Animated: Jimmy Haslam doesn’t like overturned touchdowns
November 4, 2012Weeden has no comment on three burned timeouts
November 4, 2012It’s going to be a long couple of weeks Browns fans. Buckle up.
Pat Shurmur is his own worst enemy sometimes. With the game on the line and facing 4th and 2 from their own 28 yard line and he seemed to want to prove that he’s learned to be aggressive. Never mind that the previous controversial fourth down plays in question occurred at the Browns’ opponent 40-ish yard lines. Shurmur decided to roll the dice for once, and unfortunately for him it was absolutely the wrong call. The Browns ran one of the worst-looking plays of the game with Weeden air mailing Greg Little and the Browns basically handed the Ravens the ball in field goal range trailing by a single score 22-15. Of course the Ravens moved the ball a few feet and made it a two possession game 25-15. Of course they did. That’s the way the final score finished as the Browns lose by ten after leading by one 15-14 with 8:45 left in the game.
In the end, Pat Shurmur might try to take solace in the fact that the Browns had plenty of opportunities to beat the Ravens. He might even make some excuses because the Browns were certainly on the short end of a couple really bad penalty calls. An offensive pass interference on Josh Gordon, and a roughing the QB on T.J. Ward seemed particularly egregious and game-changing. Still, the Browns had the ball with 4:26 left and had a chance to punt with 3:50 and two timeouts on their own 28 trailing only one score and somehow came to the decision to go for it. The way the team “executed” the fourth down play, you probably don’t have to guess that the team was just as confused as the coaching staff that came with two feet down on their “jump to conclusions mat” with that conclusion. So the Browns head into the bye week dropping another game to the Ravens and showing a complete inability to capitalize on the good feelings they had off of an ugly win over San Diego.
The first half started off horribly. The Browns ran the ball twice in their first two series (plus a Trent Richardson swing pass) and didn’t net a first down. That set up the Ravens for two straight touchdown drives. The Ravens, in contrast, rode the running game and it paid dividends. 32 rushing yards for Ray Rice and a TD on the first drive chewed up 5:25. 32 more yards between Rice and Pierce on the second drive resulted in a 14-0 lead for the Ravens chewing up another 6:52. The benefits of the running game are clear. Keeping the opposing defense on the field is useful.
Pat Shurmur eventually got the memo and Trent Richardson finished the first half with 76 yards rushing. Fast forward to the Browns getting two field goals and driving for a third score to end the first half.
In the end I agree with Pat Shurmur’s decision to kick the field goal to end the first half, albeit grudgingly. My initial reaction was that the Browns should have taken one shot at the end zone from just under ten yards away and six seconds left on the clock. In the end, the conservative route to take the third field goal and make it 14-9 was the right call.
That doesn’t mean that Shurmur and the Browns offense are off the hook for criticism. I’m still dismayed that they only had six seconds remaining after getting the ball back near midfield and just over a minute left. A first down delayed run for two yards and 30-plus seconds off the clock was the biggest sin, which begot the decision to kick with six seconds on the clock.
The Browns didn’t have a good day on offense. Brandon Weeden seemed scared for a large portion of the day. It was like the pick-six he threw the last time the Browns played the Ravens lived in his head all week as he failed to pull the trigger on first options and frequently checked down to worse options. Trent Richardson was certainly effective enough with 105 yards on 25 carries and 31 yards receiving on six catches. But it was like going back into a really depressing time machine where Phil Dawson was forced to field goal the Browns to a tight victory or a disastrous loss.
And a disastrous loss it was. Maybe not this bye week as the Browns will probably stay true to their word and not make any changes to the coaching staff until the end of the season. But trust me when I say that this one should be disastrous to a lot of people, and Pat Shurmur most of all. This one won’t go on the positive balance of the scale when Joe Banner and Jimmy Haslam are weighing the positives and negatives of their head coach’s season.
59 Comments
I said I’d be ticked not if the Browns lost but if they came out inexplicably flat. And they did.
I was hoping in the 4th quarter that this would be Weeden’s signature arrival game. Instead, I think that quarter removes all doubt that Pat needs to be gone, regardless of final record.
Pat regressed today with his ability to organize what was occurring
on the field. All those experienced assistant coaches didn’t help at all. At
the end of the game his coaching actually hurt the team’s chances. You get the
feeling that to win the Browns must do so in spite of the coach.
Oh, well. Clarity is a good thing when decisions are
imminent.
…
Statistically speaking, isn’t going for it on 4th down in short yardage situations late in games a better decision? As opposed to needing to punt get a stop use all your timeouts and then hope to have enough time to mount a TD drive. I think you’re better off trying to get the 2 yards with your best play call. That playcall was horrendous and Weeden, who played unsure of himself most of the ane, gave it no chance to succeed.
I was shocked that Shurmur went for it given that he punted in INdy a couple weeks ago in a far more favorable position.
also, like Mrs.Haslam’s reaction. After seeing her hubby visibly emote (probably what she warned him not to do) she then glances around to see if anyone else noticed.
Agreed. How ridiculous was it last week when everyone wanted to keep Shurmur on for next season!? You’re freakin’ nuts!
Weeden needs to shape-up, too, or he’ll be watching a new starting QB get drafted next spring.
Same ol’ story…
I still don’t think removing Shurmur before the end of the year is worthwhile FWIW. It doesn’t accomplish anything unless it hurts the Browns search to keep him aboard through the end.
I’m not sure I liked the call either, but the bottom line was that it didn’t really matter. Yes, there was ample time on the clock to do something. Yes, they could’ve kicked it and forced a three and out. But as we see, it’s just the same ol’ story and the Browns were going to lose no matter what at that point anyways.
I agree that he should stay through the bye. With the crap he’s been through, he’s earned that much…
agree, for the reasons I gave last week. But Craig, after today’s coaching skills regression even benefit-of-doubt guys like you and me have to agree he will be terminated after the final game. Let the rookies keep developing this year, the distraction of a mid-season upheaval will not help them. Deep down I hoped for a light to go on in how Pat handles game day but no, he’s gone.
Oh Lordy Craig when will you see the light.
How is keeping him helping anything? What is his presence doing? In fact, his collective stupidity might rub off on these young minds, heaven forbid that happens.
That noise you hear coming out of the Cleveland area after the game today was the “I Told You So” parade getting kicked off.
Our first float features the hiring of Mike Holmgren. And what a large float it is. What’s that in his hand? A paycheck the size of a 747?
Stay tuned kids each week for more updates from the parade!! 🙂
(MG — ready to concede the bet?)
Pat regressed? Pretty soon, with all of his regressions, he’ll up all the way around the world and back where he started.
The sin wasn’t kicking the field goal at the end of the first half, it was eating a T.O that would have definitely given you at least one shot at the endzone.
Since yet another coaching/regime change is the last thing the Browns need, I was really really really holding out for Shurmur to improve; but after today… ugh. His game management & play calling is the worst. He may be OK at developing a QB, but that seems to be about it. And being that this is the AFC north, I wouldn’t mind seeing the wet toast offense thrown out with him.
Glad to see you came around to the sane, reasonable side. Some of us saw this guy as a hack/fraud after game one. Keep that in mind going forward.
Ideal scenario for me is that the Cardinals fire Wisenhunt and he becomes the Browns new head coach.
Pat Shurmur needs to say hello to goodbye!
“It’s going to be a long couple of weeks Browns fans. Buckle up,” as opposed to the previous nine weeks?
Particularly during the bye was what I meant… Extra time without any opportunity to change the story…
It would take something truly truly (truly) miraculous for me to think he should be retained past this season. If he posted a Youtube video of him fixing Ahtyba Rubin with a Mr. Miyagi heated hand healing technique, I’d probably have to keep him. Short of that though… 🙂
Dude, seriously, shutup! I didn’t like Shumur from day one either. I also argued with peoole on this site last year when they blamed his horrendous coaching on the lockout and other things. But you don’t see me on here saying I told you so every time I post. You are embarrassing yourself every time you post as much as Shurmur does every Sunday. LET IT GO.
I disagree. There is no way this guy keeps his job at the end of the season, so whats the point. Just cut ties and don’t make the same mistake as keeping Mangini and wasting more time when we know the end result. You can promote Childress or Jauron and give them a chance for the HC for next year. And if that doesn’t work out, at least you save yourself half a year and Haslam can bring in his guy.
Jawhol, mein kommandant!
Office Space and Karate Kid references in the same article+comments? Way to step ya game up
Loved seeing Ken kick the FG against SF the other night on 4th and 2 from the SF 6. Down 24-0 with 8 minutes left. Thats what you want?
I’mwith most I think to much change is bad but……………….
Please continue speaking German. It’s a nice change of pace from your usual “I TOLD EVERYONE SHURMUR WAS A BAD COACH I AM SO MUCH SMARTER THAN ALL OF YOU”.
I’m too tired to examine all the individual reasons why this team can’t succeed.
Jimmy…can we just have a good team now? Please?
When they went on 4th and 2 inside their own 35, all I could think of was NOT going for it on 4th and 1 on the opponent’s side of the field. There is just too much confusion on the sidelines and between the sidelines and line of scrimmage. I’m convinced at this point that there will be a clean sweep at the end of the season.
That being said, I don’t think firing Shurmer in the middle of the season will help anything. Keep them in-place for this season and… hope, hope, hope that whoever they find will work WITH the current roster and work to improve it.
He’s dealing with an injured Beanie Wells for the entire season. Stephens-Howling is hardly a comparable back. Imagine losing Richardson and having to play Ogbonnaya for the rest of the season. It’s a lot like that.
I just hope we don’t start talking about “draft positioning”. Winning games at the end of the year, no matter how many, do wonders for a team’s confidence, especially one as young as ours. If Shurmur’s goal is to have a high draft pick, he needs to be shown the door.
This loss was totally unacceptable. The Raven’s defense is so beat up and all we could muster was 5 field goals. The Ravens basically ran at will on our defense. Two weeks ago I didn’t think there was any reason to fire Shurmur before the end of the season, but now I do think there is… spite. I just want him to sit at home watching the rest of this season’s games thinking about his mistakes. Put the “interim coach” tag on Chilly and have Haslam pretend like Chilly actually has a chance to win the starting job… maybe he’ll manage to fire up our pride-less team.
Ryan Williams too.
Why is that schmuck Shurmur still the HC of the Browns? You don’t go for it on 4th down on your side on the field, especially since you only need a score (or two the way this one was going) to at least tie or grab the lead. With a ton of luck (and money) maybe Sean Payton would be our competent HC…
No – it was running a handoff on the first play of the drive up the middle, taking the clock from 1:10 to 0:50 for a single yard. Absurd.
He’s shown that if he has a QB, he can get to the Superbowl, like with Kurt Warner. He can definitely run an offense. He’s shown that the best man gets the job, when Leinhart sat and Warner took over. He’s one of the more realistic choices as the Browns new coach. I doubt that Gruden or Cowher will actually be an option.
TL;DR I like him cuz if he has a QB, he can get to the SB.
Shurmur simply doesn’t comprehend the word “situation”. To him all moments are equal. As poorly as Weeden played he still got us a one point lead. Defense came to life in the 2nd half – but- how do they always fall apart on the most crucial drives?
Beanie Wells couldn’t hold Trent Richardsons jockstrap
I dont even want a win. Well, of course I do, but I’d take a game with no turnovers or stupid self inflicted penalties like illegal formation and delay of game and 12 men in the huddle.
Please, whoever ends up making the list of potential coaching candidates, please make sure Brad Seely is on it. Wherever he coaches, his “teams” (meaning the special teams units he fields) are always the most well prepared units in the NFL. The special teams were actually a source of pride for the Browns when he was here under Mangini.
I’m not saying he is the answer. I am saying he is worth a look. I do not think the tired old list of names like Cowher, Gruden et. al. is enough. Sure, they warrant consideration as well, but I am hoping the search goes a little deeper than that. Hell, Randy Lerner could pick a big name with a dartboard. I want to see them leave no Tern unstoned (err….I mean stone unturned…I do not support getting birds stoned)
What about Terror Birds? http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/23600000/A-titanis-phorusrachus-23647916-600-383.jpg
She has the “patrician sheik” look mastered
What the **** is a blind side block penalty? Really? Seriously? The LB turned and got leveled on a crack block. Those are now illegal? For shame NFL, for shame…
Hire a guy (I will see what I can do on sundays) to help with clock management on Sundays. Obviously Shurmur and the other coaches can’t figure it out.
I talked myself into that being a good idea. They had not demonstrated a consistent 2 minute offense this season, and I thought they ran the first time so that the clock would start running and we wouldn’t end up punting the ball again with 48 seconds left after a 3 and out.
This is about the biggest reason I agree with Craig that (unfortunately) Shurmur needs to stay on ’till the end of the year. I think it could actually be a bad thing if Childress or Jauron came in and was successful. I feel it would be a false hope or a corrupted litmus test, if you will. The interim title is just too much of a bad omen in my mind. You just don’t see the Schottenheimer effect from interim to permanent head coach at a high enough percentage. If something like that happens, I hope Banner and Halsam have enough sense not to allow any interim coach have any leg up over any other candidate.
I hadn’t thought of Seely, but I wish I had. Great idea. Pass that on to Jimmy, will you?
Regressed? When did he ever move forward? He’s been doing the same stupid stuff since he got here last year, same stupid mistakes losing games, same bone head play calling. But he told you guys that last year was all McCoy’s fault, and a lot of you were willing to believe him.
Last week he was still beating that same drum and stooping to making up stats to “prove” McCoy was a problem —
The biggest way Shurmur hurts this team with bad coaching is that he’s ruining players — putting them in impossible situations where they can’t have success, can get seriously injured, and, as QBs, could get permanently shell shocked. Both Weeden and McCoy have been damaged by being forced to play in Shurmur’s non-system and being victimized by Shurmur’s petty incompetence.
Free the Browns! Fire Shurmur!
looking at the list of late 50s HCs is bad enough. 1st time HCs in their late 50s? Brad Seely (56) is a fantastic ST coach (despite his unit costing the 49ers a SB appearance). But, he should not be on our list.
He could, he’d just be injured in the process
I once watched a listliss Browns team go 1-11 with barely any resemblance of a NFL offense then go and run off 4 straight victories to end the year. It taught me even cruddy teams could go on a win streak. So, why should I concede any bet until the terms have been met?
I agree with Ori. I wouldn’t be happy with Chilly or Jauron, but even Childress who was a disaster in MN would be better than Shurmur. But bring in a NEW guy that can have 1/2 a season to at least put the team on a better track. Then, we’ll be way ahead of the curve come opening day 2013.