2011 Cleveland Browns: Season In Review

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

Well, with a season-ending loss Sunday, the 2011 Browns finished the first year of the Pat Shurmur era a disappointing 4-12, one game worse than the previous two years under Eric Mangini. Over the course of the season we watched a young and developing defense give fans a reason to cheer in the first year under Dick Jauron's 4-3 scheme, with rookies Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard making their presences felt on the new 4-man line. The Browns got off to a promising start in 2011, with wins over the Colts and Dolphins to start the season 2-1 and going over .500 for the first time since 2007. After a Week 4 thrashing at the hands of the Tennessee Titans, however, the season quickly spiraled out of control.

 

After heading into the bye week at 2-2, the Browns would go a miserable 2-10 the remainder of the year, struggling to move the ball the entire way. Despite having leads in a good number of the games this season (most notably both Cincinnati games), the Browns struggled to finish. The most painful losses in my mind came in Week 10 to the St. Louis Rams on a botched snap on a chip shot field goal that would've given the Browns a 15-13 lead with 2:00 left and in Week 13 in Primetime to the arch-rival Steelers, in which the Steelers made all the mistakes imaginable but the Browns failed to capitalize. Both of these losses are perfect microcosms for the Browns' season.

 

On top of the rough losses this season, it is likely that we witnessed the fall of yet another young quarterback who had all the potential in the world: Colt McCoy. McCoy looked uncomfortable all season and I don't think there's any fixing that. It's very likely that Shurmur will get a quarterback he likes at some point in the offseason. Despite looking promising near the end of last season, it now seems McCoy has befallen the same fate as Tim Couch, Charlie Frye, and Brady Quinn before him.

 

As mentioned earlier, 2011 was the first year of the Pat Shurmur era in Cleveland. The Browns fanbase called for Shurmur's head all season, me included. His overly conservative playcalling struck a nerve with the Cleveland fans who wanted him to cut his offense and his young quarterback loose. Mike Holmgren has already promised Shurmur's return in 2012. If this happens, a coordinator should probably be hired both to help Shurmur and to work with the quarterback, whoever that ends up being.

 

All in all, 2011 was a year that got off to a great start but quickly fell down the tubes for the Cleveland Browns. Despite the triumphant return of D'Qwell Jackson and the thunderous emergence of Joe Haden as a shutdown NFL cornerback, the Browns still have an incredible amount of work to do in a division that produced three playoff teams in 2011. As yet another overturn at quarterback is likely to occur and last year's Madden athlete Peyton Hillis figures to move on, the Browns are back at square one. It likely won't get better anytime soon, but the Browns fans will be there all the way.

 

Go Browns.

[HadenIsland23 42]

All of it so true. Great read.

[Wee-Bey 0]

So Browns fans think McCoy is done in Cleveland? I don't think he got a fair go - the team is a mess and he has never had very good receiving options to work with. If they have an opportunity to draft RGII do you think they go that route or possibly try and make a move for Matt Flynn this offseason?

[Brownage 7]

they sucked ass.