People have been telling me for ten days "Aren't you happy you have turned the corner"?
My response was that I didn't think that they have because Brandon Weeden was back and I had zero confidence in him.That came true in Cleveland yesterday as a inept performance by Weeden in the second half allowed a ten point halftime lead to evaporate to the visiting Detroit Lions and see the Browns on the short side of a 31-17 decision.
Brandon Weeden finished the day with both Browns touchdowns through the air with two interceptions (one of which basically ended any hopes of a win),while Josh Gordon grabbed seven passes for 126 yards to pace the Cleveland receivers in the defeat.
The now 3-3 Browns travel to Green Bay next week against the Packers.
Brownie Bits
1) Now we can get back to basics.
I know Browns fans were excited about the three game winning streak and I was as well,but most of that was not achieved with Brandon Weeden under center.
The Browns can now get back to business to seeing just what they have at other positions and putting these worries about contention aside because with Weeden taking the snaps that simply is not going to occur.
2) As much as I would like to totally blame Brandon Weeden for this loss,I can blame the Browns for not being more prepared to be able to replace him.
The Akron Beacon-Journal's Marla Ridenour discusses this in her column and I tend to agree.
Now,I understand that neither Josh Freeman or Matt Flynn loomed as solutions,but both would have cost nothing but money and might have caught lightning in a bottle.
Brandon Weeden has had multiple shots to do so and had not.
Keeping him in the lineup set this in motion.
3) This was the game the Browns HAD to have against an average team with an ailing star (Calvin Johnson) at home and the upcoming schedule getting tougher and in the first half,it looked very possible.
However,Brandon Weeden and his mind numbingly dumb underhanded flip in the fourth quarter made this unlikely.
As the Browns entered Detroit territory late in the game,this pass (which has to be seen to be believed) ended any hopes of not only a comeback win,but any hopes of a reasonably decent season.
With the three of the next four games on the road with teams with winning records (Green Bay,Kansas City and Cincinnati) and Baltimore at home before the bye,the Browns could very easily be looking at 3-7 entering the bye week.
That might not be the worst thing for the Browns future,but it might mean more blighted football to watch for me...
4) The vaunted Ray Horton defense showed some flaws in this one,especially in the second half.
Reggie Bush generally did what he wanted to and the Lions apparently found a flaw in the Browns that will be exploited as the year goes on.
Matthew Stafford would quickly get the ball off and use the Browns linebackers as picks for chain moving completions.
Craig Robertson appeared to be the main target,but Stafford was not afraid to go towards Barkevious Mingo,D'Qwell Jackson etc either.
Look for this to be a major area to be attacked as the season went on.
5) The Browns also made two stars of young players that had been undistinguished before in Kris Durham and Joseph Fauria.
Durham was often the beneficiary of the Stafford short game and Fauria caught three touchdown passes by simply leaping over Browns defenders.
6) Watching Fauria made me think of how the Browns used Jordan Cameron with Brian Hoyer and how they haven't with Brandon Weeden.
Cameron's numbers ( 5 for 64) are deceiving as he was the recipient of targets in the final drive in garbage time.
Hoyer used Cameron's basketball background as the Lions did Fauria-put the ball up in the red zone and let Cameron go get it.
Weeden seems to prefer to use crossing routes and allow the receiver to score after the catch.
7) The Browns did have some bad calls in the game.
I thought both of the pass interference calls on Joe Haden on the Lions only scoring drive of the first half were very weak and the roughing the passer flag on Quentin Groves that allowed a drive that would result in a touchdown to continue was a bad one.
The Lions likely win the game anyhow,but those didn't help any....
8) The Browns ground game was paced by one endaround by Travis Benjamin of 45 yards,but the Browns were able to run the ball decently,but only did so 15 times between Willis McGahee and Chris Ogbonnaya.
If you are going to play Brandon Weeden then you must at least try to establish the running game.
Another nice idea would be not to give away your play calls as it's usually pretty evident that McGahee means run and Ogbonnaya means pass....
9) The Lions pass rush really picked up over the second half and to be fair to Weeden,he was not exactly given time to throw.
Lions may have finished with just two sacks,but the rush was quite effective in the second half.
I don't have the numbers on hurries or knockdowns,but I'd guess there were a decent amount of them...
10) The Browns tried to get to Matthew Stafford and usually fell short.Craig Robertson had the teams only sack and Barkevious Mingo was a non-factor for the first time this season.
I'm sure Ray Horton will have some ideas to mix things up,but what it looked like to me was an extreme vulnerability (see number 4) to the quick (or hot) route and then use the slower inside backers as the pass defenders while the outside rush is neutralized.
11) I have thought the Browns need a corner opposite Joe Haden to replace Buster Skrine and I still think Skrine would be better suited covering the slot,but each week Skrine improves,his tip out of nowhere to Tashaun Gipson for an interception in the end zone kept the Lions from breaking this game up early enough in the second half to take the heat off Brandon Weeden's high school harry type pass..
12) Finally,this on the Browns.
The Browns are a work in progress.
I know that is said so often and I am less than enthused by the prospect of Mike Lombardi working with the picks in next years draft,but its true.
If right after the Trent Richardson trade,you had said the Browns would be 3-3,I would have likely laughed,but I still see possibilities-If the team is able to make some adjustments such as making a commitment to run the football to take the pressure off a mediocre quarterback and if the defense can adapt to the likely offensive game plans of this opposition,this might not be a lost season.
I'll try to be back for thoughts on another Devils loss,this one to the Winnipeg Jets
Photo Credit:Getty Images
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