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Puskas: Meet the new Browns, not the same as the old Browns
Photo
The Plain Dealer
Browns rookie running back Isaiah Crowell heads into the end zone ahead of Steelers cornerback Cortez for a touchdown in the second quarter of Sunday’s game at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. The Browns pulled off a rarity: a 31-10 rout of the Steelers, their biggest rivals.
These are not your 1999-2013 Cleveland Browns.
If there was any doubt, it was vanquished along with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The Browns’ 31-10 victory was that convincing.
There were signs of things to come when the Browns rallied from a big deficit only to lose the season opener 30-27 in Pittsburgh. But because it was the Browns, we needed more proof. It could have been a fluke.
It wasn’t. The Browns — these new Browns — left no doubt about that.
Two teams going in very different directions met Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. And for the first time in a long time, the Browns appear to be the team moving in the right direction.
It all starts with first-year coach Mike Pettine. Remember, this was a guy who didn’t seem to be on anyone’s radar when the Browns and several other teams were looking for coaches in January. Most observers felt Pettine was sixth or seventh on the Browns’ wish list — at best.
Pettine wasn’t a sexy hire, but he seems to be the perfect guy for the job.
Pettine embraced Cleveland’s culture and history. He tells his players to “play like a Brown.”
Pettine instilled a fighting mentality in his players. The Browns nearly rallied to stun the Steelers in the opener after a horrible first half. The same thing happened against Tennessee, but the Browns finished the rally that time. In their minds, these Browns are never out of a game.
Pettine kept the quarterback battle between Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel from becoming a circus act during training camp. He didn’t cave to the idea that Hoyer was just keeping the job warm for Manziel.
Pettine understands his role as one of the faces of the franchise and isn’t afraid to give reporters a nugget of a quote once or twice a week. My favorite: “There’s a phrase for almost winning. It’s called losing.”
Pettine is anti-Pat Shurmur. The former Browns coach’s news conferences were equal parts awkward, combative and uncomfortable. You could see he didn’t like that part of the job. And the fact he wasn’t good at the main part of the job — running the team on Sundays — only made dealing with the inevitable questions and criticism more difficult.
The best thing about these Browns is the way they deal with adversity.
They overcame another poor start Sunday, when they were held to -8 yards in the first quarter. They didn’t panic. They eventually ran the ball effectively. They threw it effectively. They scored touchdowns in the red zone instead of settling for field goals. The defense kept Pittsburgh out of the end zone until the game’s final minutes. They were methodical.
With three key defensive linemen out, the Steelers expected to run the ball at will. But thanks in part to Cardinal Mooney’s Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, it didn’t happen.
The Browns also overcame center Alex Mack’s broken leg. Boardman’s John Greco moved over from right guard and the Browns’ offensive line still manhandled the Steelers.
Mack, who had not missed a snap since being drafted in 2009, is gone for the season. That hurts, but these Browns are better equipped to overcome that sort of adversity than they used to be.
Just ask the Steelers — they’ll tell you.
Write Vindicator Sports Editor Ed Puskas at epuskas@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @EdPuskas_Vindy.