Throwing a penalty flag in scribbles about the Browns...
These Browns fans saw plenty of penalty flags thrown in the direction of the home team on Sunday as the home team fell to 0-2 on the season.BEREA, Ohio -- Throwing a penalty flag in scribbles about the Browns...
1. After two games (both losses), the Browns have been flagged for 15 penalties -- ranking them eighth (out of 32 teams) in drawing flags. That comes after last season, where they ranked 29th. It comes after a preseason where they drew the fewest penalties. It comes after Eric Mangini and his coaches preached disciplined football and avoiding penalties from the moment they arrived in 2009, when players had to run laps after penalties in practice.
2. All this makes what has happened so far even more baffling. Mangini never blames officials for the flags; he demands his players shape up and do it right. But this year, 14 players have been flagged. Only John St. Clair (two holds in Tampa) is a repeat offender. So it's not just a few guys, it's nearly everyone.
3. We'll never know if Alex Mack's unnecessary roughness penalty at the end of the first half of Sunday's 17-14 loss to Kansas City is why Phil Dawson missed a 42-yard field goal. That late hit (and it was real, real late) cost the Browns 10 yards. They gained back 12 on the next play, then Dawson missed his kick. In the last three years, he has failed to convert only three times between the 40-49 yard lines. But today, Mack should feel as much remorse as Dawson over that play.
4. According to the Dallas Morning News and some internal stats in Berea, the Browns had the best special teams in the NFL last season. Big returns on offense, avoiding them on defense, punting, field goals and avoiding penalties were all a part of that ranking. But the Browns already have three special-team penalties -- holding by Jason Trusnik and Kaluka Maiava, and a ridiculous unnecessary roughness by Blake Costanzo.
5. Mangini's formula is to get smart, tough guys who pay attention to detail -- and won't give away yardage. So it has to be especially galling that among the Browns' nine penalties against Kansas City were three offsides/false starts. That means a player isn't paying attention, especially on offense -- when they know the snap count -- and at home -- when crowd noise is not against them. Yet, Ben Watson and Peyton Hillis had false starts. On defense, Marcus Benard lined up offsides. The Browns also were flagged for 12 men on the field in Tampa. These may be the worst of what Mangini calls "self-inflicted wounds."
6. Some penalties happen in the speed of the game. Sheldon Brown was nailed for what seemed like an iffy pass interference in Tampa. Kenyon Coleman was called for unnecessary roughness against Chiefs' quarterback Matt Cassel. Coleman arrived a split second late for a sack. These are not what Mangini is angry about.
7. Lawrence Vickers and Joe Thomas are two of the Browns' best blockers -- both have been called for holding. Thomas and Vickers have not made the same impact as a year ago. Mack also has had some rocky moments at center. While fans have been complaining about the right side of the line with Porkchop Womack and St. Clair, the center and left side has not been nearly as dominant as was the case at the end of last season.
8. In their 4-game winning streak last season, the Browns averaged 4.5 penalties per game, not much less than what they averaged for the entire season. In their worst moments -- and they seemed endless during that 1-11 start -- the Browns never had more than eight penalties in a game. So the nine against Kansas City is especially agonizing. No doubt, the coaches thought they had penalty part handled heading into this season.