Browns 20 Bengals 12-Whatever

The Bengals and Browns took part in what was supposedly a football game Sunday afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium, but what I saw was certainly insulting to other professional football teams in the league. Cleveland beat Cincinnati 20-12 in a game filled with plenty of turnovers, poor coaching, and all around bad play. It is just like old times for Bengals fans who find their team's season over, and it is not even October yet. I am nearly at a loss for words after watching that pathetic display Sunday, but here are a few things I noticed:

• If nothing else, all of the fans calling for Ryan Fitzpatrick earlier in the season can sit down and shut up. Of course, these are the same fans who pluck down thousands of dollars to watch Mike Brown's circus each fall. Hopefully Carson Palmer's elbow injury is not serious, but the team should allow him to get as much rest as he needs since this season is over. If he does need surgery, good for him. He should be grateful that he doesn't have to stand behind this joke of an offensive line anymore this season, or deal with the immature antics of his two prima donna receivers. Honestly, if anyone should be begging out of Cincinnati, it should be Palmer. He deserves better than this, and Mike Brown should be ashamed and embarrassed by the joke of a team he has assembled.
  
• Marvin Lewis is done. He has taken this team further than any other coach during the Mike Brown Era, but he has the look of a man beaten down and out of gas. I have never believed Lewis was the best in-game coach around, but he used to have a bounce in his step and a fire in his eyes that was refreshing to Cincinnati fans who had suffered through so much. That fire has been gone for over a year now, and Lewis now even sounds like a man at his wits end. The team managed to burn through all of their second half timeouts with 13 minutes still to go in the game, and Lewis sounded exasperated while trying to explain himself after the game. Then, he offered up this gem at his Monday press conference:

"I think Jason is a ways away and there was no intention that he would have to play football for us this year, that he would be a project-type player. Pat Sims is doing things pretty well. Given the opportunity, I believe there is an opportunity that he will play here at some point this year. Yesterday I thought the guys in the defensive line rotation did a pretty good job. The guys that are feeling the heat and know there are guys chomping at their heels showed up and made some plays and I think that’s a good thing."

He was talking about Jason Shirley and Pat Sims, the team's two rookie defensive tackles taken in the third and fifth rounds respectively in this year's draft. I am sorry, but I guess I was unaware that this team was so talented that it could afford to draft projects and other players who are not ready to contribute right away. I must have not noticed the amazing amount of talent and depth on this team when I watch them week after week. Oh wait, that's right, this team sucks, and cannot afford to be wasting valuable draft picks on players who cannot play. Throw in second round pick Jerome Simpson and third round pick Andre Caldwell and you have four picks of players who are still unable to help this team out. Lewis also mentioned that Simpson and Caldwell are coming along, but they are not ready to play on Sundays yet. In total, that adds up to a second round, two third round, and a fifth round pick all gone to waste from this year's draft. Tell me again how great your scouting department is, Mikey Brown. What a joke! Meanwhile, players like D'Sean Jackson are having immediate impacts on the Eagles offense and special teams, but we did not want him, so we are left waiting to see if Simpson or Caldwell will ever take the field.

• This offensive line is as bad as I have seen in a long time. Can we please address the center position? Eric Ghiaciuc is not the answer, and he has not ever been the answer. What they see in him, I would love to know. Stacy Andrews, please attempt to earn your paycheck at least once this season. Andrews was beaten badly late in the game by seventh round pick Alex Hall of the Browns, resulting in a Fitzpatrick fumble, and essentially ending any Bengal hopes. This team lets Eric Steinbach and Willie Anderson go, and they hold onto a collection of bums who get no push in the running game and cannot protect the passer in the passing game. Hey, at least Chris Perry managed 28 yards on 12 carries, that's over two yards a pop, so well done.
• One bright note was the play of Chinedum Ndukwe. Ndukwe had six tackles, one sack, and one interception Sunday, and he was flying around the field all day long. I said last week that Ndukwe may not have what it takes to start at safety in the NFL, but he looked totally different this week as he managed to single-handedly disrupt the Browns offense.
  
• I feel sorry for any fan who has season tickets to this garbage. I would not pay a dime to watch this team, and I will not pay a dime for any merchandise of a team with an owner so inept. People can call me a bandwagon fan, but I don't care. I am rooting for 0-16 at this point, because that might be the only way to force Mike Brown's hand. It probably wouldn't matter, but it could be a start, and I don't want to see that man enjoy anything ever again.