0-4 Browns

The bar is so low in Cleveland when it comes to professional football that there were actually people locally praising the Browns’ effort against the Bengals.

That’s right, Cincinnati went on the road and gave up a ton of yards on special teams, fumbled a kick return deep in their end, couldn’t convert on a chip shot field or on a potential game-winning PAT late, allowed the Browns to produce their first 100 yard back in two years and still won.

Yet, the Browns were praised by many for “being competitive.” Nice.

Kudos to Josh Cribbs, who almost single-handedly won the game by giving Cleveland ridiculous field position time and time again, to rookie receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who had a breakout game with eight grabs for well over 100 yards, to James Harrison, for rushing for over 120 yards, to safety Brodney Pool, for playing perhaps his best game as a pro, and to Shaun Rogers, who dominated on the kick block unit.

As for the rest of the players and coaching staff, this was a win that got away – nothing more nothing less. And the last time I checked, the goal is still to win the game in the NFL. Moral victories are nice when dealing with Little Leaguers, not professional athletes and coaches, who currently stand at 0-4, are paid to win, and not just to finally show up 1/4 of the way into the season.

This leads us to this week’s game between the sub par 1-3 Bills and the hapless 0-4 Browns. Contrary to the popular belief locally that the Browns are now finally headed in the right direction after at least showing up last Sunday, we believe the mediocre Bills will win at home unless they decide to play atrociously on special teams, let a back rush for 100+ yards against them in their building and turn in over to the Browns deep in their own end a couple times. Even with all that, they might still pull it off in overtime against this Browns team. Cincinnati did.

Let’s say 27-17 Bills with TO finally making some plays. As always, we hope we’re wrong and there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

One final note on last week’s loss at home to the Super Bowl bound Bengals - someone needs to tell Cleveland’s offense coordinator not to jump up and down giving high fives to anyone in the vicinity and generally cheering like a fat drunk in the top row of the stadium after his offense scores.

Act like you know what you are doing, instead of like you are thrilled to death your guys finally got it right for once. It just looks bad, very bad.

No, I didn’t forget about Butterfingers. What do you want me to say?

We had it right when we said you don’t take him at 3. We had it right when we said he was underachieving his first two years in the league and they should deal him while he still had some value. We had it right when we congratulated him on an outstanding season in 2007, but noted one season does not make a career. And we had it right when we named him “Butterfingers” long before anyone else figured it out.

We do wish him well with the Jets. Why shouldn't we? He’s probably play well there. He’ll also drop some ball because that’s what he does. Regardless, one good performance on national television while with thr Jets will probably get him a fat contract next year. Coaches never learn.

One thing is still certain – he was another huge miss in the draft for the Browns and epitomizes why this is organization has been so hapless regardless as to who is roaming the sideline and in charge since its return in 1999.