The Cleveland Browns have led in the fourth quarter in all three losses, writes Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich, but they have continued to fall short. Ulrich, the professor, gives out his grades for the Browns' latest fall. The offense receives an overall grade of B, but quarterback Seneca Wallace was just average. • Quarterback: C+. Seneca Wallace started in...
The Cleveland Browns have led in the fourth quarter in all three losses, writes Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich, but they have continued to fall short.
Ulrich, the professor, gives out his grades for the Browns' latest fall.
The offense receives an overall grade of B, but quarterback Seneca Wallace was just average.
• Quarterback: C+. Seneca Wallace started in place of Jake Delhomme (right ankle injury) for the second consecutive week, and he gave the Browns a chance to win by completing 18-of-24 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown without an interception. However, he also made two crucial mistakes in crunch time.
Grading Peyton Hillis was easy (grade A). He rushed for a career-high 144 yards and a touchdown. Why the Browns stopped giving the ball is anyone's guess.
The defense, however, wasn't so good.
• Secondary: F. Eric Wright lived every cornerback's worst nightmare. Anquan Boldin torched Wright en route to compiling eight catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns. In chronological order, Wright looked short, confused and slow during Boldin's three scores. If it weren't for a broken-up pass by rookie safety T.J. Ward, Boldin would have had four touchdowns.
The Future
The Browns have played only three games, but CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk is already looking into his crystal ball.
Doerschuk wants to know what the Browns will look like in 2011. Who will stay and who will go.
Since Jake Delhomme will turn 36 in January, it's more likely, writes Doerschuk, that Delhomme will be out and the Browns will go after Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb.
The Browns certainly don’t specialize in surprise finds, but (aside from his game-numbing fumble at Tampa Bay), what’s not to like about Peyton Hillis?
Jerome Harrison might need a change of scenery. A Hillis-Montario Hardesty platoon would give him one. Hillis gives the Browns the luxury of not overloading Hardesty in his comeback from knee surgery.
Despite Eric Wright's pitiful performance against Baltimore, the Browns will still probably sign Wright to a contract extension. Look for Wright, Sheldon Brown and Joe Haden to remain together next year.
Rookie Round 2 pick T.J. Ward is making new General Manager Tom Heckert look pretty smart. He keeps making strong plays at key times, and if he gets the rookie mistakes out of his system, could give the 2011 Browns the kind of difference-maker division rivals Pittsburgh and Baltimore have had at the position.
Abe Elam is an adequate starter who, at this point, probably will still be around.
Struggles
The Cleveland Browns are not the only team in the AFC North that has struggled at times offensively. The so-called high-power offense of the Cincinnati Bengals has sputtered at times this season.
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer hasn't been sharp so far this season. Palmer finished 19-of-37 passing for 195 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in the last game.
The Bengals are ranked 14th in total offense.
You could base last year's struggles on the lack of personnel, which also contributed to an early exit in the playoffs. But after adding Terrell Owens, Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley, those excuses are out the window.
"We're not going to fall short this year. We're going to throw the ball and we're going to throw it effectively," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. "The identity is run the ball and, at the same time, be productive in our pass game and we will be."