Factory Of Sadness
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Donte Whitner, Mike Pettine Play Big Roles In Cleveland Browns Loss To The Oakland Raiders

By Jamyson Frierson

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Sep 20, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

1. Is Pettine On The Hot Seat?

I’m the last one who wants to see another regime and coaching change. It’s been a revolving door around Berea since 1999 and it doesn’t seem like it’s ever going to shut. Even though it has only been three games, can the failed preparation and lack of discipline on the team spell doom for Mike Pettine? We’ll definitely find out during the season, but for now, Pettine you are in the Dawg House. It has been a rough start to the season for the coach. They won the game last week, but they allowed a second-half comeback by a rookie quarterback and that just cannot happen.

I have been a big supporter of Pettine since he was hired as the head coach of the Browns. He brought a no-nonsense attitude and finally held other player’s accountable if they weren’t performing as they should have been. He actually showed he could make in-game adjustments and counter the opposing team with a different look. Before Pettine, Cleveland didn’t have a coach that could adapt. Well, whatever he was doing before seems to be gone now.

In three games during the second half, the Browns have been outscored 41-24. The defense is supposed to be improved, they should of thrived against a mediocre quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick, a rookie (Marcus Mariota) and a second-year player (Derek Carr).

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This all falls into Pettine’s lap. If the original gameplan isn’t working, you’re supposed to change it to something else, and it doesn’t appear he is doing that. For example, in an offense that is built around the run, Isaiah Crowell only has 21 total carries in the second half of games thus far.

Most backs have that many carries by halftime in a single game. Duke Johnson is only getting 3.5 of those carries, so it’s not like one back is getting more looks than the other one. There’s been way too much passing to undersized receivers and not enough use of the tight ends. The balls that were thrown to them were either behind them or over their head.

While that lands on the quarterback, it’s up to the coach to make it easier for both positions to succeed. The most baffling problem that is hard to understand is how the defense is so bad. Pettine is a defensively oriented coach and they couldn’t stop a cold right now. There is no way that Whitner should of been matched up one-on-one against Cooper Sunday, or that Joe Haden had no help all game against Brandon Marshall in week one. It’s obvious issues like that which make people second-guess coaches and if they are truly qualified for the position.

Most fans forget the public perception surrounding Pettine’s hire. It was like he fell into the gig because nobody else wanted it.  Josh McDaniels and Ken Whisenhunt were the supposed  top choices.

Could the inexperience be starting to show? Quite possibly. Today’s press conference was one of the first times I saw him look like a defeated man. He even mentioned how he was tired of players talking about how good they are, and failing to prove it on the field.

Coach, that’s up to you to get in their face, tell them to shut up and just play.

Complaining about it in a presser isn’t the solution. Pettine is going to have to soul search and find answers. If the Browns come out like they did in week one and Sunday, that seat could be on fire before he knows it.

Honorable Mention: Dwayne Bowe ( Where art thou?) Joe Haden, Tashaun Gipson ( Has really been struggling), Randy Starks ( Has only been mentioned once this season) Paul Kruger, the whole offensive line ( Really an issue now)

Next: Raiders Defeat The Browns: 4 Takeaways

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