a few observations

[dave mcbride]

1. If I were a Browns fan, I'd be happy about the three picks, but there'd be a lot that I'd be unhappy about. From their side, the pluses included a clever defensive game plan in which they put no pressure on the QB (they rushed more than four maybe once all game) and dropped seven into coverage on every passing play. They appeared to take away the WRs and sidelines, but it was hard to tell on TV (some say the WRs were open all night). They forced everything to the middle of the field and the flat. The Browns' pass rush was abysmal - far worse than I've ever seen the Bills' own anemic rush this year - but Edwards appeared to be completely lost. Their defense was *all* about the QB and his connection with WRs -- they built their whole strategy around it. They were very fortunate that they were facing such a bad QB last night. And they still should have lost despite winning the turnover battle 4-0. I still can't believe Dawson made a 57 yarder.

 

2. The minuses: first, that scheme was also too clever by half. By not putting eight in the box, they let the Bills run wild. They simply couldn't handle the Bills' o-line with their front four. The Browns' defensive line was absolutely abysmal. Don't they have a lot of money tied up there? I mean, they were really bad - no pass rush, and they gave up 181 rushing yards to a bad rushing team. In retrospect, I can't believe the Bills lost.

 

3. Brady Quinn was abysmal too. He was 14-36, and locked in on Braylon Edwards all night, covered or not. Edwards is a very tough guy to cover (props to McGee), but boy does he drop some easy ones.

 

4. The Browns' special teams defense is ridiculously bad. Pathetic. It seemed like they had nine men out there.

 

5. Marcus Stroud was the best player on the field last night. He just dominated from start to finish. Jamal Lewis, who crushed the Bills last year, was a non-factor.

 

6. Kawika Mitchell had a great game too. Yes, he had the personal foul, but it was one of those "intimidator" ones that I can accept. That back made nary a peep the rest of the night after that hit.

 

7. The difference between the Browns' o-line pass protection and the Pats/Jets/Dolphins was telling. I'm not sure who is coaching the Browns' o-line, but they have a boatload of talent and they were outschemed by the Bills all night. The Mitchell blitz hasn't worked since the Chargers' game - teams figured it out, obviously - yet it worked all game last night.

 

8. Reggie Corner has to learn how to blitz. That play on the Browns final drive could have sealed the deal. He whiffed badly.

 

9. Keith Ellison missed a relatively easy tackle on the Browns' long TD run. It was his gap responsibility, and he was more or less in position (although he overpursued just a tiny bit). He just blew it. It's not the first time this has happened ...

 

10. This is stating the obvious, but something is really, really wrong with Trent Edwards. I'm not talking about throwing the picks/having a bad game. That happens to everyone. I hate to use the term, but his play was cowardly last night. He simply didn't have the courage to try and make a play. He looked jittery and scared. I've been a huge defender of him - I have liked him a lot from the get-go - but this makes me wonder. A bad game is one thing, and I can accept it especially if the QB goes down guns blazing. Edwards didn't. What they didn't mention when they compared the Edwards/Kelly stat is that after throwing three picks against the Bengals, Kelly then went out and threw five TDs.

 

11. Correct me if I'm wrong, but on that Edwards scramble play at the end of the first half, wasn't Evans wide open? If I'm Evans, I'm wondering what the hell is wrong with this team.

 

12. The Browns went after McKelvin twice at big moments (in the end zone and on their final drive), and both times he had the coverage.

 

13. Again, I'm stating the obvious, but running three plays in a row at the end was pretty dumb. The only positive thing I can say is that perhaps they thought they thought they could get a first via the run; they had all night. But still, a pass on second and/or third down seemed like a much more likely way to achieve a first down.

 

14. As much as I fault the play calling at the end - and it was gutless - but Lindell has to make that kick. The wind was pretty negligible, and the snap and hold were perfect. Dawson would have made it, that's for sure ...