In re: Defense of Weeden
I’ve heard way too many people channel their inner Henry VIII, calling for Brandon Weeden’s head after his first game.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Weeden’s play was more unsightly than a Lindsay Lohan mugshot. It doesn’t matter that the offensive line played like hot butter. There’s really no excuse for it. And inserting backup QB Colt McCoy very well could have won the game.
In fact, let’s assume, arguendo, that McCoy would indeed have led the Browns to a victory.
I’m still not subbing him in for Weeden.
If you watched the 2011 Browns season, you know what you have in Colt McCoy. I like the guy personally because he’s full of moxie. But he’s also undersized and extremely limited. Only Verne Troyer would be comfortable in a room with McCoy’s ceiling.
With Weeden, at least we have the potential for something more. He has the size and arm that McCoy will simply never have. It’s worth the development.
No. It needs the development. I’m not ready to cut my losses on a first round draft pick after just one game. Even if his play was so horrible that the game tape has been fluently speaking dead languages and is in desperate need of an exorcism.
Benching Weeden would have put a clamp on any future development. It would have killed his confidence and given raw meat to the Cleveland media foaming at the mouth for the chance to write about a quarterback controversy.
One win isn’t worth that in a season where the Browns are not winning the Super Bowl. Especially when that one win means admitting we’re better off with the pedestrian potential of McCoy.
I’d much rather take the loss and hold on to a glimmer of unknown in Weeden.
(Having said that, if we don’t see an improvement over the next few games… I’m going to start pining for Logan Thomas, Tyler Wilson, and Matt Barkley. Yes, in that order. Subject to change.)
Didn’t get to watch, which only left me to desperately refresh ESPN GameTracker on my phone when the Eagles were on the 3-yard line with less than two minutes to go, trying to score the go-ahead and…wait? Am I really typing this about the Browns??
The most surprising thing about this game to me? That we’re even having a discussion about benching this QB after almost upsetting the Eagles. “Almost upsetting the Eagles” is a great surprise to start the season, especially when you’re carrying 15 rookies on a roster, and one of them starts at the most critical position on the field.
And after the offense put up that big of a stinker? I’m almost ready to celebrate.
The line needs more time to gel, but this line will open up lanes for Richardson eventually, who will do to many more DBs this season what he did to Kurt Coleman: http://video.thescore.com/watch/trent-richardson-runs-over-the-eagles-coleman .
Brandon Weeden just needs time, as do Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, and every other rookie QB who is not a Subway celebrity endorser. But who knows? The middle of the season brings a small break in the schedule, and although there’s a tough stretch run, I think if the defense and special teams play the way they did Sunday, there will be more close calls like this one throughout the season, even against tough opponents.
Weeden was awful, as was the run game. When you don’t establish a line of scrimmage, and fail to generate rushing yards, it’s impending doom for a young QB. There is no safety net, either. None have emerged from the Reciveing core filled with potential.