Cleveland Browns: 6 things that need to be addressed soon

Sep 27, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; A dejected Cleveland Browns fan after the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Oakland Raiders at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Raiders won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

After the first three weeks of the Cleveland Browns 2015 season we take a look at 6 things that should have you alarmed moving forward the rest of the year:

The Offensive Line is in shambles:

The strength of the team has been anything but that through the first three games of the year. Joe Thomas, the All-Pro left tackle, and stalwart of the line has looked mediocre. Alex Mack, coming off a broken leg, has been getting push backed and overpowered constantly by opposing defensive lineman. Stupid penalties and the suspension of the offensive line coach haven’t helped their cause either. The rest of the line has been mediocre at best, but when your Pro-Bowlers are playing bad it trickles down through the rest of the unit.

Sep 27, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) is defended by Oakland Raiders defensive end Aldon Smith (99) in the second quarter of a NFL game at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Power Running Game is non-existent:

Isn’t this supposed to be a running team? The main focus being the power running game the team spoke of all offseason? Well your feature back, Isaiah Crowell, has rushed for 128 yards on 37 attempts and one touchdown through the first three games. That’s a 3.5 yards per carry average for what was supposed to be the teams bread and butter. Duke Johnson has been slowed by injuries throughout the first part of the season and training camp, and your 2014 3^rd round pick was shipped off to Tennessee for a bag of footballs before the opener. It’s safe to say the running back position isn’t where the team envisioned it or wanted it to be at the start of the season.

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Have You Seen Me? Dwayne Bowe is Yeti-like:

Where is Dwayne Bowe and why is he on the roster? Has anyone cashed in on reputation as well as Bowe did this offseason? Bowe, coming off a 2014 campaign where he caught one touchdown pass, cashed is with the Browns for a cool $9-million this offseason and is harder to find on Sunday’s than a Yeti. It’s obvious Bowe was Farmer’s guy and that Pettine and the coaches have no desire to deal with the unengaged veteran. Bowe has been a healthy scratch twice this season and doesn’t seem to be engaged at all with the team or coaches. The Browns need to make the Dwayne Bowe experiment go away. I would’ve personally rather seen them keep Pryor and cut their losses with Bowe at the end of Training Camp.

The most expensive Defense in the NFL looks over-hyped and over-paid:

Paging Joe Haden, Karlos Dansby, Donte Whitner and the rest of the Browns “supposedly” vaunting defense? You can look stout and mean on paper, but you still have to play the games. The Browns defense through the first three weeks has been, well let’s be honest, awful. The rushing defense, which has been historically awful, was supposedly upgraded in the offseason with the additions of veteran Randy Starks and rookie Danny Shelton. Has anyone seen Paul Kruger or Desmond Bryant? They have been non-existent through the first 3 games. Well those additions and the lack of production from the returning starters, have helped the Browns run defense to a 32^nd overall ranking in the NFL this year giving up 158.3 yds per game. Really? The passing defense is ranked 14^th in the NFL giving up 237 yds per game and are middle of the pack. The secondary was abused by the Raiders young receivers this past Sunday as Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree had their way up and down the field. Joe Haden has looked like anything but the All-Pro corner he’s touted to be. Whitner looks like he’s slowing down. So far, the best player on the secondary has been Tramon Williams through the first three weeks. Karlos Dansby hasn’t been the same force as he was a year ago and Barkevious Mingo is still too thin and is overpowered each time at the line of scrimmage. The defense which was once thought to be strength has been anything but that through the first three weeks.

Sep 27, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Oakland Raiders at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback, Schmuarterback:

Josh McCown started week one, Johnny Manziel started week two and McCown started week three. Loss, Win and a Loss. Again for the 17^th year in a row the Browns do not have a bonafide quarterback. Journeyman Josh McCown was brought in the offseason to be a stop-gap at the position until Manziel or whoever the next quarterback would be was ready to play. McCown going down with a concussion in week one sped up that process and allowed Manziel to start week two and seize the moment producing the only with through the first three weeks of the season. But the coaches went back to McCown in Week three and the team came out and fell flat on their face. McCown looked like the journeyman quarterback we all thought he was against the Raiders packing the stat sheet at the end when the game was pretty much in hand. The coaches seem steadfast to sticking with the veteran, but it’s no secret Manziel sparked the team against the Titans in a week two win. Maybe it’s time to let the kid play? I don’t know but a TMZ article this morning has some Browns players yelling for Manziel.

SOS: 6 alarming things Cleveland Browns need to address soon

By Giovanni Castelli | Sep 29, 2015

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