Misery: This is a Quarterback Problem
The city we hate to love... or love to hate... I can't really remember now...
Predicted read time of 7 minutes.
Misery: Week 3
Good afternoon y’all, my name is Nico… and I’m a Browns fan.
*Hi Nico*
Every week I come in here and I tell you what it’s like to be a fan of the saddest sports franchise on the planet. Then… I drag one of the other miserable people in this room down with me… it’s not a fun job, but someone has to do it. I have been begging myself to stop for decades. I tell myself, “please Nico, don’t you dare pick up that computer again this week and start writing. Just let your fandom die. Just let your ancestors roll in their graves deep in those hollow grounds of North Olmsted. It’s what they would want. They would want you to be kind to yourself. They’d want you to rid yourself of this burden” Alas, here I am. I do have one caveat though… just one tiny thing in the back of my mind.
I have come to this group today to tell you the obvious. After last week, I am at rock bottom. I have finally hit my low. I am practically lying with my family in the soils of Ohio.
We lost to the Giants… the exact damn team I dragged into this hell hole last week. I am beyond shattered, but I’m never surprised.
This week, I am not here to address my woes though. I am here to address the protesters outside these walls. Those who have chosen not to see the light.
“Deshaun is not that bad… it’s the line… it’s the weapons…”
I’m here today to argue against that… while also telling those people they’re right.
You can have your cake and eat it too. It’s my favorite part of the NFL. The answer for who’s fault it is can be “yes”... and it’s always such a special moment when it is. This is something that most fans struggle with while watching football on television. I’d argue it’s not their fault.
Modern camera angles, graphics, and announcers have clouded viewers' judgment for so many years that they don’t even know what way is up anymore. They hear things like “the pocket collapsed” and they blame the line. They see only the running back with the ball on screen and ignore the fact the wide receivers are just walking casually down the field. They see so many graphics on screen they refuse to think for themselves. I urge them to stop.
Once a week, I go back and watch a highlight reel for the games of the week. These are usually either “sans” commentary or just so broken up you can’t even really make out the full point the announcers are trying to make anyway. When I watch those back on second viewing, I really look at the game. You should do the same. Take it all in and look at the body language and play calling. Look at the clock and the situation on the field.
What you will see is that the problem is at quarterback… and at the line… and with our weapons. This fact has been beyond obvious to anyone watching. The offense stinks.
I will urge you to look around the league though to find what the solution may be to fix this problem and make at least “livable” for the next few months. Why not look to week 1’s Misery team, the Carolina Panthers for answers.
Last week, the Panthers listed three offensive lineman and multiple weapons on the injury report last week. The team had actually lost the one option in Adam Thielen who Andy Dalton had any experience with at all as last weeks’ game was slowly approaching. All the data we have would point us to an 0-3 miserable start for Carolina. In fact, most people in America took the money line on that game. What we got though, was “competent” quarterback play that allowed their defense to rest on the sideline and help them do their part to squeak out a win. Teams don’t need much to do “well” at that position… hell… look at Darnold in Minnesota.
Sometimes you just need to be “competent”... that’s it… nothing more…
I’m not saying that’s what Jameis Winston will bring, but I’m saying that he will at least give the team a fresh perspective into the possibility of hoping for “competency.”
It’s like at a job where multiple teams and departments work together. Sometimes it’s not that the old project manager was bad, but sometimes a fresh project manager will have a new approach and/or outlook on the situation. Deshaun looks clearly defeated and unconfident in every aspect of his game. I can’t even believe there are Browns fans not only saying it’s the line's fault… but that he has no responsibility for this meltdown at all! Are teams swinging again and again at wide receivers in the draft? Are they hoping and praying that the third round RB is gonna hit? No! Every team in the NFl is reaching and clawing for every inch they can in their respective war rooms for “competent” quarterback play. It’s beyond clear we do not have it right now. This team is 30th in the NFL in touchdown drives… last time I checked the offensive line doesn’t get those…
Go ask the Dolphins what it’s like with “good” linemen and “phenomenal” weapons with no QB. Who are you trying to fool right now telling me this isn’t on the erratic play of Watson? Stop just watching your game while eating that Big Boy sandwich… switch channels and look around the league for your answers on what the problem is.
Long story short? I’m sick of Browns fans pushing out learning/growing QBs when we have them, but allowing superstars too much room to mess up our seasons in the same breath. To be fair, maybe we haven’t had enough stars like Deshaun to know how to handle them. I’m sick to my stomach when I hear fans talk about this offensive line like we’re the only team in the NFL with players getting hurt. Give me a break. The entire NFL has injuries… this isn’t new… those teams keep winning. I’m sick of the excuses.
I’m sorry Cleveland, but while I do agree with you that our wide receivers need to catch balls thrown to them… and I do agree that this line is riddled with injuries… when Deshaun makes the decisions he does and has the body language he had last week showing me lack of care… it’s beyond obvious to me…
This is a quarterback problem.
If only this bean could play quarterback....
This week’s Misery team of the week is an odd one for me. So let me hit you with a disclaimer before you keep reading.
Disclaimer: All opinions in Misery are meant to be “funny, ha ha” and not meant to target specific players or teams in malice. Just because I count a team out for the season does not mean I’m counting their players out for their careers or for the years to come. Please don’t comment and be mad. I’m sorry.
The Chicago Bears are in the process of having a budding plant in their garden. Unfortunately, it’s a weed. It’s not one you rip out right away… because… it’s not like currently in the way or anything. It has the potential to ruin your whole garden though and it’s happened time and time again.
The plant’s scientific name is Ryan Leaf, but it’s also known as Bryce Young, Johnny Manziel, or sometimes even JaMmarcus Russell.
Caleb Williams is not translating very well to the NFL. It took him until last week to get his first passing touchdown of the year and actually managed to tack on another one late in the game. Despite this improvement statistically though, his decision making is what is scaring me. Similar to Deshaun Watson (please… let me complain a bit more) the guy seems to make weird choices under pressure. He turns left and then right. He shuffles a bit. Then he takes the sack. There is no Mahomes in that man’s blood.
It’s a tough thing to watch him struggle to throw the ball in very wide windows… and miss easy reads…
I don’t think he’s a bust at the moment, but I think the potential is there. Remember… this record actually looks better than it should in my opinion… seeing as how the offensive couldn’t even score a touchdown during their week 1 win.
I think this year is a learning opportunity for Caleb, but I just can’t help but see the Bryce Young potential here. Will a two win season completely damage his confidence? Will a second one ruin him more? Only time will do well. Unfortunately though, I am just not seeing their core piece translate well to this game in the NFL. It looks too fast for him at times, which makes me worry he just may never pick it up.
Misery Team Week 3: The Chicago Bears
Predictions: Best case 5 - 12…. Worst case… 1- 16
