Cleveland Browns Midweek Thoughts: Staying on the Same Page

While deconstructing last Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, my thoughts inevitably turn to the debacle that was the Brown's passing game.

Debating what went wrong with Brady Quinn and his receivers was an enlightening exercise because one unarguable fact rose to the surface during this debate:  Braylon Edwards doesn’t know what he’s doing.

I suggested more reps with Quinn were needed, but conceded that was splitting hairs. This “splitting hairs” point was proven, as my brother pointed out, by watching the Bears/Packers game where Jay Cutler was equally as bad at finding his receivers.

Then when you think about Edwards through the years, you have to remember he left Derek Anderson with a whole lot of nothing as well. Former Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano was pretty adamant on STO Monday night that Edwards just can’t run routes.

With that being said, I’m pretty sure Edwards time in Cleveland is coming to an end, because I have to believe Eric Mangini sees the same things Rutigliano does. What happens to Edwards, though, still is a mystery.

Plus, when you look back at the preseason, Quinn went out of his way to NOT throw the ball Edwards’ way.

Tight end Robert Royal ended up being the team’s leading receiver in Week One and recipient of the touchdown-scoring throw, for cryin’ out loud!

While the Edwards avoidance policy probably contributed to the interception throw, you can hardly blame Quinn for not wanting to throw to the guy. Edwards scouting report says just two things on it:

1. Braylon Edwards drops most passes thrown his way.
2. Braylon Edwards should not be the target of the passing game as he tends to drop most passes thrown his way.

I’ll concede Edwards had a spectacular catch that was ruled incomplete that was a touchdown, but that’s the problem with Edwards, he never seems to make those big catches without some kind of asterisk attached.

The bigger problem with the Browns passing game at this point is the complete lack of talent at the position, not that I haven’t said that same statement three or four times already. What Mangini did with that problem on Sunday is what’s perplexing.

Edwards was on the field, but basically was a non-participant because not only can he not catch the ball or run routes, he doesn’t handle the blocking aspects of the job well, either.

I don’t know if Mike Furrey even suited up for the game and Joshua Cribbs was busy being forced to not fool anybody with the Wildcat formation on the goal line.

Mohamed Massaquoi, whose name I can now spell without having to look it up, was on the field for a few plays, but I don’t recall seeing Brian Robiskie at all.

With a defense like Minnesota’s versus the run, the Browns were wise to try and throw the ball more, but it’s hard to keep a defense on their toes if all your wide receivers are over on the sidelines drinking Gatorade.

Like in the preseason, I expect Mangini will have the team looking much better in Week Two. It takes bad games to make teams better since their flaws all are exposed for the world to see.

The difference between this year and last year is that we have a head coach who is much more capable of fixing those flaws.

A note about special teams

Leon Williams and DeAngelo Smith were both cut this week; signed were wide receiver Ray Ventrone and offensive lineman Billy Yates.

Despite being labeled a wide receiver, Ventrone played mainly on the Patriots special teams unit last year. Given how bad our special teams blocking was versus the Vikings, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say Ventrone won’t be catching many passes for the Browns.

While Cribbs runback for a touchdown was spectacular, his conversion to second wide receiver/Wildcat punching bag means he no longer participates on the defensive side of the special teams. It’s a tradeoff.

Yates signing makes sense in the sense that our offensive line can’t remember their own snap counts in their own stadium.

Finally, I was happy to see Mangini take the blame for the bad play calling on the goal line, even though it originated from offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. It was his prerogative to accept or deny the call and he shouldered the responsibility.

I point this out because I expected Mangini to just give a bland, “we’re all accountable” answer to the question.

Rather than check this point on my “Naughty Coach” list, this raised my respect for Mangini. Instead of playing cloak and dagger, he stood up and took the blame.

Don’t let it happen again.