Week 9

Week 9 is in and the Browns season is over.  Not that I had big hopes.  For one I've been on the Shurmer needs to be canned list since he went 0-6 in the division last year.  I've had that standing rule since the last time a Browns coach embarrassed himself like that (Crennel in 2006).  While I was hoping for a good run to end the season, this alternative does assure us that Pat will be out and we won't delay the inevitable.  I think it's very apparent very quickly if a coach has what it takes or has the potential to be one of those coaches.  I thought Belichick had it when he was here in Cleveland.  I think Mangini had the potential when he was here.  Hopefully we'll get to see if he does or not in the future.  Crennel did not, nor did Chris Palmer.  Butch Davis was a mess when it came to talent evaluation, but he could have been a good coach I think.

What do I look for?  Well I'm glad you asked.  1) Team comes out in most games sharp and ready to compete.  Opening series should result in scores almost every game.  2) Players consistently preform above their ability. 3) Playbook adapts to the players on hand.  4) Win at least two games a year that the pundits thought impossible for the team to win.  5) Team on the field always has their head in the game.  Silly clock management flubs and organizational penalties almost never happen (ie delay of game)

I think that coaches in football matter more than any other team sport.  A good head coach, like a good QB can directly contribute to the team winning at least two extra games a year.  They set the tone, they set the attitude, the direct the collective that is a football squad.

Pat Shurmer has almost never fit any of my five points of a good or potentially good head coach.  And the longer we sit on a bad coach the longer we have to wait for a winner.  Especially since Weeden isn't the next Rogers or Manning.

On to the rankings:

		RANK W/OUT WEIGHT		OFFENSE RANK	DEFENSE RANK		RECORD	SS
1	ATLANTA	3		7	13		8-0-0	28
2	HOUSTON	1		8	3		7-1-0	22
3	SAN FRANCISCO	4		12	2		6-2-0	13
4	CHICAGO	2		23	1		7-1-0	28
5	DENVER	6		4	4		5-3-0	6
6	NY GIANTS	7		5	11		6-3-0	16
7	NEW ENGLAND	5		1	22		5-3-0	23
8	GREEN BAY	10		2	23		6-3-0	11
9	PITTSBURGH	8		11	7		5-3-0	27
10	BALTIMORE	12		10	16		6-2-0	30
11	DETROIT	9		3	20		4-4-0	17
12	SEATTLE	15		22	6		5-4-0	9
13	TAMPA BAY	11		9	17		4-4-0	24
14	MINNESOTA	14		17	21		5-4-0	19
15	DALLAS	17		15	10		3-5-0	1
16	MIAMI	16		20	24		4-4-0	30
17	SAN DIEGO	13		30	5		4-4-0	32
18	INDIANAPOLIS	18		14	30		5-3-0	24
19	NEW ORLEANS	22		6	31		3-5-0	17
20	ARIZONA	23		28	8		4-5-0	12
21	CAROLINA	20		25	9		2-6-0	2
22	PHILADELPHIA	24		24	14		3-5-0	7
23	NY JETS	25		27	12		3-5-0	4
24	OAKLAND	26		16	27		3-5-0	14
25	WASHINGTON	19		13	25		3-6-0	10
26	CINCINNATI	21		21	26		3-5-0	26
27	ST LOUIS	27		26	15		3-5-0	5
28	TENNESSEE	31		19	29		3-6-0	3
29	BUFFALO	30		18	32		3-5-0	19
30	CLEVELAND	28		29	19		2-7-0	21
31	KANSAS CITY	29		31	18		1-7-0	15
32	JACKSONVILLE	32		32	28		1-7-0	8

This is the first time there has only been two teams with both offense and defense in the top ten.  Usually there are more.  But for now Houston and Denver are the best most rounded teams.  The rest are excellent in one phase and good enough in the other.

Atlanta may only be the 7th offense and 13th defense, but they can also hand their hats on the best record and a very disciplined team.  Number 2 in turnovers given and 4 in turnovers taken.  They take care of the ball.

And to end on a downer for a downer sort of weekend.  Just when you thought they might be dying, the effin' Steelers just keep coming back.  Those ass hats in yellow and black are shooting up the charts to number 9.  And what was a shaky defense has really strengthened in recent weeks.  Their offense was actually stronger for the first several weeks.

Oh well, I guess we can say that things are as they are meant to be.  Browns out of it before the by week, and all those phoney Cleveland-born traitor Steeler fans laughing at us on their way to the playoffs.