The Browns handling of Brady Quinn once again defies logic
You have to give the Browns credit, they sure seem to know how to screw up the development of their young quarterbacks.
Nearly a decade after the tragic Tim Couch era, the Browns find themselves with another promising quarterback in Brady Quinn. The first two regimes stunted Couch’s development thanks to an ineptitude in both coaching and an inability to surround the guy with talent on the offensive side of the ball.
Battered, bruised, and lacking confidence, Tim Couch was out of the league before his rookie contract could expire.
Could we be in the infancy of history repeating itself in Berea? Maybe.
Take a look at the NFL’s top young quarterbacks from the 2004-2008 draft classes who have panned out so far. Whether we are talking about Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, or even this year’s top rookie quarterback in Matt Ryan, we can all agree those players have benefited from playing for an organization that gets it when it comes to quarterback development. What I am referring to is stability in management, competent coaching, and surrounding that player early on with enough talent so he’s not overwhelmed even more by playing quarterback in the NFL.
The Browns biggest deficiency in the development of Brady Quinn so far seems to be in the manner in which the coaching staff has been handling him.
Let’s start with the play calling. On Sunday against the Houston Texans, offensive coordinator Rod Chudzinski once again resumed his best Mike Martz impression by running out an imbalanced offense that passed the ball way too much considering how well the Browns were running the ball early on, and how pathetic this wide receiver group has been this season. For the game the Browns rushed only 20 times for 98 yards for a pretty good 4.8 average. Meanwhile, the Browns threw 32 times, with only 13 completions, and 3 interceptions against a very defense. For the record, the Browns were only one score behind throughout most of the game. In other words, the offensive coaching staff chose style over sensibility in his play calling once again.
If you had watched that game, you would have thought the coaching staff thought they had Peyton Manning in his 10th year when, in fact, they have a wide eyed rookie (in terms of playing experience) who was starting his third NFL game.
Speaking of Brady Quinn…well, he didn’t make it out of the third quarter. He was pulled from the game after going 8-for-18 and a pair of interceptions. Quinn expressed his frustrations toward the coaching staff after the game by making it clear he didn’t know he’d be on “such a short leash.” No kidding.
I can see reason for Quinn’s frustration. How the hell do you develop a quarterback if you have him looking over his shoulder toward the sideline every time he makes a mistake? How can any sense be made of this pass happy play calling when you don’t even have the receivers that can get the job done? Why aren’t they protecting this kid with a ground game? They have the offensive line and they have a couple of capable backs. It is a reasonable proposition and it is the sensible one.
Hopefully, the next coaching staff, and hopefully the new GM, will be competent enough to not screw up Quinn’s development. Today’s NFL is a quarterback’s league and, if you don’t have a good one, you will be drafting in the top 10 in the draft more times than not.
If we are going to use the Tim Couch comparison. At least Brady Quinn is ahead of that curve in one major regard. Quinn’s Browns have the personnel to run the football effectively. They just have to pull in the reigns on the play calling.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:44 am
This organization is a disaster from highest levels on down.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:54 am
(facepalm)
November 24th, 2008 at 6:18 am
I still don’t get how Quinn was pulled after 2 quarters for being ineffective, when minus the Giants game, Derek Anderson was ineffective since December of 2007. The Browns couldn’t have screwed this up any worse if they would have started Ken Dorsey.
What else is it going to take to get Crennel and Savage out of this city? The team looks worse than the lame duck squad from 95, the head coach is completely clueless and out of touch, and our “great savior” is on a one way trip down Tim Couch Blvd.
November 24th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Is it bad when someting defies logic yet is still not surprising at the same time?
November 24th, 2008 at 6:54 am
ALL first year NFL QB’s, regardless of draft position or heralding, take their lumps in learning and adjusting to NFL defenses. Take John Elway for example-check out his 1983 rookies statistics. It’s part of the process and progession, and should have been known by the coaching staff.
Once the move was made, let the kid PLAY.
Everyone (fans, media, coaches) need to let the kid play and learn. What happened Sunday was preposterous-damaging the kid’s psyche. It’s NOT an issue of bad play, et al but rather the progression into the NFL game-let the kid play through it, was know he’s got the leadership, presence, and dedication (along with a committment to win) to get this thing done-DA has NONE of that.
Get rid of this coach NOW, send a message to the fans and team. Get rid of Savage…..he’s a childish amateur way out of his league being propped up as a GM.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:43 am
;jh2owsdjha
*From banging head on the keyboard*
For the first time in my life, I am jumping on the Cowher bandwagon, fantasy or not. I just want some good coaching for once.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:49 am
I’m boycotting the Browns until Crennel is gone. Reading these reviews is painful enough on it’s own.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Swig-exactly. I am a season ticket holder and decided LAST year I’d not go to another game until Crennel was gone-too painful to be there in person. Some other unfortunate soul/souls have been in my seats for the past few years. I shall return if and only if competency, professionalism and committment return to this organization.
November 24th, 2008 at 8:27 am
DA needs to have at least one more good game if we’re going to get anything at all for him in trade… That’s the reason, right?
November 24th, 2008 at 9:13 am
I see a pattern.
Or am I the only one who thought Charlie Frye was a decent quarterback who got the screwgie after his first two series?
November 24th, 2008 at 9:30 am
You’re the only one, Jon
November 24th, 2008 at 9:50 am
I think Pluto hits the nail on the head: the coaches are trying to save their jobs, and they think the only way to do it is to play with their “veterans” with the hopes that the veterans will somehow play better.
That argument is pure fallacy, when your veterans can’t play. For example, how about the fact that AS SOON AS DA CAME IN there were two false start penalties? What the heck??
November 24th, 2008 at 9:50 am
how is it that BQ throws 2 picks in just his 3rd NFL start, after 2 solid games, yet DA failed consistently every week and was somehow able to stay on the field? I’ve tried very hard not to join in on the mob pushing for RAC’s pink slip, but yesterdays game just defied all logic. I tried giving him the benefit of the doubt; there have been injuries, our star receiver has been in a slump, our star tight end is a diva, our defense offers less coverage than Paris Hilton’s panty drawer. But the plain stupidity of yanking BQ in the 4th is beyond me. RAC needs to be ousted pronto, and while i’m not in favor 100% of ousting Savage, i think we need to send a clear message to him that we will no longer accept any more drama coming from the front office. I am however willing to give Chud a little bit of a leash. He’s had only 3 games to develop a new gameplan around a rookie QB who has very different abilities and a different style than the previous one. granted, he should have been working on this since LAST YEAR, but i’d be happy right now with a coaching change and a smack of the ruler on Savage’s wrist.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I agree… is there really any way we can handle this Quinn situation worse? Crennel seems to have no confidence in Brady and seems to be the only guy who thinks Anderson still has a job on the team.
As someone pointed out, Anderson is a rhythm passer. Throwing him in for a “spark” is the one of the most stupid moves I’ve seen by Crennel- and that’s saying a lot. The guy is horrible in the first quarter. What the heck did they expect to get out of him?
Oh, and one last thing… Did anyone else notice that Crennel called Anderson “the other guy” in his news conference?
—– “I decided to play the other guy for a little bit to see if that could give us a spark, and that didn’t work either —–
Maybe Crennel finally realized Anderson should be left on the bench after his horrid “spark” ?
November 24th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Cowher, Marty, I don’t care as long as it is no longer Romeo. Hell, we could hope the Niners make more bad mistakes and don’t hire Singletary on as permanent and hire him. When I look at Romeo’s head coaching career the word that comes to mind is anomaly. That’s all last season was, hell at times it looked like we won in SPITE of Romeo. Now I know in a previous post someone said, how can you fire a coach after winning that many games? Well, the Chargers fired Marty after going 14-2…their mistake was hiring Norv Turner.
The one positive I can see is that we’ll be high enough in the draft to get The Road Warrior or Malcolm Jenkins.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:48 am
State of the Browns: 1) GM Doogie Houser is a first-timer at his position, with no apparent check or balance (like a real team president) as he figures out how to run an NFL franchise all by himself, and gives off a smirky “I know better than you” attitude while he actually trades immature e-mail insults with fans; 2) The coach is an old first timer at his position, unable to instill any sort of team discipline or team-first attitude in his players, and is willing to throw the development of the organization’s most impotant young player under the bus on the remote chance that he might win a meaningless game in a lost season and save his own behind for one more game; 3)The invisible owner is missing, in Europe. From here until January it’s every player for himself, folks. Can’t stand the thought of another rebuilding process? Check out the rotted building foundation and think again. Save a half dozen players and let’s bite the bullet.
Woe is us.
November 24th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I read on Peter King’s Monday Morning QB that Brady told him that he not only has a fracture, but damage to some tendons that makes it hard to throw. If the guy’s hurt to the point where you’re going to pull him when he makes a mistake, don’t play him. Maybe Anderson can improve some of his trade value by playing decent until the finger heals.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
RAC taking out BQ just shows me that RAC is on a short leash with Phil Savage and he was doing whatever he could to save his job. Like a cat in a bag waiting to drown, RAC is kicking and screaming and trying anything he can to stay alive, but eventually he’s going to run out of air. I don’t know if he’ll get fired mid-season, but there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s gone after this season.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Being a few days before Thanksgiving and all… I think I’d put RAC and PS at the same dinner table as Art Modell, John Elway, Ray Lewis, and Hitler.
If BQ’s hurt then bench him. I’d rather not see him play hurt on a team filled with less than mediocre performances by key players and a coaching staff that makes decisions by flipping a coin. (Although the coin toss is generous, assuming they’d have to be right 50% of the time.) I’d hate to destroy BQ’s psyche by forcing him to play in such a dysfunctional system while hurt. I say let Derek “Sparky” Anderson enjoy his last season as a non-scout team player. If we’re lucky, his inconstiency will lean more towards the positive side and we can trade him to an arena league team for some Athletic tape, shoe laces, and jock straps. This may be one of the most painful seasons ever to be a Browns fan. High expectations with a few shimmers of potential sprinkled in during a few games/series, but quickly put at bay by an incompetent staff, injuries, and a pretty rough schedule.
The Browns can adopt the slogan of our Country right now…
“Change 2008″
This season is over.
Let’s go Cavs.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
And this is exactly what I was afraid of when people were calling for Brady Quinn to play all season long…
Thanks to impatient fans, an incompetent coach, a horrid organization, and a team that doesn’t give a crap we just Tim Couch’d Brady Quinn’s career. Kudos to everybody.
I told you all so.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:43 am
Once again the Browns lied in regards to the seriousness of the Quinn injurys as well in regards to the King report. Go figure.