The biggest racket in pro sports is demanding full ticket price for NFL exhibition games, especially the last one, when coaches don't even pretend they care about winning. Even though the Browns came on late to win the game tonight, both teams really mailed it in, not even playing several uninjured players on both sides. It was a long, ugly game. The fans deserve better.
The Bears best player, Brian Urlacher doesn't play, nor does starting running back Thomas Jones. The Browns excuse Lee Suggs, Courtney Brown, and William Green altogether, and allow cameo appearances for most of the other starters. No starter played after the five minute mark of the first quarter.
But for the short time they were in there, they managed to look lousy, with only a couple of exceptions. Garcia and the first string offense were on their third series before they managed a first down. Penalty, fumble, penalty were their first three offensive plays. Garcia did make a nice throw on the TD to Andre Davis and then put on the baseball cap.
The Browns continue to kill themselves with penalties. Offsides on a 4th and 4 field goal attempt, a stupid celebration foul on Quincy Morgan after Davis' touchdown. Dumb, inexcusable stuff like that. Constantly. Northcutt drops a pass, Dawson misses a chip shot field goal. This is not a very disciplined team.
I was impressed with the play of Chaun Thompson. He had been named a starter early in camp, but played tonight with the second teamers since he's seeing his first playing time of the year. Receiver Richard Alston looks like he's got the team made. He's got the look. He's returned punts and caught everything thrown at him.
Buckeye Craig Krenzel played most of the game at QB for the Bears and looked pretty good for a rookie 4th round choice who really should be in medical school. I must admit I'm surprised that he actually has a chance to stick in the NFL. He looked more like a veteran than a rookie tonight, driving the Bears to their only score, and just playing smart. He would have been MVP if not for the heroics of our own 4th round rookie QB, Luke McCown. Will Butch Davis' drafting reputation be upgraded if McCown turns out to be as big a steal as 2003 4th rounder Lee Suggs seems to have been?
I felt like they were conducting a scrimmage instead of a game though, when the Browns ran into the center of the line on a 3rd and goal from the 11 yard line, to center what would be a tying field goal. We're DOWN three points and we're not going for the end zone on 3rd and goal from the 11. In the 3rd quarter! My brain briefly contemplated the prospect of overtime and then just went numb.
We stayed till the end, and McCown threw two late scores to salvage a long evening and finish a 3-1 preseason. But unless this team can lose its annoying habit of sabotaging themselves with penalties, it's an 8-8 team at best. Baltimore is in town with the murderer and the record-setting running back on the 12th. We'll find out a lot about the Browns that day.
Posted by dan at September 4, 2004 12:42 AM