Missing due to injuries both starting safeties (Thornhill and Delpit) plus their middle linebacker (Hicks), the Browns defense played about as well as could reasonably be asked against the Eagles. They stonewalled previously high-flying Eagle running back Saquon Barkley to a mere 47 yards in 18 attempts and largely contained Jalen Hurts. Unfortunately, it was hardly enough. Given the state of the Browns offense, the defense has to show up every week plus it needs to make a couple of impact plays that turn the tide of the game. Instead the offense has made a habit of giving up a couple (or more) big plays a game that nail down the loss for the team.

The offense received an early lift from the return of pro bowl right tackle Jack Conklin even though one play later the Browns lost their starting / third string center (Harris) for the season and were forced to move their starting right guard (Dunn) to center. The running game was perhaps its best all season (not saying much) even after Ford went down and Strong was featured. Little more can be said about the passing game, and anyone who is still holding out hope for Watson has far more patience than I do.

With the trade of Cooper for a third round pick (nice compensation for a partial year rental), the Browns have officially thrown in the towel on the 2024 season. The Browns might still play spoiler starting with next week and the Bengals, or they might try to trade away all of the talent that they cannot afford under the salary cap next year. We will find out between now and the trade deadline November 5, but in the meantime what a disappointment.

Hey, GCBB team! We are having our first party of the season on Sunday, 10/6/24 at Mac’s Pizza Pub. Here are the details:

Our Miller Light keg will be tapped at kickoff, Brown @ Commanders, 1:00 pm. Mac’s will be serving party food at halftime: jumbo chicken wings, boneless wings, pretzels with beer cheese, loaded tasty tots.

The Raffle items are: #40 practice jersey, LaCount III practice jersey, Anthony Walker signed ball, Donovan Peoples-Jones signed ball, Browns seat cushion, Joe Haden signed mini helmet.

The Grand Prize is: Phil Dawson signed jersey.

In the week leading up to the game against the Raiders, we were advised that right guard Wyatt Teller was placed on injured reserve – out for at least four games. Later we were told that right tackle Jack Conklin and left tackle Jedrick Wills were deactivated due to injuries. Also inactive due to injury was David Njoku, an underrated blocker from the tight end position. These injuries almost guaranteed that the Browns would again have trouble running the ball and that Watson would again not have time to go through his progressions to find open receivers. The offense did well enough on the first drive producing a touchdown, but the Raiders made adjustments, and the Browns struggled offensively for the rest of the game.

Given the offensive line injuries, this was to be expected. What was not expected was how bad the defense was with the worstBrowns tackling that we have seen in years and way too soft coverage by Emerson. By the time the defense stiffened up, it was too little too late with the game being decided by a dropped touchdown, a missed extra point and a phantom offensive holding call.

We are now being told by some that injuries are no excuse, that injuries are part of the game and that it is next man up. But isn’t it interesting that almost every year it is pointed out that the Super Bowl teams have been remarkably healthy. And if the next man up is as good as the starter, then why is the starter being paid $10 million more?

Fortunately, three losses do not a wasted season make. Help is on the way. Chubb is now practicing. Conklin, Wills and Njoku could all return this week. And although it might be too slowly, Watson is improving game-by-game. The Browns might now need to win some games that they were figured to lose, but the playoffs still beckon. Stay tuned.    

I, for one, have to hope that the Browns current struggles on offense have to be primarily due to offensive line injuries. Running lanes have been scarce to non-existent reducing the Browns offense to a one-dimensional passing attack. This has enabled opponents to unleash pass rushes against Watson that have eliminated his time to go deep and forced him to scramble around for his life looking for someone/anyone to bail him out. We have all seen the results. If the health of the offensive line is the main problem, then we just need to hang in there until everyone gets healthy and then make a run for the playoffs. Of course if more than one offensive line piece ends up missing most of the season, we are all in big trouble. In this case only a vintage Chubb, a 2020 version of Watson and a lights out defense might be enough to take the Browns to the promise land. Don’t bet the farm on this.

As for the defense I think that their number one 2023 rating might have gone to their heads. Certainly the Browns have a couple of perennial pro-bowler and a couple of other really good players, but the rest are, if better than most, more highly regarded by Browns fans than they are by national experts and Pro Football Focus. No one should mistake them for the 1985 Bears. And while I like much of Jim Schwartz schemes, if they were really clearlysuperior to those of other teams, every team would have adopted them.

And a final word on week-to-week matchups: It is easy to say that a weekly opponent is bad against the run or the pass or a heavy pash rush or whatever and that the Browns should dominate by attacking this weakness. The other team also knows its weaknesses. They are not going to just endure them. They will try to scheme up ways to overcome them. And if the Browns are not ready with a plan B to counter these schemes, then that is poor coaching on the Browns part.

It is easy being a fan when things are going well. It’s much tougher when the team is under-performing. But when the Browns patch this thing up, the victory will be that much sweeter. GO BROWNS!  

Hey Greater Cincinnati Browns Backers! We are planning a bunch of fun events during the game watch tomorrow (9/22/24) at Mac’s Pizza Pub Blue Ash!

First, we will get to see our Cleveland Browns kick some NY Giants butts. BUT, we also plan to celebrate our Slatts friends during SLATTS APPRECIATION DAY! Let’s take good care of them as they did us on football Sundays!

Second, we will have the Slatts crew announce the 2023 McGregor Award winner(s) of very deserving GCBB peeps!

Third, we will have some awesome raffle items for you to win: a Elijah Moore signed football and a Kareem Hunt signed jersey. Raffle tickets are $1 each and the proceeds go to the Browns Foundation.

So come on out to Mac’s Pizza Pub in Blue Ash so we can bark together for our Browns, WOOF!!!

If the Browns are really as bad as they looked against Dallas this Sunday, we are all in for a world of hurt. The Browns will struggle to go 6-11. Whoever is in charge to pick up the pieces will decide to go into salary cap hell a year early and trade or cut most of the big salaries. Many fans will hope that the Browns play bad enough to draft a top quarterback. And we will start over almost from scratch.  

Fortunately, none of this will happen. During the next two or three weeks starters will get the reps that they should have received during pre-season and begin to look like their mid-season selves. The offensive tackles will get healthy, and the offensive line will again look like a top-ten unit. With better blocking, Watson will settle down in the pocket and command a quick, crisp passing attack. (Alternately, he will continue to struggle and be replaced by Winston, who is plenty good enough to lead a top defensive team with a good offensive line and a really solid running game (if paced by Chubb) deep into the playoffs.) Chubb will return and look enough like his old self to lead a top-ten rushing attack. And the wealth of talent at receiver will shine as the Browns best unit this century. Finally, on defense, talent will tell. Even if things have to be simplified to allow players to see, run and hit without pausing to think, the defense will again look like a top unit, as they began to during the second half of the Dallas game. 

The NFL season is long. There is time to look bad but then recover. It is way too early to panic, as we should see over the next four weeks. 

Even though it was only one game – although on the road against a team widely regarded as a playoff contender – the win over Jacksonville relieved a lot of anxiety over this Browns team. The defense was top-ten. The Jacksonville running game was contained. The pressure on Lawrence was consistent and unrelenting. And the coverage, even with Ward limited to 11 snaps, seemed to pick up as the game went on and was more than good enough (with one exception, to be addressed later). Owusu-Koramoah in particular seemed to be all over the place making plays.

On offense, the Browns smartly ran often and effectively enough to keep Jacksonville’s defense honest. With both Wills and Conklin still unavailable at tackle and with Jones clearly limited, the Browns schemed up help in the form of Harris and Zinter as wingbacks. This fix worked well enough, and the line should improve markedly when everyone is healthy. Watson looked much more comfortable and decisive and thus was good enough even if not yet where the Browns need him to be to take them through the playoffs. Jeudy flashed number one receiver chops even while Cooper continues to struggle.  

As for the negatives… In the second half the Browns seemed to throttle down the offense a bit hoping to hang on for a win. The 66-yard completion to Thomas that led to a touchdown and ultimately a nail-biting finish demonstrated that the Browns cannot just rely on their defense. They must have more confidence in their offense and put up more points. Newsome was criticized for his (pretty tight) coverage on this play, but where was the free safety, whose first responsibility – especially given the game situation – should always be deep pass help? I am afraid that we will really miss Thornhill in this regard until he returns. But the biggest complaint has to be all the penalties. What should have been a game-clinching drive late was destroyed by penalty after penalty. At some point the Browns might have to resort to pulling for at least a play if not a series any player who makes a dumb penalty. Stay tuned on this.

Next up: a soft part of the schedule: Giants, Las Vegas and Washington. The Browns should win all three and with better health and continued improvement from Watson set themselves up as a feared opponent for anyone. 

It’s a new Browns football season full of anticipation, promise, and hope. It’s also a new season full of new favorite seats, new menu items, new brews, and new friends! Come share in the excitement of week 1 at Mac’s Pizza Pub in Blue Ash with some of the best fans in the world: the Greater Cincinnati Browns Backers!

Week 1 will feature:
Membership sign-ups
Door prizes for early arrivals
50/50 split the pot
Food & drink specials
Early reservations for our Week 9 Bus Trip
Plenty of energy and excitement!

Doors open at 11 am, so come early, complete your membership, and find the best seat in the house for the start of the 2024 season! See you Sunday!

Location (select Blue Ash location): https://macspizzapub.com

Thanks to everyone who helped make the Greater Cincinnati Browns Backers the 2009 Brownsbacker.com Club of the Year! With 49% of the vote, we outlasted other worth Browns Backers groups: the North Coast Browns Backers, the Southeast Michigan Browns Backers, and the Treasure Coast Browns Backers. Final results can be found here.We received an Kosar jersey to auction off for our charity – so look for this in 2010.