Cleveland Browns Hire Mike Pettine, LOL

by Steve

After three interviews 10+ other candidates and three plus weeks of interviewing such luminaries as Greg Schiano, Mike Munchak and Josh McDaniels the Cleveland Browns today announced the hiring of Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.  Sorry if I find this laughable, but I do.

Granted, I liked Pettine as the Bills defensive coordinator but as the head coach of the Browns?  Holy smokes!  I don't get it.  He was the Bills DC for one freaking year.  Yes they improved in a lot of statistical categories but did anyone watch the Bills at any time this season and think, damn this defense is dominant, who is their DC?

The Bills finished 10th in yards allowed but were 28th against the run!  They were gashed every single time (seemingly) when they needed a big stop and specifically towards the end of the year.  How many running backs did the Bills single handily invent in 2013?

Didn't the Browns already have a top ten defense? They needed an offensive mind to develop a quarterback. Alright fine the Browns literally (orrr figuratively?) had no other option, so be it. Let's look at this from the Bills perspective.

A coordinator is a coordinator. The talent is what makes the team ultimately. The scheme Pettine brought in was clearly better than what Stachestedt did the year before but the pass rushing was already there with the Williams' and Dareus. Two years ago there was no Lawson, Kiko or Branch either.  What may hurt just as much with Pettine leaving is the idea that he'll probably take all the assistants with him.

Then again, did the Seahawks really miss Gus Bradley last year? Obviously no.  Presumably any one can step in, see that the aggressive style the Bills used last year worked (at least in the passing game) and replicate it.  The bigger question is how to stop the god damn run. 

Bring in an old washed up bitch like Wade "Gomer" Phillips?  Why not, he was smart enough to start Rob Johnson over Flutie against Tennessee and Ralph barely remembers who he is.  Or bring in Greg Williams!  The guy is intense and knows how to effect the head.  Or try to poach some other coordinator.

What's more important at the end of the day is keeping Jairus Byrd, hoping Stephon Gilmore shakes his bust status and Marcell Dareus gets a new alarm clock.