NFL News: Josh Gordon first with back-to-back 200 yard games
December 1, 2013NFL News: Brandon Weeden diagnosed with concussion
December 1, 2013
This all sounds like the same Browns song and dance since 1999, doesn’t it?
Joe Haden got torched by Chad Henne and Cecil Shorts to give the Jaguars the lead with 40 seconds to go in the game. It was an embarrassing play in an embarrassing loss to one of the worst teams in the NFL at home. Yes, Brandon Weeden had a chance with 40 seconds and three timeouts to drive 80 yards for a touchdown and a victory, but that prayer wasn’t meant to be answered. This team remains an utter embarrassment to themselves and the city they represent. They might be set up for the future, but I’ve got to tell you. The present stinks. Browns are losers 28-32.
Brandon Weeden had one of his typically uneven days. [Update: Weeden diagnosed with concussion.] He made some passes early on that made it seem like the loose version of Weeden was going to be better. Then to end the first half Weeden imploded. The Browns had a 14-7 lead when Weeden threw an interception past Jordan Cameron. Jags touchdown ensued. The very next time Weeden touched the ball he threw another interception, this time yielding a field goal. Five plays later, Weeden gave up a strip sack that the Jags returned into field goal range with five seconds to go in the half. Scobee nailed it. The Browns went from a 14-7 lead to a 20-14 deficit in an absolutely comical amount of time.
[Also see:Â Josh Gordon first with back-to-back 200 yard games]
The only good thing was Josh Gordon. Gordon had 261 yards receiving on the day including two touchdowns and a long one of 95 yards. I can’t say enough about how amazing Josh Gordon is. Yes, he did his damage on a bad team, but with numbers like Gordon put up, it doesn’t matter. He is doing incredible things and revealing himself as one of the very best receivers in the entire league.
But I don’t want to dwell on that too much, because this team doesn’t deserve to have too many nice things said about them. They lost to the worst team in the NFL. They allowed Chad Henne to beat them. They turned the ball over at an alarming rate including the aforementioned turnovers and Alex Mack’s wild snap that ended up giving the Jaguars a safety.
I’m with all the rest of you with regard to the good things about this team, but none of the good trades that set them up for next season is an excuse for losing at home to the Jaguars this season. It doesn’t excuse turning the ball over at the rate they do and losing three games in a row when the season wasn’t yet lost. When I lobbed some criticism at the team on Twitter, I got a reply from someone wondering how many teams were turning players like T-Rich into first round picks. That’s all well and good, but it has nothing to do with the remainder of the Browns’ schedule this season.
So now that the Browns have lost three in a row, including one to the Jags at home, are they going to be favored to win another game this year? With games in New England, against Chicago at home, at the New York Jets, and in Pittsburgh, it’s hard to imagine. And the Browns are looking for at least a single win that would give them the same five wins they won a year ago with Dead Shurmur Walking. And to think they also had an easier schedule this year.
I’ve said that this is the best attempt at a front office since the Browns came back in 1999. Joe Banner is the most qualified executive to lead the organization since Carmen Policy. I want to think things are different now too, but until this team starts winning football games, there’s no way to know. There’s no way to know for sure that it isn’t the exact same song we hoped would get drowned out with a whole new band playing the instruments in Berea.
77 Comments
Alternate headline:
Jacksonville Jaguars Embarrass Themselves; Require Late Rally to Defeat Browns
Mike Polk must be incoherent by now.
Once again the PLAYERS find a way to ruin, botch, and drop a win. Not sure what more you can expect from the coaching staff.
Sometime in the second half I got to the point of actually not caring about the outcome of this game. I measure the November-December transition each year by the onset of this sentiment.
Highlight of the game was getting to see the Brownie mascot on a few cut-away shots during the game.
I thought you weren’t watching the game today. Face it man, you bleed orange and brown. Now saddle up for a nice losing season.
I can’t believe Weeden STILL tried the underhanded pass. Twice today.
If it worked once, just ONCE, I could accept it. But, it hasn’t worked a single time and he still does it.
Also @ Craig,
While I generally agree with you and appreciate your efforts, I think you’re wrong.
Joe Banner didn’t want Weeden or Greg Little. Those two have combined for a lot of heartbreak here in Cleveland. Mr. Banner’s short track record is; trading a terrible RB for a #1 pick – signing a big free agent with playoff experience – drafting a OLB that’s looked one of the few productive 1st rounders drafted.
The Packers are 0-4-1 without Rogers. It’s not unthinkable that a good QB in Cleveland can turn things around.
I love the brownies but the season is a wash without a productive QB.
Pretty clear that it’s just a joke to him at this point. He’s trolling the home fans.
No need to keep pushing the issue in the final two minutes of the first half. That was poor coaching.
At least it was a team effort, Weeden didn’t have to carry them to defeat himself.
I know this will sound original, but this one’s on Weeden.
The only reason the turnover fest didn’t turn into 17 free points at the end of the first half was that they ran out of time. That 2-min brain lock cost them all the momentum and likely the game. Weeden has the #2 WR and TE in the league, but his catastrophic plays are SO bad that their efforts are completely neutralized.
If it weren’t for the fact that there isn’t a single healthy QB that has thrown one single pass in the NFL on the roster, Weeden would be cut before Monday morning.
Also, a pretty stark contrast this weekend between the Ohio State Buckeyes (who always seem to find a way to win) and the Cleveland Browns (who, with unmatched consistency, find ways to lose).
I would only take your thoughts further to the point that, as Factory of Sadness suggests, these guys will be gone in 1-2 years. The perpetual turn around (WFNY) is yet another year off. Except for blowing up the 2013 draft and missing on the picks we didn’t trade, starting the #3 QB, trading away and not replacing our offensive talent, the only “plan” I see is to tank the now so that Judgement Day for Banner and co. comes later and later. Still, we are expansion league and a sustained loser. They have done nothing and improved nothing. Tomorrow, like your site suggests, is a dream world and not reality. remember we have got nothing for TR (our number 3 pick!) yet. But, hey I’m not getting paid big bucks to start the #3 QB or to tank the present for a hope that this team can actually play NFL football, ever.
I entered my annual Apathy Zone after the Cinci loss. Was planning on not watching the game today, but backslid. Planning on not watching next week’s potential ruination against NE.
There’s something to be said for that…even with a guy like Hoyer under center this team looked good and there was talk of winning the division as crazy as that sounds. Now we’re talking about the very realistic chance of losing out and going 4-12.
I fulfilled my promise to not get my family out of bed early to make it home for kickoff. I did however use Slingbox for the first half on my phone. I didn’t really think about that originally when I said I wasn’t going to watch.
I don’t disagree with you per se. I’m just not yielding on this idea that they can only prove to me that anything is working by winning football games. Anything else is settling for subpar results which Brownsfans have done far enough since 1999.
“starting the #3 QB” After QB1 was injured. And the #3 QB sparked the team and rattled off 2.5 wins. Now we’re actually stuck with our QB1 who throws underhand on a ten second delay.
“Except for blowing up the 2013 draft and missing on the picks we didn’t trade.” Have you watched Mingo play?
Your thoughts on the TRich trade aren’t even worth addressing.
This admin has made some good moves, now we need a quarterback.
I’m glad someone on here is also blaming the defense.
Yes this sucks. Yes it has sucked for a long time. However, I just can’t get on board with some of the comments on here about hating the Browns….giving up on the Browns….etc. I was a senior in high school when they left Cleveland, and for those 4 years they were gone the NFL sucked way worse then this does. I learned then that sucky Browns is much better than no Browns. So has long as I have breath in my lungs I will be excited, I will get excited, and I will remain excited for Browns football and the hope that we will turn it around.
Go Browns. Beat the Pats.
This Browns team looks like KC did last year, except that the HC and FO aren’t lame ducks (just starting out). With a healthy, league average QB, the Browns are a playoff contender (again, look at KC).
disgraceful defense, the usual horrendous weeden mistakes, absolutely no running game, another qb concussed. the one bright spot on offense setting an nfl record. a guy we tried trading away a month or so ago. goes to show our talent evaluators are clueless. cue the circus music
KC had way more talent especially on defense I can’t see the comparison sorry.
Just some random thoughts…..
1. We cant win because we don’t have anyone who knows HOW to win…we just don’t have that winner confidence that the Steeler, Ravens , Pats etc have….The Steelers started 0-4 ….Have no offensive line yet are making a run…..that’s what real teams with winners do…..
2. Has there ever been an offense that totally implodes in such short periods like the Brown have in the last 3 or 4 games….Maybe the D should have made the last drive stop today ( see above ) but they are really playing pretty well considering all things…esp the fact that they know the offense cannot win a game on their own..
3. Stop with the ” I am not watching the Browns anymore.” nonsense…the fact that you are even posting here should tell you about yourself….try not having a team to root for….it sucks….and all of you know it….
4. Kruger is living up to the adage that having one good season and sucks when he goes somewhere else….sorry….he has not brought much to the D this year..
5. Anyone else feel like we are KC from last year….potentially multiple all pros and really all we need is a WINNER…..( KC got Andy Reid….Hope we can get at least an Alex Smith for next year…even if tis Hoyer…)
agreed. weeden would be and should be cut immediately. no point in continuing to develop this guy. its a lost cause. just bring in more qbs off the scrap heap and give em a chance.
7 picks in the first four rounds with the savvy and cutthroat Banner leading the way. Look how good Philly was when he was in charge, then Philly started to suck the more control Reid got from Banner. Guess the Indians successful run this year has left me more optimistic about all Cleveland sports teams.
you are on fire today, senor.
OK, anyone still all angsty that Ray Horton will leave this off-season? This was a bad QB. The one sack on Henne was a coverage sack and blitzes were nearly all picked up handily. Horton can promote himself with his stat talk all week long again. But I saw little QB pressure, meh run defense and a few terrible Jacksonville dropped passes in big situations that should have made the defense look way worse.
Gordon bailed out Weeden on offense. Nobody can bail out this defense – not “Sure-Fire All Pro” Haden, not big bucks invisible man Kruger, not Horton’s self-promotion and not TJ Ward’s big mouth. They let Jacksonville immediately respond to our opening TD drive with an effortless TD drive, and respond to our go ahead late game score with passes of 25, 16 and 20 yards. Everyone already knows what Weeden is. Now the defense is giving us a good illustration in the diff between talking it and walking it.
You are assuming that they will hit on those draft picks and I would think by now people would have learned not to count on multiple draft picks with Cleveland sports teams. I mean wasn’t it just two years ago that the stockpiled bonanza of draft picks resulted in Richardson, Weeden and Schwartz in round 1?
A different regime doesn’t invoke confidence of anything different at least for me. It’s time this team and others in Cleveland start to produce. Talk is cheap. Look at the Cavaliers as another example.
Wanna bet? đ
How can you blame the defense? Those 3 turnovers gave the Jags fantastic field position. We’re lucky it was only 13 points when it could’ve been 21.
As a matter of fact, if you take away the 13 points gained off those 3 turnovers, we win 28-19.
I kid you not, I was sitting with a Jaguars fan and a friend of mine who doesn’t watch football at a bar. Friend who doesn’t watch football turns to me and says “Well, you guys are up, you have a chance to win!” I then explain to him how the Browns always manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Next play? Haden gets burned for the game winning touchdown.
Hey, Red Sox fan. Congrats on your WS title. But, this is a browns board. I agree, Browns are better than no Browns, let us hope. Go post negative comments else where.
I could not agree more. Well said.
I think we are a better team this year than our record. Hoyer all year would have made a big difference. But I hear Craig. Wins mean a lot. This team can’t win without Hoyer. The Defense did not hold, but the Offense gave up 15 points today (the safety is on Weeden and Mack). I believe if Brady or P manning were our QB, our defense would be better rested and on the field less, and far less turnovers. However, the Old Browns won with Strock, or Pagel. This current group of improved young browns need to win more consistently with a back up or sub-par QB.
The Browns team last year looked like KC last year. The Browns team two years ago looked like KC last year. The Browns team three years ago….
The difference is that KC spent its offseason getting a veteran QB and an experienced head coach, while the Browns spend pretty much every offseason gaining “assets” and reassuring their fan base that the last thing anyone in the NFL could possibly want is to win too quickly. Don’t those people in KC know it’s impossible to turn around from the worst record in the league to a playoff contender in one year?
Joe left 14 million of cap space to burn in Haslams hands this year. Why?
He is unqualified. He doesn’t care about winning, just the bottom line.
Because the worst team int he league scored 42 on them??
Yeah our defense RULES. LOL!
Take away the 80-yard drive that ended with Joe Haden’s jock on the ground and a Cecil Shorts TD and we win 28-25. Defense had no one to blame but themselves there”
Dream on Pinocchio nose.
When Kruger was brought in wasn’t a big reason why that he knew how to win? The FO sucks! Lombardi will set the team back 4 years with next years draft. Guaranteed.
It’s so untypically Cleveland that Gordon didn’t post these #’s as a member of another team. For those of you that have hope of the current FO turning things around, I ask why? Name me one thing that these jackasses have done to produce a winning football team.FA Bryant I guess, but that was more than offset by the signing of Kruger(who didn’t even fit a hole).14 million would have bought a decent guard and maybe Campbell wouldn’t have had to run for his life. HOYER you say…well let the NFL get some real film on him and he turns into Senaca Wallace. And the sin tax stays to give Haslem money that he doesn’t need?? Disgusting!
Oh and the defense, I cried wolf that that they were nothing to get excited about. Who’s disagreeing now?
Great to see my uncle getting a shout out!
But yes, a QB is all we need, honestly. Been saying for years that a great offense makes a great defense. You get a lead, and make your opponent one dimensional. Then the pass rushers flourish and the DBs pick off pressured passes and everyone has fun. We are just a QB away….it’s as simple and as hard as that.
at this point, the Browns have more to lose by having a QB who has game experience and knowledge of the playbook on their roster. Time to finish the season with a new QB.
If the Browns can get a top-5 pick this season it could be worth a tremendous bounty from a team willing to trade up – one that could possibly alter the fortunes of this franchise for the forseeable future.
regardless…Weeden really needs to be cut immediately.
The official Browns twitter trolled Weeden after the second inexcusable INT.
Honestly, I am. I wouldn’t call it “angst,” but I don’t think he’ll be here. Not wholly due to Horton’s worthiness as much as I suspect plenty of head coaches will, once again, lose their jobs and teams will be searching for the Next Big Thing. Horton’s already lost the ever-discussed cornrows. He’s turned an otherwise dreadful defense into a usually good defense that seemingly gets torched at the worst of times. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if he’s here next season.
Cavs might just be turning it around. Mike Brown’s teams are known to start slow. Bynum is returning to form.
call me crazy but i’m slightly disappointed in Mingo’s play. I wanted a Von Miller, not a Steve Miller. Not saying Mingo is a complete joker but i need my top-5 pick to be a 3 down impact guy.
How did you cry wolf about the defense being nothing to get excited about?
I’m pretty confident you don’t understand what the phrase means. Get thee to a library post haste, see fables; Aesop.
Only until the dream of a Cleveland sports team (not including Ohio State) wins a championship.