Here are a few good things that happened in the Browns-Eagles game last night—
· The Browns scored a touchdown, albeit a defensive score, an interception by Brandon McDonald. It was their first TD since Jerome Harrison’s 72-yard run against the Bills four games ago.
· Eagles’ QB Donovan McNabb had to be dismayed when he found out his alma mater, Syracuse, was defeated by Cleveland State 72-69 on Cedric Jackson’s three quarter court shot. A great win for the Vikings.
· After the game ended, it meant there were only two games remaining for the Browns in this remarkably disappointing season.
The stubbornness of the Romeo Crennel regime continued last night. I understand the Browns are undermanned, they have lost their top two quarterbacks, and they know they are out of the playoff chase. However, when Chris Palmer knew the end of his head coaching tenure was near, he pulled out all the stops in a game, ironically, against Philadelphia. He went out fighting.
The defense has been given praise for recent performances, but it occurred to me that the Browns do not have a good defense; they have a good red zone defense. You really can’t say you have a decent defense when the opponent moves up and down the field at will. It is frustrating to watch the Browns put teams into 3rd and long situations, and then allow the first down easily.
This happens because of Crennel and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker’s reluctance to send more than three or four people after the quarterback. They are trying to help out the secondary by dropping seven or eight into coverage, but it’s not working. A guy like Mc Nabb is going to find someone open eventually. Sure, the Browns get a lot of interceptions, but if you allow points on six drives and get a couple of picks, you aren’t really ahead of the game.
The Eagles sent the kitchen sink at Ken Dorsey, the same strategy they employ on a weekly basis. They disrupt offensives by putting pressure on the QB. I watched several plays were Eagle offensive linemen were looking for defenders to block.
Offensively, it was more of the same. Apparently, Ron Jaworski was told the Browns were going to use the “Flash” package with Josh Cribbs “four or five times per quarter”. So…what happened to that plan? Instead, the coaching staff went back to the tired practice of running Jamal Lewis into the line twice and then putting Dorsey in a horrible 3rd and 8 situation with the Eagles blitzing.
In the first quarter after an initial first down, Cribbs ran on a sweep and picked up six yards. On a 2nd and 4, Dorsey hit Lawrence Vickers for 21 yards. Why? Because the possibility of the run or a pass existed, the Philly defense was off balance.
Braylon Edwards showed up because it was a national TV game; catching five passes for over a hundred yards, and then started his own trade rumors after the game. More bizarre behavior from #17.
One definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result. This is the coaching we are seeing from Romeo Crennel and the coaching staff. They keep using the same tired schemes, the same aging players, and keep getting the same result…defeat. Crennel’s reluctance to adjust will cost him his job the day after the Pittsburgh game.
His players may love him, but they don’t have to watch the games.
JD
Cleveland Sports Perspective 