Bleacher Report - Articles by Justin Graves

Stop Saying There's Always Next Year: The Cleveland Browns Need to Win Now

Justin Graves — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:34:25 -0400

Let's take you back to last season, 4-12 record. How many Browns fans can say they wanted Romeo out, Anderson traded, and to clean house and start over?

Well, I say to that "you wanted it, you got it". The Cleveland Browns are the laughing stock of the NFL, this team can't get out of their own way, we are witnessing the Detroit Lions of last season.

Browns Head Coach Eric "Mangenius" has completely shut this team down.

They're fighting in the locker room? What is this? They could act like the "pros" they claim to be.

Why is it that the Browns are in the headlines for the wrong reasons every week? Maybe it's because the coach is too busy fining players for not paying their bottled water bills in hotels! What how is this even possibly a issue? Eric Mangini has zero control over a team that needs not only a coach, but also some one to guide them to doing something they can't do alone, win!

Coach Mangini stop riding Belichick's coattails and play your game, enough is enough.

People respond better when they are treated like adults especially with egos that are bigger than the NFL. You cannot go on acting like these players parents, maybe Mr. Hoody has his way of discipline, but you need to find your own.

Bill has his rings. To get yours, you need to come up with some focus on what important in and out of the locker room.

So the question all offseason...Anderson or Quinn. Well, Browns fans, I'm afraid the dream is over.

Yes, it was a nice thought that a GQ, subway star, was going to take this team to the promise land.

Quinn may have been a star in South Bend, but that's come and gone.

From what I've witnessed, he looks like a lost child in the pocket—prone to panic. He has no sense of where he is, where his blockers are, or where the blitz is coming from.

Some times I think I see him on his tippy toes trying to see over the line. With a suspect deep ball and the pocket presence of a fourth-string practice squad waterboy, Brady Quinn will fade out of the Browns eyes like Mr. Couch. No one ever said the truth is easy to swallow.

Now to Derek Anderson. Here is a guy that could have demanded a trade after he lost his job. He accepted the fact that Quinn got in because of the hype surrounding him.

Derek Anderson will be the Browns savior this year, mark my words. Last year he was plagued by some problems in his receivers butterfingers. Edwards dropped numerous balls that could have been game-winning, or at least game-changing.

Anderson's frustration in his dropped throws led him to desperation. His three interceptions in the Ravens game, while trying to overcome a 20-point deficit, when forcing the ball in to receivers that weren't open was the only way to return fire during a beatdown like that.

You can't blame the guy for trying, also, give him credit at least they weren't shutout, thanks to his decent drive. Anderson with time and support will be a leader: he will take the Browns far.

Defense, running game and all-around playcalling, what can be said.

McDonald is a joke. The kid is always facing the wrong direction when he is in coverage. Turn around!

Jamal Lewis is still on and off. The Browns are not going to get a 1,000 yard season out of him ever again. It's time to let the other two great running backs we have take his job.

As far as playcalling, take a few more risks, this season may hang in the balance of a 4th-and-goal. They will not win on the leg of kicker Phil Dawson, who is currently injured, so it's time to let the big dawgs get in there and put six up for the hungry pound that is pacing the fence line waiting for a piece of victory.

Browns fans, it has been far too long since you have tasted the raw flavor of domination.

I for one am sick of saying there's always next year.

Cleveland Browns let's stop the neutering now. Let's throw a bone to these loyal fans and give them something to finally bark about. Simply put its time to stop whining and start winning.

Cleveland Browns: Gut Check Time!

Justin Graves — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:14:16 -0500

I can't even emphasizes how disappointed I am in how the Browns season has turned out.

I ask myself. "Am I that surprised"?

No! I'm not, last year was a fluke they won a lot of games that came down to the wire. This year, they were not so lucky. The Browns also played some bad teams last year, this year they play some real contenders.

As it goes, they still lose the games the should win and they pull out victories over the Super Bowl champs. They possibly gave the Giants their only loss of the year. What happened to that team? I watched a team that was non existent until that game and that hasn't showed up once since.

Trying to understand this team is like trying to figure out the opposite sex. You can spend the rest of your life pondering it and never figure it out. Luckily for Browns fans, they only have to scratch their heads for 16 weeks.

The Browns had Pro Bowlers on this team and still managed to blow their season. Braylon Edwards leads the league in dropped passes. Last year, he did as well but found a way to grab enough really important balls to get wins. I hope he enjoyed the Pro Bowl; you can bet he will never get another vote to get in again.

Derek Anderson was also in, he was a gun slinger with 29 touchdown passes. Now he is a backup quarterback. That, to me, is a huge fall from grace, thanks for bringing shame to a team with QB disease. He will be lucky to keep even that job when the blowout '08 is all said and done.

The Cleveland Browns had way too many high expectations, this team cant get out of its own way. It's not like the teams who beat them are crushing them. The Browns are finding ways to lose games. They beat themselves and gift wrapped wins to teams who didn't deserve them.

How many draft pick did we give up to stack our D-line? How's that working out?

The Browns are still one of the worst run stopping teams in the NFL. The corners and safety's are not that good, but if they can't stop the run, they can't stop the pass. It's mind blowing some of the defensive packages I've seen this year. Here Mel Tucker, here is a idea, try blitzing a team once in a while.

So, we had a bad defense last year this year its worse. The offense kept us winning last year, and we all have seen how that did this year. I just don't get the play calling or the personal we use or don't use. This team has so many weapons, they just can't figure out when and were to use them.

I just have to wonder how long some of our best players are gonna fight for a team who is this inconsistent. How long will it be before they all demand trades, or get traded. Face facts, the Browns are a bad team. New coach, new GM, I'm not sure if it will help, I just can't imagine this team ever not breaking my heart.

Cleveland Browns: Is All Hope Gone?

Justin Graves — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:19:20 -0500

Well, Browns fans; you asked for it, you got it.

Brady Quinn will be your starter in Thursday’s game versus the Broncos. Derek Anderson's benching was 95 percent your call and five percent management’s. I was at the Ravens game. I heard the chants of "Brady, Brady, Brady." We all know that filling the seats is the priority in this business.

The fans ask, and they shall receive.

Is this how the Cleveland Browns run their team?

They will put in Quinn on a short week, with no time to prepare, and on a national spotlight—all because the fans are upset with the current play of Anderson? How can we expect this kid to have a chance when the Browns are just trying to cover up a deep-rooted issue with this team?

First off, no one can blame Anderson for this team falling from grace. When your defense can't find a way to get off the field, giving up a two-touchdown lead in two possessions; no team can win like that. Captain drop-ball Edwards and the running game can thank Anderson for taking the fall for their awful play. Benching half the team wouldn't work, though. Someone had to take the blame; Anderson has the position that the fans wanted replaced.

To the management, letting the fans dictate the quarterback situation was wrong no matter the circumstance. Try taking a look at the coaching first. The play calling on this team reminds me off my youth days when coaches could call nothing but running plays.

Yes, Anderson was struggling but when you can't establish the ground war you go to work up top. The weapons the Browns have in their receiving core outstanding! You would rather throw Anderson under the bus, put Quinn in a high pressure situation and possibly mentally break every fan out there, than look at what really needs looking at.

Coaching is what’s wrong with this team.

Now as Anderson will wait to be traded at the end of the season and with Quinn trying to pull this team in the right direction, we the fans get to hope that this kid can lead us to the Promised Land.

I have great faith in Quinn; I still have great faith in Anderson. I know Quinn will struggle until the coaching is corrected and all of the other players get in the game that they are being paid millions to play. All hope is gone for this Browns fan.

If we get rid of Anderson, our backup is now Dorsey. If Quinn fails, we have nothing. At least with Quinn on the bench learning and Anderson playing decent ball we had hope for the future.

Now the time is here and we will once again see how the future will look for the Browns. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but at what cost?

Cleveland Browns: WHY NOT QUINN?

Justin Graves — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 04:55:37 -0400

The Cleveland Browns quarterback situation is another cause for talk this year. Derek Anderson is starting to look like a flash-in-the-pan and another disappointment. Quarterback letdowns have plagued the browns since the early ‘90s when they traded Kosar.

Now, with the Browns so called “high-powered” offense looking more like a grounded hijacked Delta—the questions come up.

When will Quinn get the start?

Not yet!

This season is still young enough to turn around. There is still time for Anderson to show us how he can rebound from rocky starts. Anderson, though struggling, has proved that he can still take control of a game and lead the charge down the field. Quinn has showed his skills at holding a clipboard; imagine if he came in this early in the season.

The Browns fans at the height of frustration may not tolerate another draft dud. At least now with Quinn on the sidelines, Browns fans can have the hope of a good future quarterback. When Anderson has proved he can't handle this leader position and the season is out of reach—that's when we will see Quinn.

This way there is no pressure on the young man—no hope for playoffs. He can just go out like its preseason and get comfortable in the pocket, and learn this game. We all remember what happens when pressures of this game drive players to the breaking point.

Couch, or as I've seen jerseys with the “C” ripped off, was another hope that fans put way too many expectations on. He had no time to learn the NFL; we threw him to the wolves and looked what happened. We don't need to repeat the past—to learn from it is a much better move.

Anderson is still a high value to the Cleveland Browns. He is mobile, tall, and the awareness is great in this young man. Pressure is getting to him; he is thinking too much about last year and not settling down in the pocket. His accuracy and throwing power is still there, but he is just rushing himself in the pocket.

Two more seconds in the pocket, and he would complete 90-percent of his passes. Not to worry, we will see Quinn when the time is right. Remember, hope can keep Browns fans sane. I'm putting faith in Anderson, and if he lets the season get out of reach then so be it—what’s the playoffs if you can’t dominate.

Quinn can come in and play the last few games of the season, and next spring camp the competition is on. When you’re a Browns fan you can't do anything but say, “there is always next year.” That’s the cold truth believe it or not.

This team will make it some day, but as for me, I want to keep wearing my Anderson jersey and keep my Quinn jersey on stand by for the future.