Well, the Cleveland Browns are 0-13, and willing to try anything. But really? Really? A flea-flicker from your own endzone into triple coverage?
A Full Year of Futility
The Cleveland Browns have officially gone 365 days, one full calendar year, without winning a game. Since December 13th of 2015, the Browns have lost 16 straight regular season games, not including four more preseason bouts. The last win was a 24-10 crushing of the San Francisco 49ers. These regular-season losses have been to divisional opponent Steelers (three times), Bengals (twice), and Ravens (twice), in addition to the Seahawks, Chiefs, Eagles, Dolphins, Redskins, Patriots, Titans, Jets, Cowboys, and Giants. That’s a lot of teams.
Now at a miserable 0-13 for 2016, the Browns are staring a number one draft pick right in the face. Ironically, their only opposition are the 49ers, who stand at an ever-so-slightly less miserable 1-12. The last team to start a season this badly were the 2011 Indianapolis Colts, who finished “strong” at an abysmal 2-14. Before that were the 2008 Detroit Lions, who went a disgusting 0-16. And as revolting as that is, it may be a reality that Browns fans will have to live through, come January 1st, 2016. Which begs the question…
“What do the Browns do with their pick?”
For all intents and purposes, fans should assume that the Browns will finish the season with the number one pick in the draft. Winless or not, the Cleveland Browns need help in any and all areas they can find it. Browns fans must have lay awake at night and screamed over the fact that there is no clear number one player in the coming draft class. But seeing as history repeats itself, let’s look back at the Colts and Lions of old, and see what they did.
In 2011, the Colts took quarterback, Andrew Luck, from Stanford University. The next year, they finished 11-5. In 2008, the Lions also took a quarterback: Matthew Stafford, from the University of Georgia. In 2009, they finished 2-14, and by 2011, they were 10-6, making the playoffs in the NFC North. The quarterback quartet of Robert Griffin, III, Josh McCown, Cody Kessler, and Kevin Hogan has been somewhat functional at points, but history shows that a quarterback would help the Browns more than anywhere else. After flip-flopping, flop-flipping, and making a few complete 180s, most Browns fans should come to one final, sound solution.
Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns
Enter defending ACC Champion, two-time Heisman finalist, and Clemson University quarterback, Deshaun Watson. Watson has been the definition of consistency throughout his time in college, and many analysts and fans alike believe that he can be the quarterback that Browns fans have looked for since 1999. Watson has thrown for over 35 touchdowns in each of his past two seasons as a starter, and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney once noted that Watson played his freshman year rivalry game against South Carolina on a torn ACL. Yes, you actually just read that sentence correctly.
A freshman quarterback threw and rushed for two touchdowns each in a 35-17 win against his school’s archrival. Jeez. Taking a look at Coach Hue‘s past quarterbacks, a few all-star names top the list. Jackson has set quarterbacks such as Andy Dalton and Carson Palmer up to succeed. He would be licking his chops at the very thought of Watson, who is the textbook definition of a dual-threat QB. Watson is consistent, he’s a budding star, and he’s definitely number one pick-worthy. Now that the past and the future have been covered, let’s talk about what happened yesterday.
The Browns’ Good, Bad, and Ugly of Week 14
First up, the good. Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah played the best game of his young career, and was able to get to Dalton a couple times. However, he was nearly the lone bright spot other than Bengals kicker Mike Nugent, who missed a field goal and a PAT in the game. If anything, he gets the Browns MVP award this week.
Moving onto the bad, there’s…basically everything else the Browns did this week. RGIII did not magically return to his rookie season form, and Coach Hue’s “gameplan” of giving RGIII a seven step dropback and then chucking the ball fifty yards did not exactlly work. But now, the ugly…
Really guys? Really? A flea-flicker from your own endzone into triple coverage? Seriously? Ugh. In any case, the Browns take on the Bills in Buffalo next Sunday.
The Bengals take this one, 23-10.
