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LEAVELAND, Ohio -- For fans, this was more than a 27-17 loss to Cincinnati in the Browns' season opener.
This was annoying. This was disorganization. This was a real stinker.
And the punting was lousy, too.
Even worse, it didn't have to be this way. If you watched this game, you have every right to scream, "There's no excuse for this!" The Browns had 11 penalties, two poor punts under little pressure and an offense that suddenly stalled when it meant the most.
Coach Pat Shurmur was even flagged for knocking over an official. He didn't mean it, but he did ... and it was a penalty. Just as rookie Greg Little didn't mean to "nail a guy who bounced into Josh [Cribbs]," according to Shurmur. That cost Cribbs what could have been a long return in the fourth quarter.
But none of that was the turning point. I kept asking myself, "Exactly how did the Browns lose this game?"
I saw it. I saw it over and over. I saw Bengals rookie receiver A.J. Green line up wide right. I saw the Browns in what must be their new GMA defense -- General Milling Around. It's 11 guys sort of standing near the middle of the field with no discernible purpose, other than perhaps waiting for someone to bring out the water.
Bengals quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was in because starter Andy Dalton was knocked out with a wrist injury at the end of the first half. With the Browns leading, 17-13, in the fourth quarter, Gradkowski quickly brought the Bengals to the line of scrimmage. He noticed Green was being treated by the Browns secondary as if he had dragon breath. No one was within 15 yards of him.
http://www.cleveland...ason_debut.html
This was annoying. This was disorganization. This was a real stinker.
And the punting was lousy, too.
Even worse, it didn't have to be this way. If you watched this game, you have every right to scream, "There's no excuse for this!" The Browns had 11 penalties, two poor punts under little pressure and an offense that suddenly stalled when it meant the most.
Coach Pat Shurmur was even flagged for knocking over an official. He didn't mean it, but he did ... and it was a penalty. Just as rookie Greg Little didn't mean to "nail a guy who bounced into Josh [Cribbs]," according to Shurmur. That cost Cribbs what could have been a long return in the fourth quarter.
But none of that was the turning point. I kept asking myself, "Exactly how did the Browns lose this game?"
I saw it. I saw it over and over. I saw Bengals rookie receiver A.J. Green line up wide right. I saw the Browns in what must be their new GMA defense -- General Milling Around. It's 11 guys sort of standing near the middle of the field with no discernible purpose, other than perhaps waiting for someone to bring out the water.
Bengals quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was in because starter Andy Dalton was knocked out with a wrist injury at the end of the first half. With the Browns leading, 17-13, in the fourth quarter, Gradkowski quickly brought the Bengals to the line of scrimmage. He noticed Green was being treated by the Browns secondary as if he had dragon breath. No one was within 15 yards of him.
http://www.cleveland...ason_debut.html
