Romped by Rice,Browns lose 24-10

Ray Rice ripped through the Cleveland Browns run defense like a bowling ball through wet paper towels as Rice rambled for 204 yards in a not nearly as close as the score indicates 24-10 win for visiting Baltimore.

Other than a long Colt McCoy to Peyton Hillis pass play that led to a Phil Dawson field goal and a garbage time drive that ended in a McCoy to Evan Moore 22 yard touchdown pass,the Browns offense was generally inept against a Raven defense that was without Murderin' Ray Lewis,who still managed to show up and get his mug on television constantly.
Cleveland gets just three days off before traveling to Pittsburgh against a Steeler team that is suddenly jelling on Thursday night....

Brownie Bits

1) This post will likely be pretty negative.
I just see very little to be positive about at this time.
That does not mean that all is lost,but there are things that will need to be addressed next off season that I do not want to hear about a building process.
I agree that the draft is the best way to build,but like it or not,free agency is an avenue that needs to be used as well and the Holmgren/Heckert team has not made use of it in their two seasons.
Next year-it has to be.

2) I thought the idea behind drafting Phil Taylor was to be able to stop the Ravens and Steelers from running the ball down the throats of the Browns?
Well,I am not blaming Taylor and D'Qwell Jackson played well enough,but Jackson is a tackler that makes his tackles after the yardage is gained,not the type of player that stops things from happening.
This team STILL has so many needs that I almost don't know where to start-but a speedy linebacker ranks near the top of the list!

3) What is this teams favorite plays to run,besides the three yard pass when they need eight for a first down?
It seems to me that the bread and butter play is to have a receiver (Most often Greg Little or Ben Watson) stand in the middle of the field about three yards from the line of scrimmage,catch the ball,get creamed and be well short of the first down.
No movement,no running a slant to run after the catch-just stand there.UGH...

4) I constantly hear about Colt McCoy having no time to throw and no playmakers to throw to and I agree with both points,but isn't time to occasionally see if he can make something out of nothing?
It seems to me that Pat Shurmur is handcuffing McCoy with his refusal to try audibles or anything that might keep an offense off balance.
The offense is not just bad-it's boring and few things are worse than watching a bad and boring team...

5) It is just mind boggling to me that Colt McCoy has now played 20 games with Cleveland and the Browns are still wondering if McCoy is the future of the franchise.
This goes back to two things that have helped to not answer these questions.
The first was the refusal of Tom Heckert/Mike Holmgren to add a veteran receiver or to draft Julio Jones instead of trading with Atlanta and insisting that the leftovers would flourish in their wonderful West Coast offense.
I am still open to that deal working out with picks in the 2012 draft,but it sure did not help figure out McCoy's status any.
I realize that this team had/has tons of needs,but drafting Jones and Greg Little would have went a long way in figuring things out for McCoy's future.

6) The other issue?
The lack of reinforcing the offensive line that was badly damaged by the loss of Eric Steinbach and the belief that 2011 free agent signee Tony Pashos was the answer at right tackle.
Pashos missed most of last season and has been poor to the level of John St.Clair this season.
To paraphrase Terry Silver from Karate Kid III, If a man has no time to throw,then he cannot throw.....

7) Special teams had its weekly breakdown as Lardarious Webb took a Brad Maynard punt 68 yards for a touchdown..
I thought Eric Mangini went way overboard in keeping so many guys that were special teamers only,but Pat Shurmur and company went almost to the point of keeping no one that is a full time specialist.
Perhaps the Browns thought the new kickoff rules were going to make a coverage specialist obsolete,but the special teams have been atrocious this season.

8) Many are bashing Evan Moore for a dropped TD pass that forced the Browns to settle for three in the third quarter,but I think the pass was tougher than it looked-High and behind Moore,he still should have caught the ball,but not an easy drop either.

9) Pat Shurmur should have taken the ball into the locker room down just 7-0 after a defensive stand and two missed Baltimore field goals and been happy with that.
Instead,Shurmur turned into Don Coryell and it ended with a McCoy interception and that gave Baltimore an easy field goal.
The guy that shows all the dazzle of a Pet Rock inside the ten,decides then to roll the dice like a gambler?

10) Ok,one positive.Jabaal Sheard continues his fine play with another sack and forced fumble on Joe Flacco.
Sheard has played so well,in my opinion,that he would get my vote for defensive rookie of the year,although I would be stunned if he won it.
See,I am not all negative.....

Photo Credits:Jason Miller-Getty Images