Browns Season in Retrospect

[DawgFan]

On the surface, the Browns 3-7 season is just another bad season in a long history of bad seasons since the return.

Below the surface....

The Browns have been COMPETITIVE!
5 of the 7 losses were by 7 or less, and the Browns led in all but 2 going into the 4th Q

The Browns are playing at a HIGH LEVEL against top competition.
Of the 7 losses, all 7 are against teams with winning records...in fact, at the time the Browns faced them ZERO teams have been below .500 for the season.

The Browns have found or confirmed:
The S (T.J. Ward) of the future
The CB (Haden) of the future
The RB (P.Hillis) of the future
The slot WR (Stuckey) of the future
The NT (Rubin) of the future
The LT (Thomas) and C (Mack) of the future
Watson at TE isn't exactly old either, and Moore is still looking good.
MoMass is a legit #2 WR
LB's we have Roth, and Fujita, and Gocong along with a few others

and quite possibly, the QB (McCoy) of the future.

The next few weeks may be telling, as we face 4 teams in a row with a .500 record or worse. I think that the Browns have to show they can put that type of team away...and then take the next step and start beating the top teams more consistently.

Anyways, to me, if we win the next 4 alone, this season has been an amazing success.

[Enigmatic Evil]

Great, great post DF and I can't help but agree 100% with every point you've raised here. We have been in it to win it for the most part in every game we've played this season and I think we are a hell of a lot better than our 3-7 record indicates. After last season there have been numerous rewards that we, the fans, can reap although it's unfortunate the W-L record isn't one of them there's still plenty to be happy about and threads like this one, and the post OZ made as well show that we're on the right track for the future. This team still has many needs but with a legitimate football mind at GM we might actually be able to form a contender in the AFC North, we're a better team than the Bengals and that's all due to Mangini's and co's system working to its best with limited talent.

[Sez.EJ]

Originally Posted by DawgFan

The Browns have found or confirmed:
The S (T.J. Ward) of the future
The CB (Haden) of the future
The RB (P.Hillis) of the future
The slot WR (Stuckey) of the future
The NT (Rubin) of the future
The LT (Thomas) and C (Mack) of the future
Watson at TE isn't exactly old either, and Moore is still looking good.
MoMass is a legit #2 WR
LB's we have Roth, and Fujita, and Gocong along with a few others

and quite possibly, the QB (McCoy) of the future.

.

Stuckey???.. Really? .... is a #4-5 on any other team and I think I'm being kind...We certainly need to upgrade on him. .. Momass??? Legit #2???..is laughable.. Momass, who I like.. may be only a 3-4 on another team. I think he can be a #2 ONLY if we have no other option. Here is my logic on this IF (big IF) he were a true #2... he should still be able to get 50 -60 passes as our #1 this year.. but he's not even close. He has 19 catches on the year... That's what most teams #5-6 reciever catch..So we need him to step up HUGE to be our #2 next year or be replaced..then maybe he becomes our #3 or 4.

We have the worst WR corps in the league.. bar none.. I don't think I'm being overly harsh here.. just look at the numbers or our wr's as a team. We have 76 receptions among ALL our receivers ( 90 if you dont' count E. Moore as a tight end) ..[mark=#FF0000] 76 receptions is a good season for ONE GUY.. not an entire recieving corps[/mark].. and I don't blame it on our QB's this year..

We need a WR OVERHAUL and I mean bring in a LOT of competition.. 2-3 free agents and 2 draft picks and let them duke it out for roster spots next year.. I think Momass and Cribbs are the only sure things on next years roster.. and Cribbs because of his special teams/wildcat ability..

[Danamal]

Nice post John,
It gets really hard to find any kind of silver lining in this climate of "win now" type of climate in the NFL especially when you have been forced to cheer for the turd sandwich that has been Browns football since our return.
The foundation for continued success is what is most important right now and the biggest thing we could have possibly hoped for seems to have begun to bare fruit but the season isn't over yet so the search continues to see what we have to build on but the future does look bright.
I'll be at the game tomorrow and my focus will be the defense because the offensive needs are extremely obvious and the defense seems much closer to the finish line.

[Tobalaz]

Is it discouraging to see us lose so many games so close?
Yes.
But you've got to admit something.
We went through a total roster overhaul with virtually no talent here, were not even competitive in Mangini's fist season and were hurting for a decent front office.
We're in almost ever game this season, we've finally been on the better end of trades and hit on most of our pick for the first time in 11 years. We've got a solid front office in place and the qb we drafted looks like a real qb.

How much could H3 do in one season to turn us around?
We've seen what our team looks like with aging, overpriced stopgaps season in and out.
No youth, loads of injures, players that tire and quit.

Give H3 3 full drafts to give us some talent, to lay the foundation.
I was amazed how well they did with the short amount of time they had to put it all together. It speaks volumes about the guys running the show.

It all starts at the top and we've finally got a top worth starting with. Give us some time and we'll really be there.
It sucks, I know, but I feel like we're moving in the right direction for a change.
We've still got holes but one draft doesn't fix 10 straight years of bad drafting no matter how much we want it to.
Again, amazed at how much was fixed considering every position was a hole.
2 more drafts and we could very well be a perennial playoff team.

I'm not happy with losing, but I AM happy that we're better, much better than we were last season and that we've finally got some talent to work with.

[Jax Dawg]

Last season was so miserable that most games I would hope to see just one good offensive drive for a TD but usually would be disappointed. The losses were so unbearably one sided I was either throwing the remote at the TV or turning the game off to find something else to do, it was that bad and that's something I never want to endure again as a Browns fan.

This the losses have been more heart wrenching but only because the games were watchable until the end because the Browns were in a position to win each game they lossed except for Pittsburgh. The team had a GREAT draft for a change and netted some starters that will be around for many years to come which will be the building blocks or foundation of winning years and a consistent playoff team in the near future. Even though this team doesn't have any talented superstars like almost every other team they play the Browns play with a lot of heart and enthusiasm with a will to win which we haven't seen in so many years. The record won't be a winning one this year but that doesn't mean this team has not been successful in turning around the attitude and now they are on the cusp of a number of winning seasons with another good FA/Draft like last year.

[Inspecta]

I'm absolutely ecstatic with this season. Yeah I know 3-7 isn't the greatest record in the world, but like others have said. Compared to last year, this is night and day. We are watching good, competitive Browns football week in and week out, and when's the last time we've been able to say that?

I think with the structure we have in place, there's nowhere to go from here but up. And hopefully the scheduling gods will look favorably upon us this next offseason and give us a more palatable schedule to deal with. That, and if injuries will stay at a minnimum then I think we have a real shot at making a playoff run next year. That's a very promising prospect. It's not the "hey, anything can happen in the NFL" type hope, I'm actually basing it on something, and that feels good....

[Enigmatic Evil]

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

Stuckey???.. Really? .... is a #4-5 on any other team and I think I'm being kind...We certainly need to upgrade on him. .. Momass??? Legit #2???..is laughable.. Momass, who I like.. may be only a 3-4 on another team. I think he can be a #2 ONLY if we have no other option. Here is my logic on this IF (big IF) he were a true #2... he should still be able to get 50 -60 passes as our #1 this year.. but he's not even close. He has 19 catches on the year... That's what most teams #5-6 reciever catch..So we need him to step up HUGE to be our #2 next year or be replaced..then maybe he becomes our #3 or 4.

We have the worst WR corps in the league.. bar none.. I don't think I'm being overly harsh here.. just look at the numbers or our wr's as a team. We have 76 receptions among ALL our receivers ( 90 if you dont' count E. Moore as a tight end) ..[mark=#FF0000] 76 receptions is a good season for ONE GUY.. not an entire recieving corps[/mark].. and I don't blame it on our QB's this year..

We need a WR OVERHAUL and I mean bring in a LOT of competition.. 2-3 free agents and 2 draft picks and let them duke it out for roster spots next year.. I think Momass and Cribbs are the only sure things on next years roster.. and Cribbs because of his special teams/wildcat ability..

I think you're being a bit crass on Stuckey, which must mean something coming from me as I was one of his biggest detractors in the off-season. I think he's played pretty well for us. Last Season he was actually one of our leading receivers and I think he's really grown well into the system. He's a relatively young player, and I think he will have a spot on this team as long as he continues to play hard, run solid routes and make plays.

I agree as a whole that the WR's need an overhaul, we need to bring in some talent to push players like MoMass and Robo and we need to bring in a legitimate rookie as opposed to a what, 5th, 6th rounder as well as a legitimate #1 presence, even if its not a guy that's a true #1 in that regard. Someone that can be our #1 guy because I am not convinced that MoMass is a #1 or even a #2 receiver for that matter.

I agree that our WR corps is among the weakest in the league, but I Think there is some things we can be happy about with our WR corps, and Stuckey is one example. I'd say Cribbs is another. He's played solid as a WR in his increased responsibility this season.

[DawgFan]

Sez,

As my sig says....a bad player makes everyone else around them worse, a great player makes everyone around them better.

Right now, MoMass is facing the BEST CB on the other team. That leaves the #2 guy for Cribbs/Robo...which then leaves the S's free to cover the run and to drop into the box and cover the TE's and Stuckey.

If we had a legit #1 that required the #1 CB and a S over top...then MoMass gets the #2 CB....and they have to keep the other S back for protection...which leaves the TE's and Stuckey on LB's...and no 8 men in the box.

Right now, ALL of our WR's are facing the WRONG defensive players due to the lack of a #1. You add that #1, and suddenly ALL of our WR's (and TE's, and RB's) will suddenly look that much better due to the level of talent lining up on the other side of the ball against them.

This is a team sport, and when the TOP is missing...the rest of the team is affected. When it is a mid range guy missing, only the bottom half is affected.

We get that LEGIT DEEP THREAT and suddenly MoMass is in single coverage against the #2 CB (not the #1) and will get 50-60 easy. Cribbs/Robo will be against the #3 or a S....and will get their 40+ catches...and the TE's/RB's will be against LB's...a group they are already abusing.

This team is a LEGIT DEEP THREAT WR and a LEGIT RT away from having a very impressive offense.

[Masters]

MoMass has had to face at most 3 top flight CBs this season, and I am probably being generous with that. He constantly faces single coverage. Last year after one good game agaisnt CINCY I was being told he's a legit #1 WR in the making. Now I am being told he's a legit #2 but he can't beat man coverage because he's seeing #1 CBs, as if every guy he faces each week is Woodson and Revis (heck against the Jets Revis didn't even cover him most of the time). The guy is average at best and might be a serviceable #2 if that was your only option. The guy is a bad route runner, has poor ball skills, and rarely sells out for the ball. That's a 3/4 WR on most NFL teams.

As well a 3-7 record is exactly that. There is no stat column for close loss, almost won, heart breaking loss, or let it slip out of your grasp. Losing that many close games might indicate the talent level on the team is improved, but it doesn't give me a warm fuzzy about the coaching staff. Close games like that are typically won/loss on coaching (be it game plan, play calling, clock management, or use of time outs).

[DawgFan]

Originally Posted by Masters

MoMass has had to face at most 3 top flight CBs this season, and I am probably being generous with that. He constantly faces single coverage. Last year after one good game agaisnt CINCY I was being told he's a legit #1 WR in the making. Now I am being told he's a legit #2 but he can't beat man coverage because he's seeing #1 CBs, as if every guy he faces each week is Woodson and Revis (heck against the Jets Revis didn't even cover him most of the time). The guy is average at best and might be a serviceable #2 if that was your only option. The guy is a bad route runner, has poor ball skills, and rarely sells out for the ball. That's a 3/4 WR on most NFL teams.

As well a 3-7 record is exactly that. There is no stat column for close loss, almost won, heart breaking loss, or let it slip out of your grasp. Losing that many close games might indicate the talent level on the team is improved, but it doesn't give me a warm fuzzy about the coaching staff. Close games like that are typically won/loss on coaching (be it game plan, play calling, clock management, or use of time outs).

So, despite the fact we have faced 5 of the top 11 passing defenses in the NFL, and did it with a combination of 3 QB's including a rookie, and at least 1 full game with the QB playing hurt....that doesn't mean anything? Wow. Harsh.

As for being 3-7...the Browns have faced 9 quality opponents...and in the ENTIRE NFL there are only 6 teams with a winning record vs quality opponents. NE (we beat them), NO (we beat them), Tennessee, Philadelphia, Green Bay, and Atlanta (we gave them a fight).

I wonder how ANY other team would do against that kind of schedule. PERIOD. But then again, I am just a rosy colored glasses guy I guess.

[Masters]

Not that the D ranking says anything about the individual skill of teams CB MoMass has faced and seen mostly man coveragea against (you really want to try and tell me BALT has a top flight CB? Especially when every other week the story is how bad BALT's CBs are?). I'll still bite. For starters CLE has NOT played 5 of the top 11 pass defenses. They have faced 4 of them. Or are we counting CAR before CLE even plays them? CAR is only highly ranked because teams are running all over them. Same case for TB, who is giving up an ugly 136.5 ypg on the ground. Even still, what's the excuse for no production from MoMass in the 6 games not against top pass Ds? It's not whose lined up at CB against MoMass that is preventing him from producing against man coverage, which was exactly the excuse you just gave to Sez. In this case, yeah, I think there are some serious rose colored glasses. Just as last year when MoMass was being crowned a legit #1 and during this offseason.

Did they add a stat column for playing quality opponents and coming up short? Is that like in the NHL when you get a point for still losing, but doing so in over time? As you pointed out, 5 of those were by 7pts or less, and CLE led in the 4th in all but 2. Sorry, but I don't find blowing fourth QTR leads and finding new ways to lose something to be excited about. I see this as just making excuses for loses, which I understand all us Browns fans tend to do.

I am excited about the talent upgrades on this team. From a personal stand point I think CLE is headed in the right direction. But that should be equaling wins and it isn't.