Greetings SEMBBers!Last Saturday we lost a legend and fan favorite. But on Sunday, the Browns pulled off a surprise upset against, arguably, the best team in the league.
So, we’re a little over a week away from the bye, but have one more challenge to meet. R.I.P. DIMMY DONOVAN
Cleveland Browns fans lost a friend, fellow fan and long-time “voice of the Browns” last Saturday. Jim Donovan passed away after an extended battle with leukemia. He was 68.
For a generation, he was the radio voice of the Browns, announcing the play-by-play since the Browns came back in 1999. He was with us during the too-many lean years and the few and far between fat years. He will be missed.
Requiescat In Pace, Jimmy!
BROWNS BEAT THE RATBIRD! WHAT A WIN!
Well, Last Sunday our Browns stunned John Harbaugh’s Baltimore team with a 29-25 win. They broke Baltimore’s five-game win streak as well as ending their own five-game skid. It was the best game–and the best team effort–we’ve seen this year.
What a difference a quarterback makes. Jameis Winston manged the offense effectively (something sorely lacking the first half of the season) and Ken Dorey’s play calling was effective (and, again, a damn sight better than the first half of the season!). The stats say it all: 27 of 41, 334 yds. (first time this season a Browns QB threw for over 300 yds.), 31:06 time of possession and he was only sacked twice (yes, one was a strip sack, so there’s room for improvement). But in general, the offense looked ALIVE and played hard. There wasn’t any hint of lackluster performances like we had in the previous seven games.
I believe it all started during this pre-game warm up (link). That, Ladies and Gents, is an example of LEADERSHIP. Granted, Winston is not the second coming, nor will he likely be a long-term solution (being 30 years old), but it was refreshing to see this and to see the team fired up the way it was! Too bad it came so late in the season. However, there are STILL nine games to go in this regular season and Winston gives us a better chance to get through it with respectability.
Unfortunately, the win came with some costs–Denzel Ward is out with a concussion, again. And his future as a player is in doubt due to the number of concussions he’s suffered since coming into this league. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is also out with a neck injury–it was pretty scary when it happened, but apparently he is doing much better but he has to have time to heal fully. Both of their abscences will have an impact on our defense.
One final note; I said it last week and I’ll say it again since we’ve had some comments about it on Facebook: yes, a number of fans cheered when Watson was carted off the field during the Bengals game. I don’t condone it, but I understand it. We saw NOTHING exceptional from Watson’s play during the first seven games and collectively Browns fans were beyond frustrated (especially at the stubborn insistance of the team to keep starting him). The local pundits are united in their speculation that the team HAD to play Watson in hopes that he could spark something in the offense and justify the exhorbitantly expensive contract given him. All of that is moot at this point, unfortunately due to Watson’s injury.
NOW FOR THE OTHER HARBAUGH BROTHER
Now, the 2-5 Browns have one last home game before the bye week–hosting JIM Harbaugh and the 4-3 Los Angeles Chargers. I’m not sure, but this is probably the first time the Browns have had back-to-back games against Head Coaching brothers.
The betting line is 1.5 points in favor of the Chargers, which in my book is pretty close to a toss-up. LA is as banged up as us (even a little more so), but they do have a very hot Justin Herbert who has lit it up against us in the past. The good news is that the “Next Man Up” philosophy stayed true last week when Ward and JOK went down. Here’s hoping it continues.
Kickoff is 1 pm. The local CBS affiliate will be showing the Broncos-Ravens game so why not join your felllow club members and Browns fans at teh Den this Sunday? Susan is still recovering from her illness and I’m a week away from surgery, but the room will be available this week so come on over and see the Browns continue this new momemtum and winning attitude!
That’s it for this week except, of course, always and forever…
GO BROWNS!!! |
