Funny, the Browns win their first game in 273 days, and I have little to say. The 20-12 victory in Cincinnati was as unimpressive as it was necessary.
Yesterday confirmed that the Browns are a talented team prone to underperform. I have little doubt that Carson Palmer would have beaten the Browns soundly had he been healthy.
Instead, the Bengals lost this game even more than the Browns won it. Mike Brown can start rubbing nickels together to pay for an inevitable top-three draft pick.
Rather than basking in one-handed TD catches, five turnovers forced, and 134 rushing yards, I’m left feeling that it’s about damn time.
And as for the non-appearance of Brady Quinn, I’m sure it’s just a matter of time. I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t take the field at some point in October.
Nice to see:
- Cribbs running away from his wedge and breaking a 44-yard return
- Aggressive defense — DBs flying into the backfield, both OLBs forcing fumbles, stifling their rushing game (28 yards for Chris Perry)
- Harrison’s speed incorporated into the game plan
- Jamal establishing the run early
- Wheelie free in the secondary
Troubling themes repeated:
- Behavioral issues from the Detroit Diva
- Poor clock management near halftime
- Several putrid passes from the beleaguered Big Three
- Lack of containment on QB scrambles
- Plentiful pre-snap penalties
Yes, the season has faint hope, but you won’t find me waxing poetic on the remaining glimmer of promise, mostly mathematical anyway. Maybe mix in another two or three starters returned to health, filter out some of the sloppiness, and pull off the upset the Bengals nearly managed, that being the toppling of the Giants.
Then we’ll talk.
