Well, we’ve known for months now that the Browns wouldn’t be taking part in the playoffs. But short of that, Saturday’s doubleheader really couldn’t have turned out much better for fans of the orange and brown.
First, there was the delicious defeat of the dreaded Ravens, those bastard children of the original Cleveland Browns. In a grudge match against the franchise that had earlier spurned the city, host Baltimore was hoist on its own petard. Outrushed by the team with the NFL’s most porous run defense, outsmarted player and coach alike, and yes, out of luck, they recovered none of the three fumbles offered up by the team with the oh-so-familiar lucky symbol on its helmet. And center square Ray Lewis tipped away two sure interceptions from his teammates.
The Football Fates were in fine form, for once.
The nightcap saw Jeff Garcia’s carriage return to overripe pumpkin. As a Brown in 2004, he was a disaster on and off the field. He took a bad situation here and made it even worse, failing in his core responsibilities as a teammate, a leader, an object of fan respect, and — of course — a quarterback. His resurgence with the Eagles this season was welcome to the extent that it further proved the multidimensional ineptitude of PHD (that’s Butch Davis, in case you forgot). But the ink on that exclamation point had long since dried, and to see Garcia advance further would have only made Browns football suffer by comparison.
So it was with some gratitude that I enjoyed the Saints’ victory. That team is a tremendous story in itself, and I wouldn’t mind a bit if it leaves the Browns on an even shorter list of non-Super Bowl teams. Plus, New Orleans features four former Browns players. We all know about Jeff Faine, and we were able to watch his tattooed arms haul Deuce McAllister into the end zone in the third quarter. Less remembered, though, are the Saints’ three tight ends — Mark Campbell, Billy Miller, and John Owens — all late of Cleveland, and they combined for 108 receiving yards. I can enjoy that in full knowledge that I’ll keep our current TE trio over that one or any other in the league.
Small pleasures, I know.
As for today’s games, I have no strong feelings on Chicago/Seattle, but I’m definitely pulling for San Diego over New England, or, put another way, Marty over Mumbles. Though far from perfect, Marty remains the only Browns coach out of the last 11 to sport a winning record, Mumbles included. In the meantime, Belichick has won more than his share already.
Looking over the active rosters for former Browns, I’ll take the Chargers’ starting WR Keenan McCardell and Roman Oben, a former starter at tackle, over the Pats’ emergency QB Vinnie Testaverde and backup CB Ray Mickens. The ex-Browns slant is also in the Chargers’ favor when it comes to assistant coaches, including their TE coach, Chud, who (personal bias admitted) would be a fine candidate for the open job as Browns’ offensive coordinator.
