusion.  So, at 1:23, after wasting 28 seconds, the Browns burned their 2^nd Time Out. 

Total Wasted Time - 28 seconds. 

From the 30, Anderson scrambled, then PIT got hit with a penalty, so CLE was at the 21 with 1:17 left.  Winslow caught a short pass, then came the infamous False Snap play that resulted in an Illegal Shift penalty, leaving the Browns with 2^nd and 10 at the 21 with 55 seconds left. 

Naturally, the Browns opted to preserve their last Time Out and run the 10 seconds off the clock.  However, since the previous play didn't stop the clock, play began at 45 seconds.  Yet the Browns stood in formation, waiting, doing nothing, not snapping the ball until only 33 seconds remained, a 12 second waste. 

Total Wasted Time - 40 seconds. 

DA threw a screen to Wright, who got 9 yards down to the 12, but was tackled in bounds.  He hit the ground at about 28 or 29 seconds left.  If the Browns had called their last Time Out immediately, they would've had 3^rd and 1 at the 12 with about 25 or 26 seconds left.  Anderson was confused again, looking at the sidelines for what to do.  Eventually, he snapped the ball at 16 seconds left (waste of 10 seconds), running a sneak to get the 1^st Down before calling Time Out, which didn't come until 8 seconds left (waste of 4 seconds). 

Total Wasted Time - 54 seconds. 

That's almost half of the final 2 minutes. 

If the Browns would've taken their last Time Out with 26 seconds left, they had 2 options:

1.  Try and throw for the 1^st Down along the sidelines.  If you make it, you have time for several shots at the End Zone.  If you don't, you kick a FG.

2.  Run the sneak, but since the play is short and - coming off a Time Out - everyone is prepared to immediately get back into formation and spike the ball, the clock is probably stopped with about 16-18 seconds left, enough time for a couple shots at a TD.  

The team was so unprepared and confused, and the time was mismanaged so badly, that I was pulling my eyebrows out in frustration. 

It was really really really really really really unacceptable for the Browns to come up with 0 points in that situation, and an elephant's share of the blame is portioned out to the coaches. 

"I didn't want to use the timeout then because I thought having the timeout at the end would be better," Crennel said. "As it turned out, we had eight seconds left, we had time to throw the ball into the endzone or kick the field goal." 

No, Romeo, I liked your explanation to Andrea Kremer after Halftime better:  "We screwed it up." 

No shit. 

RAC, borrow a page from Ed Hochuli and don't try to sugar-coat your copulate-up. 

~~~I didn't have as much of a problem with the Field Goal with 3:24 left to make it 10-6.  4^th and 7 is not an easy conversion, and the Browns D had been doing the job most of the day.  My thinking also went along this line:  If Cleveland goes down and scores the tying TD, then it still gives Pittsburgh enough time to pull it out of their ass with a long game-winning FG, because that's just what the Steelers do against the Browns.  But, if the Steelers are up by 4, they're apt to be more conservative, trying to run clock, and the Browns, with all 3 Time Outs, perhaps stop them, getting the ball back with a chance to win. 

However, reflection has taught me that this is how a fan with zero confidence in the team thinks.  This is not how a coach should think.  The coach should play to win, not to not-lose. 

So, although I can certainly understand Romeo's reasoning for the kick at that point, I can also understand why so many of you are incensed about it. 

Plus, the Time Outs were misused again.  Not that it mattered in the long run.  The Browns inability to get the Steelers off the field until 26 seconds remained sealed their doom. 

~~~Whither hast thy play calling gone, Rob Chudzinski? 

Running Jamal up the gut on 1^st and 2^nd Down every drive is no way to crack a Defense. 

~~~Cribbs is not nearly 100%.  It is apparent that he's still feeling the effects of his high ankle sprain.  He is mortal. 

Mortal Josh Cribbs can sit on the bench until he's totally healed, as far as I'm concerned. 

~~~Is there some kind of rule that all NFL Wide Receivers must be egotistical, cocky, mouthy, high maintenance, and intensely stupid?  You've got TO, you've got Brandon Marshall, you've got Randy Moss, you've got Steve Smith... the list goes on and on and on. 

Now there's Deshaun Jackson, a talented rookie WR for Philly recognized as somewhat of a headcase coming out of Cal.  In the NFL, talent always wins out over headcase, especially at the WR position, because good luck finding a good one that ain't nuts.   

In the Monday Night game between PHI and DAL, Jackson caught a deep ball behind the secondary and had an easy route to the End Zone.  Unfortunately, he threw the ball down in celebration before he crossed the goal line. 

The refs initially ruled it a TD, so no one bothered to pick up the loose ball.  But the review challenge revealed that he was, indeed, so colossally stupid as to spike the ball prior to actually scoring.  In ancient Mongolia, people were disemboweled for such idiocy. 

Since no one picked up the ball, it was Philly's ball where the fumble came to rest.  The Eagles managed to score a TD anyway, so, as far as they were concerned, no harm no foul. 

But the guy in my fantasy league that had Deshaun Jackson - that lost by 4 points - probably doesn't see it the same way. 

If you're a prima donna, then there's only one position for you:  Wide Receiver.  And speaking of prima donnas... 

~~~I don't like Braylon Edwards. 

I know he's good with charities and the community, and I respect that.  But it somehow doesn't keep me from looking upon him with distaste.  For some reason, I don't like Braylon on a personal level.  I don't know why. 

It has nothing to do with him being from Michigan.  College is college.  If a Michigan player gets drafted by the Browns, then I love him as a Brown.  If an Ohio State player gets drafted by Pittsburgh, then I hate him as an enemy.  (See: Holmes, Santonio.  I don't secretly wish for Santonio to do well because he's a former Buckeye.  I secretly wish for him to contract gonorrhea because he's a current Steeler.  I don't care what he did for OSU back in the day - right now, he's doing it for Pittsburgh, and that makes him worm vomit.) 

I don't really care about the speeding thing.  Kids drive fast, especially well-to-do kids with expensive cars and more than enough dough to cover the ticket.  And it wasn't like he let himself go without the ticket.  That was the dumbass cop's fault. 

And the running in his bare feet thing... OK, yeah, that pissed me off too. 

But I guess if I had to try and put my finger on the main source of my Braylon displeasure, it would be that - to me - he seems like a huge pain in the ass with a gi-normous sense of entitlement.  He's like a trophy wife.  He just rubs me the wrong way. 

Now, we tolerate expensive, high maintenance, self-congratulatory elite WR's because they are just that - elite.   

But Braylon ain't elite.  You can throw whatever little stats from last year at me that you want - Braylon ain't elite.  One season doesn't get you in the Hall of Fame.  You don't drop the ball as much as he does and be "elite".  You don't make the mental mistakes that he does and be "elite".  If you're "elite", you make a difference at crunch time.  If you're "elite", everyone knows you're on the field because of your play, not your antics. 

So I kindly invite Mr. Edwards to STFU until he does become "elite".  Then he can make as much of an ass out himself as he wants. 

"You win 20 in the show, you can let the fungus grow back on your shower shoes, and the press will think you're colorful.  Until you win 20 in the show, it means you're a slob." 

~~~Props to reader David from Tyler, TX, who dubbed our precocious WR "Braylon Edwards Scissorhands" for his recent pass catching attempts.  Can someone break out the Photoshop for me? 

~~~Sadly, though, Braylon is THE key to the Browns Offense under Derek Anderson.  Without Edwards, DA simply can't function. 

If Braylon isn't getting open and making spectacular catches (like he did last year), then DA isn't moving the ball (like he isn't this year).  Braylon is DA's safety valve, his blankie. 

It's rather a black mark against a QB's skills if he is so dependent on one player for success. 

~~~Besides, it doesn't matter how I feel about the players personally - as long as they're good for the team, then I support them. 

On most days, Braylon Edwards helps the team.  Kellen Winslow, another guy I have scant personal love for, helps the team. 

And, if Romeo Crennel, a seemingly nice guy, the kindly black uncle I never had, continues to hurt the team, then off with his proverbial head. 

This be bidness, people. 

~~~Willie McGinest has officially become useless. 

~~~You think Phil Savage would jump at 1^st and 3^rd round picks for DA if it were offered to him today? 

Coulda had that back in March... 

~~~I've said it before and I'll say it again - Jerome Harrison needs to be on the field more.  There is definitely a place in this league for small, speedy, shifty backs.  Yet Romeo seems to be emulating Jim Tressel on this topic - stubbornly sticking with the veteran starter to a fault.   

Now, I'm not suggesting that Jerome Harrison start over Jamal Lewis - no, that is foolishness.  But Harrison certainly needs to be in there more, especially in a game where Jamal's brand of up-the-gut running isn't working (averaged about 2 yards a carry for most of the game), and a change-up is desperately required. 

The light probably went on for Romeo & Company after Harrison took the screen for 23 on easily the most exciting Offensive play of the game for the Browns.  But that was way too late.  Like 2 games too late. 

It's this kind of lack of looking outside the box that gets old-school coaches like Crennel and Tressel in trouble.  They're so deep in the box that idea of sky is like a crack dream. 

~~~My level of hatred for Ben R. has reached catastrophic levels.  I dislike him so intensely that it's actually physically difficult for me to look at him, and not just because he's so damn ugly. 

It probably aptly demonstrates the increasing gap between myself and reality, but if the movie Hostel starred Ben as one of the victims, I would probably have found it to be a heartwarming and hilarious comedy. 

~~~Ben's responses after the game to Andrea Kremer's questions about his shoulder were further evidence what a tool he is.  Andrea asked him point blank 3 times about how his shoulder was doing, and he purposely ignored the question all 3.  It went something like this: 

Andrea:  Ben, how is your shoulder holding up? 

Ben:  Well, the Offensive Linemen all were using breath mints tonight, so the huddle smelled better than it usually does. 

Andrea:  You got hit pretty hard by Shaun Rogers at one point.  Is the shoulder more sore than it was before? 

Ben:  People say that eating lead paint is a bad thing, but I kinda dig it. 

Andrea:  You've avoided my question twice.  One last time - how's your shoulder feeling? 

Ben:  It's true.  I have no penis. 

~~~Wow, were the San Diego Chargers screwed this weekend. 

See?  It's not just a Cleveland thing. 

~~~ I am embittered by the College Football Now commercials on the NFL Network.  The promo, obviously shot before Saturday, features Mike Mayock claiming that he thinks "Ohio State has something to prove." 

Yeah, they had something to prove, all right.  That they're just as weak and pathetic as the rest of the country assumed. 

The Buckeyes are who everyone else thought they were. 

~~~Robaire Smith is out for the season with an ACL injury. 

Sigh.  Great news.  Just flippin' fantastic. 

I can't even think of an amusing quip for this. 
 

Next Up 

~~~The Baltimore Ravens. 

The Ravens are not a good team. 

I don't care that they're 1-0... they beat Cincy.  Everyone's gonna beat Cincy this year. 

The Baltimore O is a foul sight to behold.  Rookie QB Joe Flacco might be good some day, but that day is not now.  Lost in the hoopla about him winning his first start was the fact that, for most of the day, he looked like crap.  The Ravens Wide Receivers are sucktastic, their Running Game racked up a lot of yardage in Week 1, but that was against the Bengals, and their O-Line is not in the upper half of the league. 

The Baltimore D is still quite good, talented, and deep.  But it's aging, and it doesn't quite hold the same mystique it did 4 or 5 years ago.  They'll keep their team in most games, but they won't win those games single-handedly any more, like they used to. 

The Ravens coach, John Harbaugh, is a rookie, and bound to make some mistakes. 

By all deliberations, the Browns should win this game.  It will be the first game where they are considered to be the better team.  And they should be angry, bitter, embarrassed by the criticism, both nationally and locally. 

Can they lose it?  Sure.  The pressure is squarely on them.  Every loss brings them one step closer to getting their coach fired.  And Baltimore won't have that same pressure.  They're 1-0, and their expectations were low this season to begin with. 

Is it too early to call this one a "must-win"?  No. 

This is a "must-win".