Ouch. In two weeks the Browns season has gone from playoff contender to near catastrophe. Winning at least one game in the first two weeks was key, and now the Browns have two hard weeks ahead on the road in Baltimore and Cincinnati. Just a friendly reminder, no team has ever made the playoffs after starting the year 0-3.

While this game wasn't as bad as other losses to the Steelers, it still makes 10 losses in a row. The players know this isn't as bad as the Christmas Eve 2005 loss, the Browns will never win the division until they can at least split the series with the Steelers. For an interesting take on what the players are saying, check out ClevelandLeader.com.

The most telling review was from Barry McBride of the Orange and Brown Report. He says that Romeo is possibly the weakest link on this Browns team.

As if losing wasn't enough, the Browns depleted roster likely took another big hit. Per Zac Jackson, Robaire Smith suffered an Achilles tendon injury during the game, and it doesn't sound positive. Even a partially torn Achilles will probably put Smith out for the year, and given the state of the roster this is the best option.

For the Steelers, this game was dominant on both sides of the ball. They didn't need to light up the scoreboard, but they still controlled both the air and the ground. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes teased the crowd and Browns defensive backs all night; and Aaron Smith held the line of scrimmage in check with two sacks.

Game Balls

Offense: Kellen Winslow, TE – With Braylon Edwards dropping balls all over the field, Winslow has picked up the slack. The trouble is, Derek Anderson can't get him the ball. Winslow fights for yards, plays through injuries, and leads on the field. I was adamantly against it in the summer, but Winslow needs a new deal if this season continues on at this pace.

Defense: Shaun Rogers, NT – Speaking of big effort and play, Rogers has been playing great so far this season. He's done this before in Detroit only to fall apart, but why worry about next week? Rogers is generating pressure and collapsing the pocket, but teams can still run on the Browns. That's not Rogers fault.

Special Teams: Josh Cribbs, WR – In what was a horrible night for wind down at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cribbs was the star (big shock). The Steelers did all they could to avoid kicking to him, but Cribbs again fought for yards and field position. He's clearly not 100 percent, but his return did help.

Turning Point

Another week, another field goal. This time it could have been more, but the Browns played it safe again. With 3:24 left in the fourth quarter on 4th & 7, Crennel chose to kick a field goal to bring the score 10-6 in favor of Pittsburgh. The Browns defense never got the stop, and consequently never had a shot Why not go for it at that point? Getting six points, and then getting the extra point puts the game into overtime. Kicking a field goal there is a bit too safe, especially when your team needs a win. Look at what Denver did down by one in the fourth quarter yesterday and time running out: they went for two, got it, and one. Yesterday was not a day to play it safe.

Last Straw

When a team is getting flagged for illegal procedure on a kickoff, it doesn't get much lower than that. That's a penalty that gets called maybe once a season in pro football, and that might even be a bit generous. That play symbolizes the Browns season thus far.

Thoughts on the game? Comment!

This entry was posted on Monday, September 15th, 2008 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.