May 23, 2013

More Heads on the Block?

December 29, 2008 by 31 Comments

So, despite the contract extension, is Rob Chudzinski’s job safe? Last year at this time the Browns were finishing up a 10-6 season, and had one of the most explosive offenses in the league. This year, well we know.

Talk about offensive struggles. I know, I know we were using Ken Dorsey and Bruce Gradkowski (congrats on that 1.0 passer rating Bruce!) the last few weeks, but not a single offensive touchdown in six games?  Twenty-four consecutive quarters without a passing or rushing score? Two consecutive shutouts? (Never happened to the Browns before by the way. Not in the Paul McDonald era, the Tim Couch era, the Spurgeon Wynn era…) In fact, if you compare the Indians last six games against the Browns, the Indians would have won by two runs/points. (Thanks Scott.) But let’s consider the season before the QB revolving door began.

If you eliminate the Giants game, (which seems like some sort of distant memory by this point, and still can’t really be explained) the Browns scored 19 offensive TD’s this season. Three of those came in one game against Denver. The Browns finished 31st in yards per game (249.1). They finished tied for 30th with St. Louis with 14.5 points per game.  I could go on, but you get the picture.

Last year we were begging for Savage to sign Chud to an extension. There were rumors he would go to Baltimore. Some were even asking for Crennel to be fired and Chud to be promoted. What do you say know?

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  • Chris M

    I’m not sure you can blame this entirely on Chud. I believe that he came into this season with a playbook designed to help D.A., but it didn’t really accentuate Quinn’s strengths. Also, you really have to throw everything out once you’re on the fourth string QB. I also think that we know that Quinn will be starting next year, and there will be a more cerebral playbook involved.*

    I guess it will just come down to whether the next head coach wants him around or not.

    *I hope to God I’m right.

  • http://www.ohmygodihateblogger.blogspot.com kiddicus maximus

    *I hope to God you’re right too.

    I don’t think Chud should be next on the block. He didn’t put together a very cohesive game plan this year, but his team was plagued by injuries and a severely-underperforming-returning-pro-bowl-QB, and teams with pro-bowl QBs game plan around said QB.

    If they fail to perform offensively in ’09, I say can him. He deserves at least one more season with a real team around him.

    That said, MORE CRIBBS AT QB!

  • Jon

    I can agree that Chud had some hardships… All the plays that worked last year; didn’t work this year. With braylon not catching the long ball, no short route man like Jerivicious or what Stallworth was supposed to be, and the quarterback controversy, it’s no wonder we struggled. BUT … when I’m sitting at the Raven’s game, and the guys next to me are calling out the next play before the ball is snapped; it’s a good inclination that Chud either gave up or is the most un-creative person in football.

    There were other things about the play calling that really bothered me. I remember at the Bronco’s game, they run a sweep with Cribbs… and then two plays later, RAN IT AGAIN! Then you won’t see that play for the rest of the season.

    And the last part of my rant is… Seriously why are we not using Jerome Harrison more often. Tell Jamal to get over his ego, the three yard carries are great when it’s 3rd and 2, but I swear if I have to watch another first and 10 start with a gain of 2 or 3 as a result of a run up the middle i’m probably going to start hitting people. HE AVERAGED 7.2 YARDS PER CARRY, WTFWTF. So as part of Chud’s genius, he uses him 32 times all season.

    So I personally would’ve fired Chud first and then Romeo.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Scott

    I still can’t get over the fact that we had two games in a row that featured more opposing return yardage off of interceptions than passing yards by our QB…

  • mj

    It starts at the top.

    Our team just fired both its HC and GM today, blew the whole thing up… and didn’t even hold a press conference.

    I don’t have a problem with Randy wanting to remain behind the scenes. I think he’s got the right idea there. But he’s got to hire someone to set the tone and be the public face for the organization…. aside from the problems on the field and with management, they’ve got some very serious PR issues.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Craig

    (humming Kum Ba Ya to myself)

  • http://www.fuellegacy.com/gasworldwide Jeff

    Fire him too. I doubt whoever comes aboard will want to keep him around anyway, especially if we can convince Parcells to come over after he gets out of his deal with the Dolphins. Bring in a whole new staff, new offensive and defensive schemes (meaning the damn 4-3 please), and just start completely over. Both the Fins and the Falcons prove that you don’t have to wait many years for a rebuilding job. Get the right people in place in the organization, and build from your lines out, and we could turn this around quickly. The excuses are gone now with the success of other first year coaches and GM’s, time to get results.

  • bobby

    I tihnk the Browns need to shake everything up. Ill be OK if Romeo ends up with just a demotion, but i want to urge Mr Lerner not to rush into anything too fast. I hope the browns wait until after the playoffs before they decide who their guys are going into the future.

  • Harv 21

    Wait a second. What kind of question is this?
    If we hire a “name” GM and/or coach, they will decide whether they want Chud to stay, and that would be so even if the ’08 offense was as potent as ’07. And if we end up being stuck with a GM or coach who doesn’t even have the negotiating leverage to decide who the OC will be, well, buckle up for another cluster f*#%, boys, and pray to the football parity gods, ’cause it’s amateur hour again.

  • Gabriel

    I agree about moving to the 4-3. we tried to make the 3-4 work. it didn’t. move on. we just didn’t have the personnel for it. as for Chud, i don’t think we know enough to say for sure that he was a problem. I mean look what the guy had to deal with. Staph infections, players with outside distractions and inside distractions, injuries, confidence issues with DA, a star receiver with a a serious case of the dropsies, etc. etc. I know i know, these things shouldn’t be excuses and you should be able to win no matter what. But how can the guy be expected to make that offense work when its that dysfunctional personnel-wise? BQ looked good while we had him, but then he got injured and then the dookie really hit the fan. How do you design plays for a quarterback (DA) who is afraid of his own shadow? How do you turn a 3rd (and 4th) string quarterback into a starting quarterback without having meaningful practice time. How do you design big plays when your star receiver has stumps for hands? How do you design plays around a diva receiving tight end who can’t throw a block and gags on every play that counts? I’m not saying give chud another extension. and i won’t cry foul if he does get canned, because it won’t be a surprise with how quickly Lerner is cutting ties.

    Mark my word, don’t be surprised if the new GM and coach have a short leash on K2.

  • Josh

    My conspiricy theory is that Chud wanted to use guys like Harrison more, but Jamal complained too much to RAC, and RAC vetoed Chud….

    In keeping with the WFNY spirit…we have the 5th pick in the draft!! Who are we drafting??? Please be a defensive leader….

  • Chris M

    @ Josh Rey Maualuga anybody?

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Craig

    I hope they don’t draft him because it took me two months to learn how to spell Szczerbiak properly. :-)

  • Chris M

    How long did it take you to learn to say Polamalu correctly? Only took me 4 hours on a September Sunday.

  • Josh

    Would love Rey Maualuga! I think Cleveland would take to him real well too…Hard hitter!!

    My guess (depending on the new GM of course) is that they trade the pick for more picks. As goes with most teams drafting in the top 5, they are more than 1 player away. Stud Defensive player and a 2nd round RB would be nice, though.

  • Ricky

    @ Chris M, I LOVE Maualugua. He is a stud and is going to be great. All great defenses have great middle linebackers, and he will be a great middle linebacker.

    The next head coach will probably get rid of Chud and bring in his own guy, not necessarily because of anything Chud has done but because head coaches usually like having their own guys. Probably every assistant will leave, its just what happens

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Craig

    I read on CNNSI that Romeo’s firing included staff. It was just one sentence in Peter King’s ridiculously long wrapup.

    Either way, I am not going to sweat this decision. If the new head coach wants to keep Chud, I am just going to assume that this new head coach can provide better leadership and situations for Chud to succeed. I don’t know how many of the personnel decisions Romeo was forcing because he was trying to save his job.

    It is impossible for us as fans to guess the split of duties on an NFL coaching staff with any certainty.

  • phil

    I interpreted the ambiguously stated poll question (“what is the least acceptable record for the 2009 Browns?”) to mean “What is the worst yet acceptable record for the 2009 Browns?” In the most common meaning of such a phrase, “the least acceptable” record is simply the one showing the fewest wins; hardly a matter worth polling. “Least” would modify “acceptable,” the word nearer to it, and not “record,” as it appears to have been the intention of the poll writer to imply.

  • DCBucks

    “Browns owner Randy Lerner confirmed today that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, a native of Canton, is on his list of head coaching candidates.”

    Please not another New England flunky.

  • Bridgecrosser

    Liked Chud’s schemes in 07,., not in 2008. And he seems like a real wuss. Who let’s their players act this way? Really? I don’t know, I’d have to say take a hike.

  • Merrick

    I’m liking this Scott Pioli guy. He’s on the top of Lerner’s list, and it seems as if he’s interested. I think we’ll probably get him. That would most likely bring in McDaniels.

    I wouldn’t mind a young coach, as long as he knows how to control his team, which consists of guys older than him. And if he fails, hey, we can just go after Cowher next year, right?

    So what would be a perfect start to this offseason for me? Pioli, McDaniels or Schottenheimer, and a couple of picks gained by trading Anderson.

    Thoughts?

  • DCBucks

    Cowher will be the Jets new coach.

  • Goodman

    What is interesting about the poll question regarding the number of wins for the browns next year is that the number 1 answer is 8-8. Perhaps realistic, but the fact that Browns fans expect or would be satisfied with 8-8 is also a root cause to this entire sorry mess.

    Shouldn’t we expect the Browns to win every game they play? Shouldn’t we expect championship effort every time they hit the playing field? We are satisfied with a .500 effort? As much as I hate the Steelers and their fans, you have to envy a Steelers fan who on Sunday can sit down and expect his team to win.

    The Cavaliers are starting to give us that feeling. Every time they play you have this confidence that they will win. Anything less would be almost shocking; an upset by their opponent or caught us on an off night.

    When is the last time this city had that feeling about the Browns?

    Lerner and the staff puts in place needs to change the mentality in this organization. Every player MUST BELIEVE they will win every game next year. Cleveland fans MUST BELIEVE they win will every game. Anything less in unacceptable.

    8-8? Are you kidding me? How is that acceptable to any of us? I don’t care what it takes, if the Dolphins can go from 1-15 to 11-5, why can’t we improve to a playoff team next year?

    If Lerner and his staff think that 8-8 is acceptable or would be satisfied for next year, every single of us season ticket holders should revoke our tickets next year and Lerner should just move the team to Toronto or sell it to someone who cares. We should not accept or have to continue living through the shameful display of ownership, management, leadership, and execution of this organization for the past 9 years.

  • bobby

    I agree with goodman. Where I stand now, I dont want to see an all patriot regime in here like is being suggested, because i fear that we will get the same from them as Romeo.

    to respond to merrick, I wouldnt mind a young coach either… just not from new england. As for the rest of the offseason, I think the browns will look to trade down in the draft to gain picks that way, and possibly have both QBs at least enter camp, although trading one may give more picks, and cap space. I wouldnt be that terribly upset if DA is a brown next year, because theres nothing else if BQ goes down (as shown in the last 4 weeks of this season). The pieces that we have are good enough to move or tweak so that we could have a good year next year, and as James Walker said in his blog, this is a HUGE offseason for the future of the browns.

  • creative

    wild idea:

    trade winslow/edwards/DA

    get a 3rd for winslow, a late (20-25) 1st round for edwards and get a 4th for DA. Draft maguaglaguaglagua with the #5 (or jermey maclin to replace B.E. ) and get a RB with the late pick (knowshaun marino!!), and we can still have huge depth in the draft. Martin Rucker is a stud with great hands, Ive been a huge fan of winslow but this guy iis a china doll and if we can get a 3rd for him itd be the best possible scenario.

    i think marino (or beanie.. i guess) would fit really welll with the browns, watched the guy play live numerous times and hes a friggin beast. i hope he comes out this year!

  • Chris M

    Sounds good, but everyone in the league knows Edwards is basically damaged goods, and who in their right mind would offer a 1st rounder for him? ( Besides Jerry Jones once he dumps T.O., or possibly Al Davis. But the Raiders will have a mid 1st rounder, and it will probably be too high, even for him. )

  • Chris M

    Just to be clear, I’m not saying either Jerry Jones or Al Davis are in their right minds.

  • SambofromOH

    I bet Al Davis would give us a 1st and 2nd for Edwards and Winslow. I think Winslow is worth more than a 3rd.

    I looked to see if any mock drafts popped up yet last night and the ones I could find were almost unanimous that we would take Beanie Wells with the 5th pick. I hope you guys are right though, we need to draft a stout linebacker first and foremost.

  • Chris M

    Sambo, do you have a link to it?

  • creative

    i really dont think its out of the question for a team to trade a late first rounder for BE. Philly? Titans? Chargers? there are plenty of teams floating around without #1 recievers who think they are 1 top flight reciever away from a SB ring..

  • http://www.ohmygodihateblogger.blogspot.com kiddicus maximus

    Beeeeeeeeeeeee-nieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

    draft party at my house.

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