Once again, we blew a lead, and this time we lost to the Broncos 34-30.
The Positives: Brady Quinn looked good, and right now it looks like we have a QB. I was impressed with his play. For those of you who didn't watch the game, it wasn't BQ's fault for the loss. K2 made some crucial errors in the second half after having an amazing first half. Anyway, BQ spread the ball around, committed no turnovers, and avoided pressure to make plays. Another positive is that our offense put up some points, all three RBs were productive in some way, shape, or form, and Josh Cribbs gave us nice field position with just about every return. Even with Steinback and Tucker out, our "O" line opened some holes and did a good job pass blocking.
The Truth: We played against a weak team, the Broncos. Due to injuries, their defense is weak and they have no running game. Now, the Browns have a week and a half to prepare for the Bills. Next Monday night, we travel to Buffalo. Then we could see BQ against a tough team, one that has a stingy defense.
The Negatives: K2 made some costly errors in the second half, especially coughing up the ball, which eventually lead to a Bronco TD. But truthfully, our pass defense was awful. Everyone who watched the game knew that Jay Cutler was going to throw the ball because the Broncos couldn't run it. Cutler threw for over 400 yards, and he got every receiver involved, including both of his TEs. He was nearly unstoppable. Yes, Wimbley did have a sack, and at times, we did put pressure on Cutler, but Cutler burned our DBs...quite often. You might as well have just slapped the number 7 on the back of his jersey because Cutler picked our defense apart like Elway used to.
At 3-6, our season could be over. Look for the offense to build on the rapport around BQ. Hopefully, the offense will be exciting to watch, and many of us know that Cribbs will continue to be entertaining. And hopefully, our defense will step it up. While my family and I watched the game, we noticed that many of our defensive players were back in uniform and healthy. The only two defenders I didn't see on the field are the two obvious ones, Daven Holly and Robaire Smith. Both are out for the season. Everyone else is back, and that's also why I'm so disappointed with our defense. If our defense continues to faulter, RC will not last. Look for some changes in the coaching staff at the end of the year.
