Browns commit "Shurmurcide" in Ravens loss

The Cleveland Browns fell behind 14-0 early against the Baltimore Ravens and then battled back with strong defense and five Phil Dawson field goals to take a one point lead in the fourth quarter before allowing a touchdown and a field goal after a series of baffling Pat Shurmur decisions in a 22-15 loss at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Trent Richardson rushed for 105 yards in the defeat for the now 2-7 Browns.
Cleveland has their bye week this coming Sunday before traveling to Dallas and the Cowboys for their next game...

Brownie Bits

1) This will be quite a whinefest for the most part.
I saw very few positives,but there were two,the rest? Look out.
Let's start positively with the defense.
Yes,they put the team in a 14-0 hole and they couldn't make one stop in the fourth quarter when they really needed to (The field goal is excused considering the field position),but the remainder of the game,the team really stepped up and kept the Browns in the game with a chance.

2) Trent Richardson did gain over 100 yards and ran very hard against a defense that was set to stop him.
Considering how Pat Shurmur hangs Richardson out to dry with such predictable play calling (Run on first down always),the number is even more impressive.

3) Wasn't Trent Richardson drafted to get the tough yards ?
Then can anyone tell me why on just about every short yardage third down play,Pat Shurmur passes?
Anyone?

4) Now to the Pat Shurmur legacy or the top thing that ticks me off during Browns games-The baffling pass plays that never get to the yard marker that are usually thrown to players that cannot make plays in space.
Yesterday that was Alex Smith,but on other days,it has been other players.
Nothing drives me crazier than needing eight yards and throwing a two yard pass play to a player that usually is incapable of making someone miss in order to gain the first down.
This stuff happens too many times to count every week!

5) The story of the game was Pat Shurmur going for it on fourth and two and with two timeouts remaining with just under four minutes to go.
Considering Shurmur punted in Indianapolis with better field position,one would think he might punt here.Instead he went for it.
OK,this team is headed nowhere,I'll give him the benefit of the doubt,but let's set things up first.
On third down,the playcall is another one of those we need five yards,throw a three yard pass,this one to Greg Little,creating the fourth down.
Now,as we noted in the third bullet,Trent Richardson was drafted for these situations and Baltimore has struggled against both Richardson and the run.
The call-a pass that Brandon Weeden overthrew.
Ball game.

6) Brandon Weeden was bad.
Not as bad as his first game against the Eagles,but worse than any game that he has had since.
Receivers overthrown too often to count and a fear of Ed Reed made Weeden tentative and just not very good.
It's just one game,but Weeden looked to regress during this game...

7) Perhaps the biggest play of the game was the play that did not happen as Weeden threw his best pass of the day on a touchdown pass to Josh Gordon that was called back due to an illegal formation call on Chris Ogbonnaya.
I hate it when running backs are positioned in a wideout area as they are doing something that they are not accustomed to and these penalties often comeas a result....

8) Jabaal Sheard had his best game of the season and it could have come with the return of Phil Taylor to the lineup.
Sheard had eight tackles and a half sack and showed the speed that he flashed last season.

9) Once Ahtyba Rubin returns,the Browns should have a good defensive line with Rubin,Sheard,Taylor and rookie Billy Winn.I would feel pretty safe in saying the line is the best part of the current defense....

10) The unsportsmanlike conduct call on T.J. Ward that allowed the game winning drive for Baltimore to continue was kinda weak,but I can see where the refs thought Ward hit Flacco in the helmet.
Replays showed shoulder contact,but in real time-I can see it..

11) Finally,the worse indictment of Pat Shurmur comes with the constant poor communication throughout the games.
12 men on the field penalities, players out of position and timeouts foolishly being burned makes the staff appear chaotic and disorganized.

12) Pat Shurmur's die has been cast.
He's gone.
Maybe not now,but I would be stunned to see him return.A Shurmur return would mean using up much of the goodwill that Jimmy Haslam currently has with the fan base and considering the likely return on that investment from Pat Shurmur,it just is not viable...

Photo Credit;AP Photo