Your 2008 Cleveland Browns

I don't have a lot to say about the thrashing handed out by the Pittsburgh Steelers upon my beloved Brownies today..........but I will vent a little about the season that was.

The 2008 Cleveland Browns just set an NFL record for most consecutive quarters without an offensive touchdown with 24. That's 6 games without an offensive touchdown, in a row! But wait....it gets better. There was 1 more game earlier in the year (Sept. 14 at home to Pittsburgh) where we also didn't score a touchdown at all. So you can go ahead and make that 7 out of 16 games that we did not score an offensive touchdown this year (and I believe there was only 1 defensive touchdown in that span). No offensive touchdown in 44% of our games this year.

In 2007, the Browns were 10-6 overall including a 7-1 record at home. We finished 8th in the entire NFL in Total Points and Points Per Game with 402 and 25.1 respectively.

In 2008, the Browns will now finish 4-12 overall with a dismal 1-7 record at home. They will finish tied for 31st (out of 32 teams) in the entire NFL in Total Points and Points Per Game with 232 and 14.5 respectively (the worst teams in the NFL as of right now -part way through Week 17- are below):

29. Oakland Raiders 16.4 263
T-31. Cleveland Browns 14.5 232
T-31. St. Louis Rams 14.5 232
32. Cincinnati Bengals 12.8 204

Today, we sent out our 4th string QB (Bruce Gradowski). Yes, our 4th string. The guy who was 2nd on the depth chart behind Gradowski today was a guy who was just signed on Tuesday. We lost Brady Quinn to a broken finger, Derek Anderson to a knee injury (partially torn MCL I believe), and Ken Dorsey to a concussion and rib injury.

Take a look at our top Wide Receiver, Braylon Edwards (#17 in your programs, #1 in your hearts.....right?).

2007 Stats
Receptions 80 (21st in NFL)
Yards 1,289 (7th in NFL)
Touchdowns 16 (2nd in NFL)

2008 Stats (rankings not yet official)
Receptions 55 (46th in NFL)
Yards 873 (28th in NFL)
Touchdowns 3 (T-57th in NFL)

Some players who also had 3 receiving touchdowns this season:
Devin Hester (CHI) - a return man who is a part of very few offensive series
Jerheme Urban (ARZ) - who?
Dominic Rhodes (IND) - 2nd string RUNNING BACK
Miles Austin (DAL) - you don't even want to know how far down the depth chart he is

But don't worry, Browns fans!! Braylon did lead the NFL in one category this year. Dropped passes. 16 of them. Perhaps none bigger than that game earlier in the season against the Ravens.

After all of this, does it sound like I am giving up on my Browns? Not even close. I have bought more Browns gear this year than ever. I've faithfully watched each and every game, as painful as it has been at times.

Tomorrow, Randy Lerner (the Browns owner) is rumored to be meeting with Head Coach Romeo Crennel, and possibly the GM Phil Savage. Things are going to be shaking up in Cleveland. We could very well be heading into next year with an entirely new coaching staff and a new GM. Look, it isn't good for the Browns to rebuild year after year. However I think we have the offensive talent now, we just need some front office staff that can put together a product worth watching on the field. We need coaches that can motivate their players, come up with a solid game plan, and EXECUTE. There is no single person or event that we can point a finger at this year and say 'Aha! That's why we had such a bad year'. It was a snowball effect of bad events and bad luck that just kept adding up. We had a tough schedule this year, and it showed at times. However, what about the games against Denver and Buffalo where Brady Quinn was healthy and leading the offense? Our team looked great, perhaps just as great as last year.

2008 is already out of my mind....bring on 2009. HERE WE GO BROWNIES HERE WE GO.

Knowledge Is Power
CM