More of the same. That’s the best way to describe the Browns performance yesterday during the season opener 27 to 17 lost to the Cincinnati Bengals. After a slow and sloppy first quarter, which saw the Browns commit seven penalties and look unprepared, the team seemed to have righted the ship in the second quarter. Colt McCoy connected with tight ends Benjamin Watson and Evan Moore in the end zone and the running game seemed to be on track. Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty combined to rush for an average of over five yards per carry in the first half. Though both backs saw limited action during the game, combining for only 22 carriers on the day. The strong suit of the offense is definitely the running game, with Hillis coming of a season that saw him rush for over 1,000 yards, with 11 touchdowns and an average of 4.4 yards per carrier, it was expected that the rusher would carrier the work load for the team. Surprisingly the Browns offense tried working the passing game to drive the ball as second year quarterback Colt McCoy attempted 40 passes in his first season opener start, connecting 19 times for 219 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. In comparison, Cincinnati rookie quarterback Andy Dalton attempted 15 passes, completing 10 for 81 yards and a touchdown before being knocked out of the game with a wrist injury at the end of the first half. While the passing game is clearly not the Browns’ strong suit, with no break away wide receiver, McCoy did answer some of the questions about his arm strength with a few long passes. Though McCoy doesn’t have a cannon for an arm, he definitely isn’t as limp wristed as some fans would make it seems. Combined with his outstanding accuracy, he gives the Browns a play caller who has the ability to lead the team to victory, as he proved last year. Coming out in the second half to run Cincinnati’s offense was veteran journeyman, and former Brown, Bruce Gradkowski, who went five for 12 with 92 yards and a touchdown. Gradkowski’s passing touchdown came on a heads up veteran play that found the Browns’ unprepared, as the defense was still huddled up waiting for the play to come in from the sideline while the offense was already lined up. A quick snap and toss to rookie wideout A.J. Green lead to the touchdown that gave the Bengals the lead, which they would maintain for the rest of the game. Green’s touchdown was one of two Bengal scores that came due to mental lapse on the behalf of Browns’ defense. The other being the 39-yard end zone romp by Bengal’s running back Cendric Benson, who after breaking through the initial line of the Browns’ defense found an empty back field for a nearly uncontested score. Both scores were plays ran to pro bowl corner back Joe Hadden’s side, sullying what was otherwise a outstanding performance by the second year defensive back. His coverage was tight and he had a number of knocked down passes, including a few touchdown-saving red zone deflections. It was pretty well regarded that Cleveland would be chalking up a win against the lowly Bengals, who are considered one of the worst teams in the league. Unfortunately, the Browns showed their inexperience in nearly every asset of the game. The offense line is clearly missing the veteran presence of left guard Eric Steinbach, who is out for the remainder of the season following back surgery to repair a disc injury. Also missing from the lineup was right tackle Tony Pashos. While the replacements did a commendable job early, an offense line like Swiss clocks depend on precision and the unfamiliar pieces clanked a bit, especially later in the game. However, in a rebuilding year with a young team that is learning new systems on both sides of the ball, some mental lapses are bound to arise. This is something Browns’ fans will need to keep top of mind for the remainder of the year. Those who expected the Browns to come flying out of the blocks may have over exaggerated expectations, as this team wasn’t built to win this year, but to succeed in the long run. This is clear by the lack of depth at key positions and the number of young players on the roster. The Browns, who were one of the oldest NFL teams last year, now have 11 rookies on a roster that features 31 players with three years or less of professional experience. The youth movement definitely suffered from the lack of a full off-season training camp, which is clear now. Stay persistent Browns fans, while watching this team go through growing pains may be difficult right now it will be worth it if Holmgren and crew can return this team to its rightful place upon the top of the AFC North. Photo by John H. Reid III