Browns Recap: CLE fumbles away the win vs. Steelers (3 Good/3 Bad of Week 8)

The Conclusion

We know what needs to change. Firstly, the Browns need new receivers. This is not a good receiving corp and to all those pundits that praised Cleveland and talked about how good they’d be were only doing so because of the name-value that each player had. Secondly, people need to be cut or traded; namely Ronnie Harrison and Rashard Higgins. Discipline is so important for success and Harrison has now had three huge, irresponsible penalties on him this year. Thirdly, either a coach needs to be fired, or replaced because someone has to teach these men accountability and professionalism. These mental mistakes are all about character. If you have it, you don’t make these mistakes.

Either the talent is the problem or the coaches are the problem. Frankly, I don’t think the coaches are (completely) the problem. I think they need a coach whose entire job is to teach the players discipline, not jumping offsides, keeping your cool; stuff like that. Just using the “it’s a violent game, what do you expect” excuse is just that; an excuse. How many times in a game do guys not hit people when they’re out of bounds? Just about every play. For Harrison to do that proved to so many people that he’s too much of a hothead to rely on.

If you can’t rely on him, he shouldn’t be playing.

This Browns team is undisciplined. That’s beyond obvious. That’s on Andrew Berry. He brought these players in. He’s the one who looked past character issues and decided to prove “his culture” can keep people in line. His culture is crap. The Browns are dysfunctional. They’re the most penalized team in the league.

That is not the sign of a well-managed, well-coached team. That is pure evidence that the culture still needs work. This has to change because that lack of discipline is why the Browns are 4-4 and not 5-3.