If it's not clear now why the Browns continue to falter, contrast the styles of Head Coach Romeo Crennel with those of Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Dennis Green and Baltimore Ravens Head Coach Brian Billick.
No sooner did we get done writing about Crennel's rather scary comments about how Carthon is not the problem, even though Crennel balanced that against his other comments that he'd be taking a more active interest in the offense, then we find out that both Green and Billick have fired their offensive coordinators.
In each case, the rationale was the same: the teams weren't scoring enough points. And in each case, both teams were scoring more points, approximately 2 per game, than the Browns. In fact, in each case, both teams were doing better in virtually every offensive category than the Browns.
So why did Arizona and Baltimore pull the trigger when Cleveland did not? We think it has much to do with the demeanor and the decisiveness of the parties involved. Both Green and Billick are long established as head coaches. They've been around long enough to know when something is working and, more importantly, when it's not. While Crennel likes to say the buck stops with him, these two clearly recognize that it actually does and neither was going to sit idly by and let their futures be dictated by offensive coordinators who weren't getting the job done.
We've heard some suggest that there's no point in firing Carthon at this point since the Browns aren't going anywhere anyway. But to that we ask, why wait? If this season is about building for the future, and it is, shouldn't that apply to all facets of the operation? If Crennel doesn't fire Carthon, which appears unlikely right now, does anyone honestly believe he'll be back for next season? We doubt even Crennel believes that. So we ask again, why wait? Start moving the offense in the right direction now.
Crennel being upstaged by his more experienced brethren only highlights his own shortcomings. He lacks the presence, the leadership, the skill and the decisiveness to implement a change that so obviously needs to be made. His inability to recognize Carthon's abject ineptness threatens to further polarize him from the few playmakers he has and further threatens the Browns ability to continue to attract desirable free agents who could actually make a difference. And as a result, Browns fans are forced to suffer again through a miserable season and a volatile off-season wondering, among other things, whether we'll get still another high draft pick signed again in time for training camp.
2 comments:
Did you ever stop to think that maybe Carthon has the intangibles? For instance, perhaps he brings the donuts to the morning meeting every Monday morning. Then there is always the film sessions where Carthon is famous for bringing the perogis straight from Parma. Now put yourself in Crennel's shoes (or both feet in one of his shoes). Would you fire that guy? Charlie Weis, genius that he is (so we are told every week), wouldn't fire him neither.
Good points, all. I knew I had to be missing something here.--ParkedCar
Post a Comment