It’s been 48 hours, so lets get this over with. Usually I avoid Browns twitter world after a loss, but with the trade deadline today, I had to go there yesterday and today. Total meltdown, some justified some not. Let’s get the game discussion out of the way first. 13 penalties, three turnovers on three offensive snaps and again odd play calling. Freddie made the comment at his press conference yesterday, that he doesn’t coach penalties. Well it looks like he doesn’t punish players for penalties either. The Browns after seven games lead the league in penalties with 70. I’m an accountant and doesn’t take a genius to figure out that’s ten a game. I know officiating is incredibly bad in the NFL, but still that’s unacceptable. I don’t condone player only meetings, because that’s usually the nail in the coffin for a head coach. But it’s time for Freddie to gather his team leaders to have such a meeting. Players listen to other players more than coaches and it is time for Mayfield, Bitonio, Landry, Schobert, Garrett and Randall to have a come to Jesus meeting.
The Browns defense stops the Patriots on their first series. The Browns get the ball back and start with three straight passes? On a cold wet day, your calling three straight passes. As we all saw later in the game, running the ball worked. A shuttle pass deep on your side of the field? Really? Nothing bad can happen there, oh wait, it did. Two challenges, that Freddie wasn’t going to win, wasting two time outs. A side line warning by the referees. This team is a hot mess on the side lines. Even the commentators were laughing at Freddie and the Browns. As for the turnovers, Nick Chubb had two fumbles, but the first one was kicked out of his hands by his only player and the second one was Chubb not holding the ball with two hands. If you noticed as the game went one, Chubb corrected this and made the adjustment. Just wish the coaching staff would make adjustments. Somebody find out where Beckham is, because he’s not making any difference.
As for the positives, Nick Chubb can run the ball on any team in this league. If this team had half his heart and professionalism, the Browns would have a winning record. Mayfield played better. He had the best passer rating of any quarterback so far against a really good Patriot defense. The ball came out of his hand better, he was more accurate and showed improvement after the bye. As for the offensive line, McCray played okay, despite playing left tackle for the first time. The defense played well. Three turnovers in three snaps and the Patriots were only up 10-0. CB’s Williams and Ward played well, but you could tell the lack of practice effected them early in the game. Ward blocked a field goal and the Patriots very good special teams really didn’t have an effect on the game.
As for firing Freddie. please stop. The Browns are not going to fire the head coach. Why would anyone want the cycle of dysfunction to continue? The Browns were the laughing stock of the league because they kept firing the combination of head coaches and/or front office. He’s a rookie head coach and Freddie has a chance to change this. This front office is the best this team has had since they came back and this is the most talented team they’ve had over the same period. Now if Freddie goes 5-11, then staff changes must be made. I still don’t know what the hell Todd Monken does and some of Steve Wilkes defensive play calling and player decisions are mystifying.
Looking at the rest of the schedule, the Browns have the opportunity to string some wins together. They played the second hardest schedule of any team after seven games and have the second easiest schedule for the next nine games. As I said last week, the Browns had to play a perfect game to beat New England. They didn’t and they lost. I also said I worried about games at Denver, at home against the Bills and at Pittsburgh. Denver is starting a quarterback this week who has never taken an NFL snap. He was a sixth round pick out of Arkansas by Jacksonville. I live in Nashville, TN with two SEC schools in the state, my Alma mater Vanderbilt and the state school Tennessee, and I have never heard of Brandon Allen. The Bills just got their ass kicked at home by an Eagles team that everyone had given up for dead. And the steelers, even though they beat a tanking Miami team, can be beat at home or on the road.
The trade deadline is 4 pm eastern today and Dorsey already made a trade, Genard Avery for a 2021 4th round pick. On Avery’s first play of the game against New England he pressured Brady to throw early and then played maybe three more snaps. Mark my words, Avery will make the pro bowl in 2020 for the Eagles. Wilkes had to find a place for him to play this year and didn’t. As for Trent Williams, Washington told teams they had an offer of a 2nd round pick on the table and now I’m hearing there is a deal in place for a 3rd and a 5th pending a physical. I’m not for this trade, Williams is 31 and even if he is healthy and ready to play as his agent says, this doesn’t help the Browns. If they’re going for a left tackle, then trade for Halapoulivaati Vaitai of the Eagles. He’s younger and has played this year and the Eagles have a wealth of talent on their offensive line. The Browns still need a linebacker. Now that the deadline has passed, the Browns stand pat. Okay Freddie win with what you got.
So the Browns sit at 2-5 going to Denver for a critical must win game. Denver is starting a QB who has never taken an NFL snap. The Bengals just announced they are benching Andy Dalton and starting Ryan Finley. The steelers are starting Mason Rudolph, the Dolphins will start either Josh Rosen or Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Browns will face rookie Kyler Murray when they play Arizona. They do face Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, but they have beaten Jackson once this year and I’m not sold on Allen. The potential is there to go on a nice win steak, but it starts in Denver. Go Browns.