Open Thread: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns
Week 2: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns
TV/Radio:
8:15 PM EST, WKYC Channel 3, WMMS FM 100.7
Weather:
Cloudy and windy. Forecasted to be 85 degrees at kickoff. WSW winds at 25-45 MPH.
Injuries:
PIT: Doubtful – Deshea Townsend, CB; Probable – Ben Roethlisberger, QB
CLE: Out – Sean Jones, S; Martin Rucker, TE; Doubtful – Donte Stallworth, WR; Ryan Tucker, G; Questionable – Joshua Cribbs, WR; Rex Hadnot, G; Brodney Pool, S; Probable – Kris Griffin, LB; Kamerion Wimbley, LB
**
I am not quite sure why, but it definitely seems that last night’s Buckeye loss has shed a poor light on tonight’s chances for the Browns against the Steelers. Whether it is a regional feeling of simple disappointment, or a group of fans simply just not being able to feel optimistic about a team that has an injury report of that above coupled with the playing conditions that may lie ahead.
Stallworth’s already inactive. As is Rucker, Tucker and Jones. Pool appears to be dressing, which is a good sign – even though his playing time is still up in the air. If the interior linebackers do not step up in this one you will not be able to dodge the 4-3 talk that will come this week. Sam Rutigiliano is a very inspirational man; how can you not at least consider what he says when he too thinks that we do not have the team capable to run the 3-4.
Regardless, while I’m not as much on the “must win” bandwagon as a few others, I would feel a lot better being 1-1 as we head into the Baltimore/Cincinnati games before the bye.
I’ll be on and off throughout the game. You all know the drill. Go Browns.
September 14th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Did any of you get to see the end of DEN/SD? Can one team possible lose more in the final second than the Chargers? (Don’t answer that…)
September 14th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
O…..H……
wait..
September 14th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Updated poll and sub-heading… Thought it would give you all something to do while John and Al pontificate before kickoff…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
“Sarah Palin can teach Republicans how to be Republicans. It’s a simple lesson. But it won’t be easy for anyone who thinks being pragmatic and principled are mutually exclusive. Mrs. Palin, 43, is the governor of Alaska and the brightest light in the land of the midnight sun.
While rasing four kids with her husband, Palin has reduced taxes, embraced the state Constitution, publicly complained about powerful fellow Republicans she thought unethical, encouraged companies to compete for state contracts — and has not ruled out running for president.
She relishes moose burgers because “they taste better than beef with no chemicals, steroids or hormones.” She adopted the Pittsburgh Steelers because of the team’s success in the 1970s and because there are no major professional teams in her state. ”
Food for thought…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
3 and out…here we go
September 14th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Absolutely huge sack after a three and out… Lets do this
September 14th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Was that a sack!?!?!?!?
September 14th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
And if you didnt gather after last night, Southwest Airlines has no hidden charges…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
@TampaBrett: if i had a nickel…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Scott – votes for Boobie but that’s based on my thinking he’ll be starting come playoff time. They’ll all start at some point during the season.
September 14th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
and why WOULD Braylon catch that ball…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Edwards I swear!
September 14th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
What’s the deal with the open threads? I miss the rowdiness of the liveblogs.
September 14th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
It’s gotten pretty tough for one of us to dedicate a full game… I know what you mean though. But no one is stopping you from getting just as rowdy…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Can we TKNK even without TK?? Semantics…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
The lack of TK NK is holding me back. Although with Madden calling the game we’re just as likely to be rocking the Favre bevvy game…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Wow. I like where your head’s at.
September 14th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
What kind of throw was that by DA?
September 14th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
The throw wasn’t bad… it had a tint of Fernando to it though by the way it dropped down. The weather is not DAs friend…
September 14th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I’m all about TK NK. I mean, seriously…TK is bad, yet has a mildly entertaining quality about him. Is there a worse commentator than Madden?
I hearby nominate John Madden to have official TK NK privileges for the evening.
September 14th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
who took the under?
September 14th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
September 14th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Scott…I think my neighbors are officially frightened due to my reaction to that graphic.
JM NK, indeed sir. JM NK.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
“Ben loves Ohio, Ohio loves Ben”. JM NK
September 14th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Given the nature of this “field position” game, why do I think that Cribbs could wind up being huge for us?
September 14th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Amazing stop on third down…Ohio loves that too, Ben
September 14th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
That was not what I meant by “short” passes…
September 14th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Can I call a JM NK on a terrible play call?
September 14th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Buckeye-like penalties…
ANOTHER huge third down stop. Thattaboy Brodney
September 14th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Huge 3D stop…bigger 4D timeout!
September 14th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
“Radio free Burkina Faso”?!?
Is AM NK out of the question? Like really?
September 14th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
touchdown steelers…
September 14th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Important drive here…but I really like the energy from our defense despite the score.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Kiesel’s done for the night…
(ask and you shall receive)
September 14th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
was fraley in the huddle there?
September 14th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Terrible clock management
September 14th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
theyd kick now, but they’re not behind enough..
September 14th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
another pick…and HERE come the boos
September 14th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Craptastic
September 14th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
OK, so for the record…we have TK NK, JM NK, and AM NK. Any other broadcasters we need (I’m thinking Bob Trumphy, but not sure if he still has a job or not).
“Totally wasted drive” – Michaels got that one right.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
What the HECK was that. What an awful way to end the half.
Romeo really mismanaged that. If we lose this game (particularly if it’s close), it’s going to really come back and haunt him.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Halftime discussion: more of a cluster “f”: DA or Boeckman.
Talk amongst yourselves.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
DA didn’t even count for anyone covering the slant route. Rookie mistake.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
easy…Boakman. The Browns are actually (disturbingly enough) still in this game.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
BM NK – and we all know he’ll drink just as much as we would.
That would be Brent Musburger.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Also, Troy Aikman NK. Just because it spells TANK.
Which we will all get, if he would be calling the game – which I think would be poetic justice.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
At least Rogers is bringing it.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Mr Burgundy, you are correct sir.
Also, I’m assuming that we’re discussing football only. For the record, the next time the Tribe is on ESPN, there better be a JM NK graphic. (Joe Morgan of course.)
September 14th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
At least Crennel admitted they completely blew the end of the first half.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
At least we have a good punter.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Get Zastudil a “C” patch…
September 14th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
too bad holmes doesn’t have any eligibility left…
September 14th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Red zone… of course another false start. 3rd and 13.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Terrible
September 14th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Phil Dawson with a Tiger Woods stinger field goal
September 14th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
No breaks tonight, christ
September 14th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
“rename that section K-9″!?!?!
AM NK.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
OK, I’ve been on Romeo’s side for the most part…but that’s the 2nd bad FG call in two weeks.
I’m calling it now…this game is done. You go for that ,because either way, you still need a TD to be in the game.
What a terrible decision.
September 14th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Is Crennel the Tressel of the NFL?
His conservative calling is unbelievable.
September 14th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Now I’ve have backed Romeo for the past 2 years, but i now officially think he needs to go. And maybe not during the season but definitely during the offseason. Did you see his clock management? It’s like he has no idea what is going on in the game. Not to mention 2 horrible interceptions. But, oh well here’s to Baltimore and the Bungals the next 2 weeks…
September 14th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I don’t care what anyone says. Good points of this game are gone. They lost. They suck. Doo Doo Browns are back to their original form!
September 14th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Is there a term for being disappointed to the point of not even really feeling bad any more?
September 14th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
the term is brownsfan
September 14th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
I’m already”Waiting For Next Year!”
I’m tired of the “nice guy” or “laid back” coaches/managers in this city… Apparently the nice guy/laid back approach does not work.
September 14th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Seriously, there’s only one thing that applies to this situation… and that’s the name of this blog.
September 14th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Well, pre-game, I said that anything less than a 14 point loss would be a moral victory.
We met that…but between 1) admitting he blew clock management at the end of the 1st half and 2) completely blowing it at the end of the game, what’s Romeo’s redeeming factor here?
If you tell me that the D holds Pitt to 10 points, I tell you we win the game. This is a failure of coaching, not a failure of talent.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Very rare in the NFL with the level of talent that is out there that your coaches lose the game. The Browns coaches lost this game. Let me count the ways:
1) The complete debacle at the end of the first half.
2) Failing to blitz on second down when we had the Steelers pinned down at their own 2. What’s the worst that can happen there Romeo – you give up a 35 yard pass play? Oh wait… that’s what happened anyway!
3) Final drive – DA is finally starting to get in a rhythm. Braylon is actually catching the ball and Winslow is making ridiculous plays like the first down catch where he beat Polamalu to a jump ball. Hell, even 5 foot nothin’ Steptoe caught a first down. So what play is called on first down? Run up the middle. Surely the Browns pass on second and 8… oh wait, no… they run up the middle. Well, at least it’s not as though the Steelers have some of the best interior run defense in the league. Even Chud doesn’t get a pass on tonight’s debacle.
4) Crennel’s last ball falls out of his pants (he lost the first one last week when he kicked that absurd field goal) when he kicked the field goal with just a little over 3 minutes left. Granted, 4th and 7 would have been a tough conversion, but the Browns seemed to have a little bit of flow to their offense at that point. After all, what’s the worse case scenario – you miss and the Steelers get the ball at their 25 up 7 points and you need a touchdown. What happened? The Steelers ended up with the ball at their 30 and you STILL needed a touchdown if you were going to win the game. Granted, this was a far more defensible call that last week’s field goal – but Romeo needs to grow a pair – everyone was calling this a “must” win game. You NEED to get over the hump against the Stoolers – take a friggin’ chance!
5) After the questionable field goal decision, the Browns line up for one of those pop up kickoffs that you hope will be bungled by a questionable Steelers special teams crew and recovered by the Browns. Not a bad idea. But wait… even if the Browns had been successful, the Steelers still would have gotten the ball because NOT ENOUGH GUYS WERE LINED UP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE KICKER!!!
6) On the ensuing drive on second down Rothlisf*cker has one of those trademarks Rothlisf*cker plays where he bootlegs and finds a guy wide open down the field. There’s about 3:15 on the clock. Romeo – who at this point I believe is already completely focused on the post-game buffet, uses his second timeout. Conserving that timeout would have allowed the Steelers to run it down to about 2:25 on the next play before Browns could stop the clock. Then the Browns could have stopped it again before the two minute warning and gotten the ball with just a little under two minutes. Instead, Romeo, who I believe had surgery in the offseason to replace his brain with a chocolate covered doughnut (mmmmm…. doughnuts) called the timeout meaning that the Steelers would get to run it down to the two minute warning and still have 3rd down afterwards. Granted, this ended up being a moot point after Parker gained the first down, but it’s still a screw up.
7) You’re down 4 points with 30 seconds to go… you need a miracle catch to win the game. Surely you want the player on your team with the best hands – Winslow – on the field. Instead he was featured prominently on the sideline. Glad we had 5 foot 7 Steptoe, practice squad promotee Sanders and Jason Wright in there…
There are 14 games left and a lot of season to go, but with the Browns’ questionable defense turning in this type of effort tonight, this was a game the Browns HAD to have. The coaching staff ensured that they wouldn’t. DA didn’t look that great, but for you DA haters out there, he was not the reason they lost. Now the next two games really are must win games with no margin for error. Lose even one and go 1-3 into the bye week and we need to give Romeo a pink slip stuffed into a Turducken and show him the door.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:33 am
The Browns are losers. As much as it pains me, they are losers.
September 15th, 2008 at 7:55 am
Bring on Bill Cowher
September 15th, 2008 at 8:35 am
AMC – Excellent comment. Andrew – you’re not alone in that thinking…sadly.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:10 am
GO STEELERS………………………………….The Brownies never had a chance, sorry!
September 15th, 2008 at 9:25 am
It’s the same stupidity – couldn’t finish a drive, dropping catchable passes, poor tackling, and an endless parade of stupid, costly penalties. Does Romeo have even the slightest clue about clock management? He managed to screw it up in both halves. I think “Romeo Watch 2008″ is officially on, sad at that may be.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:52 am
When we win this season it will be in spite of our head coach, not due to his efforts. Getting back to that field goal decision. I think what I hate the most about it is that Romeo chose to put the game in the hands of his inferior unit as opposed to his better one. If they go for it on fourth down, your offense has control over the situation. If they make it, your offense determines whether or not you tie it. By kicking the field goal, Romeo forfeited that control to his defense and even if the defense had come through, the Browns offense still would have needed, in the best case scenario, a 60-75 yard drive with less than two minutes left and no timeouts remaining. I think I like my shot of trying to go for it on 4th and 7 from the 20 and then trying to score from there a lot better.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Or, how about realizing that you’re in 4 down territory with less than 5 min left and trying to gain 5-6 yards for a very short 4th down conversion, knowing you have to go for it anyway?
September 15th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
wtf is NK?
September 16th, 2008 at 10:43 am
There’s a reason all the player’s “have Romeo’s back” It’s because he’s so damn easy on them. He is never shown getting in their face for stupid penalties, doesn’t ever show emotion, and has to run the easiest training camp since we’re never in shape nor prepared for the games.
He must go