Everyone expected too much of the 2019 Cleveland Browns. It’s easy to look back, after another upsetting loss in Pittsburgh, and diagnose the problems. But what are the solutions?
What will get this organization over the misery and dysfunction? A change of ownership is the clear answer, yet the Haslams are the only untouchables in Berea. It’s hard to fathom the franchise ever reaching the level of competency needed to sustain winning with the current ownership in place. They have no clue what it takes to run an NFL franchise. The checks keep pouring in however, and Jimmy Haslam’s bank account will continue to grow regardless of the mess he makes in Cleveland. With billions of dollars, no one tells you how big a fool you are.
Haslam lacks leadership skills. He established this by the way he ran his previous business. Pilot Flying J truck stops faced a lawsuit and settled with plaintiffs over a fuel rebate scheme in the early 2010s. Whether he led the scheme is inconsequential. Haslam bears the blame. Either he knew about the scam and didn’t stop it or was unaware of a multi-million dollar scheme perpetrated by his company. Which is worse?
It was his company. Haslam’s name was on the door. He signed the checks. It was his responsibility to know the goings-on inside the company and to fix problems before they hurt his employees or customers. Same in Cleveland.
Haslam doesn’t care about people or integrity. He’s a greedy buffoon who inherited a bunch of money, allowing him to make a fool of himself while spending it. His loyalty is only to himself and his dollars. He doesn’t care about the Cleveland Browns and lacks the wherewithal necessary to fix his mess.
Since the owner is safe, the coach has to go, right? Sure, fire another head coach. A failed strategy for two decades. Freddie Kitchens has struggled this year. His team has lacked discipline and has been unprepared to play on most Sundays. They carry a swagger of a group that’s won Super Bowls without playing a playoff game.
Two questions.
- If Haslam fires Freddie, who’s hiring the next guy? The same group that hired Kitchens will lead the search. Is anyone confident they’ll get the next one right? What is in Jimmy Haslam’s background that proves he’s adept at choosing good people to put in important positions? What hire can you point to of his and claim as a success? Even the John Dorsey hire isn’t the slam dunk now that it was a year ago.
- What respected, sought after coaching candidate will come near this job? In each of Haslam’s coaching searches, he’s not landed the big fish he’s desired and has had to settle on a backup choice, except for Hue Jackson, the one hire in which Haslam landed his man.
Facts are, NFL types know the problems in Cleveland and want no part of it. Any coach worth his salt will have better opportunities elsewhere and will steer clear of Berea. That leaves passed over assistant coaches, a bargain bin Haslam can then sort through. These guys will carry the same credentials as Kitchens. At least Freddie has gained experience on an NFL sideline as the head man. Give him an off-season to evaluate himself and his team. Something led Dorsey and Haslam to hire Kitchens. The next guy isn’t as good as you think he is. Give this one more than a year to grow into the position.
So if you can’t fire the owner or the head coach, what’s next? Someone has to be held accountable, right?
Bad season.
Fire someone. Anyone.
Repeat.
This doesn’t work. The Browns have shown it doesn’t over two decades. The merry-go-round has to stop. At some point, the organization has to exert some patience. An attempt to build a stable franchise needs to occur. The hysteria and finger pointing over a disappointing season should instead cause an evaluation of the current staff members. What are their strengths and weaknesses? What can the organization do to make them better? How can this franchise put their people in a position to succeed?
Turning this ship around will fall on the players. The talent is there. Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Joe Schobert, Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb, and Odell Beckham Jr. have all proved in their careers they can be successful in the league. How bad do they want it? Are they content cashing checks and going .500, or do they want more? Will they work to fix the problems here(some they’ve caused), or will they demand trades, looking for an easy out?
The upcoming off-season will unveil the character of this roster. The drama of this season will either be an important lesson learned or become a way of life. Do these guys want to be great? Do they desire to change the fortunes of a city and a franchise, or are they comfortable with the status quo?
The Whip Around
1.Kirk Cousins has a history of struggling under the lights and, despite playing better in Seattle, wasn’t good enough for the Vikings. An interception to start the 4th quarter and incomplete passes on 3 of his last 4 throws on Minnesota’s final drive doomed his team. The Vikings are competent and may have a shot to win a playoff game against the NFC East winner. They’re quarterback is inconsistent, however, possessing the Tony Romo gene. When the stakes are highest, no matter how well he’s played, Cousins gives games away.
2. What the hell did Philadelphia do on Sunday? A loss in Miami to a G league team is embarrassing, and the Eagles are no longer getting a pass. I’ve expected the switch to get flipped in Philly, especially with the division so winnable. Carson Wentz has been average, and the defense is just meh, ranking 18th against the run and 13th defending the pass. Surrendering 365 passing yards to Ryan Fitzpatrick, in as winnable a game as exists in the NFL, is upsetting. Despite the Cowboys’ woes, they’re the de facto favorite in the East.
3. Few teams had a stranger season than the Carolina Panthers. After losing their first two games and Cam Newton, the team rallied around Kyle Allen and Christian McCaffrey, winning 5 out of 6. McCaffrey was even getting MVP buzz. Allen would lead Carolina to the playoffs and Newton was out, on to Chicago. Only a month later, they’ve canned Super Bowl coach Ron Rivera, McCaffrey looks human, Kyle Allen has struggled, and the Panthers have lost 4 in a row. Rumors are swirling around Greg Roman, the Baltimore offensive coordinator credited with both Colin Kaepernick’s and Lamar Jackson’s successes, as their next head coach. Cam is on the wrong side of 30 and taken a huge amount of hits in his career. He’s finished the past two seasons on IR. How good do we think Greg Roman is?
4. Onside kicks are impossible to recover since the NFL changed the rules. Enter Younghoe Koo.
5. The annual “The Patriots dynasty is finished and so is Tom Brady” talk started this week, later than usual. Writers and talking heads fell all over themselves to proclaim the Patriots dynasty over. Not buying it. The Patriots are 10-2, tied for the best record in the league. How many years do Belichick and Brady have to rub the Super Bowl trophy in America’s faces before we learn the lesson? The Pats win because they’re smarter and better prepared, not because they have more talent. They’ve established a culture that doesn’t take shortcuts. New England may not win the Super Bowl, but good luck picking against them.
6. San Francisco-Baltimore was December football in its prime. A slug fest in rainy Baltimore, each struggled to establish a passing game. The playoffs will test these two run heavy, defensive minded teams. No one would dispute they’ve been the two best teams over the last month. Can they carry that momentum into January and beat more established quarterbacks in the playoffs? With 2 minutes left and 85 yards needed to advance, will either of these QBs be up to the task?
7. All those who had Ryan Tannehill leading the Titans to a playoff berth, please rise and get out; you’re a liar. The Tennessee QB was precise on Sunday, completing 17-22 passes for 2 touchdowns in the Titans’ dismantling of the fading Colts. The Titans are always stout on defense and possess a capable running game; the quarterback has prevented them from advancing in the playoffs. Could Tannehill change that? Don’t laugh, he leads the league in passer rating and is completing 73% of his throws. The remaining schedule is tough, facing games in Oakland, home versus New Orleans, and two against Houston. If they can get into the playoffs, however, watch out. Who matches up better against Baltimore?
8. The Bills’ defense flexed on the Cowboys Thanksgiving Day, announcing themselves to a national audience as AFC contenders. Consistent all year, they’ve ranked just behind the 49ers and Patriots but added a pass rush. They’ve averaged 5 sacks over their last 3 contests (teamrankings.com), turning a previous weakness into a strength. Ed Oliver, Shaq Lawson, and Jordan Phillips have 9 sacks in those games and dominated Dallas’ vaunted O-line in particular. Weak offensive lines in New England and Kansas City might have a problem on their hands against Buffalo, but Josh Allen still isn’t trustworthy enough to predict any upsets from the Bills.
9. While Baltimore and New England gather all the press clippings, Kansas City lies in the weeds. The forgotten contender, Patrick Mahomes’ injury removed them from our thinking. An easy 40 against Oakland on Sunday should have gotten you reacquainted. When healthy, Mahomes is the best quarterback in the league with the most dangerous weapons. While their defense is suspect, the offense can score at will from anywhere on the field and rarely turns the ball over. New England visits K.C. on Sunday, a colossal test for each team. If the Chiefs can hang 30 on that defense, I suspect the radio silence on the Chiefs will end.
10. San Francisco-New Orleans
Los Angeles Rams-Seattle
The Saints have something to prove Sunday against the 49ers. They’ve struggled in recent weeks against division opponents Carolina and Atlanta. What’s wrong with Alvin Kamara? With only 587 yards rushing and 444 receiving on the season, Drew Brees’ most dangerous weapon seems to fade in and out of games. While Michael Thomas has been otherworldly, New Orleans will need Kamara to slow down the 49er pass rush to have any chance against San Fran.
If the Rams plan on showing up for the 2019 season, now would be the time. A loss here would all but end their playoff hopes. The struggling offense found some footing against the Cardinals; Jared Goff threw for 424 and Todd Gurley ran for 95, but they’re too sporadic to trust. Seattle and Russell Wilson win and put up bags of points in the process. Can the Rams score the 30 necessary to keep up with the Seahawks? Wilson wins games at the end, he’ll do so again Sunday night and put a head scratching L.A. season to bed.
Browns/Cavaliers Illustrated 
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