Terrence West rushed for 94 yards and the only Cleveland touchdown,while Connor Shaw finished with 177 passing yards with a touchdown and a fumble.
Cleveland finished the season at 7-9,losing their final five contests and now have a bye until next September...
Brownie Bits
1) I'm going to try to stick to this game and news on the B.B's today with thoughts on the season on the upcoming season in reviews,but there is a lot of news before this game,so this may be the longest B.B. ever....
2) Jimmy Haslam announced after the game during a press conference that both Mike Pettine and Ray Farmer would retain their positions for next season.
There had been some speculation that one or both could pay for the late season collapse,but both are safe.
I was in favor of keeping Pettine,50/50 on Farmer,so I'm OK with the decision.
For good or bad,there needs to be some continuity right now and despite some questionable decisions by both,I'll chalk that up as part of the learning growth and hope for better days...
3) No Josh Gordon,No Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel placed on IR in order to avoid suspending him.
Gordon missed a Saturday walkthrough,Gilbert missed a Saturday team meeting and Manziel skipped a rehab session for an injured hamstring.
I was fine with all of those decisions.I'll discuss what I think should be done with each of those three in the season review,but the most upsetting thing was no more than a day or two before this,Manziel and Gilbert were telling the media how they had gotten the message and were ready to act like professionals etc.
The new era for those two lasted about 48 hours.
You want to change the culture in Cleveland? Everyone is accountable.
4) Including Ray Farmer.
Again,the Browns have Gilbert (who was my top rated corner) and Manziel (who I was in favor of trying,although I felt he was a boom or bust pick) and their attitude/commitment issues because of Ray Farmer.
I was talking to a Browns fan yesterday before the game and he asked me what corner I wanted before the draft-I wrote it and I stick by it-Justin Gilbert.
I watch a lot of tape,I also consider myself pretty draft savvy as my long time friends know,but I don't have access to players,friends,coaches etc of prospects.
I only know what I see on the field,the Browns have far more access to those things than that and to not only take two of these type guys,but to trade up for them shows either the lack of insight or inexperience on Ray Farmer's part to think he can change them.
8 times out of 10,the lazy,immature,troubled player doesn't change,this franchise cannot have another draft of those types of chances.
5) Connor Shaw showed me enough to say that he could be a good backup in the league,but as seems to be typical of Cleveland QB's lacks arm strength.
All things considered,Shaw did exactly what you would have hoped for a player in his situation-didn't put the Browns in a huge hole via mistakes and gave them a chance to win...
6) The defense was as valiant as you could have expected in a game that the Browns had nothing to play for and the opponent did.
Put what Mike Pettine said before the game about 8-8 aside,I doubt that was a huge thing to play for.
The defense fought their heart out and some of those guys that we never heard of before the last two games may be factors for jobs next year-namely defensive tackle Jamie Meder and linebacker Scott Solomon.
7) Joe Haden played well despite a flu battle,Torrey Smith made one big play against him,but Haden wasn't beaten-the throw was perfect and the bigger man grabbed it.
Other than that,Haden showed a lot of guts in the game.
8) Terrence West ran hard and played well as the fulcrum of the offense,but keep in mind that he was extremely motivated as he is from Baltimore.
It was encouraging to see West run well,but considering the circumstances I'd hesitate to put West completely off the immaturity list quite yet....
9) Even though Connor Shaw played passably,that didn't mean it was easy.
The offensive line allowed four sacks and it could have been twice that without Shaw's mobility.
More on this in the season review,but once again and it seems like I write this every year-right tackle is a need position....
10) John Hughes returned from the DL with one game to go and finished with seven tackles.
Give Hughes credit-he could have said he passed on a meaningless game to get ready for next season.
Hughes played and played well..
11) The Browns have plenty of questions and near the top of the list is the lack of depth.,
Ray Farmer traded picks to move up four times in the 2014 draft and as a result drafted just five players.
The Browns have two 1's,two 4's and two 6's in the next draft.It'll be interesting to see how much they move up this time.
12) The Browns first round picks will be in the 12 spot and the 19 notch from Buffalo.
Right now,the big deal from last draft looks like Sammy Watkins for the Bills,Justin Gilbert,the 19 and a Buffalo 4th rounder for the Browns.
I like the Buffalo end better currently....
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