Before I start my rant, a little breaking news, the Browns have traded QB Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick to the Bengals for a fifth-round pick. This is the first ever trade between the Browns and the Bengals. Before you ask, no Deshaun Watson will not be activated to the roster and I’m going to assume Bradley Zappe will be the backup and Sanders will still be QB3. But tomorrow’s practice will help make that decision. If Sanders seizes the moment, then he’ll be QB2. Hear that Sanders fans he’s going to have to earn it just like any other job in the NFL. I’m also sure there will be some on Browns twitter who will hate the trade, only because they hate Andrew Berry.
I understand people are tired of seeing the Browns lose, but what the hell did you expect this year? They’re coming off a three-win season where the quarterback position sucked. Did you expect a winning season? Or the playoffs? Let’s fire the coach because a certain section of the fanbase have unrealistic expectations. I’m tired of the losing, but I also tired of the endless rebuilding where the front office and the coaching staff wouldn’t work together and be at each other’s throats. The back biting and the stupidity. The team actually had a GM who texted the coaching staff during a game to tell them to play his preferred quarterback. Or a power-hungry GM who kept a coach who went 1-31 and replaced him with a guy who he knew he could control. The ” what have done for me lately” crowd doesn’t remember and they won’t bring it up because it goes against their preferred narrative.
Both Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski have gotten a free pass because of the owner’s involvement in the Watson trade. The owner admitted it and took responsibility for it. His statement also tells you Watson will never play another snap for the Cleveland Browns. But of course, there will be those on social media and in the local media who will try and tell you different for the clicks. Now if Stefanski loses the locker room, then that’s a different story. And he has NOT lost the locker room. Let me repeat that for the Stefanski haters, He’s Not Lost The Locker Room.
Right now, anti-Stefanski fans are flooding the zone with all relative and unrelative talking points. Points to justify their means. They’re screaming for the head coach to take responsibility for the play calling at the end of the game. I hate to spoil your fun, but he did. But that won’t satisfy the pitchfork crowd because he didn’t beg for their unjustified forgiveness. As for Andrew Berry, he’s had three good drafts and this year’s is excellent.
Yes, the play calling was conservative, but remember, they had a rookie QB making his first start on a short week of practices. It was a short week because the team had to take a day to travel overseas. Could things get better against the Steelers? Sure, right now the entire league is playing bad football. Did you see the Cardinals/Titans game. Pittsburg lost a game because the rookie running back didn’t know the kickoff rules. Last night the Chiefs had a penalty on every kickoff, and they’re supposed to be a Super Bowl contender. The vaunted Baltimore defense looks like a college team.
Finally hating a coach and GM because they’re smart is the laziest argument I’ve ever heard. I don’t know about you, but I want smart people running my favorite pro football team. And just one more thing to point out, analytics have been around since Paul Brown, and he used them to full advantage. So get used to it because it’s used by every team in the league. Stay safe and Go Browns.