Well, we've known
for months now that the Browns wouldn't be taking part in the playoffs. But
short of that, Saturday's doubleheader really couldn't have turned out much
better for fans of the orange and brown.
First, there was the
delicious defeat of the dreaded Ravens, those bastard children of the original
Cleveland Browns. In a grudge match against the franchise that had earlier
spurned the city, host Baltimore was hoist on its own petard. Outrushed by the
team with the NFL's most porous run defense, outsmarted player and coach alike,
and yes, out of luck, they recovered none of the three fumbles offered up by the
team with the oh-so-familiar lucky symbol on its helmet. And center square Ray Lewis tipped away two sure interceptions from his teammates.
The Football Fates
were in fine form, for once.
The nightcap saw
Jeff Garcia's carriage return to overripe pumpkin. As a Brown in 2004, he was a
disaster on and off the field. He took a bad situation here and made it even
worse, failing in his core responsibilities as a teammate, a leader, an object
of fan respect, and -- of course -- a quarterback. His resurgence with the
Eagles this season was welcome to the extent that it further proved the
multidimensional ineptitude of PHD (that's Butch Davis, in case you forgot). But
the ink on that exclamation point had long since dried, and to see Garcia
advance further would have only made Browns football suffer by
comparison.
So it was with some
gratitude that I enjoyed the Saints' victory. That team is a tremendous story in
itself, and I wouldn't mind a bit if it leaves the Browns on an even shorter
list of non-Super Bowl teams. Plus, New Orleans features four former Browns
players. We all know about Jeff Faine, and we were able to watch his tattooed
arms haul Deuce McAllister into the end zone in the third quarter. Less
remembered, though, are the Saints' three tight ends -- Mark Campbell, Billy
Miller, and John Owens -- all late of Cleveland, and they combined for 108
receiving yards. I can enjoy that in full knowledge that I'll keep our current
TE trio over that one or any other in the league.
Small pleasures, I
know.
As for today's
games, I have no strong feelings on Chicago/Seattle, but I'm definitely pulling
for San Diego over New England, or, put another way, Marty over Mumbles. Though
far from perfect, Marty remains the only Browns coach out of the last 11 to
sport a winning record, Mumbles included. In the meantime, Belichick has won
more than his share already.
Looking over the
active rosters for former Browns, I'll take the Chargers' starting WR
Keenan
McCardell and Roman Oben, a former starter at tackle, over the Pats'
emergency QB Vinnie Testaverde and backup CB Ray Mickens. The ex-Browns
slant is also in the Chargers' favor when it comes to assistant coaches,
including their TE coach, Chud, who (personal bias admitted) would be a fine
candidate for the open job as Browns' offensive coordinator.