Texans - Browns Post Mortem

Braylon Edwards
Sadly, Braylon Edwards has become a caricature of himself.

We stated a few weeks ago it was no longer amusing to rip the guy and we meant it. I have never seen a player deteriorate so quickly. We can now add a total lack of confidence and not finishing routes off to his resume, which included a poor set of hands.

Brady Quinn’s second pick Sunday was partially a result of Edwards not finishing his route properly. That’s a mortal sin, especially when you are running a quick slant and MUST get inside the cornerback. Derek Anderson was a victim of the same lack of effort from Edwards earlier in the season.

We called for Edwards to sit some last week so he could get his head together and begin to be held accountable for a lack of production. We reiterate for that call again this week. Clearly, he is hurting his team more than helping it right now, and not to mention embarrassing himself.

By not being held accountable, Romeo Crennel is sending a message to the other 52 players on this payroll there are two standards in place – one for Edwards and one for everyone else.

Think about it, how much worse could the next guy in line be?

CHUD
By the way, that slant is being called way too often with a minimal succes rate this fall. Turn the page CHUD.

Quinn
It took RC exactly 11 quarters and his first two professional interceptions to decide Brady Quinn couldn’t get it done. Meanwhile, he (RC) allowed Derek Anderson 92 quarters and 26 interceptions before yanking him.

This one I can’t explain other than to guess that RC felt his team still had playoff hopes and going with Anderson might create a spark and pull out a win, and help him (RC) keep his job.

He’s clearly in denial.

RC should know by now he’s going to be residing in a much different area code at this time next year. My guess is somewhere in New England with the title of Pats’ assistant head coach.

I assumed like everyone else, and wrote as such, the Browns were going nowhere and these final eight games was a good opportunity to see what you have in Quinn.

Thus you would go into the off-season with a body of work on both Quinn and Anderson so you could decide what to do at QB in 2009 - especially with Anderson due a substantial roster bonus if they decided to keep him.

That makes sense, right? Obviously, RC had a different agenda.

It’s clear by now by his actions which quarterback RC favored, and that’s his right, he’s the head coach. If that’s the case, he should stick with Anderson the rest of the way. What he gave Quinn wasn’t a leash; it was a tight noose instead.

I would have liked to have seen if Quinn could have bounced back in the final frame after playing poorly for three quarters. That’s what this on the job training was all about in the first, wasn’t it? It’s called learning from your mistakes.

Unfortunately, RC other plans.

Here’s the second part of my thesis - I believe his assistants and GM Phil Savage finally convinced RC to make the quarterback switch three weeks back. By yanking Quinn yesterday, RC was sending a message he was still in charge.

This is a message he could afford to send this week following Savage’s embarrassing e-mail exchange with Joe Fan following Monday’s win over Buffalo. Savage is damaged goods right now, just like RC, and the coach knows it.

Crennel’s read is that Savage doesn’t have to stones to fire him during the season – especially after Savage’s childish exchange with a fan. And he’s probably right. We’ll know soon enough.

If this team was a “runaway train” as Chris Palmer dubbed it 2000, it’s a meteor heading to earth in record speed in 2008. The following will explain why.

Depth of Ineptitude
I have to admit, I truly believed this team would play well yesterday. Look at the facts coming in – the Texans are not very good, they hadn’t won a road game in a year, and they were playing a back-up quarterback.

Yet, I misread the level of unprofessionalism on the Browns roster. Yes, unprofessionalism. That’s the only way to describe it.

Earlier in the season, I wrote this team lacked leadership. The play on the field and sideline antics indicated as such. However, I underestimated how bad the situation was.

There is no other way to describe the mental mistakes and lack of physical effort that takes place week-in-week out with this team.

From timeouts having to be burned in week #10 when coaches are unable to still get plays called in – as was the case after Edwards’ long reception just inside the Texans’ 20 yard line, to lack of basic tackling skills (which is in large part effort & desire) and everything in-between. This team has huge problems.

Players line up inappropriately (Edwards), receivers don’t get separation from defenders and thus have to push off (K2), and offensive linemen aren't holding their blocks long enough are all symptoms of a bigger problem – lack of effort/concentration (i.e. professionalism).

Jamaal Lewis was right, some guys have quit, or at least are just going through the motions. Either way, it's bad.

How else do you explain trailing Sage Rosenfels and the Texans in your own building from beginning to end?

Performance
Now to the talent level – name me one guy on the roster this side of Shaun Rogers and Phil Dawson who is playing at a high level and earning his money this fall?

You can’t.

That tells you all you need to know when you dress 45 guys and you can only count on two of them every week to perform.

That’s not to say there isn’t any talent here, it’s just a comment on where things are right now.

Next In Line
By the way, Peyton Manning comes to town next week. What do you think the over-under will be on how many incompletions he throws? How does 5 sound?