Football, Jake Delhomme said Sunday, is either joy or misery depending on the outcome. Watching Delhomme is a combination of the two, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes.
View full sizeJake Delhomme displayed a veteran NFL quarterback's skills in expanding the Browns' offense on Sunday. But at the same time, he demonstrated why his willingness to attempt the risky play makes each of his starts an adventure, says Bud Shaw.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jake Delhomme back behind center Sunday quickly raised the notion that the Browns' offense could have more width and breadth under his direction.
That was followed just as quickly by the reminder that while Delhomme still plays like a veteran who's convinced he gives you your best chance to win, he's also wired to provide your best chance to lose.
If Delhomme were your ambulance driver, he'd get you to the emergency room. No worries. That wouldn't be the problem.
The two collisions and blown tire along the way would.
Hard to believe the Browns could almost lose to the 1-9 Carolina Panthers Sunday with Peyton Hillis scoring three times on the ground. Or that it would take a John Kasay missed field goal at the gun to save the home team from total embarrassment.
What's harder to imagine, though, is how Eric Mangini and Delhomme ever could've co-existed an entire season.
While Mangini credited Delhomme for getting a "range of different people" involved in the offense, he did not mean the Carolina defenders who intercepted consecutive Delhomme passes in the second half, returning one for a TD.
"Jake knew what he did on that play," Mangini said before hopefully adding, "I think these things are correctable."
Well ... since when? Not last year in Carolina. Not in the season opener in Tampa either.
Delhomme had every reason to blame his mistakes Sunday on rust. Except he came out sharp, putting on display the benefits of a wily QB running a no-huddle offense. Rhythm. Variety. It was all on exhibit as the Browns built a 21-7 lead. He finished sharply, too, moving the Browns into Phil Dawson's range for the 24-23 win.
Spreading the wealth beyond his tight ends and Hillis almost made it possible to excuse the whirling dervish fling that could've been picked off but was only ruled intentional grounding. And the sloppy fumble just before the half that bounced the Browns' way.
The two terrible throws to start the third quarter brought it all back home. This wasn't just rust. This was Jake being Jake. All told, he was intercepted two times, fumbled once and could've been picked off twice more.
View full sizeEric Mangini was not reacting to a Jake Delhomme interception in this photo -- but Delhomme's penchant for the risky throw isn't likely to claim Mangini's nerves, says Bud Shaw."I was very disappointed in a couple series back to back," Delhomme said. "It's going to eat at me."
Browns' game plans are see-sawing these days. Too much reliance on Hillis against Jacksonville led to an over-correction Sunday, including a gadget halfback pass in the red zone that Hillis joked probably "ended my quarterback career."
Who knows what to expect next? After giving Delhomme some liberties based on his insider knowledge of the Panthers, my guess is Mangini will reel him in. Or try anyway. Since Mangini is coaching for his job, who can blame him?
Tampa Bay. Atlanta. Now Carolina. Delhomme has gone beyond the small mistake to the big blunder in each game.
"It's not a secret," Mangini said of Delhomme's need to take better care of the ball. "It's not a private conversation between he and I. He knows it. We can't have self-inflicted wounds."
The problem is this is what you get with Delhomme. Sometimes he swings into the ballroom on the chandelier and saves the girl. More often of late, he swings in and knocks her unconscious.
With five games remaining, Mangini is putting on his best face. He must know he's not Mike Holmgren's ideal head coach. Delhomme is not his idea of a quarterback either. Everybody is stuck with each other for now.
As Mangini watched Kasay line up a makeable field goal attempt, he said "many expletives" went through his mind -- directed at the defensive letdown that allowed Carolina its improbable final chance.
My guess is the last words going through his head Sunday night before he fell asleep weren't expletives at all.
They were, "Get well, Colt."