2002 Browns: How, Why?

by jobe on May 29, 2009 12:55 AM EDT Comment 19 comments

Hello everybody. I'm a Packers fan and post regularly over at Acme Packing Company. This may sound like a strange request but this is a question that has been vexing my football-centric mind for years. How did the 2002 Cleveland Browns make the NFL playoffs?

I don't remember there being any pro bowlers from that team. 'Course, thats such an unscientific way of gauging roster talent. But I think about the starting lineup of that team and I find average players at best littering the roster. I understand Kelly Holcomb took over Tim Couch and played very well that season, but the guys he had to throw to were no names as well. I mean Quincy Morgan, Kevin Johnson, Dennis Northcutt? Thats not a playoff calibur receiving corps in my mind.

And what about the defense? I can't think of one difference maker on that defense. I mean Kenard Lang wasn't bad, and while Gerard Warren wasn't terrible he never came close to living up to his potential.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this has to be one of the least talented teams to make the playoffs. By no means am I knocking, in fact I found it quite easy to route for that squad. All I want are some answers.

And yes, if you want my opinion on Favre, or how the Packers went 6-10 last year, I'll be more than happy to give it to you.

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'Talent' is overrated

This topic is pointless, it’s all about execution on the field. If talent meant everything the Cowboys and Redskins would be winning it all every year.

by homerun21 on May 29, 2009 7:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's not 'pointless' on defense

You honestly gotta have the horses to have a good defense. Thats what made this Brown’s team so perplexing. They had an alright defense with some not very good players.

Honestly, the Redskins don’t have talented players. Just because they pay those guys alot of money doesn’t mean they’re necessarily good. Antwaan Randle El is not ‘good’, he just catches alot of short balls in their below average offense. Year in year out, the Redskins pay their guys like their all good, yet very few of their players are worth the money they’re paid.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on May 29, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There is some truth to your assertion that you have to have good players to field a good defense, but I think there’s a lot more to it than that. In my mind, the single most important ingredient is having a defensive scheme which maximizes the abilities of the players. Conversely, it could be acquiring players to fit into the schemes the team is running. Everybody (and I mean everybody) in the NFL is talented – way to the right end of the bell curve of physical ability. Even in that rarefied pool, there are of course some individuals who still stand out. They’re literally the best of the best. That kind of player (and there are very few of them) can succeed in virtually any defensive plan. However, for most players their productivity is going to be a product of their own abilities and the way they are utilized by the coaching staff. Another element is that, as I remember it, that team had very few bad players: those well below average for their position.

So, to cut to the chase, the 2002 Browns defense simply worked because there was a happy merging of ability and defensive schemes, mixed probably with a certain modicum of luck. But, as we’ve often heard, luck can be the residue of good planning.

I also think Morgan, Johnson, and Northcutt were a decent receiving trio. No real stars among them, but that’s partially because we now have the luxury of looking at them in hindsight. None of them went on to have a stellar career, but at that time they were all decent to good receivers. I especially liked Kevin Johnson, and I can tell you that the 2008 Browns would have gladly taken that trio in comparison with the crew they had to work with.

by drjeo on May 29, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is exactly wrong. The Cowboys are the third most talented team in the NFC East, just like they were at the start of last season.

www.lowbrowsophisticate.com

by kwoog on May 29, 2009 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Redskins are not the 2nd most talented team in the NFL. Not even close. Certainly not before they got Haynesworth, and he has yet to play his first season with them.

I agree with your point, but the Redskins are a pretty bad way to back it up.

by rufio on May 30, 2009 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A lot of things went right for the Browns to make the playoffs (even overcame a couple things that went wrong)

Career years from Couch and Holcomb. A career game from William Green against the Falcons. A fairly easy schedule. The defense was somehow able to keep games fairly low scoring (don’t ask me how)

We ended up winning only 9 games, but somehow won I think a 4 team tiebreaker to make the playoffs

And we should have beaten the Steelers in the first round!

by Roger Dorn on May 29, 2009 11:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I will never forget that game against the Steelers. Kelly Holcomb had the game of his life. I still can’t believe we blew that lead; if only Dennis Northcutt had held on to that third won pass we would have won the game. I watched that game with my buddy who’s a Steelers fan which made it even worse.

by Buckeye Brad on May 29, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m sorry.

by rufio on May 30, 2009 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I recall from that game is that for the first 2 1/2 quarters while the Steelers defense focused on coverage down field, the Browns acknowledged that given the sloppy field conditions they were better off going after the QB. Then, inexplicably, in the middle of the third quarter the Browns defense reduced their pressure on the QB, failed to cover the Pittsburgh receivers, and the rest is painful history.

by JustBob on May 30, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think a lot of what went into that was an easy schedule and a solid, veteran team. There was no huge weakness on the team. QB play was very solid. O-line was solid if unspectacular. McCutcheon and Henry were actually a very good CB combo. The team played cohesively and believed in the scheme. The hail mary made up for the helmet toss, and we were able to pull together 9 wins in a year where that turned out to be enough.

by danvail on May 29, 2009 1:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

For whatever reason that season, we had great comeback ability to compensate for our lack of “stars”. We had some veteran linebackers that weren’t great, and we ended up gutting them the next season for Ben Taylor, Andra Davis, and Kevin Bentley I believe.

A bunch of veterans seemed to be the key. Hmm…kind of like what Mangini is doing now?

Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.

by ChrisPokorny on May 29, 2009 2:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I honestly don’t remember. KJ could have been a good #2 WR probably. Morgan and Northcutt were kinda fast.

We weren’t that talented, from what little I do remember.

by rufio on May 30, 2009 12:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, Kevin Johnson was a good WR for a while. I still remember him catching the Hail Mary pass from Tim Couch for the Browns’ first victory in 1999. I was watching in my dorm room and went running down the halls yelling afterwards.

by Buckeye Brad on May 30, 2009 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just curious, where did you go to college?

by BradyQuinnisBeast on May 30, 2009 3:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Youngstown State for undergrad, Ohio State for grad school.

by Buckeye Brad on May 30, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have to shout out to the fellow Penguin! Now I understand why you seem so intelligent in your postings! :-)
(sorry to go off subject but I still get excited when I see someone from home)

Fooootball has been beary beary good to me.

by doggrad87 on May 30, 2009 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So, jobe, what is your opinion on Favre?

by BradyQuinnisBeast on May 30, 2009 12:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think he's a wanker

But this hasn’t been recent. Starting in about 2005 I started to see what a diva he had become. I’m sure if I wasn’t seeing it through rose colored glasses, I would’ve recognized it much earlier.

But this isn’t ESPN, we don’t have to talk about Favre. What about Corey Williams. Sorry he hasn’t been working out for you guys.

by jobe on May 30, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs