Cleveland Browns' Offensive Struggles: Who Is Really To Blame?

(Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

As the Cleveland Browns prepare for this Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they may be happy to finally be in the win column, but is there really anything to be happy about last Sunday's win versus the Buffalo Bills?

So the Browns were able to run the ball for two consecutive weeks in a row (both Jerome Harrison and Jamal Lewis have run for over 100 yards), but the offense in general just doesn't seem to be clicking on all cylinders.

So the Browns proved that they can beat the Bills twice over a seven month span, but they have yet to beat any other NFL team in the regular season during that span.

Also, the Browns have still only scored three offensive touchdowns in that seven month span, too.

The signs all point to an offense that is in serious trouble.

Usually, when a team can run the ball, then that translates into a successful passing game and points result in the end.

This is not the case with the Browns.

Something is not right on offense, and it is obviously not the offensive line nor in the running game, but it is in the passing game.

Okay, no Braylon Edwards does really hurt the receiving corps, since there is no main threat that can dictate the defensive coverages.

One of the younger receivers (either Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie, or Chansi Stuckey) need to step up and become the Browns' go-to guy.

Massaquoi may be that player, especially when you look at his performance against the Bengals, but oh yeah, he had Edwards lining up and drawing extra coverage, which enabled Massaquoi to make plays.

Regardless, Massaquoi looks to be the Browns' future No. 1 receiver, but without a true No. 2 receiver, he will have some trials over the following weeks until there is a No. 2 guy.

Even through Massaquoi only had one catch versus the Bills, he was still targeted six times, and it shows the Browns have a commitment to continue to get him the ball.

Another issue with the offense that is quite evident is that Derek Anderson still has the same issues that all Browns fans have known he has had.

These issues are: troubles with short passes, batted balls at the line of scrimmage, and bad choices with throwing into coverages that are too tight.

Anderson's problems are well known, but Mangini seems to allow these problems to continue.

Hopefully, Mangini and his staff are working with Anderson to help him minimize these issues, but until the problems do not show themselves on the field, then Browns fans will continue to understand that Anderson may not be the long-term fix at quarterback.

The question that Browns fans must be asking themselves right now is: How long until Mangini pulls the plug on Anderson and goes to his guy Brett Ratliff?

Finally, some of the blame must go onto Offensive Coordinator Brain Daboll.

When the Browns played the Bengals, the play-calling looked solid with a great mix of pass and run, but versus the Bills, the play-calling looked like it has from the first three game of the season, with a ultra-conservative approach and too many run plays straight up the middle.

When will Daboll realize that running Lewis up the middle is okay because he is a bigger and stringer running back, but running Harrison up the middle makes no sense because he has speed that is better utilized on the outside or off-tackle?

Daboll is still learning on the job, but after a great offensive performance in game four, how does the offense step back in game five?

Daboll needs to get his play-calling on the right track, otherwise the rest of 2009 might look more like it did in the Bills game rather than the Bengals game.

(Article originally posted on Dawg Scooper)

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