For the second week in a row I find it pointless to even write a summary of the Browns game. The Browns lost, again, and it wasn't even close. I predicted the game final to be 30-9 and the actual score had the Browns on the losing end against the Tennessee Titans 28-9.
For a third straight week the Browns failed to score a touchdown, while Romeo Crennel failed again to show any class.
The feeble coach passed up many opportunities to "go for it" on fourth down. I guess "going for it" would be displaying too much pride and urgency for the bumbling Browns. It would mean that the coach was interested in showing a sense of pride rather than politics on the field of play. This was further illustrated by kicking a field goal when the Browns were losing 21-6. Don't forget Crennel not challenging a late Braylon Edwards catch that appeared in bounds. This is just a taste of Romeo Crennel's brilliant head coaching skills.
The Browns also failed to get Josh Cribbs the ball more than 13 times, and as Bill Livingston points out, six of those touches were on kick returns. They continued to stick with a inept Ken Dorsey as he put up Derek Anderson-like numbers.
The failure to improvise and give Cribbs a chance summarizes Crennel's entire coaching career in Cleveland. As a head coach in Cleveland, Romeo Crennel was a coward. This is a harsh thing to say but on the field of play he hasn't proved otherwise.
I just finished watching the Pittsburgh Steelers game (I admit it) and was witness to the sort of character their team has. On fourth and goal, down thirteen points, head coach Mike Tomlin went for it. The Steelers should have kicked a field goal in this situation but the Steelers don't play pee-wee football. Pittsburgh ended up botching the attempt but winning the game.
Nonetheless, the Pittsburgh Steelers, "play to win the game". They have guts, and win or lose, the coaching staff and players lay it all out on the line. They risked losing the game in order to win it. They cared more about winning rather than delivering the status quo.
Unfortunately, the same can't be said of Crennel and the Browns.
I still can't understand why Randy Lerner hasn't pulled Crennel from his position immediately. The players have stopped playing for him and he continues to commit fundamental coaching follies. There is a draft coming and the Browns have to stop living in denial; the Romeo Crennel era is over.
If they are going to establish new leadership, the earlier the better. Even if a head coach has not been decided on, the Browns need to end their relationship with Crennel. To not do so perpetuates an era of cultural losing and acceptance of failure. As Mike Singletary would say, "we can't do it".
Now that's a coach with some passion and who has his team on the right track.
Passion and intensity = desire and results.
Just a thought
No comments:
Post a Comment