Welcome To Yet Another Rebuild

 

Fans of most NFL franchises get sucked into watching their teams every week because almost the entire league is ultra competitive and games come down to the last possession.  You've always got a chance.  Not in Cleveland.  For the last quarter century, with the exception of a season or two, the Browns are for all intents and purposes out of it after the first quarter.  After the Browns scored on their first drive, the only time it appeared there was an offensive plan, it was over.  It wasn't like anyone with common sense watching that game was thinking, "Hey, the Browns can win this game if they just do (this)..."  There was no fucking way.  They aren't playing the same sport as the upper echelon teams.

The offense has revealed itself to be a real Chicken v Egg situation.  Does the QB suck because the receivers can't catch, or does the QB suck because he can't get them the ball?  Or maybe, does the QB suck because he sucks or does the QB suck because he has no time whatsoever because the line is so terrible?  The answer to all these questions is "yes".  In two seasons there will only be 2-3 of these offensive players on the roster.  That's because they are old and rickety like the guards/Flacco, not very good like the tackles/receivers, or increasingly expendable like Njoku/Jeudy.  You look at that side of the ball and it's looking like Judkins/Fannon will be here.  The rest of these guys better enjoy the ride, because their NFL careers are ending soon.

It's not like this was a big surprise either.  This team is in Year One of The Forever Rebuild, the initial painful year where the team identity is sold to the community as "hardened by toughness" (whatever the fuck that means) as a gritty group that is trying their best.  Next year will be sold as "Exciting New Draft Choices" as if they are tantilizingly close to being competitive.  This is usually followed up after that disappointing season with the "We've Gained Experience and NOW Are Ready To Compete" year where it is confirmed that all those draft choices from a couple years back look like the forgettable roster filling players they have always appeared to be to the naked eye.  This cycle is The Culture the Browns are always talking about.  It's an organization that doesn't know what they are doing that repeats the same mistakes over and over while trying to convince themselves they are the smartest people in the room because they are rich.  

This is what the Browns are and always have been.  The regular cycle is maddening.  We are in the oh-so-familiar part of the season where the debate is about "Can the shitty young QB on the bench fix the team because he's better than the shitty QB on the field" phase.  Long time fans will remember this old number from the Jake Delomme, Trent Dilfer, Brian Hoyer or Josh McCown seasons.  Don't you worry all of you "We gotta bench Flacco!" people.  You are going to get your DTR, Cody Kessler, Charlie Frye, Brady Quinn soon enough.  It won't make any difference whatsoever in the end result, but at least it will be different.  The only question is do you toss Gabriel in to start in London, on the road at Pittsburgh, or at home vs Miami?  I think they want to wait until Miami, but they might not have a choice due to the jungle drumbeats from the fan base.

Let's be honest though.  Flacco is completely washed up as a starter.  We knew that coming in.  Honestly though, he has the highest pressure rate in the league and maybe the worst receiving room in football.  Jerry Jeudy might have the worst hands we've seen on a Cleveland receiver since Braylon Edwards got The Yips after his one big season.  If you're a little fucking guy like he is that can't block, you better be able to catch balls that hit you in the hands.  Jeudy is making $1M+ a game.  Wrap your head around that.  He's open as often as Dwayne Bowe.  Hell, none of these guys gets open except Fannon.  When they show the downfield view on the Flacco sacks or throwaways, NOBODY is open.  It doesn't help that the matador offensive line allows pass rushers in after 2 seconds.  The whole thing is a disaster with no relief coming soon.

The only hope is the schedule getting easier, which it will.  The team is bad as they have been designed.  They are going to look bad until the defense suffers some injuries or gives up, at which point they will transition into looking outright fucking terrible.  That's when we all move to the Early Winter NFL Draft Speculation phase of the season where Browns fans pretend one magical player selection will repair this festering sore of a professional sports franchise.  It won't, you know it won't, but it's more fun to talk yourself into thinking it will I guess.  Season ticket deposits due soon!  There is some immediate upside.  The good news for fans is this week's game is early in the morning in London so you can free up the rest of your day with something productive.  Now let's all nestle into phase one of The Forever Rebuild and hope a game will be close once in awhile.

Go Browns.