Such thing as good loss? « The Blog for the Sports Gamer

26Sep/051

Such thing as good loss?

I went in to the 2005 Browns season with the expectation of a 4 to 6 win season. I think that was the general consensus. The Browns were, yet again, in rebuilding mode under a new coach.

After 3 games and a 1-2 record I am very pleased with how the team has played. As a die hard fan, 1-2 still sucks, but winning @ Green bay (somewthing Cleveland has never done) and losing to argubly the best team in the league (on paper, anyway) 13-6 on the road, well, that's not all that bad.

In three games the Browns have had THREE touchdowns called back on penalties. Against the Bengals, both an INT and a punt return were called back (in a 27-13 loss) and yesterday Northcutt took yet another punt back for a TD and it was called back on a truly phantom block in the back call. Refs never lose a game for a team, I don't believe that, but that call hurt.

The Browns offense is not bad. I know 6 points is 6 points but Trent Dilfer is playing his ass off. After 3 games he has a 95.1 QB rating. The receivers are solid (Bryant and Edwards are both very, very good) and Rueben Droughns is a player, plain and simple.

Going into the season I thought the Browns had more holes than over processed swiss cheese. Now? Well, maybe it isn't as bad as I thought. You give the Browns a good rush end, a playmaking linebacker, a good nose guard, and a better free safety and they would be right in the thick of things. That sounds like a lot, but remember that before the year started I thought we had a LOT more issues than that.

The defense is going to continue to be the the problem with this team, despite only giving up 13 to Indy -- Cleveland has ZERO pass rush and when you don't have the cover corners who can lock down, a lack of a pass rush will eventually kill you. When your Dline consists of Alvin McKinley (a caeer backup) Orpheus Roye (better suited as a DT), and an anonynmous nose guard (Jason Fisk) you are going to be in trouble when running a 3-4 defense. If the nose guard cannot control the middle -- game over. Every great 3-4 defense has to have a NT that can take on blocks because he gets doubled nearly every play.

I still see the Browns winning around 6 games. But I think the losses are going to be more competitive than previously expected.

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Tony
September 26th, 2005 - 23:37

Bill, I’m with you, I’m impressed by the Browns thus far. Droughns has been well worth the deal for the dead weight of the old D-line. The only thing I’m concerned with is Bryant. He needs to grow up a little bit and stop playing like a thug. He and Edwards could become a great receiver tandem. They just need to play a little more like Marvin Harrison and a little less like T.O.

And yes, it is imperative that the Browns draft A.J. Hawk. Imperative.