Cavs considering trading Dion Waiters for a big man
December 8, 2014Scorching Hot Takes Episode 1: We’ll do better next time
December 8, 2014Editor’s note: Breaking format a bit today as there’s only one man worth discussing.
There was a moment, late Sunday afternoon, where Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine was enraged with the officiating crew that was tasked with keeping things even keel during his team’s contest with the Indianapolis Colts. The clock was winding down and his team was hoping to march down the field for yet another last-minute, game-winning drive. Only this time, a crucial pass attempt fell to the earth. The intended receiver, the diminutive but quick Andrew Hawkins, felt that there was contact prior to the ball’s arrival—Pettine appeared to agree.
“That’s twice!” Pettine belted between plays, brow furled over his eyes and spit hurling off of his bottom lip. Whether or not Pettine was referring to another no-call or the axis-tilting penalty called on linebacker Paul Kruger moments earlier, we’ll never know. Pettine was intentionally dismissive of any talk surrounding officials following the game.
But what we will know is that the final outcome, a 25-24 loss to the Colts in addition to the evaporation of any realistic playoff chances (regardless of math) was not decided in those final moments; it was decided early Wednesday morning when Pettine named Brian Hoyer the starting quarterback for the contest, dubbing him as the most likely means of success. There were talks of a locker room standing behind the veteran; there would later be rumblings that Johnny Manziel attending a Cleveland Cavaliers game on Tuesday night would play a role. But as that final interception was tossed, Hoyer’s second of the day, the man Pettine chose failed him miserably.
Heading into the game’s final, Hail Mary drive, the Browns had netted just 61 yards of total offense in the second half. The defense had not only managed to thwart the league’s best offense for much of the afternoon, they caused four turnovers and added 14 points of their own, recovering a fumble in the end zone as well as returning an interception for good measure.
That locker room that was allegedly being the decision to start one of the worst quarterbacks, statically, in the entire NFL?
“We went out there and put hands on those guys, played man to man with them, and we are supposed to come out with a win,” said veteran safety Donte Whitner. “After four turnovers and two defensive touchdowns, it’s really unacceptable.”
“Our job as a defense is to create turnovers, try to score points and get the ball back to the offense,” said Joe Haden, a player who hauled in one of the three interceptions thrown. “Everything else is out of our control.”
The one person quoted as being behind Brian Hoyer—Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas—was also firmly in the camp of Pat Shurmur before he was sent packing, and he was nowhere to be found after the loss. In the end, the Browns defense was forced to be on the field for one drive too many. The countless three-and-outs, the missed receivers, the interceptions in the red zone—all of the hard work equating to, in the end, another last-minute loss.
If Pettine’s other option could not be reasonably counted on to move the football at a higher rate of success than what Brian Hoyer provided, the Browns have more issues than anything that can be solved during a press conference.
Nevertheless, Pettine took to the podium following the game and refused to discuss what was inarguably his biggest decision to date as a rookie head coach, pawned his reluctance off on emotion and things being “too fresh.” (He did admit to not considering a change of quarterback during the game, a statement that, in its own right, is worthy of question.) He was willing to address route running and Billy Cundiff missing yet another field goal. He was willing to discuss injuries. But when questions about his decision to roll with Brian Hoyer were posed, Pettine quickly diverted attention, using cliche remarks like “there are 10 other guys out there.”
The other 10 guys, the kicker, the officials—all individuals who drew scorn from Mike Pettine following the crushing loss of a game the Cleveland Browns should have otherwise won.
Here’s hoping there are plenty of mirrors in Berea. Mike Pettine could sure use a prolonged look. He may not have been the man to thrown eight interceptions in the last four games, but he damned sure put that guy on the field.
Good news is Pettine will have all January while the true contenders in the AFC are vying for a shot at a title.
182 Comments
“The outrage stems from this organization completely blowing a post season berth….”
The organization that allegedly “blew a post season birth” is the same organization that managed to turn two rookie RBs (one undrafted), two 5’6” receivers, and a journeyman QB into a functioning offense. And that made several great offseason FA signings that helped change the culture of the team (Witner, Dansby, Hawkins). By saying they “blew the playoffs” you are essentially blaming them for over-achieving and shifting expectations upwards over the course of the year. That kind of misses the whole point of the season – you know, that they exceeded expectations and developed a deep roster of young talent that didn’t exist a year ago.
We are the fanbase that once chased Bill Bellichick out of town. Let’s put down the crazy juice for once and see a group of good football men for what they are – a major step forward.
No problem, it’s there but a bit buried as he let others write the more definitive articles later in the week.
But he completed five of his seven aimed throws, and may have had one more if Travis Benjamin wouldn’t have short-armed a crossing route. I’ll be shocked if he’s not under center on Sunday. Then again it’s the Browns.
Mike Pettine bent my frame 🙁
http://i.imgur.com/m2Dkrwl.gif
one of us, One of us, One Of Us, ONE OF US
Money says Urban paid the telecommunications department at OSU to pipe ESPN from now til the game into everyone of his kids Beats by Dre headphones via wifi so there is no escaping Finebaum’s shrill voice exclaiming Lord Saban chief captain of the world.
Many thanks for the leg (eye) work on that one, sir. Clearly this wasn’t a case of being based on hindsight. Apologies for the oversight, Scott.
That was the point where I was on the angry side of things.
Fair enough. Honestly, I can’t be too upset about it. And had we gone that different path, I don’t think I’d be upset with that, either. Tough call and above my pay grade. Again, if we get the stop on fourth down, I don’t think it even comes up today.
Did he call this guy to get that spot?
http://s1.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/johnny-manziel-money-phone.png
The $64,000 Question, however, is whether or not the rookie is that guy at this point or not. What percentage ready must he be before he represents more of a positive than a negative at the helm? Maybe we played the best option we had on Sunday.
It’s possible. It’s also possible that he’s not a d-bag and was wrong too.
I’m positing that, right or wrong, benching vets who are playing well leads to players thinking your a d-bag which makes a locker room more toxic.
“But Hoyer wasn’t playing well!!!”
I’M INTENTIONALLY MUDDYING THE WATERS!
“You’re rambling!”
I AM!
Andrew Luck visits krampus on Christmas.
How about less of a negative than the guy currently playing?
Mark May wants the morning hours! Listen to Mark May degrade the Buckeye teams with breakfast and at morning workouts! He’ll tell you how it was a travesty the 2002 team even won a championship! Just ask him! I cannot stop exclamation points because Mark May!
http://www.elevenwarriors.com/2013/03/20461/the-stumbler-volume-thirteen-the-moment-mark-may-chose-hate
If we get that stop on 4th down, then we are still celebrating right now
It’s also possible that he’s not a d-bag
if that is possible, then we aren’t talking about Jim Harbaugh anymore.
The lesser of two evils. Not exactly the sort of situation you want in a playoff race. How very Cleveland.
Harbaugh is much more of a dick than a d-bag
one wrapped up in the other
Pettine played this whole thing perfectly. The chances of any rookie QB coming in to save the season are infinitesimal. The whole world is now telling him to start JFF. So he takes the hit for waiting one week too long. Loses the battle, wins the war.
If you look at draft day to now, Pettine has handled this brilliantly. If they lose down the stretch, they know what they have going into next year with two No 1’s, if they win, he’s the Coach of the year.
Seriously, drafting JFF could have been a complete disaster for a first year coach and front office. Instead, they are positioned really well for now and the future.
Yeah, that should have been a blind side strip sack at the two, instead we got to see him play pat a cake with Luck.
haha, nice monologue.
I think the potential “toxicity” of the locker room is an overplayed narrative. Guys will rally around whoever is winning football games
Well said….I totally agree.
Outstanding, Bryan. Could not have said it better. I am excited to see a team finally develop. God young organization that can quickly become a contender IF we find a QB. Maybe Manziel – time to find out. Running game is fine – we need to get defenses to back of the line with a passing game that no one respects.
Unfortunately for Football there is a “you must be at least this tall to enter this club” sign posted out front.
I’m still not on board with the clarified position. Only Gordon and Cameron can get open by physical dominance for this team. The rest of the receivers benefit from choice routes as a way to exploit the defense. I’ve seen this quite a bit from Austin, Benjamin, and Hawkins. Want to know how Austin looks like the slowest guy on the field every game, yet is second on the team in first downs? This is how. Complex route running gets the most of our receivers (but also leads to turnovers at its worst). I suspect if you dumbed down the offense, it would look alot like the Massaquoi/Robiskie years where everyone very nicely runs the route assigned to them, and no one gets open ever.
mike thought brian had fairy dust on the ball like he did in atlanta….
you cant do that every week…i wanted johnny to start the season and play allyear…
everyone had to see what they had in hoyer…now you know…what more is there to be gained by playing someone who has no accuracy? johnny has speed..accuracy…an insane will to win…brian feels nomatter how bad you play its his team….wrong dude…when you get a job..ANY job…when you consistantly screw up and not get the job done…YOU GET FIRED!!! if there is anyone who believes hoyer can win these last 3 games….please stop watching football and swith to golf or something….i think the bengals coach is scared…thats why he is calling johnny names…after manziel win’s the game maybe starvin marvin will get the message…that will be a sweep…and dont think because hoyer wonthe first one he can do it again…this guy has some issues now that he didnt have before….maybe hoyer is doing this on purpose getting backat the browns before he leaves because he knows he’s gone after this year…he has done enough damage…maybe mike will let the best qb on the team try to salvage the season…
brian hoyer= 7-9
johnny football=10-6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi0ij3CHjR0
You can make the exact same arguments about Hoyer multiple times this game. Other people contributed as well, but this specific loss weighs most heavily on Hoyer’s completely ineffective shoulders.
Of course. Which is why, once again, this was not an attempt to absolve Brian Hoyer. It was simply to point out that, if after that loss, a person was choosing to point the finger only at Hoyer or only at Pettine that said person was willfully ignoring other significant contributors to the team’s failure.
http://www2.cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/files/2014/01/marvLaugh.jpg
We don’t need a ton of help against Baltimore. The Bills, Dolphins, and Chargers would be more of a concern, but their schedule is harder.
If we win out (beat Baltimore) it doesn’t matter what happens with their schedule. We will have the tiebreaker over Baltimore in that scenario (2nd tiebreaker, record within division).