It's pretty hard to
overstate the importance of Sunday's game to the future of Cleveland football.
Sure, the rest of the schedule will play itself out no matter what, and there
are no plans to move the franchise or anything, but really, the stakes could not
possibly be higher for a battle between a pair of 3-6 teams. For the front
office, the coaching staff, the players, and the Browns' fan base, this is,
well, pick your cliche: a pivotal moment, where the rubber meets the road, as
big as it gets, the whole enchilada.
On this rivalry
weekend, if the Browns win, it flat-out validates that
the program here is at least in forward gear. It's a home game against foe most
foul. It's a chance to avenge the 11 losses suffered in the last dozen clashes
between these longtime interstate opponents. That includes the Browns' last
playoff appearance and, perhaps even moreso, the embarrassment of last Christmas
Eve. A Browns win would effectively extinguish the defending Super Bowl champs'
hopes of a return to the playoffs. And it could herald the emergence of Charlie
Frye as a bona fide NFL starter, the growth of a cohesive defensive unit, the
competence of the coaching staff, and the outsized impact of players like
Braylon Edwards, Sean Jones, Kamerion Wimbley, and Wheelie. In fact, if Wheelie
stars in a Browns win this Sunday, I will gladly retire that mocking
moniker.
Conversely, if the
Steelers again strut out of Cleveland Browns Stadium as the superior team, if the likes of Joey Porter get the final word, you
may not want to witness the agonizing, the blame-casting, the
anger-turned-apathy, the "adjustments" that are bound to ensue. Let's start at the top. If I recall,
it was following that nasty holiday whitewash -- in which the entire stadium
came to be dominated by the wrong set of colors -- that the whole front office
putsch came to shove. The emotional impact of that sad spectacle very nearly
triggered the owner to fire his football VP Phil Savage after less than a year
on the job. Had John Collins' machinations not been leaked to the public, Randy
Lerner might have done the unthinkable. A similar scene on Sunday? Think
again: Word among
league executives and people who have talked to Lerner personally in recent
weeks is that he has become increasingly annoyed with the direction of his team.
And his issues aren't limited to Cleveland's 3-6 record.... As for Savage, he
prefers to spend much of his time on the road scouting players and has expressed
a desire to give up a lot of the day-to-day responsibilities he got when he was
hired. That's honest, but it's a long way from what Lerner thought he was
getting when he hired Savage.
Call that a taste of
informed speculation, but it is ominous indeed. But even beyond all that, a loss
here and now could effectively drop the curtain (reaching the floor at season's
end) on Romeo Crennel if his team betrays the apparent ennui of the opener,
disorganized game management, or strategic stupidity. For players, a defeat here
would down any airs of confidence lofted by the recent toppings of the Jets and
Falcons. Another failure to achieve consecutive victories would have this team
doubting its abilities, its leadership, and its future.
And then there's the
fans. They're not a monolith, so I dare not try to predict their moods and
motions, but let's just say it straight. A win for the Browns is good for the
depth and breadth of the fan base: a glimmer of hope for the rest of the season and beyond, a source of
pride, and an impetus toward further investment of emotion and resources in the
Brown and Orange as an entertainment concept and a holiday merchandise option.
Lose to the Steelers again in our own crib? The die-hards' hearts harden, the
discretionary dollars dry up, the discussions detail not delight but distress.
Doom? No. Another Dark Age of Cleveland Browns football? Quite
possibly.
Maybe I'm
melodramatic. OK. But c'mon, guys, get it together. Click. Let's add another
great win over the Steelers to this list I first generated over four years ago
but have not had occasion to update. Amaze me. Please.