Rotten Tomatoes

Being that Tomatoes are my most hated food and considering that they would be rotten to boot,you can imagine how thrilled I was this weekend.
Between the worst Browns game since last season's trip to Buffalo (that says a lot) and another putrid Devils effort against the Red Wings,this was so bad that I wasn't even up to writing about it.

In any event,here goes,short and to the point on the Cleveland Browns loss to the Buffalo Bills by the wild and crazy score of 13-6.

Brownie Bits

1) Brian Daboll's play calling was pathetic.
Enough said.
You want to point to the top reason of this loss? Look right there.
If Brian Daboll is the OC for the Browns next season,then I am convinced that the team has no idea for the future.

2) Daboll was wonderfully creative against the Saints,Patriots and Jets,so what happened to that guy?
My theory is that in those games,no one gave the Browns a chance and he could try things without being abused for the attempts.
People (I.E.Holmgren and Mangini) would say we would/should lost anyway and why not risk it.
However,in the Panther and Dolphin wins and the loss to the Bills,the Browns were either favored or small underdogs and a play call could make the difference.
That means Daboll calls safe plays and plays not to lose.
When you play not to lose,you usually do just that.

3) More Brian Daboll.
Now,I know that Eric Mangini secretly lives to be Bill Belichick,but does he have to be the Cleveland hooded wonder?
The Daboll game plan looked suspiciously like the early 90's game plans that Belichick and Steve Crosby drew up that greased the skids for Bernie Kosar-two runs up the middle and then a two yard screen pass on third and five.
At least Peyton Hillis is more suited for up the middle running than Eric Metcalf was,I'll give them that!

4) More coaching.
Peyton Hillis is killing Buffalo on the first drive.
The Bills have no answer for Hillis running behind Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach.
None.Zero.The guy that cost Battlin' Bob his job had more answers that famous night at the Muni than Buffalo did.
It is first and goal on Buffalo's six,so a smart person sets up Hillis behind his best blockers at least once,correct?

Nope,Hillis up the middle for four,then behind Floyd Womack (who is a better tackle than guard) and the generally inept John St.Clair for runs of one and one yard.
Fourth and goal from the Buffalo one.
Now you figure,set the tone for the day-Hillis behind Thomas and Steinbach with what got you here.
Nope,field goal.
That is a snow globe's view of Mangini/Daboll football.

5) Finally to the players.
Jake Delhomme is bad.
Jake Delhomme is any adjective for bad or finished that you want to insert here.
Delhomme's arm is shot as any passer that cannot hit the end zone from 43 yards on a Hail Mary has a shot arm.
The only good thing about the loss was this-Imagine a 16-13 Browns OT comeback win after such a snoozer and then look at the wins in spite of under Delhomme.
Cant you see Mangini this week saying despite the possible return to health of Colt McCoy-"we are 3-0 under Jake,he gives us the best chance to win"?
Bleech!

6) Peyton Hillis fumbled three times and needs to put both arms on the ball.
I will say this-the thing that causes fumbles is the same thing that makes Hillis so effective-he never stops and always fights for extra yards.
That is admirable,but secure the ball,OK?

7) Hillis also needs to take some time off on the hurdle move.
Hillis's fumble on the move was the key play of the game after a Browns fumble recovery by Eric Wright put the ball on the Bills 25 with a 3-0 lead,a TD might have put Buffalo in panic mode.
Instead,the Bills dodged a bullet and hung tough.
The hurdle looks awesome and can be effective,but like anything-do it often enough,defenses will begin to counter and Jarious Byrd did with a super strip of Hillis in mid-air.

8) One throw to Ben Watson?
One throw to the only reliable receiver that the team has?
Give some blame to both Delhomme and Daboll on that.

9) The one play that could have saved the day was a big gain that would have kept a drive going and moved the ball into Buffalo territory in the fourth quarter was a dropped pass by Robert Royal.
Royal holds onto that,who knows the result,but why Royal is even thrown the ball in that spot instead of someone that might have a chance of catching it is my point...

10) Two players that did have good games were linebacker Chris Gocong and corner Joe Haden.
Gocong has improved by the week and Haden is making a run at defensive rookie of the year.
I don't think Haden will catch Ndamukond Suh,but I do think the Browns have their long term shutdown corner,that is for sure...

Back later with a visit to the Muni,some Hagerstown Suns news and a inbox cleaning..

Photo Credits-Joshua Gunter-Cleveland Plain Dealer