The change in offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns was warranted, but hopefully this is the last change for the troubled franchise. Many fans are calling for a coaching change due to the team’s poor record, but with all of the upheaval this franchise has gone through since returning to the NFL in 1999, another coaching change is the last thing this franchise needs.
The Browns’ organization was a mess two years ago when Butch Davis left. The team was devoid of talent and the people who were judging the players were awful. Sure, they made good picks in Kellen Winslow and Sean Jones, but overall many of the choices of Davis and his personnel guru, Pete Garcia missed the mark. They simply did not play up to potential or were injury prone. This is the mess that Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel took over before last season.
The offense has been a mess, but the defense is better than it was in 2004 and so are the special teams. Crennel has to receive some credit for that. Besides, starting over again will just mean getting new offensive and defensive coordinators, the players will have to learn a new system, and the new coaching staff will have to examine the talent and decide who stays and who goes. That probably means another couple of years of losing for the Browns.
The current coach should get two more years to show his system is working. I realize this is a painful thought for the fans who have seen just one playoff game played by the team since 1994. They are frustrated and rightly so. But building a winning team is not usually an overnight process. Even teams that seemingly come out of nowhere are really building a foundation for several years before it shows up in the win-loss record. Take the Bengals for example. Most of their key players have been there for 4-5 years, they didn’t just arrive last season.
No one wants to hear it, but the Browns have been in all but one game this season against opponents that have already won 19 games this season. They are not losing every game 35-10. If not for an odd decision by Carthon and Charlie Frye against the Ravens, the brown and orange would be 2-4, the same record as the Steelers. It’s not a great record, but you take the sunshine where you can get it.
Knee-jerk reactions are one of the reasons this franchise is where it is right now. Giving Butch Davis personnel power, benching Tim Couch after he quarterbacked the team to the playoffs, trading a 2nd round pick to move up one spot in the draft are all examples of not thinking things through clearly. The Browns don’t need another snap decision regarding Romeo Crennel. He deserves the chance to see this thing through another full season. Not allowing him to do so would be a mistake.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 