chiefwahoo
Golden State blew a 3-1 lead in the 2016 Finals
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2005
- Messages
- 10,224
- Reaction score
- 10,982
- Points
- 123
I think they were being kind:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/columns/story?columnist=williamson_matt&id=2713838
By Matt Williamson
Scouts Inc.
Scouts Inc. examines what went wrong for the 22 teams that did not make the playoffs this season. Here, Matt Williamson analyzes the AFC North teams that missed.
CLEVELAND
The Browns had many problems this season. On the plus side, they played very hard the majority of the season and their special teams were superb. General manager Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel made strides in revamping the roster and bringing in talented players, but depth still remains a huge problem. Injuries didn't help either. The beginning of the end came in Cleveland's first practice of the season when prized free-agent center LeCharles Bentley went down with a season-ending knee injury. Cleveland was clearly the worst team in the AFC North, finishing 0-6 in the division.
Line play: The combined production from Cleveland's offensive and defensive lines was minimal. While a rash of injuries on the offensive line could be blamed for some of the problems, none of the Browns' offensive linemen exceeded expectations. The poor offensive line play was seen week after week in a dismal running game and lack of pass protection. The defensive line was worse. Cleveland's three-man front provided little pass rush and was not deep enough to stop the run.
Poor running back play: This problem, of course, ties in with the one mentioned above. But even without the line's consistently opening holes, the Browns' running backs did very little to create yardage on their own. Starter Reuben Droughns took a huge step back this season and it appears his career is on the decline. He battled injuries for much of the season but was extremely ineffective even when healthy. Cleveland also got next to nothing from fifth-round draft pick Jerome Harrison because of his inability to pick up the blitz. The backs never made big plays or broke long runs and were poor at eluding or punishing tacklers. The offense couldn't score touchdowns on the ground, which killed its red zone production and put far too much pressure on the young quarterbacks.
Injuries: It is easy to cite injuries as a major reason for a poor season, but in the case of the Browns, it simply cannot be overlooked. Bentley was lost in his first practice, and Cleveland had to scramble right up until Week 1 to find a suitable replacement at center. Shortly thereafter, the Browns lost cornerbacks Gary Baxter and Daylon McCutcheon, forcing them to start substandard corners the entire season. On top of that, their best defensive player, corner Leigh Bodden, was in and out of the lineup all season. At times, the Browns started cornerbacks who wouldn't be able to make many NFL rosters. Right tackle was also a revolving door, and the Browns simply didn't have the depth along the offensive line to deal with these hardships.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/columns/story?columnist=williamson_matt&id=2713838
By Matt Williamson
Scouts Inc.
Scouts Inc. examines what went wrong for the 22 teams that did not make the playoffs this season. Here, Matt Williamson analyzes the AFC North teams that missed.
CLEVELAND
The Browns had many problems this season. On the plus side, they played very hard the majority of the season and their special teams were superb. General manager Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel made strides in revamping the roster and bringing in talented players, but depth still remains a huge problem. Injuries didn't help either. The beginning of the end came in Cleveland's first practice of the season when prized free-agent center LeCharles Bentley went down with a season-ending knee injury. Cleveland was clearly the worst team in the AFC North, finishing 0-6 in the division.
Line play: The combined production from Cleveland's offensive and defensive lines was minimal. While a rash of injuries on the offensive line could be blamed for some of the problems, none of the Browns' offensive linemen exceeded expectations. The poor offensive line play was seen week after week in a dismal running game and lack of pass protection. The defensive line was worse. Cleveland's three-man front provided little pass rush and was not deep enough to stop the run.
Poor running back play: This problem, of course, ties in with the one mentioned above. But even without the line's consistently opening holes, the Browns' running backs did very little to create yardage on their own. Starter Reuben Droughns took a huge step back this season and it appears his career is on the decline. He battled injuries for much of the season but was extremely ineffective even when healthy. Cleveland also got next to nothing from fifth-round draft pick Jerome Harrison because of his inability to pick up the blitz. The backs never made big plays or broke long runs and were poor at eluding or punishing tacklers. The offense couldn't score touchdowns on the ground, which killed its red zone production and put far too much pressure on the young quarterbacks.
Injuries: It is easy to cite injuries as a major reason for a poor season, but in the case of the Browns, it simply cannot be overlooked. Bentley was lost in his first practice, and Cleveland had to scramble right up until Week 1 to find a suitable replacement at center. Shortly thereafter, the Browns lost cornerbacks Gary Baxter and Daylon McCutcheon, forcing them to start substandard corners the entire season. On top of that, their best defensive player, corner Leigh Bodden, was in and out of the lineup all season. At times, the Browns started cornerbacks who wouldn't be able to make many NFL rosters. Right tackle was also a revolving door, and the Browns simply didn't have the depth along the offensive line to deal with these hardships.
