Cleveland Browns Vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Finding Positives In a Browns Loss
A week after losing by three points to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cleveland Browns lost their home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs by two.
Two games, five points and too many missed opportunities have the Browns at 0-2 and struggling to find a win with a brutal schedule looming ahead.
The optimism that surrounded a new front office, a busy off-season and a promising preseason is quickly fading away and Cleveland fans are left scratching their heads and searching for answers.
Browns fans need to be honest with themselves. The Super Bowl was not in sight for 2010.
As cliche as it may be, this is a rebuilding year and the importance of the 2010 season is found in making improvements on the field, not in the win column.
It's never fun to watch your team lose, but a consistent, winning Browns team is likely still a year or two away.
While it is easy to point out what went wrong against Kansas City and what the team could have done differently, let's take a look at the things that give hope for the future in Cleveland.
Cleveland Has a Capable Backup Quarterback
1 of 6
Ok, so Seneca Wallace threw a pick-six and the Browns lost the game. He is obviously not the answer at the quarterback position in Cleveland.
However, Wallace's performance was about as good as you could expect from a backup and there was not a significant drop-off in offensive production.
The position of backup quarterback is often overlooked in the world of pro football, but with injuries always possible, it can be very important to the long-term success of a team.
There is a reason that the Seattle Seahawks kept Wallace around for seven years and a reason that backups like Charlie Batch and Todd Collins have had lengthy NFL careers.
Wallace appears to have the confidence of his teammates in the fact that he can come in and play quarterback when called upon.
Whether it is Jake Delhomme, Colt McCoy or someone else starting in 2011 and beyond, having an experienced backup on the roster should be one less thing that the Browns need to worry about.
Joshua Cribbs Can Help Stretch The Field
2 of 6
A 65-yard touchdown strike from Seneca Wallace to Josh Cribbs proved one thing: If you don't respect Cribbs as a receiver, he will make you pay. Big time.
Cribbs continues his transformation from College quarterback to Pro Bowl kick returner to downfield receiving threat.
While Cribbs has improved his route running and receiving ability, he has still been thought of as a short route target and a decoy at the wide receiver position. Not anymore.
Moving forward, opposing defenses are going to have to account for Cribbs as a downfield receiver.
While he may never be a true burner, the same quickness and field vision that makes Cribbs such a dangerous return man will also allow him to find holes in coverage and exploit defensive mistakes.
Perhaps offensive coordinator Brian Daboll needs to consider giving Cribbs some snaps as the No,2 opposite Massaquoi, pushing him downfield and allowing Robiskie, Stuckey and the tight ends to work the underneath routes.
Peyton Hillis Is Beast Of a Football Player
3 of 6
76 rushing yards on 17 carries, seven receptions for 50 yards, two touchdowns and a 4.5 yards per carry average.
Those are fine numbers for bruising rookie phenom Montario Hardesty in his first two games in Cleveland. The Browns just need to feed him the ball more often.
Oh that's right, Hardesty is on injured reserve and we're talking about off-season acquisition Peyton Hillis.
Browns fans have already fallen in love with Hillis, who is a true throwback football player at the running back position.
Hillis runs hard, catches the ball well, always fights for the extra yard and absolutely punishes defenders at the point of attack.
The Browns may have pulled off the deal of the year when they sent struggling quarterback Brady Quinn to Denver for Hillis and two draft picks.
Hillis is likely just getting started making a name for himself, as he is the type of back who can completely take over a game late in the season, when the Cleveland weather turns bad.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The Defense Is Playing Better Than The Scoreboard Indicates
4 of 6
Through two games this season, the defense of the Cleveland Browns has allowed 26 offensive points, or exactly one point less per game than the Browns offense has put up.
The defense also kept the Chiefs' offense out of the end zone, something that projected Super Bowl contender San Diego was unable to do last week against Kansas City.
More importantly, the defense has played well enough to give the Browns a chance to win. Unfortunately, turnovers and penalties have blown those chances.
The new front office in Cleveland made it an early priority to strengthen a defensive unit that was ranked near the bottom of the league in almost every category in 2009.
So far, the changes seem to be paying off. The Browns have not fielded a respectable defense in years and that trend could end in 2010.
If the Browns want to put up some wins this season, the offense is going to have to limit mistakes and start playing better ball.
For now, it is simply a nice change of pace to see that Cleveland is not blowing games on the defensive side of the football.
Haden and Ward
5 of 6
Just two games into the season and CB Joe Haden and safety T.J. Ward are playing less like rookies and more like seasoned veterans.
Of course, Haden and Ward have made a few rookie mistakes, but the duo is quickly adapting to the pro game and are bringing an exciting and physical presence to Cleveland's young secondary.
With 18 tackles and a forced fumble, Ward has even outplayed star safety and fifth overall pick Eric Berry who has a respectable 12 tackles in two games.
For any team in rebuild mode, it is vital to develop and build around the young players on the roster. It is encouraging that Cleveland has a pair of rookies who could well develop into two of the best players at their respective positions over the next few seasons and who should provide a foundation for the defense for years to come.
Final Thoughts
6 of 6
The Cleveland Browns are 0-2, but football fortunes don't often happen in one season and the Browns are a better football team than they were one year ago.
While Cleveland has not put up a ton of points, the offense has found the endzone four times, something that took six games to accomplish in 2009. The defense is playing better and the team has found several young players who are ready to make an impact, both now and for the foreseeable future.
It is disappointing that Browns fans are already saying "there's always next year" regarding the playoffs just two games into this season, but that is simply the reality that surrounds a rebuilding team in the NFL.
Until then, Browns fans can enjoy watching a young team grow and develop on the field and hopefully pull off a few upset wins along the way.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")