NFL Preview: Cleveland Browns

Mike Holmgren is something of a genius, I doubt anyone would dispute that. But it looks as if the old adage regarding genius being 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration is true. When Holmgren left his head coaching job with the Seahawks - a team he took from the doldrums to their a Superbowl loss to a Bill Cowher led Steelers team in Superbowl XL - he wound-up in a rather unique position, managing a team coached by Eric Mangini.

Holmgren and Mangini's working relationship seems harmonious - something many thought impossible given the reduction in Mangini's powers. But the former New England assitstant who earned his first head coaching role with the Jets having helped Bill Belichek mastermind the Patriots three championships in four years, knew he had to go back to the start after a disastrous spell with the green and white.


Mangini's respect for all Homgren has achieved over his decade-spanning career at the top is probably to thank for his humility. And now together they face the prospect of rebuilding a franchise in tatters.

Two years ago the Browns looked hot: Derek Anderson (now a Cardinal having been released by the Browns this offseason) led the plucky Browns to a 10-6 record and only narrowly misse dout on a Wild Card berth in the process; behind him on the depth chart sat Brady Quinn - a highly rated QB out of Notre Dame who entered the NFL along with three other top-tier prospects at the same position meaning the Browns were able to snare him with the 23rd pick (at the time it appeared to be the bargain of the century); their skill positions were flourishing and optimism was high.

Then something - no one is quite sure what - went horribly wrong. The Browns were absoultely shocking last year and Quinn, who had dreamed of playing for his hometown team since childhood, was packed-off to the Broncos to duke it out for top-spot with two other starting-calibre QBs as the Browns decided to go in another direction.

They brought Jake Delhomme in from the Panthers and Holmgren's old buddy, Seneca Wallace, from the Seahawks. Delhomme knows now that his career is effectively over and that he will start for a season or two as an interim QB whose experience should aid the youth by which he is surrounded. Wallace is a skilled, but undersized backup, who can put in the odd good shift now and then, but may see more action at wideout than QB if the team requires a bit of depth in that area. Sitting behind the pair of them is Colt McCoy, the QB Holmgren preferred to Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen in this year's draft, citing character issues as the main reason for passing on the man who slid way into the second round only to be snapped up by the Carolina Panthers at 48.

McCoy is the future face of the franchise a promising prospect. As the Walter Camp Award winner, most winningest QB in NCAA I history and Heisman runner-up, he comes out of college with his eyes turned skyward. Given time, and if surrounded by a talented cast, he could blossom into a great starter, who might be able to pin-down one of the easier starting jobs to secure in the league.

This season, though, the Browns will have to cope with a Ravens team that looks ready for glory, and a revitalised Bengals unit that now boasts the terrible twosome - Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. Not to mention Superbowl champs of two and four years ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Can they pull an upset and get out of that rough-necked division?

Nope.


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