Written by VetteDawg; Browns 24/7 Fan Contributor

This is probably the best bad season that the Browns have ever had. After being 1 – 11, the team was thought to be the worst in the league. Four weeks and four wins later the Browns were one of the hottest teams heading into the playoffs. Except they weren’t heading to the playoffs.

The Browns went into the 2009 season with new coaches, a lot of new players and a new GM. April’s draft saw the Browns trading back multiple times while adding draft picks and NY Jets players. These Jets players would help Eric Mangini transition the Browns from the Romeo Crennel style to the more stringent Mangini style of coaching. Becoming a more disciplined team is a theme of the 2009 season.

Andra Davis and Sean Jones are free agents that are not retained. They are replaced by Eric Barton and Abram Elam from the Jets. On offense Alex Mack is drafted number one while Floyd Womack and John St. Clair are brought in to help solidify the offensive line. Brian Robiski and Mohamed Massaquoi are wide receivers taken at the top of the second round to add fire power to the offense.

The new coach did some things that drew negative commentary from the media. The removing of a mural of Browns greats and the ten hour bus ride to Hartford, CT for rookies to name a couple. Both apparently well intended but presented to us fans in a rather poor light. The mural was merely moved to another location and the trip to Hartford was for Mangini’s eighth annual football camp for under-resourced children in grades 8-12. The trip was voluntary and was for a good cause. Other incidents include the $1700.00 bottle of water and fines for players not parking in the proper spots. The fines however fall right in line with the ‘more disciplined team’ theme for the 2009 season. Another thing Mangini instituted was that players making mistakes in practice would have to run a lap. He brought in officials to call penalties, which would result in a lap for the offending player. Initially some of these things were seen as nit-picky or trivial but the result was the Browns were one of the least penalized teams in the league. This was quite an improvement over previous years.

Once again, the Browns had a quarterback derby through training camp and the pre-season. Sadly neither quarterback played well enough to be the obvious choice and coach Mangini didn’t want to announce who the starter would be until the last minute so as to make preparation by the Vikings for the opening day game more difficult. (shsh, it’s Brady Quinn but it’s a secret) The Browns went 2 – 2 in the pre-season but their play was somewhat unimpressive. The pass catching tight end Martin Rucker was a casualty of the roster cuts as was running back Chris Jennings who some thought might be kept instead of Jamal Lewis.

The regular season opened at home against the highly touted Vikings with Bret Favre at quarterback. The Browns put together a nice half of football taking a 13-10 lead into the locker room but the second half went the Vikings way culminating in a Vikings win 34-20. Adrian Peterson torched us for 180 yards and 3 TD’s while Favre just went about managing the game, chipping in 110 yards and 1 TD pass. Joshua Cribbs (who later in the season will be dubbed ‘Pay The Man’ by Deion Sanders) returned a punt 67 yards for a TD. Brady Quinn went 21of 35 with a TD and an INT while Jamal Lewis, the feature back, managed 57 yards rushing. Tight end Robert Royal caught 4 balls including a nice TD grab.

The Vikings had a strong defense so many were hopeful that game 2 against the Broncos would be different. Sadly, it wasn’t. The Browns offense could only net 200 yards (54 rushing) and 2 field goals while Denver put up 449 yards (186 rushing) and 27 points. This would be the norm for much of the Browns 2009 season. The offense unable to move the ball and the defense unable to stop the opponent. The next week we were pummeled by Baltimore 34-3. At halftime of the game Derek Anderson was inserted as the starting quarterback in a move that surprised many fans who were hoping to see Brady Quinn improve into a top flight NFL quarterback as the season progressed. Anderson was able to move the team down the field a couple of times but threw 3 second half interceptions.

During the week of preparation for the Bengals game coach Mangini claimed that he hadn’t decided on who the starting quarterback would be. Were the Browns solidly into a quarterback controversy again? The answer was, of course, yes. Many fans wanted to see Quinn get a chance at the Bengals since he’d faced fairly strong defenses to this point in the season but Anderson was named the starter prompting one Browns 24/7 poster to change his posting signature to ‘The Browns, The Only Team Where You Can Throw 3 Interceptions In One Half of Football And Win The Starting Job’ (or something to that affect).

The fact is, in 2007, Derek Anderson and the Bengals were involved in that epic, high scoring, 60 minute highlight reel of a game which may have tipped the scales in coach Mangini’s starting quarterback decision making. Weather Brady Quinn would’ve had a good game against the Bengals or not will forever remain a mystery but Anderson and the Browns had the best game of the season to this point. Jerome Harrison played for an injured Jamal Lewis and rushed for 121 yards on 29 carries, Mohamed Massaquio caught 8 passes for 148 yards while Anderson threw for 269 yards with a TD pass to Steve Heiden and 1 INT. Shaun Rogers blocked an extra point which forced the game into overtime only to see the Browns lose on a 31 yard field goal that many fans (including defensive coach Ryan) thought was no good.

I watched the Bengals game with the Southern New England Browns Backers (SNEBB) in Hartford, CT. (Yes, the infamous Hartford, CT). Sometime in the first half a pass was thrown to Braylon Edwards on 3rd down. He ran a pattern which resulted in him standing a yard beyond the first down marker on the left sideline. STANDING…not running or moving in any way. Anderson threw the ball right to him and it bounced off of him like he was make of flubber. All of us SNEBB’s gasped at the same time. The Browns punted…and a few days later the Browns punted Edwards over to the Jets for a conditional 2nd or 3rd round pick, a 5th round pick, WR Chansi Stuckey and LB Jason Trusnik.

This trade had a huge affect on the ‘09 Browns. Coupled with the previous trade of Kellen Winslow jr. the Browns quarterbacks no longer had a ‘favorite’ receiver. All of the receivers were very new to the team or in Josh Cribbs’ case, relatively new to the position. In the weeks following the trade the Browns passing attack became nearly non existent. Against Buffalo Anderson completed just 2 of 17 passes. Oddly enough, the wind and the Bills were so bad that we won that game 2 field goals to 1. Against Pittsburgh DA completed just 9 of 24 passes with our offense totaling only 197 yards of production while the Steelers gaffed our defense for 543 yards. To add injury to insult, D’Qwell Jackson suffered a season ending knee injury during the game.

Next the Packers came to town and put up 460 yards of offense to our 139 in a 31 – 3 route, followed closely by a Bears 30 to 6 drubbing where the Bears rushed for 170 yards and the Browns got 191 yards total. For the game Anderson went 6 of 17 for 76 yards with 2 INT’s. In Derek’s defense, the offensive line had not been offering him time to throw. The right side especially was having problems. And the receivers, well, they were all newbies having their own troubles. Adding more injury to insult was Eric Barton being put on IR during the week following the Bears game. We had now lost both of our starting inside linebackers for the rest of the year.

The Browns had now reached the bye week. Us fans had a week off from the misery of a season spiraling out of control. But some fans did not take the week off. A couple of season ticket holding Dawg Pound fans were organizing a revolt. A ‘Brown Out’ for the upcoming Monday Night Football game against the Ravens. The idea was for Browns fans to NOT be in their seats for the opening kick-off. They were to be in the concourse, the men’s/ladies rooms, the parking lot, anywhere but in their seats to show ownership that the fans were tired of the poor quality of play from their beloved Browns.

Now, initially, some of us Browns 24/7 message board posters were in favor of the Brown Out as a way to voice our displeasure – as long as everybody then would file in and fill the stadium to root for the team that we love and support. But during this bye week period George Kokinis was relieved of his GM duties and Mr. Lerner stated that he was going to look for a ‘strong football man’ to lead the Browns out of this funk and back into the team that he remembered as a boy, a quality and well respected NFL team.

This was enough for us 24/7 posters. We saw no more need to have a Brown Out. We felt that the owner was on our side and wanted to win as much as we did. To go on with such a thing on national TV would needlessly embarrass the organization and Mr. Lerner. Mr. Lerner even granted the two Brown Out organizers a two hour meeting. After the meeting the main organizer stated what a good man Randy Lerner is, how he loves the team and is committed to making them a winner, etc., etc. Apparently however, it was not enough. This organizer was still going to go through with the Brown Out. Now, I’ve not dignified this person by using his name or ‘Dawg’ nickname because I think going through with the Brown Out was a slap in the face to Mr. Lerner who, in the opinion of the vast majority of Browns fans, does NOT deserve to be treated that way. The man’s a fan like we are for God’s sake!

I watched the game with my Monday night card playing friends and we didn’t notice anything unusual regarding the number of fans in attendance at kick-off. And from what I understand, the two rabble rousers were greeted with a chant of negativity from the majority of the other Dawg Pound section fans.

OK…back to the season. The outcome of the second Ravens game was not nearly as bad as the first. The Browns didn’t score any points with Brady Quinn, who was put back in the saddle again during the bye week but the defense only gave up 16 points and 274 yards which was a moral victory.

Finally, it was Detroit Lions week. Us fans were feeling that we needed a week like this to put up some offensive numbers and come away with a confidence building win. Well, we got some of what we wanted. Brady Quinn had a great day. He went 21 of 33 for 304 yards and 4 TD’s. Heck, even Phil Dawson completed a pass for 10 yards. The only problem was that Mathew Stafford, who looked so awful in our pre-season meeting, threw for 422 yards and 5 TD’s. Our defense that played so well against the Ravens did a complete 180. A total reversal culminating with a pass interference call in the end zone on a desperation Hail Mary pass. The subsequent one yard TD pass beat us 38-37. And again, more injury to insult, Shaun Rogers was put on IR after this game.

This was the low point of the season for the Browns and us fans. They had just lost to a one win team. A team that didn’t win ANY games in it’s previous season. Yes, wives of Browns fans and players were hiding sharp objects and keeping us away from tall buildings and bridges. Coach Mangini’s head was wanted on a silver platter. Someone had to be at fault for all of this. Someone’s head had to roll. – Slowly, we settled down and began to accept the fact that it was going to take some time to turn this thing around. We had lost three important defensive players. How could we expect to hold our opponent’s offense in check. We need another off-season to acquire more talent, to upgrade, to become competitive.

Next up was the Bengals. Since we last played them so competitively back in week 4 the two teams had gone in different directions. The Bengals were winning games and taking charge of the division and we were first in line for April’s player draft. By the good grace of the football Gods we only lost the game 16-7 even though the defense gave up 210 rushing yards. Carson Palmer spent the day handing off to newly acquired Larry Johnson and Bernard Scott while managing the game much like Bret Favre did in the opener.

Now, the San Diego Chargers came to town for a game that would be a turning point in the season for the Browns…except nobody would know it until the following week. The Chargers got up on our beloved team by a score of 27-7 after three quarters, but the Browns behind Brady Quinn scored 16 unanswered points in the final quarter. Quinn threw 3 TD’s, 2 of them went to Jerome Harrison. We found a tight end named Evan Moore who caught 6 balls for 80 yards, and yes, even Brian Robiski got in the act catching 4 balls for 69 yards. The game actually came down to an onside kick which San Diego recovered to end the onslaught. After the game Chargers coach Norv Turner told coach Mangini how much he admired the toughness and tenacity of his Browns players and asked him to tell the team that. Mangini told his players how proud of them he was in not quitting, playing hard, staying after it and almost pulling out an upset victory over one of the league’s top teams. And he told the players what the opposing coach said about them.

This set up the Thursday Night match up with the Pittsburgh Steelers in our house, on national TV, on a bone chilling cold and windy Cleveland night. A game which many of us fans will remember for a long time. It was a game that the reigning Super Bowl Champions needed to win so as to end their four game losing streak and get their playoff hopes back to being a reality. It was a game that broke our twelve game losing streak to the Steelers. A game where the Browns defense recorded eight sacks of Rothlisberger. The much maligned Corey Williams had two sacks while Opportunity Period linebacker Marcus Benard had two sacks of his own. A good friend of mine (a Steelers fan) told me that he had never seen a defense play so well against the Steelers. They were all over the place going 100 mph all the time he said. I think that summed up the defensive effort pretty well.

It was a night that showcased Joshua Cribbs the kick and punt returner, the wild cat quarterback and just all around pain in the butt for opponents. He was a one man wrecking crew that night. He returned a punt 55 yards, nearly scoring. He ran out of the wild cat for 87 yards converting two key 3rd downs, one went for 37 yards. Joshua finished the game with 200 all purpose yards…but it was his video interview with Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk and Steve Mariucci after the game that may have forever instilled this young man as one of our all time favorite Browns players. His answers to questions regarding his wanting a new contract drew the applause of the NFL Network crew. He said that he didn’t want to be a distraction to the team and that he hoped his play during the season would prove him worthy of a new contract. I was incredibly proud to be a Browns fan at that moment I can tell you that.

Next up is what I’m calling The 2009 Browns Hall of Fame Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. As a result of spectacular performances, two Browns players were asked to give their jersey to the Hall of Fame. Josh Cribbs returned his 7th kick-off for a TD to set a new NFL record only to break his own record with his 8th TD return later in the game. Josh is like the energizer bunny, he just keeps going and going. He never ceases to amaze us. But this day had another energizer bunny, Jerome Harrison rushed for 286 yards on 34 carries (8.4 yards/carry) and scored 3 TD’s. This was the 3rd highest single game rushing total in league history and it broke Jim Brown’s team record which stood since 1961.

You would think that with those record setting performance that this game was a cake walk for the Browns but it was anything but. Chiefs running back, Jamaal Charles, rushed for 154 yards of his own with 1 TD and Matt Cassel threw for 331 yards and 2 TD’s while Brady Quinn only managed 66 passing yards and 2 INT’s. Jerome Harrison saved the day with a 28 yard TD run but before stepping into the end zone he smartly turned left and trotted along the one yard line towards the sideline eating up valuable seconds and leaving the Chiefs just 44 seconds with which to work. The defense held and the Browns had completed the second leg of their 4 game season ending winning streak.

The Raiders came to town matching against each other the two quarterbacks who fought for the starting Browns job in 2007. Charlie Frye started for the Raiders and Derek Anderson started for Brady Quinn who injured his foot late in the Chiefs’ game and was put on IR. Frye started the game off right by throwing an INT on his first pass attempt and Jerome Harrison picked up where he left off the previous week with a 17 yard touchdown run. The Browns never really looked back from there winning the game 23-9. The Browns defense did give up 333 passing yards to Charlie Frye but they also sacked him 4 times and had 3 INT‘s. The best thing the Raiders did was to kick a 61 yard field goal as the half ended.

The Browns received another stellar performance out of Jerome Harrison who rushed for 148 yards and 1 TD while breaking another browns record. His 39 carries became a team record, besting that of Lee Suggs. Derek Anderson managed the game well throwing 1 TD to Massaquoi while not throwing an INT. His 8 of 17 performance for 121 yards was about on par for the Browns passing attack during this 2009 campaign.

Lastly, the Jaguars have to leave their bermuda shorts home and march up to Cleveland to play the finale in 16 degree temperatures, a 20 mph wind and a few snowflakes in the air and on the ground. GREAT Cleveland Browns December football weather. The Jags still had a slim hope of making the playoffs but the Browns were playing for their coach Eric Mangini and the new boss Mike Holmgren.

Once again Jerome Harrison delivered a superlative effort with 127 yards on 33 carries and 1 TD while Josh Cribbs chipped in 47 rushing yards and 1 TD of his own. Also getting in on the fun was Chris Jennings who had 38 yards on 9 carries. These three guys accounted for 212 rushing yards which dictated the pace of the game. David Gerrard had a good game for the Jaguars rushing for 40 yards and throwing for 202 while Maurice Jones-Drew averaged 5.1 yards a carry with his 82 rushing yards but the Browns controlled the game all the way through. The ending game score was 23-17 but that included a David Gerrard TD pass on the final timed play of the Browns and Jaguars season. If you think of the score as 23-10 you’ll have a better understanding of how the game felt.

A season that was going along so incredibly miserably, that so many of us wished would just hurry up and end already, wound up with us ending the twelve game losing streak to our arch enemy, setting team and NFL records while winning our final four games in such a way that we now DID NOT want the season to end.

Quite a ride was Browns Football 2009. Especially on defense. Guys were getting hurt and other guys had to come in and man the positions. David Bowens did a heck of a job of stepping in and running the defense. Kaluka Maiava, Jason Trusnik and Matt Roth all came in and played hard and well as did Marcus Benard and Blake Costanzo. And how about the job that Ahtyba Rubin did stepping into Shaun Rogers shoes? He should get a medal of some sort.

On offense Jamal Lewis went down and Jerome Harrison stepped up and up and up. Chris Jennings did a good job when he was in at running back and they both protected the ball well. Evan Moore came in like a fresh wind to catch balls from the tight end position as did Michael Gaines while Floyd Womack slid over to right tackle and did an admirable job there after John St. Clair left early in the Chiefs game.

Coach Mangini stressed all through training camp and pre-season the need for putting guys in different positions as a form of cross-training because during the season things happen and guys will have to fill in. This cross-training certainly paid off and we were witnesses. We even had a wide receiver playing safety.

Joe Thomas and Joshua Cribbs were elected to the Pro-Bowl for the Browns but one guy that deserved to be there was FB Lawrence Vickers. His devastating blocking propelled our running backs through the line of scrimmage many a time. He deserves some sort of honorable mention award.

There’s certainly reason to be optimistic for next year but there’s a lot to be done before we can expect consistent winning. On offense we’ve got to get better at passing the ball. The defense has got to be more reliable. They play pretty well sometimes and other times they give up big plays and lots of yardage.

Shortly after the season ended Mike Holmgren met with coach Mangini and announced that Eric and his staff would be retained to lead the team. Shortly thereafter Tom Heckert was hired as the team’s General Manager. The organization is forming before our eyes and by all appearances it looks like a good one. Strong and experienced football people will be transforming the new Browns into what we hope will be the old Browns. The respected Browns of the Otto Graham era, of the Jim Brown era, of the Bernie Kosar era, when opponents dreaded coming into our house. Those were the days! And hopefully, WILL be the days!

And so ends, in my opinion, the best bad season in Cleveland Browns history.
Go Browns!

Filed under: Op/Ed Articles