Red Right 88

Who asked for a sequel?

Two weeks into the season. Two games that looked like mirror images. Two losses for the Browns already.

This is quickly shaping up to be a long season.

For the second week in a row, the Browns played a decent, if not perfect, first half to take a lead into halftime. And for the second week in a row, they came out in the second half and did absolutely nothing offensively, wasting another solid effort by the defense.

Consider:

• The Browns scored 14 points in the first half, zero in the second.
• They only gained 55 yards in total offense in the second half after putting up 254 yards in the first. And three first downs.
• Their four second half “drives” covered 5 plays, 6 plays, 4 plays and 3 plays; all ended in a punt.

Just what is offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and the rest of the offensive staff doing at halftime?

The Browns defense held its own:

• Giving up only three field goals, one on a short field after the refs blew a call and ruled Jerome Harrison had fumbled the ball.
• Intercepting KC quarterback Matt Cassel twice and holding him to a 46.1 QB rating for the game.
• Limiting KC rushers to just 3.6 yards per carry.
• Holding the Chiefs to just six points in the second half, after giving up just seven points in the second half last week against Tampa. Think about that for a minute: you hold the opposing team to two field goals in the second half and you still find a way to lose?

Apparently the coaches on the defensive side of the ball have the whole halftime adjustment thing down.

Seneca Wallace wasn’t bad filling in for the injured Jake Delhomme, although he did deliver the weekly TAINT on a poor throw in the second quarter. And while it wasn’t the greatest throw, intended receiver Chansi Stuckey wasn’t exactly a firebrand running his route.

We knew going into the season that the wide receivers were going to be a weakness, but after two weeks it seems the group is even worse than expected. On Sunday:

• Brian Robiskie had his weekly catch, for 12 yards, bringing his two game total to 2 receptions for 18 yards.
• Stuckey had one catch for 11 yards; he’s at 5 catches for 41 yards on the season.
• Mohammed Massaquoi had one catch for nine yards; he’s at 3 receptions for 55 yards on the year.

In no way is this a knock on Josh Cribbs, but if a converted quarterback is your top receiver (5 catches on the year for 85 yards, including a sweet TD off a Wallace pass on Sunday), your receiving group is in big trouble.

The Browns failed to mount any kind of ground game, averaging only 2.8 yards per rush. Running the ball is supposed to be the offensive’s strength; if they lose the running game it’s going to only get worse.

It would be one thing if these two games were against teams far superior to the Browns, but they weren’t. Tampa and KC really aren’t that much better (it at all better) than the Browns. That’s what makes these past two weeks so frustrating.

“I feel like we had a lot of this conversation last week,” coach Eric Mangini said in his post-game press conference.

You’re not the only one coach.