Browns Fans Shouldn't be Shocked by Move; You Asked for it
Another year, another shitty football season for the Browns, and it looks like yet another new head coach. After the Browns fired Rob Chudzinski tonight, the Browns will have yet another head coaching searching this off-season and new faces come opening day in 2014. However no one should be surprised by the move, in fact most fans should actually support the move based on fan reaction and opinions over the last few years.
In all my years of watching sports, I don't think I ever ever saw more criticism of a teams head coach than what Cleveland fans did and said about Pat Schurmur last year. For the most part, fans and the city blamed almost 100% of the Browns failure on him. It was a joyous day in Cleveland when he was let go at the end of last season after leading the Browns to a 5-11 record. People absolutely agreed with his firing. I heard that the Browns had talent and with a good coach they could actually be something. Which is why Chud was brought in along with Norv Turner and Ray Horton. I think its safe to say that the 2013 Browns were more talented than the 2012 team. Additions on defense as well as a more experienced Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron made this team more talented in my eyes, along with the fact that they had 5 pro-bowlers. The Browns went 4-12 including losing 10 out of their last 11 games. No progress and actually taking steps backwards. I was in the minority that knew that Schurmur wasn't the problem here. However 99.9% of you ran him out of town and thought he was the reason the Browns weren't good. I'm not saying he's a great coach by any stretch of the imagination. But if you thought Schurmur should be fired for his failures here, then you should absolutely agree with the firing of Chud. If Chud was the answer here how does a more talented 2013 team win fewer games than a less talented 2012 team? A coach, that people ruled absolutely incompetent some how led the Browns to more wins than one that people thought would succeed and who had top coordinators. Neither one was given great talent, but if one got fired, only makes sense that the other would too.
I'm not saying Chud was the problem here either. If you follow me on twitter or facebook you know how overrated I think coaching is, especially at the professional level. You win with talent, you don't win with coaching. The Browns just aren't talented enough offensively to actually expect to compete right now, especially when you trade Trent Richardson. I could care less of who the Browns Head Coach is next year or in the future. The simple fact is this, they need better players, they need to draft better, and they need to address needs on offense through free agency.
The biggest downfall for Chud was the surprising success the Browns had early in the season. They Started 3-2 and even stood at 4-5 and playing for first place in the AFC North in Week 11 vs. the Bengals. At 4-5 with 7 games left, I don't think anyone really thought the Browns were in the playoff hunt but the fact that they were in the conversation had people thinking that the Browns might be turning a corner. In week 11 they laid a complete egg against the Bengals with numerous special teams breakdowns and Jason Campbell was who we thought he was, an average to below average QB. The Browns then laid 2 more eggs against division rival the Steelers and lost games to the Jaguars late as well as blowing a 13 point lead with 2 minutes left vs. the Patriots, a game that Chud did make an absolutely awful decision to go for 2 in the 3rd that cost the Browns at least a chance at OT in that one. At 4-5 you'd expect even an ok team to win 2 out of 7 and finish 6-10 at the worst. Maybe even 7-9. However, the Browns couldn't win even 1 down the stretch, finished 4-12 and Chud was canned. I don't want to say I told you so, but I was never a fan of the Chud hire. I think the Browns panicked after they lost out on Chip Kelly and just went with the next guy in line. I don't think Chud is a bad coach, but he was never the right guy for the Browns job.
Like I said going forward, I don't care who the Browns get for their next head Coach. If I had to pick a few guys I'd go with Mike Zimmer, the D-Coordinator for the Bengals or Jay Gruden the O-Coordinator for the Bengals. I think both guys have done well in turning the Bengals around and into a playoff team the last 3 years. However I think we all know they had the luxury of an infuse in talent like A.J. Green, Andy Dalton, Giovani Benard, and a good group of skilled guys on defense. Talent and skill wins games. Coaching is just there to guide the players and hinge their careers on the level of talent they are given.
P.S. Make sure everyone watches Pat Schurmur and Trent Richardson in their playoff games this coming weekend. I guess they are getting the last laugh.
Another year, another shitty football season for the Browns, and it looks like yet another new head coach. After the Browns fired Rob Chudzinski tonight, the Browns will have yet another head coaching searching this off-season and new faces come opening day in 2014. However no one should be surprised by the move, in fact most fans should actually support the move based on fan reaction and opinions over the last few years.
In all my years of watching sports, I don't think I ever ever saw more criticism of a teams head coach than what Cleveland fans did and said about Pat Schurmur last year. For the most part, fans and the city blamed almost 100% of the Browns failure on him. It was a joyous day in Cleveland when he was let go at the end of last season after leading the Browns to a 5-11 record. People absolutely agreed with his firing. I heard that the Browns had talent and with a good coach they could actually be something. Which is why Chud was brought in along with Norv Turner and Ray Horton. I think its safe to say that the 2013 Browns were more talented than the 2012 team. Additions on defense as well as a more experienced Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron made this team more talented in my eyes, along with the fact that they had 5 pro-bowlers. The Browns went 4-12 including losing 10 out of their last 11 games. No progress and actually taking steps backwards. I was in the minority that knew that Schurmur wasn't the problem here. However 99.9% of you ran him out of town and thought he was the reason the Browns weren't good. I'm not saying he's a great coach by any stretch of the imagination. But if you thought Schurmur should be fired for his failures here, then you should absolutely agree with the firing of Chud. If Chud was the answer here how does a more talented 2013 team win fewer games than a less talented 2012 team? A coach, that people ruled absolutely incompetent some how led the Browns to more wins than one that people thought would succeed and who had top coordinators. Neither one was given great talent, but if one got fired, only makes sense that the other would too.
I'm not saying Chud was the problem here either. If you follow me on twitter or facebook you know how overrated I think coaching is, especially at the professional level. You win with talent, you don't win with coaching. The Browns just aren't talented enough offensively to actually expect to compete right now, especially when you trade Trent Richardson. I could care less of who the Browns Head Coach is next year or in the future. The simple fact is this, they need better players, they need to draft better, and they need to address needs on offense through free agency.
The biggest downfall for Chud was the surprising success the Browns had early in the season. They Started 3-2 and even stood at 4-5 and playing for first place in the AFC North in Week 11 vs. the Bengals. At 4-5 with 7 games left, I don't think anyone really thought the Browns were in the playoff hunt but the fact that they were in the conversation had people thinking that the Browns might be turning a corner. In week 11 they laid a complete egg against the Bengals with numerous special teams breakdowns and Jason Campbell was who we thought he was, an average to below average QB. The Browns then laid 2 more eggs against division rival the Steelers and lost games to the Jaguars late as well as blowing a 13 point lead with 2 minutes left vs. the Patriots, a game that Chud did make an absolutely awful decision to go for 2 in the 3rd that cost the Browns at least a chance at OT in that one. At 4-5 you'd expect even an ok team to win 2 out of 7 and finish 6-10 at the worst. Maybe even 7-9. However, the Browns couldn't win even 1 down the stretch, finished 4-12 and Chud was canned. I don't want to say I told you so, but I was never a fan of the Chud hire. I think the Browns panicked after they lost out on Chip Kelly and just went with the next guy in line. I don't think Chud is a bad coach, but he was never the right guy for the Browns job.
Like I said going forward, I don't care who the Browns get for their next head Coach. If I had to pick a few guys I'd go with Mike Zimmer, the D-Coordinator for the Bengals or Jay Gruden the O-Coordinator for the Bengals. I think both guys have done well in turning the Bengals around and into a playoff team the last 3 years. However I think we all know they had the luxury of an infuse in talent like A.J. Green, Andy Dalton, Giovani Benard, and a good group of skilled guys on defense. Talent and skill wins games. Coaching is just there to guide the players and hinge their careers on the level of talent they are given.
P.S. Make sure everyone watches Pat Schurmur and Trent Richardson in their playoff games this coming weekend. I guess they are getting the last laugh.