The Browns are again playing in prime time tonight. So far this year they are 1-1, with tonight, plus two more night games to go. In the previous two games the Browns couldn’t have been more opposite if they were Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning; Michael Jackson 1986 and Michael Jackson 2005; Seal and Graig; LeBron and Kitten Killer Hughes; Raiders and the Patriots; original Knight Rider and the new Night Rider; Brady Quinn’s looks and Joakim Noah’s; my income and Bill Gate’s; a church going virgin and a crack addicted hooker. I guess what I’m trying to say is both games were completely different.
Against Pittsburgh back on the second Sunday of the season, The Chocolate Dumpling cost the game with a field goal call that was a worse call than having Al Davis pick your fantasy team for you. Then, three weeks later, in a Monday nighter against the undefeated defending Super Bowl champions New York Giants, the Browns played as good as a team can play.
Tonight, they start “rookie” Brady Quinn. Trying to predict what is going to happen would be about as accurate as a blind midget with no arms riding a St. Bernard and trying to spit a watermelon seed into a shot glass 20-feet away while the O’Doyle’s are whipping dodge balls at him.
I have no idea what to expect once the game starts. Quinn could be the next Peyton Manning and be a stud from game one. The Broncos defense is bad. (How bad is it?) It’s so bad, the Browns have a better defense and they just gave up 37 points to Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens. Because the defense is so bad, Quinn has a chance to do well. Of course, most of the depends on the offensive line blocking people, the running backs… stay with me here… running the ball, and the wide receivers… this may sound a little strange… running the right routes and… yes there is an ‘and’ and I know that’s asking a lot out of one group of players to do two things but… catching the ball. The elements are there for Brady to be successful. But they were also there for DA. Quinn may give them a spark offensive and put up 35 points on 275 passing yards and two touchdowns. He could just as easily, as The Chocolate Dumpling said, “fall flat on his face.” At which point, will fans begin chanting “Der-ek! Der-ek!” Highly doubtful, but if Brady struggles for a few games, yeah, Derek chants will come back (maybe).
I do know what to expect before the game: A sense of excitment not felt this year. All Browns hope now ride in the incredible cut and defined arms of Dreamboat Brady (seriously, look at those arms… and hair, it doesn’t matter how long it is.) After the Ravens game, I didn’t even want to go to tonight’s game. Then when Brady was named starter, it was a reason to go; a reason to have faith; something to look forward to. Being a night game, with Brady’s first start, I think the crowd will be more fired up than they were for the Steelers game. Let’s hope the energy in the crowd is enough to energize Brady and in the process energize the team.
(If I see one person in a John Elway jersey, I’ll probably be kicked out of the game.)
If I could give Brady one piece of advice, it would be there: Don’t suck.
Or, “A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.”
J-Beanie Sports 