Retraction: No Longer in Defense of Mike Pettine

Oct 18, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine (right) talks with quarterback Josh McCown (13) in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at FirstEnergy Stadium. Denver defeated Cleveland 26-23. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

“In Defense of Mike Pettine’s In-Game Decisions” read the headline of my October 20 Dawg Pound Daily post when pundits across the country were criticizing the Browns’ decision to go for a two point conversion early in the second half in their 26-23 overtime loss to Denver.

But like when Charles Barkley claimed he was misquoted in his own autobiography, I’m demanding a retraction.

I can no longer defend Mike Pettine, and I have been his #1 supporter, until Sunday. In fact, leaving an obviously pained, and less than fully effective, Josh McCown was what the business world terms a fireable offense.

Criticizing clock management, starting line-ups, play-calling, that’s part of the job description for every NFL coach, even the genius Bill Belichick. Allowing an obviously injured Josh McCown to remain in the game when it was clear to even the most casual fan that his condition was hurting the team was inexcusable.

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Living in Washington D.C., I saw this movie before and, spoiler alert, it short-circuited the careers of both a Super Bowl winning (but smarmy) Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and burgeoning superstar (but equally dislikable) quarterback Robert Griffin III.

After a 3-6 start to the 2013 season, RGIII, under the tutelage of Shanahan the Elder and his Boy Genius, power pointing offensive coordinator son Kyle, rattled off seven straight Redskins wins to host a Wild Card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks. Washington scored on its first two possessions to lead 14-0, and then RGIII literally blew out his knee running for a first down. Rather than turn the game over to capable backup Kirk Cousins, who had led the Skins to victories off the bench that season including a torching of the Browns, Shanahan “deferred to the player”. Painful to watch, Griffin hobbled, bobbled and limped through a miserable second half in which the Redskins were shut out, losing 24-14.

Sunday’s Browns game was another regular season stinker en route to a high draft choice, not a playoff game. RGIII was a rookie sensation with his whole career in front of him. not a 37-year-old journeyman like McCown. Unlike Shanahan, Pettine’s a candid, nice guy straight shooter, but if he wins two Super Bowls it won’t be coaching these Browns.