Someone who needs to be part of the blame game

[USFBrown]

Cleveland Browns: GM Tom Heckert Not Helping Fix Team's 0-3 Record

By

Brian DiTullio

(Browns Featured Columnist) on September 29, 2010

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/476868-...eams-0-3-record

 

 

In the NFL, the only stat that matters is the number in the win column.

 

Right now, the Cleveland Browns have an 0-3 record, and some of the blame needs to fall on General Manager Tom Heckert.

 

We can sit here all day, arguing until we're blue in the face about the failings of the players and the coaching staff but at the end of the day, Heckert is the one in charge of the 53-man roster.

 

Before we get to Heckert, though, a moment to digress about the Browns coordinators.

 

While perusing various Browns related websites and digesting the different takes on the first three weeks of the season, several conclusions can be reached: the first being Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll doesn't have very many friends.

 

Daboll's shortcomings as an offensive coordinator have been well documented by myself and others around here, so let's make sure this one point is on record: Daboll does not handle the pressures of the job during a game well at all. His offensive schemes are conservative and easily read by opposing defenses.

 

If things start to go wrong, Daboll panics and gets even more conservative, preferring to "play it safe" rather than give the ball back to someone who dropped a pass or fumbled a ball. He's not good at making adjustments and lacks imagination.

 

While there's another 3,000 words on the "Daboll Stinks and Should Be Fired" subject, let's bring this home to Heckert, who broke camp without any kind of star receiver on the roster.

 

None were drafted and he made no attempt to go out and get any in free agency or via a trade.

 

The Browns just picked up wide receiver Sam Aiken, but that's just feeding off of Bill Belichick's scraps, something that rarely ever works out for any team.

 

When Belichick is done with a player, 95 percent of the time it was for a very good reason.

 

Heckert knew coming in the only "veteran" wide receiver on the team was Chansi Stuckey. Other than that, there's Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie, both of whom are entering their second year; only Massaquoi looks like he'll be any good, although his potential to be a star receiver is fading rapidly.

 

There's Joshua Cribbs, but he's become an all-purpose player and shouldn't be the team's No. 1 wide receiver.

 

If he's all they got, then great, use him, but Heckert hasn't done much to address the fact that without a deep threat, opposing defenses have a much easier day because they can just crowd the line and shut you down.

 

So what if Cribbs gets a couple of good catches? The other teams realize they'll just get us on the next play, and so far this year, that's exactly what has happened.

Who Deserves the Most Blame For the Browns 0-3 Record?

Mike Holmgren Eric Mangini Tom Heckert Brian Daboll The Players Submit Vote vote to see results

 

Turning to the defense, Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan loves to blitz, and it bit him in the behind this past week as Joe Flacco turned one ill-advised blitz into seven points.

 

Of course, Ryan also left Eric Wright on Anquan Boldin, even though Boldin had proved halfway through the first quarter it was a complete mismatch.

 

Once again, Heckert broke camp with only three defensive backs and 12 linebackers. So if one of our DBs has a bad day, like . . . say . . . hmmm. . . ERIC WRIGHT, there's not a heck of a lot the coaching staff can do about it because who else is there?

 

That's not to excuse the coaching staff, though, who should've changed the assignment in the second half, but the adjustments issue is another article.

 

Peyton Hillis had a great game, but to think the Browns will get a bruising performance out of Hillis like that every week is just silly. The Browns need a speedy running back to compliment Hillis' frontal attack, or Hillis, like the wide receivers, will just get shut down.

 

But Heckert decided to trade away three draft picks to move up from the top of the third round to the bottom of the second round and take a running back with a significant injury history, Montario Hardesty.

 

Hardesty already had torn one ACL and had two knee surgeries. He was healthy his senior year, so Heckert decided to take a chance. Why he felt the need to move up, though, is the problem. This team has drafted badly enough over the years that losing any pick is a bad move.

 

Plus, Hardesty wasn't going anywhere. Why Heckert felt someone else was going to take this guy, not projected to go any higher than the end of the third round, will probably remain a mystery.

 

Heckert isn't talking about it after Hardesty was put on the injured reserve list after tearing his other ACL after only running a handful of plays in the last preseason game.

 

This isn't meant as a knock on Hardesty, who we all hope can return and be good, but that's assuming he ever sees the field. Hardesty could end up being a complete waste of three draft picks and that's something Heckert is accountable for.

 

To sum it up: Heckert made some questionable moves on draft day, didn't do much to address the team's lack of wide receivers, and felt going into the season with only three DBs was an acceptable situation.

 

So this begs the question: is it any surprise this team is 0-3?

 

[USFBrown]

I didn't really see much of anyone blaming Heckert on the board and i thought this article made a lot of good points.

 

In retrospect, giving up three picks for Hardesty was a bad move. We really could have used a CB or WR.

 

PS. I should have added Lack of Talent as an option, but just vote for Heckert if that's your choice.

[Bob806]

I'm not into the blame game....my opinion, like others, is our WRs aren't too slick.We can't stretch the field-hopefully this gets fixed via draft & free agency. If we don't do that, then I'll start blaming.

 

As a fan, we HAVE to protect our home field, and especially against our division foes. We win our division games, we get to the top. Let's start by knocking off Cincy this weekend.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Not voting because I think this poll is stupid.

[BrownIndian]

I didn't really see much of anyone blaming Heckert on the board and i thought this article made a lot of good points.

 

In retrospect, giving up three picks for Hardesty was a bad move. We really could have used a CB or WR.

 

PS. I should have added Lack of Talent as an option, but just vote for Heckert if that's your choice.

 

Im going to put lack of talent as a reason + some questionable playcalling.

[Gips]

Hey this is a loaded poll!!

How can i blame dabs without blaming mangini and how can i blame mangini when he was left short handed in a rebuild by hecktard and how can i blame hecktard for holmgrems mistake of keeping mangini and how can i blame holmgren for keeping mangini when i myself was for mangini getting a second chance? LOADED POLL!

 

As the amount of straight wild turkey in my 16 oz glass gets lower than the expectations i have for the browns organization and this regime...i will just laugh my way through the next 10 seasons like i have for 8 of the last 10 years!

 

I suspect once jake gets his arse back in there something is going to happen...

And like it or not the nfl is about winning and when you lose consistently someone has to take the blame and that will be daboll first and if we still fail it will be mangini because the coach is the fall guy rather it actually is his fault or not...but the truth is this has been an organizational failure starting with the weasel we call lerner and going into some ridiculous playcalling and coaching calls then ending with way to many player mistakes and inconsistent execution..

GO BROWNS!

[DawgTracker]

We simply don't have enough experienced talent yet but we are getting there. The WRs need to step it up and I hope that Mitchell can become a factor. The dirty birds crushed us last year and we could have won at their place this year.

[CLEVELandMILIDH]

Blame for what? Being a better football team than last year.

 

I blame Holmgren for bringing in a good GM, Heckert for bringing in solid FA's and drafting some playmakers, Mangini for getting the team to compete even though we have less talent than any team we play.

[BUNSofSTEEL08]

The Browns are 0-3 by 12 total points... You guys aint done yet ... are you ??

[Mr. T]

I voted everyone, it is still a team sport.

[Joker Boy]

This poll is stupid and the replies are from people who don't know anything about football. This board had integrity at one time now it's filled with a bunch of idiots, the browns fans are crying and it's the steelers fan that points out that we're competing and getting real close to winning. Sad sacks all of you, none of you bleed brown and orange. Last year everyone said I just want to see improvement now we get improvement on year 1 of the rebuild and this board is filled with BS. A team with damn near no talent and we were competitive with 3 teams that are 2-1, 2-1, and 3-0 and you want the coaching staff hung for this??? Complain about no adjustments being made with eric wright and I would agree but rant about tossing the coaching staff out the door with what they've done with a team this bad??? brilliant. If 98% of you guys made the decisions of who to keep and who to fire we would always be this bad.

[The Gipper]

The Browns are 0-3 by 12 total points... You guys aint done yet ... are you ??

 

 

That is what I said. They really basically rolled over the vaunted Ravens defense with their running game, but lost it on some defensive breakdowns. Cure that and they could roll on some teams the way they did at the end of last year. The wins that they get could be ugly, you know 13-6 or 14-10, but that would be OK.

How many teams have won titles in the past with defense and running game? A bunch.

Yes, Browns need a lot of work on their air game. But you cannot fix everything in one year.

[next2nothing]

The wins that they get could be ugly, you know 13-6 or 14-10, but that would be OK.

This post reminded me of this fact. How many games in the NFL are won by more than a field goal or a TD each week? Maybe 2 or 3.

 

We don't have to go Peyton Manning on our opponents and put up 30+ a game. Like you said Gipper, if we can cure some of our problems, this team is going to surprise people.

 

We're 0 - 3, there's still 13 games left, if the season were decided on paper there would be no reason to play each week.

[Bob806]

This poll is stupid and the replies are from people who don't know anything about football. This board had integrity at one time now it's filled with a bunch of idiots, the browns fans are crying and it's the steelers fan that points out that we're competing and getting real close to winning. Sad sacks all of you, none of you bleed brown and orange. Last year everyone said I just want to see improvement now we get improvement on year 1 of the rebuild and this board is filled with BS. A team with damn near no talent and we were competitive with 3 teams that are 2-1, 2-1, and 3-0 and you want the coaching staff hung for this??? Complain about no adjustments being made with eric wright and I would agree but rant about tossing the coaching staff out the door with what they've done with a team this bad??? brilliant. If 98% of you guys made the decisions of who to keep and who to fire we would always be this bad.

 

There is quite a bit of frustration, but not all the posts are negative.

 

It is an open forum, you have to expect all kinds of different opinions. Take a deep breath

[CantonLegend]

i dont think its right to blame a 2nd year head coach that inherited a notoriously bad team. especially one that, teamed with mike holmgren, is bringing in noticeably talented players.

 

while not every move is going to be a homerun, its easy to see how the browns are improving despite being winless. after so many losing seasons its easy to get impatient, but is another season or 2 really too long to wait for a winning season? the browns are getting better and i dont think its the right idea to blame anyone specifically for the lack of success this browns team is finding.

 

its a long season remember. still a lot of football to be played

[vdogrowz]

Jake's high ankle sprain is to blame. Seneca is a good guy that The Big Show picked up for a 6th round pick. Another way of looking at it is there wasn't another team in the league willing to give up a 5th round pick for him. What he'll do is what we've done, keep us in the game going into the 4th qtr, and then we hope to make a play or get a turnover to steal a win. TBS is paying Jake $7mm big ones, which is what you pay a QB that can make plays in the 4th qtr to win a game. We'll be fine when Jake gets back, with our new beast Hillis/J Harrison combo, a rapidly improving Josh Cribbs at wideout and Ben Watson at TE.

[BATMAN]

It's Holmgrens first year, he will turn things around for the Browns and I believe by 2012 the Browns will make the playoffs. Maybe even next season if age and free agency knocks some holes into the Ravens, Bengals and Steelers.

[USFBrown]

This poll is stupid and the replies are from people who don't know anything about football. This board had integrity at one time now it's filled with a bunch of idiots, the browns fans are crying and it's the steelers fan that points out that we're competing and getting real close to winning. Sad sacks all of you, none of you bleed brown and orange. Last year everyone said I just want to see improvement now we get improvement on year 1 of the rebuild and this board is filled with BS. A team with damn near no talent and we were competitive with 3 teams that are 2-1, 2-1, and 3-0 and you want the coaching staff hung for this??? Complain about no adjustments being made with eric wright and I would agree but rant about tossing the coaching staff out the door with what they've done with a team this bad??? brilliant. If 98% of you guys made the decisions of who to keep and who to fire we would always be this bad.

 

 

Hey Bitch,

 

This is a forum for discussion. It was meant as entrainment and a for opinions. It's asking who is to blame for the 0-3 start. Not, who hates the Browns and will never be a fan again. No where did it ask, who should be fired. Get a grip. you're the only one crying in this thread.