Sunday Night Football: A play by play (sorta)

Ok, so we're going to try something new (although, this being my 4th post, most things about this bad boy are still pretty new).

Since our game tonight is a national game, and I'm watching from the comfort of my couch, I'm going to give my thoughts on the game in semi-real time. As I get a little bit too heated when I watch games and tend to throw things, its not a good idea to keep my computer within arms reach, so I'll give my thoughts at the conclusion of every quarter during the safety of the commercial breaks.

Pre-game thoughts:
This game is being hyped, like everything else surrounding our season. Its our chance to establish our presence in the division. So we lost last week. We clearly don't have a good track record in home openers, so lets write it off as a loss, move on, and kick some Shitsburg ass! Braylon needs to step up his game , the D needs to step up their game, hell, the whole freaking team needs to step up their game. Make it happen, and make it happen this week.

1st Q:
One word summary: Unimpressive
Positives:
SACK! On Roethsliburger! On 3rd and 2! Woo. Highlight of the first quarter and the best thing I've seen from our defense this year.
Zastudil kicking well into the wind. Unfortunately, he had to do it way to many times b/c we can't get first downs.
Holding the Stillers to Zero
Negatives:
Braylon sucking at life. Still dead to me. Wind is no excuse.
In general, our D still giving the QB all the time in the world to throw the freaking ball. Where is the pressure?
Having our own score remain Zero.
Other thoughts:
John Madden is a douche.
Why is more attention being paid to Michael Phelps than the game at hand? Yes, he went to M*chigan. Yes, him and Braylon are pals, but lets move on and not bring him up every three seconds just because he's at the game.

2nd Q:
One word summary: gksaljgldksajfdlksajfl;as
Positives:
Um, no one got hurt? Seriously, I would have called a strong approx. 80 yard drive a positive if we had made something of it. Clearly, we didn't. Even a freaking field goal would have been ok. The actual result was infuriating and unacceptable. Actually. I enjoyed that the Steelers called a time out just as we jumped offsides on 4th and 1, except we then proceeded to let them run the ball half way down the freaking field, so this is not a positive.
Negatives:
Way too many. Botching a timeout call at a key time. Bad. Not scoring. Bad. Throwing multiple interceptions. Bad, Bad, Bad. (DA, our guys are wearing the BROWN jerseys, just a friendly reminder)
Shaun Rogers needs to brush up on some fundamentals. Face mask grabbing and jumping the line before the opposing team snaps the ball are cheating. The refs don't like cheaters. Maybe they don't teach you that at Texas*, but here in the north, we play by the rules.
Other thoughts:
A fight will break out before this game is over. There's a lot of physicality going on. Beyond that of a normal game. I am actually looking forward to seeing this happen. Nothing would make me happier. It would bring some excitement to this game. I want the benches to empty. Fists to fly.

Clearly, at the half, I'm not a happy Browns fan. Some shit better go down in that locker room before the 2nd half. Romeo needs to lay down the law and light the fire beneath their arses... Although I never really have faith in us as a 2nd half team. Our strategy should be to score early and often and then pray to God we can hold onto said lead.

3rd Q
One word summary: frustrating
Positives:
We put points on the board. Mind you it was only 3, but still, at least we scored. The game won't be a shut out.
Braylon caught a pass (but then immediately dropped the next). At least I now know his hands still work. Sometimes. Kind of.
Negatives:
We don't like to score touchdowns apparently.
We like to make stupid penalties (offsides)
Not getting the turnover at like the 2 yard line (although it was weather related, and the ball slipped through the hands of like 4 different people)
Other thoughts: 4th and 1. I would go for it. Always. Ok, maybe not always always, but def more than most coaches do. Just a thought, and one based on little to no knowledge of what goes into play making decisions in the NFL.

4th Q:
One word summary: typical
Positives: not a damn thing
Negatives:
Not capitalizing on our drives (scoring field goals rather than TDs, especially when the sum of our field goals does not surpass the opposing team's score)
Stupid and/or mental mistakes (a reoccurring theme season after season week after week)

Honestly, today's game play was an improvement over last week. It wasn't awful, but we did make mistakes. Too many mistakes. And it cost us the game. We again didn't take advantage of the opportunities we were given and it hurt us. I am upset over this loss, and will again be in a football funk until at least mid-week, but I have not abandoned hope on this season. And there was the hilarious comment in the 4th quarter from the ever idiotic announcers that the Browns are "the trendy team in this division this year", which made me crack a smile despite my depression over the loss.


*I actually have nothing against Texas, but one of three people who may actually be reading this blog is from there, and I just love to trash talk...