Browns Need to Bench Romeo Crennel

Browns Backers, 

Fiasco: a complete and ignominious failure.

Look on the bright side; at least we didn't blow a double-digit lead. Fate sure loves to toy with the Browns and it is now clear that the Browns' season is all but over. Any chance of making the wild card is officially gone. This is what I took from the fiasco I witnessed today. 

New quarterback—same result. Old  quarterback—same result. Same coach—same result  

Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Browns are in need of a reality show style makeover, and it just might happen in the offseason. After what happened in the 16-6 loss to the lowly Texans, it is clear that the Browns are the step-child of a circus and a revolving door, which even comes with a complimentary spinning carousel.  

And as one of the 71,000 fans (or fewer) that witnessed this travesty in person, I would demand the Browns pay for my therapy because this whole organization needs a shrink.    

It is bad enough having to see the Browns drop to 4-7 with nothing left to play for but pride, but to pull a bait and switch by benching Quinn when your team is trailing shows a total lack of commitment and direction. That's funny. Isn't that what I said in my "Trentgate" column?

I guess Dilfer knew what he was talking about after all. And what makes this even more troubling is that the Brady Bunch is on the edge of revolt and calling for Romeo's head. Their hero finally looked fallible and mortal.  

I'm not just coming down on Quinn, but when you are the starting QB all the blame will be directed towards you, and when you are the face of a troubled organization, you will be the first to take the blame. At least he now knows what Derek Anderson had to deal with when Braylon dropped balls and the offense resembled a Pop Warner team. 

Quinn's detractors and critics WILL say that he threw TWO interceptions, one of which was right to a Texan, and the other was just Braylon being Braylon. The fact of the matter is that he threw two game-costing picks, which made him look more like Brady Anderson than Brady Quinn. 

And I'm sure that various Backers roiled themselves into a fit when he got pulled and Derek Anderson came in to replace him. Now, I'm not sure if this was Romeo's doing, or if Quinn's finger was bothering him, but Derek played like Derek and added another pick to his illustrious QB resume. 

The offense continued to sputter and go in reverse. With Braylon dropping balls and Winslow pushing off it was more of the same, which is really beginning to annoy even the most-ardent die-hard. "Benchgate" is going to go over REAL well back home, and I know that WKNR's Michael Reghi is teeing off on Lerner like he was Tiger Woods and I completely agree with him.

Lerner needs to hire Ty Pennington of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to come in and remodel this whole organization, which should start with Romeo getting his papers tomorrow and Savage right behind him.

This whole team is nothing more than the Heidi Montag of the NFL. They may look nice from the outside, but they also have all sorts of drama and emptiness on the inside to go along with no talent. 

And maybe Brady was who we thought he was, paraphrasing Dennis Green and his legendary rant. I'm not sure he was blinded by the Golden Dome glare, but Houston (of all teams!) showed that if you put pressure on Quinn and take away his short passing game, he can't beat NFL teams by throwing long, and that all teams will dare Quinn to beat them by throwing down field.  

And of course the defense allows a journeyman backup QB with the name of Sage to look like Johnny Unitas by dropping 275 yards on you and their tight end, and makes Owen Daniels look like Dwight Clark.  

Benching Quinn was the dumbest, most idiotic move that Crennel made to date. This not only reinforced the perception of dysfunction and incompetence that the Browns have around the league, but this will also be his last mistake because if there is anyone who needs to be benched during this lackluster season, it is Romeo himself.

Even the empty orange seats can agree with me on this one.

Growling in Anger,

Dawgfather