The Offseason Has Begun
by Chris Pokorny on Jan 2, 2008 9:08 PM EST
in General News
29 comments
And...I'm Back.
Last season, I reviewed the finale between the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Texans on the same night the game occurred. Why was I able to post so quickly after the season had ended? Because I had already been braced for the end of the season. Several weeks prior to that final game of the season, it was confirmed that the Browns were eliminated from postseason contention. That wasn't the case this season.
After winning on Sunday, I was ready to watch the game that had prevented me from sleeping the night before out of anticipation: the Tennessee Titans vs. the Indianapolis Colts. When the kickoff was about to start, I was shaking. Throughout the entire game, I was shaking. When the game ended...everything was over. No, life wasn't over (because after all, it's still "just" a game). However, something I look forward to every Sunday during the regular season, especially in a winning season, felt like it ended prematurely.
I thought to myself, "how can I possibly feel like giving my assessment of the Browns/49ers game when in essence it really didn't mean a damn thing?" There were a lot of other things I could've posted about the following morning.
I could've posted on Monday and blamed Reggie Wayne for fumbling on the Colts' first offensive drive of the game.
I could've posted on Monday and blamed Jim Sorgi for being a terrible backup quarterback.
I could've posted on Monday and blamed the freakish fact that a more pure quarterback, Kerry Collins, was the reason the Titans won.
I could've posted on Monday and blamed the coin toss for going the Titans' way.
I could've posted on Monday and blamed Tony Dungy for not taking a timeout with about 20 seconds left in the game.
Instead, I decided not to post at all.
Was it because I was bitter?
I wanted to wait a few days until I was back in brighter spirits to better collect my thoughts. When I woke up on Monday, I went back to sleep, because the only thing I could think about was the game I just watched before heading to sleep Sunday night. Things were better Tuesday as I brought in the new year, and here I am today, back and ready to bring you all of the Browns coverage you've come to know and love from this site.
I must, however, still address one of the things I "could've posted on Monday", and that involved Dungy. It was inexcusable for him not to use a timeout towards the end of the game. If you don't want to risk injuries to your starters, I understand that. But when you have your backups in the game, you still need to protect the integrity of the game. Did the potential exist for the Colts to block a potential Rob Bironas field goal and return it for a touchdown? Yes. Did the potential exist for the Titans to go for it on fourth down, not make it, and then have Sorgi heave a miracle play? Yes. Instead, Dungy jogged to mid-field with a stupid little grin on his face as he congratulated a division rival for making it into the postseason.
Cleveland has a grievance -- and the football gods might wax wroth against the Colts. (Dallas did not try to beat Washington, either, but as Minnesota and New Orleans both lost, neither can complain about the Cowboys.)
-Gregg Easterbrook, ESPN Page 2
With that said, the Colts have been my favorite team in football besides the Browns the past several years. And, the Colts are still my next favorite team in football. Something did change as a result of Dungy's decision, and it'll come next season, starting when the league releases the schedules for the 2008-2009 season. We already know that the Browns will be facing the Colts in Cleveland. I'm going to circle that date on my calendar. It won't be a large as the circle I draw for the Steelers, but it'll be significant enough to where every time I see it, I'll remember the timeout that Dungy didn't take.
Hopefully the Browns have a tremendous offseason, enough to the point where they win the AFC North and don't have to play the starters in Week 17. Who would be nice to face in Week 17? I don't know; maybe the Colts? Maybe, just maybe, the Colts and Jaguars will be more neck-and-neck for the division lead next season. If the Browns win, the Jaguars get the division. If the Colts win, they get the division. Surely, with the division wrapped up, we could sit Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow after the first quarter, right? Or, take Derek Anderson (or Brady Quinn) out and feed Ken Dorsey to the wolves? Not a chance. I'd want to see our starters go four quarters and upset the Colts. Then, when our quarterback takes a knee when the Colts are all out of timeouts, I'd laugh as I watch Romeo Crennel jog onto the field with a Belichick-like fist-pump.
No, I'm not bitter. I'm just hungry for more.
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Re: The Offseason Has Begun
First off, thanks for the great coverage this season. I'm already looking forward to hanging out here next season.
I also agree on Indy next season, it will have some interesting subplots when they visit next year, whenever it is.
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
No offense, but as pathetic as Sorgi was, IND could have had the ball inside TEN's 10 ytd line with 2:00 min remaining and still not sniffed the goal line.
A timeout with 20 seconds would have made about as much difference as duct tape during Katrina.
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
"The NFL has a rule saying teams must make a "bona-fide effort" to win..."
Could the Colts have done more? Absolutely. Is it their fault the Browns are sitting at home watching the playoffs instead of playing in them? Absolutely not. Believe it or not, it's the Browns' fault. We easily could have won against the Ravens, Cardinals, or Bengals to secure a spot. It's that simple.
by misterbaseball99 on Jan 3, 2008 9:06 AM EST reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
Now don't get me wrong, I think the Browns had a very good season. I sure didn't expect 10 wins, but I'm glad we got them. And I think that had we made the playoffs, we could have made some noise.
All that said, let's quit blaming officials and other teams' coaches for not being in the playoffs. Derrick Anderson crapped in his pants in the one game that could have decided the fate of the team in week 16. It was laid out in black and white. Beat the Bengals = go to the playoffs. Tony Dungy didn't throw 4 INTs in that game. The officials didn't sandbag us in that game. Lane Kiffin didn't screw us in that game. Our QB laid a turd on the field for all to see.
Why should the Colts give 2 shits whether the Browns make the playoffs or not? In fact, do you suppose it's possible they decided they'd rather face the Titans down the road than the Browns? I'm not saying they blatantly threw the game in a Black Sox-esque scandal like some here seem to think. But their main concern is to look out for their own ass.
As for citing a rule that every team is obligated to put forth an effort to win the game, then every single game as season winds down that a team sits its starters could be considered as violating this rule. Nobody has ever made such a stink about it before. But now it effects our team and we think we are owed something by the Colts. I don't like that argument. I think, and I'm sure Browns players would agree, that the only team responsible for getting the Browns in the playoffs is the Browns.
by misterbaseball99 on Jan 3, 2008 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
I don't blame Dungy for resting his starters -- play whoever you want to play. However, when the game DOES mean a lot to us, whether it was our fault or not, I expect that Dungy should remain consistent. The Colts tried to win that game throughout with the guys they had. Their backup defenders are pretty good, while their backup offensive players aren't. I didn't have a problem with the Colts up until Dungy failed to take a time out. That'd tick me off as a Colts fan, Browns fan, general fan, and any type of fan with the exception of a Titans fan.
by Chris Pokorny on Jan 3, 2008 11:21 AM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
by misterbaseball99 on Jan 3, 2008 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
December is when pro football teams show what they're made of. It's like the "dog days of August" for baseball fans.
As much as the rumors about the fix on the Colts/Titans game reeks to high heaven - the ultimate margin of victory was 6 points in the Titans' favor and the spot was exactly 6 points the same way... - That game was NOT the reason that the Browns are not in the playoffs.
The Browns' game time execution as a team in the stretch was the reason they are not in the playoffs. Every player on the field, and every member of the coaching staff on the field and in the press box, had something to do with it.
Everybody involved with the Browns' game day execution - players and coaches alike - can point to at least one critical play and come away from the tape thinking to himself "I should have done (this) differently and better". One play in either the road game at Arizona or the road game in Cincinnati, on a critical point in the game, could have made the difference.
I'm not saying this to hate, or to say that the Browns should have been in the playoffs instead of Houston... umm, I meant to say the Titans. At the same time, saying "coulda, shoulda, woulda" is as meaningless as the failure of the offensive play calling to execute in Arizona, or the failure to prevent turnovers at the end of the first half in Cincinnati.
Chud's done a great job this year, but he is not blameless... Derek Anderson has come a long way this year, but he is not blameless, either...K2 and Braylon both proved that they are worthy of being top of the first-round picks, but they can both point to catchable passes in the Arizona and Cincinnati games that would have put the team over the top in the game and into the playoffs...
To continue, RAC and the brain trust can look at clock managament and work the time outs and / or challenges better... better managament might have saved one of the games in question. The defense was underrated and heroic in December and even before, but saving -one- game at any point in the season would have also got the team there in and of itself.
I repeat, the result of the Colts/Titans game at the end of the season is not why Cleveland is not in the playoffs.
No amount of whining at the week 17 results or accusations of collusion between Jeff Fisher and Tony Dungy will change this fact. The Head Coach has to manage the game, the Coordinators - Offensive and Defensive) have to coach, and the players have to execute. Without results, nobody is ready for the next step up.
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
by JulioBernazard on Jan 7, 2008 8:25 AM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
After thinking about this some, the only way to help avoid a problem like this in which conference record can dictate a tiebreak is to have AFC teams play only NFC teams in the last week of the season. That way it mitigates the chance of conference record and common opponents record being affected (fewer total games against NFC teams.)
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
by JulioBernazard on Jan 3, 2008 2:48 PM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
All being said, the Cleveland Browns are back, and heading in a direction we have been waiting for since the late 80s.
I am looking fwd to that April date when NFL schedules are released, that's when we will find out who we are playing at home on Sunday or Monday Night Football.
Great stuff all season Chris, I'll be checking back periodically.
Go Browns!
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
by Chris Pokorny on Jan 3, 2008 11:23 AM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
As an aside, I will have a very tough time rooting for anything in this postseason...
I will never root for the Pi**burgh team, and I can't bring myself to root for the team from the Blow Sox city (even with the obvious ties that the head coach has to our fair city... cue in the WHK 1420 Pat McCabe music from Wedding Bell Blues "I love you Bill, I always will..."), and now any rooting interest in Indiana's team is shot out of the water like shooting fish in a barrel. I'll root for anyone to turn the big 4 (including San Diego) out from the playoffs. Here's to competitive balance! Prosit! ak
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
"If true, the Cleveland Browns could possibly file a grievance alleging collusion, which is against NFL rules. The Browns would have made the playoffs if the Titans had lost."
I hope it happens. Would love to see the result of this. The Colts should have known better.
by misterbaseball99 on Jan 3, 2008 12:21 PM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
by Chris Pokorny on Jan 3, 2008 1:16 PM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
by JulioBernazard on Jan 3, 2008 2:51 PM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
by misterbaseball99 on Jan 3, 2008 1:23 PM EST reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
by dawgpounddaily on Jan 3, 2008 1:49 PM EST reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
One Key Point
That one key point is that in all sixteen games, the Browns faced an opponent that was trying to win the game; the Titans did not.
Re: One Key Point
The Browns had by your own admission one game shy of 25% of the season to take care of the situation. THREE OF 16 GAMES IN A SEASON THAT LASTS FROM AUGUST UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER...
As fortunate as a season that it turned out to be, Cleveland had multiple opportunities to get the job done. Instead the Browns chose to give someone else the opportunity to "get the fix in".
Don't get me wrong, the fix stinks like sleeping with the fishes.
At the same time, don't complain that you're naked and cold when you burned and threw away all your clothes.
Re: One Key Point
Re: One Key Point
by JulioBernazard on Jan 7, 2008 8:27 AM EST up reply actions
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
Re: The Offseason Has Begun
Thanx for the great coverage this year. I look forward to participating again next year.
Namaste.
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